It's about time, isn't it?

Oh my, I had no plans to stop blogging, it just happened.

My mother has returned to Spain, so things are well with her. I've spent the summer playing with the two bonus grand children. We've had lots of fun and now we know each other very well. Last month, or so, I have returned to sewing. I had totally forgotten how fun it is to sew my own clothes, but today I finally sat down with my paints again.

I've used Twinks, regular watercolors for the background and pen and ink.

 Best to start with something easy, it's far too long since I touched my brushes and I really felt how rusty I've become. A freehanded mandala isn't the hardest thing to start with so the choice was easy.

 In fact this one is made on the last page in my very first Zeta journal. I started using this journal for my watercolor pencil class, and now, ending it with Twinks.

Stillman & Birn Zeta series, I just love working on this substrate. It's very smooth and stands alot of water and mixed media techniques.
These small mandalas are very pleasing to make, and I get to practice many different texture techniques along with them so I was thinking of dedicating a new journal to small mandalas only. The smaller journal, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches, is very suitable for such subjects. Can't wait to get started.

Little by little.

It doesn't take much to make me happy,

and right now a few things makes me very happy. Little by little my mother is recovering from her brain stroke, I've started to paint again and each day now the birds are throwing the most beautiful concerts. Sparrows, tits, blue tits, trushes, sparrows, magpies and crows just to mention some. As if that wasn't enough, my garden is slowely awakening. Today I photographed the very first flowers, or more correctly, the first flower buds. The bright yellow Eranthis is the first flower to bloom, and it's very welcome. I won't mention the hail that came later on, I'll just see past that.

I found an unfinished mandala, and sat down to finish it. It's such a joy to get back to painting again. First of all I had to clean out and tidy my studio. It has been locked up for winter and has served more or less as a storage room. But, today I dug my way in there and now I'm enjoying all my colors and some time to paint.

This mandala were done using Neocolor 2 crayons, Twinks and I also did paint with some spray inks. I'm not over the top happy with this one, but as the first one in a very long time, it's ok.

The next painting is Twinks only, on top of  black paper. To paint on a dark substrate gives some interesting results. The colors behave differently, and the depth is much more visible.

I call this one done, even that I feel something is missing. I would love to add some white to it.

It feels good to be back, and now I have to pop in and say hello to all my blog friends.

Mandala fun.

Yesterday evening I was reading some blogs of friends,

and found this super cute idea. Make a mandala and turn it into a bird. I had to try this first thing this morning, so I used a copy mashine paper just for the test.

How cute is that?? Now, remember, this is just my first test. Neocolors 2 is used for coloring, but I can imagine how beautiful it will become with using twinks. I highly recommend you to have a look at Stefani's blog to see and read how to make these birds. She did them a little different from what I did.

I'll have to make a few of these to have in our garden house, and how cool wouldn't it be to hang them in the trees in the garden. The possibillities are endless.

Guess what I'm going to do today??
Thanks for visiting, I hope you enjoyed it!

Busy week

This has in fact been a busy week.

Along with daily artmaking I've had lots of stuff to take care of. And the most enjoyable thing I did this week was to help a friend start her own art journal. We're going to meet on a regular basis untill she feels comfortable on her own, and perhaps we'll continue meeting after that. It's lots of fun to share ones hobby with other people, and art dates are especially fun.

As you probably know by now, I'm addicted to make mandalas. This one was the last one I made, and I was in doubt it would result in anything good. But it proved me wrong. In my opinion this is one of the best I ever did. The depth and dimention in this one is almost unbelievable.

It is flat as a pancake, but it doesn't look like that at all. The fact that I was in doubt about this one, was because it doesn't look like what I normally do. The yellow background was a risk to take, but I think it works well.

The design and color choices were made as I worked my way through it. The shading were done using a charcoal pencil and blending stump. The mandala is made in Twinks and the background is acrylic paint with lots of water in it.

The canvas is one I made myself. I used the back of a paper pad, gessoed it and added a cotton fabric on top, very thin fabric. New layer of gesso and ready to paint on. Super easy and very good with twinks because I decide the amount of gesso used. As is now, it is quite absorbant, and that gives a very nice result using Twinks.

I have also recruited three new users for the Twinks this week, and I have hope for even two more. I've also thought of getting a local art/craft store to become retailers of the Twinks. That would make it much more easy for all of us.
Thanks for stopping by, and thank you all for your lovely comments. yhey're much appreciated.
I'm linking this post to PPF.

Making a difference.

I was so thrilled to get the message

that I am one of the winners in Dion's giveaway on Friday, that I sat down to play and this mandala happened.
My son had been giving me a new compass, one he not longer uses, and thought I would like to have it. This is a small compass, and while sitting there to play, I were fiddling with this compass, and before I knew, the outlines for this mandala were made.

I felt sure this one was meant for Dion, but something strange happened. Nothing seemed to suite as I would like it to be. This mandala took it's own ways. I had to leave it over night, because I couldn't make it work. I let it sit on my shelf to be able to watch it each time I passed it. That's how I do it, when things won't cooperate. Almost let them speak to me from the shelf. This was when still in drawing stage.

Saturday around noon, I sat down to continue my work on this one. I was listening to the radio, and they were talking of how to make a difference. That's how I come to realize that this mandala is meant for 

Luminarte, represented by Leslie Ohnstad.

One doesn't have to be a rocket cientist to understand that Leslie Ohnstad might have some hard times right now. To have a company split will always bring some sort of trouble.
I am worried for the future of the Twinks, and want to say to Leslie : Leslie, I count on you to continue the work with all these lovely colors, maybe even launch new sparkling ones. In your turn you can count on me to continue my use and love for your products. Personally I have promised myself to introduce the Twinks for at least two new persons coming month, and hope to place an order for these new people.

Fellow Twinks lovers, I won't ask you to do the same but think of it. What a huge difference that could make for Leslie and her company, and at the same time it would secure the future for the colors we love.

Lets make a difference and show Leslie that we really appreciate her work. I'm asking you, who love the Twinks, to leave a comment telling Leslie you're part of the security net that surrounds her and her work.

I'm going to share this post on our FB page, please, don't just hit the like button. Make the effort to write something of your own as a comment. It could be like : I'm part of the network too, or You can count on me too. It won't cost much for each one of us, just the time spent on writing the comment, but could mean a whole lot for her.
Please everyone, join me and help making a difference.

Leslie, this mandala is yours if you want to have it. E-mail me your mail addrss, and I'll mail it to you.

Thank you everyone for supporting this little effort to make a difference, your comments will ensure Leslie that it's worth fighting for.

Have you ever made a mandala?

I often make mandalas,

but this one isn't new. Do you have a certain way of doing them? From where do you get the inspiration to do one?
Most times I just sit down and make them. Sometimes I've made some for friends and that is always a challenge, I'll try to make them personal and fit the situation given. The one I show you today were inspired from the morning radio news. They were talking about how to get the youths, that are finished school, an apprenticeship. Too few companies are willing to hire an apprentice, and that's too bad. How on earth can the youths start working if no one are willing to give them a chance?
This was what inspired me, and I called my piece: Learning before flying.

I always start to draw my mandala, I don't use a compass any more, but I like to draw help lines. Top to bottom, side to side and both ways diagonal. That gives me the center and I have eight lines to work from. Any pointed star or flower have their points measured from the center, the rest is free handed. The above photo shows a finished drawing.

Next step is to get some paint down, and while painting I might prepare for later steps by adding some darker spots (shadows). In this particular one I used Neocolors 2 for painting. It is at this point all the fun starts, for me.

The pen work is what gives the final form to all  the elements used. I always try to be as accurate as possible to achieve the best result. Often there will be contradictions, and I'll have to think over again. But that's part of the fun.

Last step is the shading, and the shading is what lifts my subjects from the paper. It always thrills me to see a successful work rising from the paper and people always, without exception, want to touch it to assure themselves that it really is flat.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed it and happy PPF everyone!

This is how it became.

It's not easy to photograph the twinks,
their shine and everything.
I didn't shade much on this one, I simply forgot it. Also I used white ink some places and it never works well with shading on top of it.
It's not my best, but my first in a long time. The green leaves are stealing the show completely no matter what I did to compencate it wouldn't work. Well, it is what it is.

Here's a close up, where I tried to capture some shine.

It's very exciting to use the twinks, blending colors and see what happens. I think I'll make another prismatic painting using twinks. Have to get it into my hands again to get ready for the class.

Tying and stitching.

My latest mandala.

Even though I've start making letters, I still have some mandalas to make. I wanted this one to look like it's been tied together, like as if I had three different parts loosly tied together. 

 

 

I'm not sure I achieved what I was aiming for, and there's something about the center that disturbs my eyes. One thing is the lack of shadowing, but there is something else as well, something I can't put my finger on. Instead of searching for that, I chose to "stitch" it onto the paper and call it done.

 

 

Somehow this one has the lightsource from top left, and that is unusual for me. Normally I use top right for the lightsource.

I'm enjoying making letters, and in some days I'll share some more with you. It looks like I might have found a good solution for the wide ones, not quite sure yet but it loks promising.

 

I hope you have great times too!

I was playing with shadowing.

Making mandalas is fun in many ways

and to explore shadowing has become a favorite of mine. To see how much one can trick the eyes just by adding some darker colors and lines. I'm always looking for new ways of doing it, and I'm very pleased with this last one.

It's made on handmade paper using watersoluble crayons and a black micron pen. New to me to use handmade papers with an uneven surface. That makes it a bit more difficult to do the penwork, but it is possible if one takes the time and work a bit slower.
 

 

It's not excactly a masterpiece, but I remembered to do it a bit different this time and was surprised on how well it worked out. Just by moving the shadows a bit away from the edges, it looks like the outer edges are pointing upwards. Can you see it, and isn't it fantastic how such a small detail can change the whole picture? I just want to do it more and more and more and share it all with you.

 

 

 

I promise, I won't do that. I don't need to share absolute everything on my blog, but I will keep making them though. I'm always looking for the ultimate one, but each time I'm done I still keep thinking I can do a better one. Probably there is no ultimate one, but I can't stop looking for it.

I'm back!

 

It's fine to have my computer back

but why on earth do they need to change everythng I knew? Do you know the feeling, to start figuring out everything once more? Well, I'm still glad to have it back.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that a mandala is the first thing I want to show you. This one is a result of something I heard on the radio news. They were talking about apprentices and how to find enough apprenticeships. Many of the youths had no place to start after school.

I didn't plan to make a mandala on this theme, but it must have been influencing me after all. 

 

 

I call this one "Learning before flying"  When the painting was done, I still didn't know how it should end up. I have this habit sometimes to bring my work with me and study it while I am doing other things, often good ideas are coming while doing so.

At first I thought it looked like acorns or something like that, but then I saw what it could be.

 

 

I started my penwork and ended up with what you see below. Could you see this coming?



 

I don't know what they're doing, but I imagine they're learning before flying. It always amazes me how big the changes are when my piece is fully done, penwork and shadowing. Not only the depth, but do you see the changes in colors as well? I simply love this kind of work.



 

It's great to be back, even though I felt a bit like a newbie at first.

Have a good day everyone!

My latest work.

This first mandala I made a week ago, using colors I normally don't use. Many many times I was tempted to give it up because I didn't like it/the colors. Now, I'm glad I didn't, I like it even if it's not my prefered colors. I also added some text to it and think it works well.



 

This next one is more like me, colorwise. This mandala is made without any use of micronpens or other pens. I sketched it using a pencil, that's all. I have to practice shading, it's not that easy without my favorite grey marker. Right now I'm making another one  similar to this, but with a bit different colors and a new colormix idea for the background. 

 

 

I added this photo just to show you  I used twinks in addition at this one. I so much like this photo, it has a different angel and the colors are so beautiful. I didn't like the senter design,so I did an experiment. I cut out the circle and replaced it with something else.

 

 

New center and the background color in place. I really like how it loosen up a bit in the outer edge, and I do like it even if I skipped all the penwork. This photo shows a bit brighter colors than in person.

 

 

I have some beautiful handmade papers which I'll probably use to make a mandala on. I just have to choose the right design and colors to that one.

 

It's so cold today I feel for getting a fire going in the stove, but that would be a bit too early.

Enjoy your day.

The rise and fall of a mandala.

A strong idea and refusing to adjust.

 

I should have seen it coming from the start, but my idea was so strong and I believed so much in it that I refused to see the facts. Some times that's how it is, one has to follow the idea to it's end. Below is the finished drawn piece. I did see there were alot going on, but hey, just wait until it's colored.

 

See what I mean? It's all much clearer now, right. At this stage I started to plan my penwork, and boy should that be the best I ever did. - That shape I'll  make rounded and that flat and yes, I'll make that one like a bag. You all know how the mind flies.

I was so occupied making my masterpiece that I didn't notice what was about to happen. After the last stroke, I sat back to enjoy my work..................oooops, what happened? It looks like a mess, but come on, the shadowing still remains. Of course, that will make it come together again. Uha, for a moment I thought I had messed it all up!

All the shadowing done and now the realities dawns on me. How on earth could I manage to mess it up like this? Throw it away, I won't see it any more.
So I went to do something else, but in the back of my mind I still thought of it and what could be done to rescue it.

You know I have worked with curtains and sunscreens for many years. Let me create a sunscreen and call the outer shape an umbrella. And that's what I did. I don't know what I feel about it still, but it is what it is.

 

One thing's for sure, I have learned a few lessons from this and even found some new ideas. The time spent wasn't completely a vaste.

I'm hooked on mandalas again.

 

I had a wonderful day  yesterday.

I spent most of the day making a new mandala and I enjoyed it so much. This time I remembered to take photos as I went along, because I so much like to see how it changes from start to finish. 

First I used the compass to make the circle(s), I need them, otherwise it would never become a circle. Then I start to draw the design using a pencil. Normally I have no plans on how the end result is going to be even though I have some really good ones inside me. It's just that I don't know exactly how to draw them. Perhaps that should be my next project, to figure out how to make them.

 

Well, after I'm finished drawing with my pencil, I draw over with a micron pen and use the eraser to remove the pencil lines. Then it's time to paint.

 

 

Here I have used water soluble crayons only. At this stage, while painting, I make most of the decisions on how it will become at the end. Preparing for shadowing and all the lines. When the painting is done my mandala looks quite good, and it could be considered  finished, but it's not. The most fun part still remains, all the penwork. And the transformation is amazing, often it's hard to believe it's the same piece.

 



 

 

Most times when I'm done, I discover things I should/could have done in a different way, but that might be a common "problem". I'm pleased on how this one turned out, and especially pleased that I could leave the triangles without any lines. Stop in time, so to speak.

 

When it comes to which colors to use, I have no conscious plans. I most often start in the center and work my way out, choosing colors as I work. If I'm in doubt, I jump to the next row and then go back. All the shadowing is done using a light grey marker pen.

 

 

That was how I spent my Sunday, did you make some art too?

A new mandala.

An inspiring site.

 

Today I became a member of an inspiring site, and that led to this new mandala. I had nothing specific in mind when I started this, just to make a mandala. Sometime during the process I discovered the boats. Now, I've had a fantastic journey this summer so it might represent that. It's been so long since I made a mandala that I had forgotten how calming it is to make one.

 

 

 

Have a look at the site here to be inspired too. There is alot of beautiful pieces of art.

I made my piece on top of old bookpages, torn and glued down. It's all made by using watercolors and black and white pens. It has been so long since I made any art that this feels like a good day.

Enjoy yours too.

Time to put the Christmas away.

Yesterday was the last day of Christmas in our home, 

and today I'll put it all away. In fact it's nearly done. The last couple of days we've had this beautiful spring weather so it feels right to replace the Christmas with some spring colors.
We had a relaxing weekend, Sandra felt for taking it easy. She was just making some stamps.
Awhille back, when I was making mandalas, I made this one. I was planning to let it float on top of the background but something happened.

Do you see the all the holes around the edge? When I did that it was impossible to get the mandala floating, on the contrary that edge got the mandala secured to the background. But look what happened with the square border. Dosen't it look like the mandala is lifting up, and held down by the outer edge? There are so many new things to discover, all the time. Even though I feel all my mandalas looks the same, they don't. This one was made on a prepaint background. The square net was made in the end though.

I just needed a break in putting all the stuff away. Have a beautiful and creative day!

Last post in 2012.

My hope for 2013

 

I've made a mandala and put my hope for coming year into it. To me my hopes are clear, but you might read it as you want to. The mandala is made the same way as always, only difference is that I used a A-3 sheet this time.
I planned on using my new ideas but it's so relaxing to make a mandala that I forgot to think about it. Next time I'll have to write myself a note to keep close when I'm working.
Some of the keywords for this mandala are: safety, unfolding, courage, protection, breaking new ground. It didn't turn out as I planned it but that's ok. I'm pleased on how clean it looks and airy. That's new.

We're going to celebrate the new year quitely, as always. Our choise.
I hope your celebration will be a good one too.

Happy New Year to all of you!

At least some journaling.

 

 It's been too long since I made anything but food!

In between the Holidays, all the meals, the expectations, gatherings, presents and reading the presents I found some time to make a mandala. The first question I ask myself is: why don't I do this more often? It's so relaxing and it gets my creative juices flow.
I had a background page, nothing great, and decided to use it for my mandala. I made the circle and painted over with white gesso. After some time I made the design and below is what it looked like when I started.

Just when I started to write this post I discovered some new ideas that I'll have to try. Probably more mandalas coming. I found my colouring pens and did the color job. Alot of my pens were dry so I'll have to buy some new ones this week. I discovered that my pens can be used together with a waterbrush too and that increases the use of them alot. Finished coloring it looks like this.

Now the real fun begins. Black micron pen 005 is what I used. I spent hours with that pen alone, and that's the best part. My thoughts flew and I was in a completely different world. No expectations, no meal makings, no dishwashing, no nothing. Just me and my pen. I returned to my family refreshened, and with alot of new ideas. Isn't it strange how a few hours and a pen can make such a differens?

Below is the result, not my best mandala but the first one for ages. And the important thing, it made me think new thoughts. What if I try...........

I do look forward to try my new ideas. I think they will lead to new and different mandalas.

I've had a good Christmastime and I hope you you've had too. Now I'm looking forward to a brand new year and what creative stunts that might bring.