Cockatoo

 I tend to draw when I'm supposedly watching t.v.  I just can't sit still for an hour-I have to be doing something.  I did this quick drawing of a Moluccan cockatoo today.

Letter Love 101

  When I was in high school I took a class in calligraphy.  It was a challenge but I ended up enjoying it.  I still admire beautiful handwriting and interesting fonts.
  Artist and author Kate Johnson encouraged me to share my art journal pages in her facebook group Artist's Journal Workshop.  I had my doubts that my journals belonged in that amazing group because my pages have more hand writing on them than sketches and drawings.  She assured me they belonged in the group because there are all kinds of ways to keep an art journal.
  I think it was the artist and avid journaler Danny Gregory that said in one of his books that "writing is drawing".  That phrase stuck with me.  I don't always have the time and patience to draw something.  But I'm always writing something.  (I thought of becoming a writer back in high school too.)  If I'm writing something, it doesn't take long for me to add a little flourish here or there.  Ta daaaah!  I'm writing and drawing-two things I immensely love, in my journal.
  Yesterday I saw that artist Joanne Sharpe has an on-line class called "Letter Love 101" where she teaches different forms of lettering.  During the class students will make three journals and fill them with their lessons.  I wondered how did I miss this?!
  The first lesson was to get a simple composition tablet and decorate the cover.  This was what I made this morning.  It's very simple because I don't usually make the cover for a journal first.  But I see that this has potential because as class goes on, I'll be writing on its cover.  After all, that's what I did to my tablets when I was in high school.

 

Morning Spill Pages

I used to journal in black and white with a black Uniball Vision Elite pen.  Lately if time allows, I've added color.
At a used book store I scored a book filled with different alphabets.  I'd like to experiment with more lettering.
I took a calligraphy class when I was in high school.  It was a challenge being a lefty, but I managed.
The thing with calligraphy and me is that it's also a challenge for me to slow down and letter.  I think with more practice that will change.
As time allows.
I don't know sometimes what I'm in such a hurry for!

Making Time for Art

My "Morning Spills" journal:

  If I compared myself to other artists, I'd come up woefully short in the "Productive" department. But one thing I do fairly consistently is write or draw in my journal(s). They are places I can unload my restless brain to.  Thank goodness!

  Here are my pages for my monthly calendar journal.  I'm surprised that I'm still sticking with this project since I have a hard time committing to on line projects.  Maybe I shouldn't pat myself on the back so soon, as I've only started this journal in November of 2011.