Crickyn

Then Beggars Would Ride.

I was feeling a tad under the weather Friday with a sore throat. So I opted to organize some rubber stamps instead of work in my journal. Just that sort of day…it was overcast, to boot.

I discovered I have some pretty cool stamps that I will be using more. Or at all. Great alphabets that will come in handy since my efforts, though determined, to develop handwritten texts are pretty rough. It is a bit meditative to do, but I prefer the freestyle drawing. I also find I am likely to misspell or leave out words if I am not careful.

So, this page is prepped using tempera (or poster) paint. Not sure which and not sure if they are the same thing. As mentioned long ago in the blog, I love the look of these paints. They are nearly chalky feeling on the page, and have a matte finish. They dry quickly, are semi-opaque and overlay, as well as mix, well. I almost always scrape them on with an old credit card. Lots of scraping, little paint.

I lettered roughly, then went over and over the writing with various pens, paint pens, Copics and my Signo White which did not behave well. Bad Signo. All the paint just clogs the tip. After that I started looking at the textures and shadows of the paint. Images are suggested. I try as much as possible to follow the paint and not invent a “proper” shape. That is why there are creatures. I do occasionally add a mark to either complete an image or add a limb or hair or something but I try to stick with what is there and let my imagination play. It’s just about drawing in the moment and having fun.

I don’t draw well, which is tough in the art culture these days with everybody drawing everything, but I excel in so many other things that I hardly notice. Ha Ha. I can say these things because hardly anyone is reading. I do know that when I practice drawing I get better, so there is some hope, but not much because I forget to practice. When I did manage to draw a bit each day in a throw-away journal, I got a little bit of a style and POV that I was enjoying. But it was more a structured drawing. Today’s work is pure stream of consciousness.

I work portrait style right side up, then work landscape on both sides, then turn it upside down. I like to have the drawings all catty wampus. I do not rough it in. I just black pen it.

The quote might speak for itself. I could add that instead of wishing, praying is good. But that’s just my opinion.

You may see me tomorrow if  I do not see you first. I am limbering my fingers for future Cat’s Cradles. Not to mention The Itsy Bitsy Spider.