A Dice with Doodles (17/07/20)

Today I started #23; I am most definitely on a roll! Sticking with that idea, I chose to tackle a different type of art for this piece and knew exactly what I was going to use. Back last year when I was volunteering in the Jigsaw Charity Shop I purchased a perspex Photo Cube which had a cardboard insert featuring a different coloured square on each side. This immediately appealed to my creative streak and I've kept this piece in the back of my mind for some time since. I had pinned a few ideas from Pinterest earlier in the year but hadn't completely settled on what style I would apply to the squares. I am currently sick to death of collage after the Green piece (#21) so quickly ruled that out. This was not destined to be a multi-coloured-collaged dice! I had considered actually using number within the art to play with the idea of maybe disguising dice dots or actual numerical figures within a design but eventually I moved away from the number idea and wanted to focus more on the colours (probably around the time of lockdown and the Rainbow Trail) I had seen a Pin which appeared to show ceramic tiles, each with a small mosaic section within it, one in each colour but I couldn't work out how to create a similar effect with paint and didn't want to be disappointed with my attempts. So I decided to explore the Zentangle method, similar to Doodling but with more purpose!

I found a Pin from my art inspiration board which I had saved, also with this cube/dice in mind. I loved the shapes and designs used in this piece of Zentangle Art (Studio Julia Makotinsky). The hardest part for me was to choose which of those shapes to include in my piece; I only had six squares to fill and this inspiration had tonnes! I enlisted the help of E and R who expressed their preferences. I then chose those which appealed most to me out of the ones they had suggested.

My first task today was to measure the squares and decide how big I wanted my squares to be, allowing for a black and coloured border to remain from the original insert. I settled on 7.5cm x 7.5cm which is obviously quite small and filled me with confidence that this too was to be a quickly completed piece.

I then drew out the main shape within each design, be that a wonky square, a triangle, a circle or whatever else. I then drew out the Zentangle designs in the remaining space around the outside of the main shapes. Lots of these were wiggly lines, small circles, zig-zags, small triangles, diamonds etc. The method of Zentangle is described by zentangle.com as "an easy-to-learn, relaxing and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns."

You may have seen Zentangle colouring books in the shops; it is popular as a mindfulness activity offering the chance to relax, focus and expand your imagination...they are also, according to mymodernmet.com....

supposed to 'encourage intuitive thinking and empowerment by proving that you too make beautiful works of art' and offer 'the same calming effects as colouring but involve drawing - specifically simple, abstract patterns'.

They state that 'Zentangles are created with repetitive patterns and are meant to be abstract'. Now I understand why I am so inspired by them...I love a bit of abstract and am always happy to tackle anything that fosters a calm, relaxing vibe.

I finished today by choosing which design would go on which coloured square and then painted the main shapes, one of each colour to match the six sides of the cube. I may have become a little distracted and 'off-task' when the ice cream van stopped on our road and I was ever-so-easily tempted by the lure of a Mr Whippy with chocolate sauce. It was very hot today and I had been working so hard...(as if!) I just couldn't resist one and it made the kids' day to be treated to an ice cream before tea time!! Mine had, however, melted massively down the cone as it had been carried back home to me from down the road, so there's proof enough that it was sufficiently hot to warrant an ice cream even if my productivity had suffered slightly from it (and my waistline!)

Having completed the watercolour parts, I now look forward to doing the ink-work tomorrow. I shall be using fine liners and Sharpie pens.

Yoga for today was 'The Third Chakra - Show Your Gold' which was an old workout in aid of a children's charity that Adriene had originally posted about three years ago. I really enjoyed it and loved the effort she had put in, to find a gold top to wear for the workout. Similarly she had worn blue for the Throat Chakra; a nice touch!