Prima Ballerina

Miss Peggy D'Ancer deigned to put in an appearance today. She posed for a few photographs but insisted I sack the photographer after he failed to capture her in all her glory.

She has agreed to stay a while in my etsy shop, so should you wish to meet her please feel free to pop along.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7669563

collage aceo 2

Another aceo, an owl this time.

Collage + ink outlining.

collage ACEO

Just muddling about - made a little collage ACEO of a chicken. Quite pleased with the end result.

lakers jake

The second Jake has taken shape - a representation of an L.A. Lakers basket ball player.

Check him out at;

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5172932

'Jake' makes etsy

Jake was listed today in my etsy shop;
www.scribblzndoodlz.etsy.com
A snip at only $10 (+ p&p). Ideal as a gift for the man/boy in your life.
Take a look. He's hopefully the first of many - I'm open to custom makes too at no extra cost, just drop me a line.

Jake's debut

Long time no blog - new job, house move have taken up my time. But, found a few moments to craft another peg 'doll'. I've christened him Jake (Jake the peg - geddit!) and am thinking of producing him in a variety of guises. When I can get around to it I'll put him in my etsy shop and see if anyone wants to give him a good home. As you can see from the pics, he can can stand without any artificial props, he can even do sit-ups and push-ups as befits a sportsman.

London sketches

Just back from London - backstage tours, workshops, gallery visits - even managed to talk at length with Stephen Wiltshire about his art - the children came away with fantastic memories. Unfortunately didn't manage to fit in much personal sketching, far too busy soaking up the experiencies. Managed to jot down a few images during a visit to The Golden Hinde and a flamenco dancer performing on the South Bank.

faces

The end of term and everyone deserves a good rest. Have been doodling faces of late - loosely based on a style from way back. Pen and crayon.

Off to London next week with a group of youngsters for an art/drama summer school. Looking forward to having time, in between the gallery visits and workshop sessions to do some serious sketching.

circollz

Have invented a new word - circollz - well it doesn't show up on a google search. It's an amalgamation of circles and collage and actually keeps the phonetic of circle. I'm quite proud of it. Tried out some circollz with the class today, loosely based on Ed Emberley's stuff.

squarz

Have recently been tinkering around with birds (!), particularly owls, based on squares. I quite like the simplicity and the end result. I think that these might look good as small pen & ink studies or thumbnail size collages. Might give it a go, tho' it's report writing season in teacher-land at the moment.

Pen & pencil in pocket Moleskine.

Harry potTED

Have just uploaded this Harry Potter inspired image, with two teddybears re-enacting a scene from the books/films into my etsy shop. I would welcome any comments.

www.scribblzndoodlz.etsy.com

more teds

Have just put a couple more teddy bear pics into my etsy shop. They seem to be getting views, but not sure if folk don't see them as viable artworks 'cos they aren't painted. There still seems to be a hierarchy as regards art, with oil paint being top dog. Then again the shop has only been open a couple of days so maybe I'm expecting too much to have sales already.

Starz

Have just placed a couple or so more pics in my etsy shop. These are based on simple 5-pointed stars and are fun items to give as thoughtful gifts - to the little (or big!) stars in your life.

Please browse at www.scribblzndoodlz.etsy.com

teddy bear stuff

A couple of teddy bear pics. Have put these, along with a few others, into my new etsy shop. Please browse at www.scribblzndoodlz.etsy.com

Pen and crayon on paper, approx 5" x 7".

Mixed Doubles

Did a quick sketch today - 'Badminton, mixed doubles'. Ink pen & pencil in my moleskine. Not sure why badminton, except that I wanted to try figures in a perspective setting.

Red Nose Doodles

As part of our Red Nose Day activities today, my class doodled some pics based on 'red noses'. This is a page from my sketch book showing some of the ideas we came up with. Thinking about it we could always develop them into badges or t-shirt motifs and possibly sell them to raise money/awareness at other times of the year.

Howzat!

In honour of the cricket world cup that has just started I thought I'd put together some aceo collage pics. More of an experiment really into seeing how easy and effective the process would be. I'm quite pleased with the results and am thinking of using the same technique on other sporting images.

'left arm spin', 'hook', 'HOWZAT!' - all 3.5 by 2.5", collage, ink & acrylics.

B is for bear

A teddy bear sort of day today. I used to sell quite a lot of teddy bear artwork at craft fairs a couple of years ago so thought I'd do a quick pen sketch for old times sake. Might try and dig some out and post them.

Lowry-esque aceo

Watched an enjoyable programme the other day - Rolf on Lowry. Was inspired to do a humble homage using 'A' figures instead of 'Matchstalk' ones (interesting to hear the explanation about matchstalk being used as a plural for matchstick).

'Sunday football', Pen & ink on paper, 3.5 by 2.5"

To brighten the day

A bit of a miserable day weather-wise so I thought I'd paint a small pic of sunflowers. Reminds me of Summer in France.

10 by 10cm, acrylic on 325gsm paper.

Divas

An aceo of a typical (80s?) disco scene where the girls all danced around their handbags. Not sure if this was a phenomenon peculiar to UK or whether in fact it still happens?!!

Mixed media, 325gsm watercolour paper.

Stars (2)

More star pics. Really like the simplicity but effectiveness of these.

Stars

Following on the idea of simple shapes leading to recognisable images I played around with stars. Here are a couple of the results - star tennis player and ballet star. Thinking about it these would make good greetings cards images or even story book characters - along the lines of everyone having the opportunity to be a star, to shine at something or other.

ACEO's

I've recently discovered ACEO's (I know, where have I been). My preferred style seldom affords the time to complete large canvases and so their size (3.5" by 2.5") is ideal. It also closely corresponds to the pages in my moleskine - so sketches can be easily transposed into 'finished' artwork. Not everyone has loft apartments to hang huge canvases - ACEO's are affordable and easily displayed. They can be changed regularly so you're not stuck with them and can be sent easily through the post as gifts. I just like the fact that I can flit from idea to idea and still end up with completed pictures without becoming bored, as I would if I spent days/weeks painting the same thing.

This ACEO is called 'Peloton' - mixed media on 325gsm watercolour paper.

More of the A-team

Have been doodling some more 'A' figures. Got carried away with the possibilities.

P is for peg doll

Just thought I'd upload a pic of some little peg-dolls I put together. Made from standard dolly pegs and cut-down lollipop sticks for arms. Thinking about doing some 'boy' ones - aka Jake Peg - probably wearing footy kits.

A is for Art

Have just done the obligatory half term IKEA run. Whilst resting the pins in the coffee shop I was doodling on the back of the note things that you pick up with those ever so useful pencils (great for marking golf scores) when it hit me! Using the letter 'A' you could actually represent simple figures. Figures that are much easier to 'clothe' and detail than stick men and yet are still easily recognisable. Sort of goes with the simple yet functional ethos that is IKEA (no, I don't hold any shares or have relatives who work there).

Got home and, after assembling all the stuff, actually tried out a couple more. Seems to work fine. I'm sure that this is not an original idea but I like it anyway - simple and effective.

Toe in the water

This blog, updated as regularly as work commitments and energies allow, will hopefully serve as a conduit for an eclectic mix of creative projects.

Just thought I'd post some pics to be going on with - I haven't got one particular style, I tend to move between whatever theme/stimulus happens to come to the fore that day!