The Sixty Sixth Doodle

Someone said to me that this illustration looks like a dark Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Must be the pigtails!

Outlines are, at times, over rated. It's nice to see what happens when you take them away. How do you keep the concept of shape, depth, form? Do you lose anything? I find that, if anything, you gain more. Sometimes defining pencil and pen lines can hold back the mystery and ease of a piece of art work. Can you be too defined?

Oh dear, I am clearly feeling a wee bit philosophical. 

Take this pigtailed lady above. She began as a sketch, and after a while of staring at her wondering what to do, an idea started to form. I began painting out parts her face, splashes of hair, dark pools for the eyes. And here she emerged, no outlines and all the better for it. 

Odd ey. Take away boundaries of any sort and groovy things can happen.

The Sixty Fifth Doodle

I've been doing a lot of doodling lately. It's odd, you get random times where inspiration seems to abandon you like a slutty unfaithful lover (LOL), yet other times when you are simply saturated in ideas, you almost don't have enough time to draw out all the stuff that's exploding out of your head. BOOM. Any one else get that? I am going to presume you do. If not, I don't care. 

JOKING, I totally do. I am nice. Promise.

I think in the space of 2-3 days this week I completed 5 illustrations. I am not sure how/why/what happened, and before you ask, NO, none of them were below usual par or shite stick men! Perhaps that is why I was so baffled (or basiled, as my friend says. It's a long story. I shan't tell it, but trust me, it's welllll funny.)

Above are two sketches from the initial mad burst of drawing fiendishness, one from a nude life drawing study, and one after flicking through some bloody trashy magazines. Seriously, I don't understand why anyone actually reads them, they really do their best to make you feel like crap.

Perhaps that's where this lady came from. Done just with coloured pens, the pose is a typical one you see in magazines/adverts, but all I see when I look at it is a girl wondering if she's actually pretty or not. Maybe some lasses don't get this, but I am sure many do. 

Don't worry ladies. You're all bloody gorge.

The Sixty Fourth Doodle

I hate technology. But I love it. I rely on it. Isn't it so annoying. 

It always there, interfering with us, well, you know, actually living. Yet we can't tear ourselves away, and I don't really think we ever will. Oh dear.

I came up with this illustration after watching a friend messing around on a new phone. The pose is typical; sat in a cafe with a big group of people, but bent over the phone, totally engrossed. Sucked in. It's not necessarily that this is bad, but it has changed how we interact and live our lives. It's interesting.

Anyway, I doodled this chap, and after looking at the sketch I though 'This has to be mad. Surreal. A bit bonkers. A little eerie. And almost scary.' So after a few experiments and many cups of tea I decided on having a black background, white outlines and a whole heap of confusing surrealness. Which I liked. The bizarre curls under the phone and between the phone and the figure were done with coloured pens (Stabilo fineliners are my fave, they are fab) and signify that almost unbreakable bond and reliance we now have on such tech. Again, it may not be that bad, but it's definitely not natural. Does it add to our minds and characters, or does it simply suck the life out of us? Is this guy crying or learning great things? Hmm, that's a tough one innit.

The Sixty Third Doodle and a Happy New Year!

 

I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, as, well, I am rubbish and I never keep 'em. ROFLCOPTER.

HOWEVER. My 2013 resolution is something which seems silly to not do, as it is something which brings me endless joy. Draw more and experiment more. UMM< YES PLEASE.

Soz for the capitals. I've drank a lot of coffee today, and yesterday I ate some Skittles. Bad move.

Anyway my attention span is failing me. Today is, the, um, 2nd January? Yes. I have drawn up 3 illustrations so far today. That is cool. The lady above was a sketch after flipping through some trashy ladies mags (how good is YOUR orgasm? I don't have any sort of scale system so I do not know shiney magazine, but I'll be sure to get back to you on that one). Ignoring the nonsense (of which there is a lot. Like, a lot) I looked at the photos and models and fashions. I am not fashionable or even remotely cool, except in my head, but I am interested in it, and in portraying it in my own unique way.

So I doodled this lady and thought 'She's funky. She needs tattoos.' So I added a few and had a look at her. Boom. Lets paint.

Now I blimmin' love watercolours and I am a faithful lover usually, but for her, I wanted the intensity of ink-

 

My personal fave is Windsor and Newton Black Indian Ink as it rocks my socks, and their stuff is on a whole other planet. Put the ink on the paper and it goes 'WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, I'LL DO IT, I'LL DO IT SO DAMN WELL YOU SILLY WENCH.' And then it gives me a slap. JOKING. 

Basically, the ink is well good.

So kids, here is my final illustration. A mixture of hard black lines, watercolours for tattoos, a bit of scruffy pencil and a big dollop of style. If 2013 holds more of this fun stuff, come on then mate, let's get started.

The Sixty Second Doodle, and a Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas to all; from myself, Wuss and, of course, Boots. We hope you ate too much Christmas dinner and (gave as well as) got some lovely gifts.

 

I made mince pies. Nom nom nom.

I don't know about you, but my god, I have become a right little fatty. MIND YOU, I actually have got a very ligitimate excuse. After my operation at the end of September (on my back, give me sympathy yeah) I was limited to such activities as lying in bed and walking like a 90 year old biddy. As you can imagine, one puts weight on when one can barely move. Things are better now of course, but I still have to be careful. I think swimming will be the way forward in 2013.

So what's YOUR excuse ey?

Anyway, I digress. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas full of over indulgence and joy, and that you could be with the people who make you happy. One day we may not be able to do that, so we must treasure every moment. Merry Christmas, and I wish you all the best for 2013.

The Sixty First Doodle

I would LOVE to go to New York. If anyone feels like sending me some money so I can do this, please feel free to do so. To turn that down would be downright UNGRATEFUL. And my mama brought me up right.

I did an illustration this year on London, and had an urge to do another city. For New York, I wanted something a little more gritty, something messy but stylish. Basically, how I saw it as a place. 

It's a jumble of famous landmarks and urban, graffiti style mess. And I like that. I used a combination of materials, from coloured markers to pencils, watercolours to chalk. I like the contrast between all the various textures and shades, and I layered the subjects to interlink them as well as create a busy sense of confusion. Are you confused? You better be. But in a good way, I hope. 

I have a plan to travel in Eastern Europe next summer, and I am so jeffin' excited to go and bring my sketch pad with me. I will love to draw my way around the cities Europe!

The Sixtieth Doodle - A week to Christmas!

So Christmas is nearly upon us, hurrah! I confess, I bloody love Christmas. Fab food and drink, and lots of time with those who mean the most to you. Love it.

So the only downfall as an arty type person is there are certain expectations from people that you must make them things. Cards especially. Oh lord. So I have been beavering away on my hand made Wuss 'n Boots cards, drawing them all out, sticking them together and destroying my back in the process. Ohhh I am so dedicated!

Not being funny, but people who get one better be bloody grateful I tell thee, this has taken me a  long while.

So here's to this special time of year, when we over-indulge, get stuck in our own gift wrapping (oh Wuss) and make merry with loved ones. 

In the wake of recent tragedies, not just in Newtown in America but ones all across the world, I hope we all feel thankful for what we do have, and remember those who are in mourning right now. For myself, it makes me realise just how wonderful my family and friends are, and that I really should tell them. 

If you read this my peeps, I blimmin' love you, you are fantastic. Even if I don't know you, I bet your bloody marvellous too.

So go have a lovely Christmas, treasure your loved ones, and enjoy life, 'cause it is very short indeed.