When You're Stuck - A Painting That Paints Inself

Doodle Therapy - Green Frost - Patricia Kay

Sometimes you want to create... something.  Your heart is in it, your spirit is ready, but you're... 


Something vague - disconnected.  Your mind is on hiatus - which actually can be a good thing - it means no interruptions from the critical controller.


If I give in and not do anything, I can add frustration to the mix.  The odd thing is, I won't accomplish anything else either when this state hits.  So it's best to find my way out of it, or it will be a totally wasted day.


On a day like this, I need to be into painting rather than the Daily Doodle Journal.    That's when I fall back on my motivational monoprints.  Just paint and paper - no brushes needed!  All I have to do is drop, squirt or streak paint across the paper, lay another piece on top , give it a few taps or swirls of the hand, and voila - a painting that painted itself!


And magically, gazing at the blended colors and fascinating textures, will snap me out of my state of disconnect into a more inspired frame of mind.


Of course, my best pieces come out when I am more inspired and rely on my intuition to guide me.  But, surprisingly, you can achieve really great results even when you are aimlessly creating.  Some of my better prints were created when I  was "out there, somewhere".


For the piece above, I used a random mix of India ink, acrylic ink and iridescent medium.  Getting two for the price of one, I cut one of the prints into various sized pieces that I will use for other projects.


If you like the adventure of unexpected outcomes or are in need of some instant gratification, you can get a quick art fix with this type of monoprint.  Use any kind of  paint, add different mediums for different effects - just make sure it is wet enough and you don't wait too long to pull off the top sheet.


Try these just for the fun of it.  The best part is when you peel back your page to find out what your design looks like - guaranteed - it's like a trip back to your childhood!


Happy Doodling!

Experimental Art - Monoprints With a Twist - Part II

Doodle Therapy - Monoprint - Green Wings - Patricia Kay
Air Brush Paint on Paper

Creative expression of any kind has the ability to transport you to a state of being that can heal, relax and transform your spirit.

It can provide you with an outlet to eliminate negative energy or to bring positive energy in.  For me, expressive, experimental art and doodling is all I need to eliminate any stress and find inner balance.

But what about the times when you would like to create something, but just don't know what you want to do?  What about when you're just feeling stuck or tired or bored and would like something that gives you quick results?  What if you don't have the time and you need a little creative energy and instant gratification?  If your're in need of a creative boost, this experimental art technique will get the creative juices flowing.

In my preious post, I described the how-to's of creating quick and easy monoprints with a twist by adding paint mediums for intricate and intriguing designs.  In this post, I would like to focus on the use of this technique for creative development and the creative journey.

If you are in real need of creative rejuvenation, stress relief or creative escape, I highly recommend that you try this technique.  Because these paintings "paint themselves", there is no pressure on you to produce some pre-conceived outcome.

The process becomes the focus.  You provide the choice of colors, amount of paint and the expressive touch of your hands to create your painting, but the results will be the unknown. 

If you're willing to go with the flow of the process, you will find yourself in a more relaxed and reflective state.  One that is more conducive to healing, growth and expanding creative development.

This is also a great activity for kids or seniors alike.  My 81 year old mother created the one below.  Using your fingers and hands to magically design the drizzled and squiggled paint is fun and appeals to one's sense of adventure.  Discovering the surprise design when the painting is revealed is truly joyful.



Doodle Thereapy - Monoprint - Posies - Norma Kay
Acrylics and Gloss Medium on Paper

 Give this technique a try - you'll find yourself totally engaged in the process and making many more.  For complete instructions and more examples, click Monoprints With a Twist.

And don't forget your Daily Doodle Journal!  Even if you can only devote five minutes for a quick little doodle, keeping up the practice will keep the creative channels open.

Happy Doodling!

Experimental Art - Monoprints With a Twist

Body of Pink - Doodle Therapy - Patricia Kay



Looking for a quick shot of creativity with very little effort?  Try the old art of monoprinting.  It's easy, has the element of surprise and you'll find yourself making one after the other.

Monoprints are nothing new.  The method I use is like the one you might have done in grade school, where you put drops o paint on a folded sheet of paper, and then peel back the paper to reveal your design.

The twist is the addition of different painting mediums to create intricate designs with lots of texture and luminosity.  You will be able to create designs with very organic-like texture that would be difficult to reproduce by hand.

I love the spontaneity and instant gratification of this technique.  If you are not a painter, but would like to experiment with painting, this is a great way to start.  If you're an artist looking for something new and fun, this back to basics technique with a twist might just be the creativity booster you've been looking for.

For this experimental art exercise, you won't need any special plates or brayers, just a pad of bristol vellum paper, paint (suggestions below) and various paint mediums (listed below).

You will need:

• Any size bristol vellum paper or whatever you prefer
• Paints - acrylics (artist or craft) or air brush paint
• Your choice of painting mediums - gloss, gel, glazing, pouring, iridescent

Here's how it's done:

• You will need two sheets of paper.  You will use one for your paint and mediums, the other, you will place on top of the paper with the paint.

You will need to work quickly so that your paper doesn't stick together.

• On a covered or protected surface, squirt, drizzle or drop paint randomly across the paper.  Then do the same with the medium.

Caution:  too much paint and you'll end up with a solid mass of paint; too little paint and your paper will stick together.  Use less paint near the edges of the paper to prevent paint from oozing out when pressure is applied.

•  Carefully, line up your second sheet of paper to place on top of the painted sheet - if you would like it to be a mirror image, line it up exactly (all corners matching).  Don't take too long doing this or your paper will stick together.
• Use your hands intuitively to press and sweep across the top of your paper.  Paint will ooze out from the sides, so make sure your working on a protected surface and have paper towels ready for cleaning off your hands.

This is the magical part of the process because it is the way that you quickly sweep across, lightly pat or finger dance across the paper along with how you sprinkled your paint and medium, that will spontaneously create your monoprint.  Your hands become the press.

Caution:  Pressing too hard and too long will cause your paper to stick together.

Now, for the ooh part:

• Just peel back a corner to reveal your surprise design.

The end result will give you random areas where the medium has blended with the paint or is clear on the paper.

Using the airbrush paint creates these great textured and transparent areas.  However, rather than buying a lot of extra paint, try using a gel or glazing medium with your acrylic paint for a similar look.

What is really cool about your twin paintings is that you can cut exact portions from each sheet of paper to use in collages or side by side display (like the one above) and no matter which way you turn them, they will match.

In the example above, air brush paint from the bottle was used with iridescent medium.  Air brush paint will work differently than acrylics in that it doesn't move or spread easily.  You will tend to get a lot of round splotches if you don't use enough paint.  You can mist some water on the paint before you press.  You will also find that it is tackier than acrylics when dry. 

In the example below, Liquitex acrylics were used with gloss medium.




Eclipse of the Heart - Doodle Therapy - Patricia Kay

 

Use your intuition to pick pleasing colors.  Add the mediums or just use the paint alone.  When you add the second sheet on top, use your hands and fingers to express how you feel - light hearted, tense, indifferent - whatever the energy, this is the alchemy that will transform your drizzles and drops into an intriguing design.

I hope you will take the time to try this simple technique.  It will uplift your creative spirit and help you move through any creative block.  Any stress that was lingering will quickly melt away as you get lost in the transformative process of creation.

Don't forget to keep up your Daily Doodle Journal.  If you haven't started, click on the link to find out how.

Happy Doodling!





Experimental Art - Recycled Art



Woodland Spirits



When you are willing to try new creative techniques, new products or to use materials in a different way, a great sense of adventure and expectation takes over. 

Often, you're rewarded with pleasant surprises and stunning results.  But, sometimes the results are disappointing or even a total flop.

I firmly believe though, that whatever the results are, taking time to experiment with new techniques and materials will take you on a creative journey that will unleash your creativity and develop your unique creative spirit.

To some, getting past the disappointing results is difficult.  Sometimes, the desire to quit isn't an emotional reaction, but more of a practical reaction - to continue would be a waste of materials.

So, what I would like to talk about today, is seeing the beauty in "flops" and recycled art.  I save all of my "experiments" not matter how bad I perceive  them to be.

I would suggest that every piece that doesn't meet your expectations should be looked at for its potential.

• Is there a part of it that you do like?
• Could it be used in another project or remade into something else altogether?
• Or could you keep it and just see it as a memento of the creative journey?

One of my favorite art recycling projects is to trim off the parts of paintings or drawings that I like and use the remainder of the piece for paper mosaics, collage or paper weaving.  Sometimes, their second life as recycled art is more beautiful and what they were really intended to be. 

Just knowing that my new art experiment I'm about to plunge into will not be wasteful and will become something beautiful no matter what way it turns out, gives me the confidence to jump in without hesitation.

In the example above, I was trying out a new product that I thought would be fun to experiment with - Liquitex Pouring Medium.  This product, used with Liquitex soft body acrylic paint, creates these awesome, swirling, glossy pools of color that spread across the paper.  All you need to do is tilt and move the paper in different directions and watch as the paining develops itself.

It is that process of being totally immersed in directing the flow and movement of the paint while letting go of control of the end result that is both exciting and calming to me at the same time.

I like to do monoprints, where I use random shots of paint and mediums (which I will explain in another post).  So, I thought I would use the pouring medium in the same way.  I didn't have any spare bottles to mix each color with the pouring medium, so I just squirted the medium over green, blue, yellow and black paint that was drizzled over bristol vellum paper.

Because I didn't premix the colors, it didn't come out quite as I hoped.  However, there were these great areas of very organic-looking "mini paintings" that were perfect for cropping.  So, rather than discard it, I now have many pieces to work into other projects or to display alone - like the one above.  This piece is only 1" by 2.5" - a lot of detail is packed into such a tiny piece.

Tiny works of art can be used in framing.  Mounted on colored card stock or a painted background with a wide border and matt, they look more substantial.  They can be used alone or in multiples from the same painting or with others.

Photographing the work opens up even more possibilities of new art.  You can crop and enlarge an image, alter the color, contrast and look.  I'm new to photography and the thought of all this new potential for recycling my old works has set me off on new adventures in my creative journey.

Recommendations:

• Purchase a good quality, larger paper cutter.
• If you are a OK with recycling a piece, cut it into a variety of strips for weaving or bookmarks and squares for mosaics, framed display or other projects.
• Use clear, storage containers with plenty of compartments to store your paper pieces by color.
• Depending on your taste, there are many suitable papers, but I prefer to use a smooth bristol vellum.

Recommended Reading:

• I recently came across a wonderful little book called, Inchies - Create Miniature Works of Art Using Textiles and Mixed Media Techniques by Peggy Donda Kobert.  While fabric is the focus for the projects in this book, you can easily use painted paper instead.  Definitely take a look at this book.  The styles vary from cute to sophisticated and will inspire you with new projects for your recycled art.
• Another inspiring book is Collage with Color - Create Unique Expressive Collages in Vibrant Color by Jane Davies.  Just sitting and slowly paging through this colorful book, gets me daydreaming about endless possibilities.  It is bursting with gorgeous colors and patterns that, to me, are truly mesmerizing.  There are projects galore that are perfectly suited for recycled art.  I highly recommend this book.

Love all that you create - good and bad; after all, it is a part of you.

You are its creator!

Don't forget to keep up your Daily Doodles!!http://doodletherapy.blogspot.com/2011/04/daily-doodle-journal-develop-your.html 

Happy Doodling!

Expermental Art - Rit Dye

I love the idea of paintings that paint themselves.  By that I mean, letting go of control over the process and watching as the process unfolds.

You need to approach this experiment with a sense of adventure and without any expectations of getting a great painting.  The idea is to be open to the process of creation and to become so engaged in that process that you lose all sense of time and place.  In this state, you can rid yourself of any stress and escape the everyday demands.

For this art technique, you will need:
Any size watercolor paper

• Dark brown, powdered Rit Dye
• Spray bottle of water
• Hair blow dryer (optional)

This technique was featured in Jan Fabian Wallake's inspiring book, Watercolor: Pour it On!  This book is loaded with interesting techniques, step-by-step instructions and beautiful illustrations that will totally inspire you.

The technique is simple:

• Soak the paper in water for a few seconds or spray it thoroughly.  Make sure that it is on a protected surface to prevent staining.  For those who work with watercolor, it can be put on a stretcher board, but it doesn't need to be.
• While it is wet, sprinkle tiny amounts of the dye on the wet paper.  Don't squeeze the particles to a fine powder - it will tend to look solid brown.

As the particles hit the paper, they will "explode" into individual color particles.  Wallake states, "Once the dye has put on its spectacular display, you can easily see the many colors used to make this color.  I have used this technique for organic images such as forest foliage and underwater plant growth".

For myself, I have used it alone and with India ink to create random and spontaneous abstract images. 

You can tilt and turn the paper to spread the flow of color or use a hair dryer to blow the dye in different directions - I love the movement this creates.

If you're in a truly experimental mood, add drops of India ink to the wet paper using an eye dropper.  Use the spray bottle if you need to re-wet the paper.  For the image above, I used tiny drops of India ink along with the dye.

I usually like what turns out as is, but you may find that images have formed that you would like to draw into and expand on what was created with additional art work.

The main idea though, is to explore new techniques to develop and transform your creative abilities; to approach the process with positive intentions and appreciate the beauty and alchemy of the unexpected results.

This openness will allow you to connect at a much deeper level to your creative spirit.  And when the creative spirit is in charge, instead of the mind, you will be amazed at what you are able to create.

Try this technique - consider it your playtime!

Special Note:  for the perfectionists and judgmental types (you know who you are!).  If there's a section that don't like or "didn't come out right", don't throw it out - trim off the "offensive" part instead.  You may find at a later time, that you have grown to like it.

Happy Doodling!