Inks dripped in water, bubble wrap, Posca paint pens, Sakura gellyroll pens. Good times. This is the next in the series from my 100 day project time lapse comps.
Catch the rest of this series here
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It’s curious to relive the visual journey. There’s nothing like filming the process to relive the ‘why did I do that?’ moments.
If you’ve been here before, you’ll know that lately I’ve been documenting my art journaling process through a series of time lapse videos.
It’s curious to relive a visual journey. There’s nothing like filming the process to relive the ‘why did I do that?’ moments. These came up a lot early on but I’m noticing a desensitising effect with practice, and letting go of expectations. Process is process.
Nonetheless, the push and pull of loving/hating the direction it’s taking remains real. It took a really long time for me to catch on where this one wanted me to lead it.
This video is a compilation of little time lapse videos taken over a few weeks of back-and-forth-ing on this spread.
The more time I spend in art making, the more I find parallels between a creative practice and all the other everyday-everythings. Seems to me, how we make tends to mirror how we live – bravely – messily – stubbornly – inconsistently… all of these are here!
This particular spread got so sticky because I reeeally didn’t want to lose that butterfly. I painted and drew around him until I had such a mess there was no other option, ultimately burying him under a new layer of paint to ease the intensity of so much going on. I was resisting letting go.
I’ll post the next in this series soon. To catch it ahead of everyone else + get monthly-ish updates on my other colorful studio antics, join up for my newsletter here.
I’ve been off line for a while, playing in the analogue world of paints and glue and little bits of torn up paper. Recharging & recombobulating. Playing with things like this.
I’ve been off line for a while, playing in the analogue world of paint and scribbles and little bits of torn up paper. Recharging & recombobulating. Playing with things like this.
This book lived on my desk through the first half of this year. Over the weeks and months it grew fat and messy with ‘while I’m waiting’ doodles, with mopped up paint spills, scraps of stuff, with the words and ideas that were orbiting my mind.
When it was all done, I made this quick flip thro vid:
And when I say quick, I know it’s super quick. So here’s a more leisurely stroll through some of the pages, and some of the ideas that keep rolling back into my art.
Stories unfold from the words I’m listening to in audio books and podcasts, and the characters evolve from magazine pages, advertisements and found paper.
Lines of text set against rows or polkadots, knitted together with scribbly handwriting. Faces in the spaces.
Backgrounds from maps: borrow the contour lines, take them off wandering into new places.
Cut out shapes from scrap paper.
Add eyes and whiskers: see them come to life.
Writing down the words I heard and want to remember later.
I leave notes and messages for me-in-the-future scattered through my art.
“There’s a reason why we get the ideas we get.”
(so it’s important to put them someplace safe until they’re ready to use)
Then there’s the found poetry from song lyrics, Inertia blue zero freeze.
(idk)
Dotted lines around the edges make me happy: as any small child will tell you, they’re really fun to do. Especially in time to music.
Texture in sticky thick paint, like tree branches or arteries, reminds me art is alive and part of nature. And vice versa.
Messing about with perspective with angles and lines. Inventing new people.
Anything’s possible in a book.
These words were pinned to my wall of ideas, making space for new things, now they’re rehomed in the book. Keep things you love in sight, always.
Negative space: white paint dampens the cacophony of color.
Opportunity is everywhere. It really is.
Case in point, I collect cards at art fairs, copying shapes, giving this gal a sister.
Copying faces, shapes and tricky things like hands.
Dropped in here and there amid all the noise and color takes the pressure off.
How they look isn’t important when they merge in with all this stuff.
Keep playing, keep making it up as you go along. That’s really all there is.
My next project is a weeny little sketchbook for the Tiny Book Collaboration.
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The journey to fill up my book for @sketchbkproject was almost as convoluted as the pages themselves. This is the Mixiest of mixed media!
The journey to fill up my book for the 2018 Sketchbook Project was almost as convoluted as the pages themselves. This is the Mixiest of mixed media!
If you find yourself in Brooklyn, you can see this IRL shelved at the address: 348.59-2 in the Art Library There’s a digitized version to see on their site too.
If you’d like to be first to see what I’m making and doing you’ll wanna catch my newsletters. I send these out once or twice a month with exclusive previews of my artings + links to all that I’m currently enjoying in the interwebs. Hop aboard here!
(Join up in June to snap up a massivenormous bargain in my Etsy Shop so I can make space for more new goodies coming soon)
For reals!
I was telling you yesterpost how I came to pick my project, how I’m exploring beyond my usual painting boundaries.
I’m going to make a series of multi-layered paintings and time lapse the process, so there will be videos and photos to share.
Plus all the other layers: the ones that aren’t the actual paint and paper:
It’s going to be epic, folks!
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I had a really clear idea what I wanted to do with this book from (almost) the outset last year – a rambling whirl of doodles, a stream of consciousness running through the pages.
It’s been a while since I checked in with you guys on this project, I’ve had to overcome a few obstacles along the way.
I had a really clear idea what I wanted to do with this book from (almost) the outset last year – a rambling whirl of doodles, a stream of consciousness running through the pages. Then I got ill, and the heavy duty pain medication I had in hospital inspired me with a really clear visual I wanted to recreate. As best I could, two-dimensionally on paper.
I began the line work back during Inktober, and looking back I remember at the time being aware of just how thin and flimsy the paper is in the book. I mean, super thin. It would hold up well to gentle care but I’m heavy handed and (because it’s all I had to hand and impatience is my biggest motivator in all I do) I used ballpoint pen. So my pages were already crinkling from the indentation of the lines.
That’s cool – it adds character – it’s my ‘style’ – go with it, I thought.
Sure.
I delayed the coloring stage until I finally got my new watercolors I’d been so eager to use.
Then the holidays, then life, then I finally began.
Oh. My. Days!
You do NOT wanna use watercolors on this paper. Of course if I hadn’t been so hung up on the combination of:
This Sketchbook Project + These Colors + These Paints = Exactly What I Want To Do
then perhaps I wouldn’t have been temporarily blind the reality of:
This Medium + This Paper = A Certain Soggy Mess.
Damnit!
Ok, I’m an adaptable kinda person, I pride myself on being able to change direction, to adjust and adapt.
Acrylics, I thought. Acrylics are the answer. They will sit on top of the paper and give it a bit more substance as well.
Nope. Not only is it a streaky mess, but the pages are actually curling up in disgust.
What do they want from me? light, delicate pencil? Do they know me AT ALL??
I heard a distant memory jangling about in the back of my mind – are there rules on what media we’re to use? – checking the website: sure, acrylics & gesso are discouraged because the pages get sticky and … yes, yes, I know all this…
So, my first plan of watercolor was back on the table – because, when I read on – we are allowed to rebind the book. I can use actual watercolor paper!
Now that time was getting squeezed, that forever-away-distant deadline was getting closer… I decided that keeping it simple was the best way forward. The elaborate plans I had to begin are on hold for a separate project later in the year, meanwhile I’m back with what I know best for the pages of this book: the idea that is fuelling my creativity and has done for a long while now: an adventure in 12 colors!
After all, it’s my thing, right?
My pages are complete and ready for binding, I’ll show the finished book as soon as I get some good light for photos – then it’ll be winging it’s way off to Brooklyn Art Library
If you want to be first to see what I’m making, and get exclusive discounts on these things, clickety-hop aboard my email list right here.
(and I’ll send you my ebook A Year full of Color as a thank you for joining)
Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be wrapped up snug and nestled with a hot water bottle & a kitten until the spring arrives.
I’ve worked my socks off to make this as fabulous & fun as I can, I’m really proud how it’s come together. So much so, if you don’t think you’re getting value for money by the end of the first segment, you can have your money back.
Just £97 for a whole year of color (or 3 instalments of £33)
I’ve worked my socks off to make this program as fabulous and fun as I can, and I’m really proud of how it’s come together.
So much so, if you don’t think you’re getting value for money by the end of the first color segment, you can have your money back in full without a single quibble. Srsly, not even a little one!!
Join me and a group of wonderful creative spirits to share this adventure in color ——-Y’know over half of the 2017 group are returning for a second trip around the color wheel (some signed up before we’d even finished last year!)
I’ve even reduced the price, to make it accessible for everyone there’s the option to pay in 3 instalments.
Just £97 for a whole year of color (or 3 instalments of £33)
Guys, I don’t know if I’ll run TWELVTY again – it’s fabulous fun, but it takes over my life, so do join now if you don’t want to miss out.
Go on… we’ll have so much fun! it won’t be the same without you 😉
Just £97 for a whole year of color (or 3 instalments of £33)
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Over the last 12 days I’ve shared the individual colors – this is the whole book
Over the last 12 days I’ve shared the individual colors – this is the whole book
In case you missed them – these are the colors one at a time: Yellow – Yellow-Green – Green – Blue-Green – Blue – Blue-Violet – Violet – Red-Violet – Red – Red-Orange – Orange – Yellow-Orange
If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:
Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be guarded by the deity of your choice and a small dragon.
By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.
You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.
There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)
In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.
Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Over the last 12 days of the year I’m sharing my year of color: 12 colors in 12 months. Today –
Twelvty-Five: Blue
“Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight.”
~John Ruskin
Color is an integral part to all types of creativity, it influences our moods and emotions, it’s linked with memories. Colors have been assigned meanings and connections throughout history and around the world.
When we tune our eyes in to notice the colors around us, life becomes brighter and more vibrant.
2017 has been a year full of color, an adventure I’m sharing in an online program called TWELVTY. Every month I’ve been playing just in the month’s colors, and each month I added to this mixed media art journal.
Over the last 12 days of the year I want to show you a glimpse of this project.
We began with Yellow, Yellow-Green, then Green and Blue-Green tomorrow we’ll step around to Twelvty-Six: Blue-Violet
If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:
Your email is utterly safe to me. It will not be sold, eaten or accidentally lost down the back of the sofa. I promise.
Next year I’m revisiting the Twelvty project, but this time with some exciting additions! Find out more here
Over the last 12 days of the year I want to show you a glimpse of this project, beginning with….
Twelvty-One: Yellow
Color is an integral part to all types of creativity, it influences our moods and emotions, it’s linked with memories. Colors have been assigned meanings and connections throughout history and around the world. 
When we tune our eyes in to notice the colors around us, life becomes brighter and more vibrant.
Through 2017 I’ve been exploring these aspects of color in a year long visual adventure: one color each month.
One part of the adventure has been the creation of a mixed media art journal. Each month I’ve added a few more pages, using just in that month’s colors.
Over the last 12 days of the year I want to show you a glimpse of this project, beginning with….
“A picture painted in yellow always radiates spiritual warmth”
– Wassily Kandinsky
Tomorrow we’ll step around to Twelvty-Two: Yellow-Green
If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:
Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be wrapped up snug and nestled with a hot water bottle until the spring arrives.
Next year I’m revisiting the Twelvty project, but this time with some exciting additions! Find out more here
Mixy's Art Blog 