I Am an Artist....

I just LOVE this!

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Are you STUCK, before even starting?

I love my job as a Calligrapher...but sometimes need to escape from the hum drum 'formal' lettering styles that people expect you to come out with on their commission work.

These Pen Play Doodles have been great fun and a welcome pause to the Creative Spirit.

I was chatting to a friend the other day who is finding it terribly difficult to start her own business. I'm trying to help her as best I can.....and advice is freely given if not always taken.

One of the problems is getting started.

The actual producing of any work.

It's hard when you are juggling kids, jobs, housework, partner, pets.....We've all been there, done that, worn the T-shirt.

Oddly enough, this came up with another friend as she was starting her business, so I thought I would write a blog post about it here....

OK.....so you have all the gear (and more) to start creating.....but something ALWAYS gets in the way. My main advice here is to STOP RIGHT THERE.....hold your horses and BREATHE!

OK....so if this was a conventional job, you wouldn't be able to make excuses as to why you hadn't turned up for work. So, you need to treat it just like that....like a 'PROPER' job!

When you first start out there are lots of reasons and from now on we will call them EXCUSES - (I'll come to this one later) as to why you haven't done anything.

Sometimes, the problem is that you are looking at the BIGGER picture.....looking at having a shed load of stuff to sell, make, create and because you are looking at the bigger picture it becomes overwhelming and you never get round to even starting.

SO....make some ME time....go on.....write it on your calendar right now.....even if it's only time on an evening....and while you're at it.....pen in the following 4 weeks....same time and day.

RIGHT - From now on.....at these Me times you are BUSY....got that? Hell can freeze over, but you are BUSY!

It's better and more conceivable to schedule in one hour per night than try and cram in a full day once a week.....so think carefully before you commit yourself.

Once you have.....it's immovable.

The above little picture is for you.....print it out and hang it somewhere prominent....print and give them away....but PLEASE do NOT try to sell them!

....remind yourself daily that

YOU are WORTH IT!

Believe me, the hubby will be happier, the kids will be happier, the household chores will STILL get done )and quicker if the truth be known!) and the sense of achievement will be AMAZING!

REMEMBER: Take small deliberate steps....each one leads you closer to your goal!

What advice would you give to someone who is stuck before starting?

From Pen Play to Crazy Colour

Well, here's another Pen Play and Doodle Fun piece that I created.....first outlined in 0.5mm permanent fine line pen....

And then coloured in using a water based brush pen.....diluted with water. the trick is to go around the edges with the brush, then use the water brush to dissolve the water from the paper and push it around. The result is 'similar' to watercolour paint, but far cleaner (she says with pen all over her finger tips!) .

The above pictures are a scan of the pieces, so the colour quality is a bit yucky1 I have taken photos and I'll share the finished piece, which I am going to add to my Art Journal.

Any type of colouring medium will work with the Pen Doodles, the choice is up to you. There is a variety of water soluble crayons as well as felt pens out there. Just remember: Permanent for the outline and water based for the colouring....you don't want your outline to be cloudy by painting over with heavy acrylic, but acrylic inks work well too.

Happy creative spirit :o)

Pen Play.....Doodle Fun!

Autumn Equinox is here....and a natural time for winding down.....why is it then that I feel so creative? Perhaps it's the thought of the nights drawing in, belly filling food, crisp mornings and warm cozy log fires that will soon be upon us. Whatever it is, it happens at the same time every year.
As I continue with my Doodle Art, I'm finding that I'm becoming More and more obsessed. It takes me back to when I was a kid and I always had time to create.....for no other reason than pure self indulgent pleasure. These Doodle Frames are just the beginning....

They are drawn with a 0.5, permanent pen and with NO pre-planning. Perhaps I enjoy this spontaneous way of working, because it becomes organic and grows from a small starting point...

Because there is no pr- planning, there is no set time to stop. The piece can just grow and grow.

These pieces may be finished or not.....we will see. After the first couple the ideas come thick and fast. Perhaps I will add colour, perhaps I will add words, but more so on my mind is to make them into a colouring journal for adults, something I have been thinking about for some time.

There was no set reason as to why I started these. No hidden agenda. No ultimate goal in mind. Just a Creative Spirit, enjoying a little 'ME' time, after the flurry of the last few months.

However they develop, I will keep posting them.

The greatest appeal for me is the lack of materials needed to create them. This means they can be done anywhere and with just a pen and paper.

Why not grab a cuppa, pick up a pen and start doodling today?

Trust me it's addictive.....so stock up on the ready meals :o)

BUT - If you really can't be bothered and fancy a bit of Art Time, I've left the pictures big, so feel free to click on the one/s you like and print them out.....you may even add to mine.....if you do PLEASE leave a comment and link back to this post....lets see if anyone wants to participate?

Blessings to your 'Creative Spirit' this equinox xxx

Doodle Time

"CREATIVITY comes from

having an open mind to new ideas,

constantly questioning the established rules.

Though rarely does it come on those days,

when you set out to be creative".

Raymond Blanc

I've just finished a few Wedding orders and was hoping to get some time to play before anything else came in...this is what I came up with....

When I was doing calligraphy for pleasure and teaching, play time was important. From playing came new ideas and from new ideas came finished pieces of work.

When I opened my studio and gallery.....way back in 1999, playing became more and more a thing of the past. Mainly because I was suddenly thrown into the commercial viability of everything and I mean EVERYTHING I did.

I had to suddenly look at everything with fresh eyes and felt guilty at taking, what can only be described as 'Time Out' for fun and playful projects.

Often I'm asked to do commissions that are pretty formal in nature, whereas my overall style is more contemporary these days. So, the commissions very rarely reflect my art work as it is.

I started these flowers using water based felt pens and after wetting the ink with a brush and letting them dry, I rough outlined them with a permanent fine-liner. Oh what fun.

I'm not sure where these will take me and they are merely doodles at the moment. I'm not even sure I will use them at all.....but I certainly had fun playing and I'm looking forward to developing the technique more and coming up with other ideas.

Yes, playing releases the child within!

What a difference a new floor makes!

Inspired by Script: What a difference a new floor makes!: For quite some time I've been complaining about the lighting in the Gallery at Inspired by Script. We have thought about a few ways of makin...

CREATIVITY comes from having an open mind to new ideas....

I've been so busy lately, what with wedding Fairs, Wedding Orders and commissions, I've hardly had a day off for weeks.....but it's all gonna be worth it.

Tomorrow I'm getting new flooring in the Gallery. The blue carpet was dark, tired and worn out and it certainly doesn't do my shelves and wares justice.

I've also been listening to a lot of Talking Books this year on my way to work. The latest was a Biography of a well known Chef. Strange you may think? Well the wonderful thing is that there is an awful lot of synchronicity goes on with fellow creative, whether they create in paint, fabric, dance, music photography and yes EVEN food! The following quote I listened to over and over again and the words are still resonating inside me. I have been playing with doodles (more about this soon) and from these doodles are the stirrings of something new, something lively and fresh, totally unexpected and fabulous fun. But, that can wait until another time.

For now I share the quote:

CREATIVITY comes from having an open mind to new ideas,
constantly questioning the established rules.

Though rarely does it come on those days
when you set out to be creative.

Raymond Banc

Does this resonate with you?

When do you get your best ideas?

Does creativity always come when you want it to?

How do YOu clear the creative blocks?

Answers on a postcard please lol.

No seriously....share your answers with others by leaving a comment :o)

May your creativity run wild! xxx