Geiriau Newydd

Frottage:- the technique or process of taking a rubbing from an uneven surface to form the basis of a work of art.

This is a technique I have not used much. I created a textural background to begin my work using cardboard, string an tin foil. I like text in abstract images so I found some old letter templates from school.

Using the same Autumnal colours of yellow, orange and black I started to create some shapes rubbing over the items. I moved the paper around layering colours over each other.

As the work progressed, I started to look at developing the composition adding additional text and rubbings from the sring. I thought this was going to be a butterfly but it feels like shells on the beach.

colourful image

4 Inch collage

I’ve been collecting autumn colours and old envelopes from Amazon. I love the solid lines of the bard code on the bags.

I find with collage and abstract painting that I end up with an annoying horizon line in whatever I produce. This small collage was no different and I was contemplating creating a landscape until I started adding orange.

As the work progressed, I noticed that I was losing my beloved bar code lines. Using a wide brush, I started to reintroduce the lines around the image. For me abstract art must have a balance, be it in colour and tone or shapes and lines.

After turning the image several times I am happy with the result. I have called it Hidden Tiger.

collage image

Tell me something about family

You always assume your family is normal. But what is normal?

During Covid when we couldn’t mix, family became more important, and we all went the extra mile to support one another.

This is an image of Debs playing Tetris with her brother’s family online in our lounge. A very competitive game which often results in winner takes all…until the losing side wins a game.

Creative Rest

I’m not great at taking a break from thinking or working. I’m always doing something!

In fact, I have been thinking about what rest I should take on this Creative rest challenge. It’s probably why I end up with anxious thoughts running round my head.

So, after much thought I have drawn a cartoon for today’s challenge. It’s something I do a lot of on holiday, at the end of the day. Reviewing the fun, we’ve had and journaling down ideas for future paintings.

Cartoon image

I can sing a rainbow

‘Write down a list of songs that connect to colour’

As an artist I find this challenge, quite challengeing. There is hardly any room for art! And so I have decided to do a collage of album sleeves of songs I love. Hospital Radio Reading has just gone completely digital and the albums and vinly singles have been sold.  Digital music fails to the sense of sight and I feel a loss for physical media.

This image is a collage of single covers of the songs in my rainbow. I normally collate playlists carefully but in this instance I randomly selected the images to create my playlist.

Playlist

Mcbusted – I see Red
Elkie Brooks – Lilac Wine
Prince – Purple Rain
Brian Hyland – Itsy bitys teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
Natalie Cole – Pink Cadillac
Daniel Merriweather – Red
Barry Blue – Dancing on a Saturday Night
Jason Mraz – Geek in the Pink
The Beatles – Yellow Submarine
Elton John – Goodbye Yellow brick road
A-ha – white drawf
Spandau Ballet – Gold

Colourful voices

‘Colour in your singing’ This is a great challenge to paint while listening to music. Not worrying about anything other than what colour takes your fancy.

I am using a old school techinique of a line creating shapes to colour. I am going to use watercolour and allow it to cross the lines and merge in places creating new colours.

The image produced is very chaotic and I’m not really sure I like it! I may come back and revisit this prompt.

Imperfect Creations

‘Use a spillage, stain or tear to inspire your creativity’

I saw this on an Instagram reel and thought I must try it. Splashes of watercolour to create people, trees or clouds. Watercolour is unpredictable at its best and splashing adds more chaos into the mix! I felt my splashes were people with umbrellas in the rain. I added a few ink lines to add structure to the image.

I must build the courage to use materials other than watercolour! Coffee and tea would make a great substitute. My adult brain finds it hard to be that playful.

Odd Poetry

Day 10 – write a 10 line poem about an odd item around you.

I suffered with anxiety in 2022. It became so bad I was unable to drive or ride my bike. There was no rhyme or reason to the blockage in my brain. I am happy to say that I managed to get help quickly from the Royal Brompton hospital.

I brought an odd item from Amazon to help distract the brain.

The Anxious Brain

Click-Clack,

Tick-tick,

Fiddle Twiddle,

Swishy Circle,

Gear-select,

Twist and turn,

Always moving,

Smooth corners,

Circle and Tick,

Swishy circle again.

Twist

The object of today’s challenge is to add a unique twist to a family recipe.

I have a story to tell today. When I was about 11 and I was staying with my Nan, she was cooking custard to go on top of a sponge pudding. Nan’s house was old, built in 1911-ish. There was no running hot water and the kitchen was a add on to the two up two down layout. Nan livid in that house all her live.

Nan’s cooker was old and I can see here stood standing in front of a saucepan of custard, stirring away in her blue cardigan that she has knitted. But the custard did not thicken.

She added more heat and more vigorous stirring. But still the custard did not thicken.

After 20 minutes of frantic activity and mutterings Nan worked out, she had not added the custard powder.

Pick me up

Experimenting with watercolour!

What’s your pick me up? I’ve been a fan of Ann Blockley for years and I have several of her books on my art shelf! Ann has a lovely loose technique. I love watercolour and I can spend hours painting and loosing time. It’s a pick-me up I use in hospital when I am on IV’s – a hazard of having Cystic Fibrosis. There is a generously stocked art shop next to the Royal Brompton Hospital – Green and Stone. Even looking at art materials is a pick-me up!

Today I am going to experiment with Mono-Printing and watercolour. Lots of juicy washes on paper and items left on top, protected by a layer of plastic food wrap. The technique requires lots of drying time so be patient.