Saturday 1 February 2020

Berry theme reveal for Art Elements

Karen from the Art Elements team hosted this months themed challenge, the first one of 2020.  You can see her post HERE

It has been so long since I took part in a challenge as my motivation to do anything art related has been at an all time low.  So much has happened over the last few months and I am worn out emotionally and mentally, throw in the cold and grey days and I have celebrated getting out of bed in the morning and getting dressed!  

Time has come to push oneself to do something other than wallow in self pity and greyness, so I decided to start small.  Don't think too much, I told myself, just think berry and do a little something once in a while.  So I did.  Here are my three little somethings that came about because I was thinking of the berry challenge.

First up is Strawberry Nellie.

I had my first Facebook show of 2020 and was making characters (in glass as beads) for that.  It was a struggle to get going and find my whimsical muse but I am pleased to say that getting into the studio and just turning on the torch has kicked started my arty needs and the grey days are starting to become a bit brighter.  

The other 'somethings' are really just 'doodles' but art is art and creating is good for the soul, even if it is on scrap bits of paper! 


I threw everything at this doodle.  On watercolour paper, I started with a dip pen and some ink that Secret Santa from the team sent me for Christmas.  It is a delicious green ink - which you probably can't see because I then layered over it many times as I got 'into the groove' and found that time stood still and I enjoyed 20 minutes of 'arting'.  I grabbed the Arteza watercolour pens on the desk, I wanted a bit of brightness in my life, but it was too bright, so I dulled it down with a white Posca paint pen which I admit I over did it so I grabbed the purple Posca paint pen, then I went back to the dip pen but this time with black ink.  I stopped just in the nick of time I think, I rather like this mixed media piece and I am going to cut it out and use it as a book mark as it has all the qualities of art I like, colour and lines.  It is simple and it is over worked but I will use it to mark the pages in my book so I remind myself that all 'funks' come to an end eventually.


Lastly a Posca paint pen doodle on wood.  It was a Sunday afternoon, it was grey and miserable and damp and dreary and again I wanted some colour.  The great thing about Posca pens is they are so vibrant, the down side is they are so vibrant!  I enjoyed messing about, again for probably only 20-30 minutes, mixing, layering, smudging....  

A doodle a day keeps the misery away ;)  

No doubt everyone else that has taken part in this month's challenge will have produced something a little more significant than my doodles so join me in hopping the blogs below....

Art Elements Team
Our Guest Contributors

11 comments:

  1. Laney, I guess I'm the first one commenting since now I'm over here in Europe & 1 hour ahead of y'all...
    You at least took part in the challenge, I didn't have the gumption what with Mom passing and coming back home and trying to get everything packed & packed and still not all packed!!
    So keep it up, baby steps are what it's all about ... xoxo Alysen

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  2. "A doodle a day keeps the misery away" that is surely something for the charts. Strawberry Nellie. looks cute - I thinking about what kind of elephant he is and why he likes strawberries now :D

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  3. Nellie is just adorable and your 'doodles' are always mini masterpieces. GLad you're getting your mojo back.

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  4. I love your whimsical glass animal beads-they always make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud! But your drawings are my favorite. I love the purple berries. It doesn't look overworked at all. The layers of different mediums give it depth and character, and the colors look super rich and saturated. The last one with the bright posca pens is cheerful & your added touch with the little mouse peeking around is perfect.

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  5. I love the doodle sketch berries!! I really appreciate you saying that art is art and the size of the piece and scrap of paper it's on doesn't matter. For some reason, I always think that these theme challenges require a great planned piece and lots of time dedicated to making something amazing or several amazing things so I haven't done one in MONTHS. I need to stop overthinking it and allow a doodle in ink or one of my little paintings on a scrap of rice paper be JUST FINE and join in again!!! <3

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  6. Your doodles are so charming. I love the colors that you created. Your glass beads are always whimsical. Your work put a smile on my face.

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  7. Oh my goodness, the elephant! So adorable. I don't know much of anything about painting and drawing so "overworked" is some what I would call your berries sketch. It's got a great illustrated quality. If that's even a term to describe art? Idk. I just know I like it. But that mouse. Eeek! Un-berry-ably quite.

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  8. Nelly is adorable!
    I love the first doodle, the colors are great!

    Hugs for you, I know about feeling drained, so much that I couldn't even get much of my creativity back, so kudos for managing so much!

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  9. I adore your Strawberry Nellie - especially as my oldest girl is named Nellie. 😊. And your doodles are charming as always - they put a smile on my face. ❤️

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