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Tuesday, August 06, 2013

The Timekeeper's Cottage ~ sketch


While I was still working on Thistle Downs I began this sketch and completed it this afternoon. I've dubbed it 'The Timekeeper's Cottage' because I wanted to add an old clock and it kind of went from there. I also liked the idea of the oversized key and keyhole and of course I had to get a cat into the picture somewhere. Not sure how all that ties into a timekeeper but it's my drawing so I can add whatever I choose! Question: Has a pre-painting sketch ever told you what colors it needs (?) because this sketch is telling me it needs blues and purples. I'll have to sort out my palette and see what works best, though.

I was introduced to a new term recently....Zentangles. It's basically doodle art taken to an entirely new level. I discovered that various patterns have names and are typically done with Micron pen. The pattern I added to my crescent moon is a zentangle. It will receive more line work once I start inking my drawing on Yupo. I'll leave a link for anyone interested in experimenting with zentangles. I believe anyone that works with pen and ink could incorporate some of these patterns into their work to create added interest.

 http://tanglepatterns.com/tag/zentangle  

6 comments:

Unknown said...

hi, ofcourse a sketcg with a moon in it asks for blues en purples;) And a bit of turquoise and gold ;).
I love zentangles, use them often in my artjournals, but also in my altered books.
Have collected some 300 online on one of my pinterest-boards. enjoy them please: http://pinterest.com/cecile53/zentangles/

Billie Crain said...

I agree with your statement about the Moon w/blues and purples but I actually added the Moon after I decided on the palette. It seemed the obvious addition to the sky with these colors.

I had never heard the term 'zentangle' until last week and immediately Googled it. I was very impressed with what I found and I will certainly check out your work, Cecile. Thanks for posting the link. :)

Katherine Harra said...

Billie, I love your work. Especially the ink on yupo that then gets poured over and around: fun and great results both.
I do have to comment about zentangles (I expect I'm supposed to capitalize that, but I won't). I've filled paper and notebooks and meeting minutes and project plans with similar designs for decades. In recent years I began filling sketchbooks with such patterns. Then someone saw them and called them zentangles (TRADEMARK!). Well. I've been crabby about it ever since: they are my patterns, it was my idea to combine them into my artwork, and the fact that someone has trademarked something like it. Well. You can tell I'm crabby. Then the local community center started offering classes by "licensed" zentangle instructors. Give me a break. Somewhere a marketing person is rubbing their hands together.

Anyway, YOUR paintings and your inkwork and the patterns you design are lovely, and I don't think you need to give any credit to z******.

BTW - I am also a Michigan watercolorist (at the moment in northern MI, but usually in SE MI). I seem to have all Cleveland artists for the blogs that I follow, so I will be adding yours toot sweet.

Billie Crain said...

Hi, Katherine! Thank you for the lovely comment on my ink paintings.

You invented the Zentangle or what would come to be called Zentangles?! I had no idea the term had become trademarked. I saw these patterns as doodle art which I've done myself in the past but in my search I found some very intricate patterns I had never seen before. The term 'Zentangle' came up just recently in an FB art group and I thought how cool is it that someone gave this art form a name. Obviously some clever marketeer saw an opportunity to cash in that you overlooked. No wonder you are soured on the whole thing. It would've never occurred to me to trademark it either.

Where in northern Michigan are you? West side or east? We may be neighbors!

Unknown said...

here is where the commerzaliation comes from: http://www.zentangle.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=111

Billie Crain said...

Thanks, Cecile. :) After Katherine's reply I did a little research myself. Apparently the idea to commercialize doodle art was the brain child of Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts. Ultimately I believe it's a matter of 'why didn't I think of doing this myself?' for all the doodle artists out there. It still galls me that they may be taking credit for patterns others created and are receiving no acknowledgment whatsoever.