Something from nothing

Watercolour is so hard to work with, and the best advice I've received so far in working with it is to let the paints do their own thing, not to mess with them too much. So as I was experimenting the other night I decided to do the whole process backwards.

I wetted the paper, splodged watercolours and Indian inks onto the paper randomly, let it dry and worked with the shapes created. I know, it's a bit left-field, most likely been done before, but I'm pleasantly surprised with the results!

Here are a few before and afters, and some smaller little pieces: 

 

 

The freedom to fail, prolifically

Summer has been full of beauty.

In among the squabbles and the exhausted bits, we've crammed a lot in...

 

 And while we were away I got my watercolour Tombows out every night, and wallowed in the freedom to fail in my experimenting.

It was bliss.

 

 

And now I have reached a point, a pinnacle, a place I knew I'd been scrabbling to,

the reason sketch-booking really does work...

 

Yet this is just another beginning...
Onwards!

Lines on Paper

Bought myself an Aqua Brush/Pen today (yes, grown-ups can have them too!) This'll be really handy on holiday, and in lazy moments when the whole water/brush/glass/tap thing is too much effort.  

Both done with Tombow Dual Brush no 559

 

I've been playing with lines like this for a while, playing with the balance of order and chaos, looking at the negative space. It's the start of something. And it's good to just be playing and enjoying that at the moment. x

Aged 15

I apologise for the randomness of this blog... still experimenting... having fun... flitting.

Last night I read up more about Sarah McIntyre's work (she has illustrated the lovely Mythical Maze Summer Reading Challenge 2014 for the libraries) and I happened upon a challenge she did a while back for her own personal progress: 'Draw yourself aged 16'

So I thought why not take up the challenge, see what happens. Here's me at 15 (memory going in old age... this is a mixture of me at 14,15,16...)

I outlined in waterproof pen, then filled with the Tombow pens. I still have to practice mixing them, some areas got a bit saturated, but it was fun x