Patterns, patterns everywhere!

Paul Klee

The last few months I've been working patterns.  Up until this time, I'd only played with patterns, done small ones, felt like they were insignificant and/or not completely worthwhile - I should be doing "real" art instead.  I don't know where I got the message that patterns aren't as important as realistic art.  There are many famous artists who have worked with patterns, some almost exclusively.  Paul Klee is a good example. He worked extensively to analyze color and shapes and patterns and taught those subjects at the Bauhaus School in Germany.  Lots of other artists have played with pattern as well including Mondrian and Gustav Klimt.  I have always been drawn to this type of work and have always created patterns and doodles of my own.  When my friend Linda Hollett told me about Zentangles a few years ago, I felt like I'd come home. 

The folks who created Zentangles describe them as the following:

The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.

Almost anyone can use it to create beautiful images. It increases focus and creativity, provides artistic satisfaction along with an increased sense of personal well being. The Zentangle Method is enjoyed all over this world across a wide range of skills, interests and ages.
We believe that life is an art form and that our Zentangle Method is an elegant metaphor for deliberate artistry in life.

When I learned about them, I started filling 6"x9" notebooks full of my own Zentangles which I have started to call Zendoodles.  I teach classes about them at www.visarts.org as well as at my studio.  Here are a couple of my earlier ones...




 Recently I've been creating larger ones on 11"x14" Duralar, a type of translucent plastic paper that can be drawn on on both front and back.  Here are some of those...  (Sorry for the quality of the pictures.  I photographed them with my iPad and cropped them there, but the crop didn't transfer.)  These are done with Micron pens and color pencils which  glow beautifully on Duralar.

Ringdoodles

Figure Drawing 1st, Doodle 2nd

Flight of the Bumblebee

 I had such a wonderful time creating the Ringdoodles that I decided to create one that is much larger - 6'x10'!  I had a piece of canvas I'd put up on the wall several months ago.  I used it as a blow out piece and got all the mileage out of it I could so I decided to use it for this new piece.  I spent 10 hours working on it today.  (I've been busy with Beyond Barbie this week and with finishing up a commission the weeks before that and hadn't had much time to paint, so I've had a great time painting non-stop today!)

I don't consider this piece finished yet, but I made a lot of good progress today.  The background was already done.  I've just put in the rings today.

computer-generate image that stitched all my photos together.

detail

detail

detail

Zendoodle on Duralar

I've been working in the studio again lately.  It feels good!  Yesterday I did a fairly large Zendoodle on Duralar, a translucent material.  I worked with a grid-based doodle and manipulated it so it would appear to be three-dimensional, curving around. 

I drew the inked doodle on one side of the paper, and put color pencil on the other, helping create the illusion of 3-D even more.

Here's the doodle on different color backgrounds.  Which one do you like best?

May 15th evening Zendoodle class at my studio, other summer classes

I'll be offering many, many, many classes in the following months.  Here's a list of them in case you're interested.  All classes take place in Richmond, VA.  You can email me at SusanSingerArt at msn.com if you'd like more information, or take a look at my website at www.susansinger.com  for details about the classes.

Here's the one coming up next:  a special evening class of Zendoodles for all those of you who can't make daytime or weekend classes!  Come take time from your busy schedule to learn the joy of Zendoodles!  I'll teach you the fundamentals of Zendoodles as well as lots of patterns to increase your doodling repetoire.  It's a simple, fun, addictive form of creativity which anyone can do!  Wednesday, May 15, 6:30 - 9:30 PM, at my studio, $35.  Contact me at SusanSingerArt@msn.com to sign up.
 

Drawing
Beginning Drawing - Mondays, June 24 - August 12, (no class July 15), 8 weeks, $240, at Crossroads Art Center, contact me to sign up.  

Intermediate Drawing - Tuesdays, April 2 - May 28, 8 weeks (no class 4/9), $240, at my studio.  Open to all who have had Beginning Drawing or commensurate experience, contact me to sign up

Drawing Fundamentals Intensive - another new class for me - Beginning Drawing all in a week!  Monday, June 17 - Friday, June 21; 9:30 - 12:30; at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org


Zendoodles
Zendoodles for Parent and Child - a new class, by special request - Zendoodles with a special emphasis on kids and their parents.  We'll do some special projects for them to work together as well as teach many of the wonderful, fun patterns which make Zendoodles so special!  Saturday, May 18, 10-2; $75 for parent and child together; at my studio; bring a lunch; contact me to sign up. 

Zendoodles - the regular class for adults (and kids accompanied by an adult if desired!), Saturday, August 3, 10-2; at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

Pastels
Intro to Pastels - Wednesdays, June 5 - July 10, 6 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org
 
Intermediate Pastels - ongoing, Monday afternoons from 1-3:30 at my studio, $30/session.  Minimum 3 students/class; Max 6.  Call ahead to register. OR Wednesdays, July 24 - August 28, 6 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

Creativity

Follow Your Bliss - a class designed to help you learn what it is you LOVE to do, to figure out what might be stopping you from doing it, to support you in doing it with vitality and joy, Mondays, July 8 - August 26, 8 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

 
Watercolor
 Watercolor Painting in the Garden - class held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden; sign up at www.visarts.org
Monday, June 10, 10-4, OR
Saturday, July 27, 10-4

Art Classes in Richmond, VA for Spring and Summer

I'll be offering many, many, many classes in the following months.  Here's a list of them in case you're interested.  All classes take place in Richmond, VA.  You can email me at SusanSingerArt at msn.com if you'd like more information, or take a look at my website at www.susansinger.com  for details about the classes.
 

Drawing
Beginning Drawing - Mondays, April 8 - May 20, 7 weeks, $210, at Crossroads Art Center, contact me to sign up.  Most likely I'll offer another Beginning Drawing class in the summer, but the dates haven't been set yet.  Contact me if you're interested.

Intermediate Drawing - Tuesdays, April 2 - May 28, 8 weeks (no class 4/9), $240, at my studio.  Open to all who have had Beginning Drawing or commensurate experience, contact me to sign up;  most likely I'll offer another Intermediate class in the summer, but I haven't set the dates yet.  Contact me if you're interested.
Drawing Fundamentals Intensive - another new class for me - Beginning Drawing all in a week!  Monday, June 17 - Friday, June 21; 9:30 - 12:30; at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org


Zendoodles
Zendoodles for Parent and Child - a new class, by special request - Zendoodles with a special emphasis on kids and their parents.  We'll do some special projects for them to work together as well as teach many of the wonderful, fun patterns which make Zendoodles so special!  Saturday, May 18, 10-2; $75 for parent and child together; at my studio; bring a lunch; contact me to sign up. 
Zendoodles - the regular class for adults (and kids accompanied by an adult), Saturday, August 3, 10-2; at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

Pastels
Intro to Pastels - Wednesdays, June 5 - July 10, 6 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org
Intermediate Pastels - ongoing, Monday afternoons from 1-3:30 at my studio, $30/session.  Minimum 3 students/class; Max 6.  Call ahead to register. OR Wednesdays, July 24 - August 28, 6 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org
Pastel Intensive- Friday, April 5 6:30 - 9; Saturday, April 6, 10-4; Sunday, April 7, 1-4.  At Visual Arts Center and en plein aire (probably at the river); a chance to spend the weekend doing art!  Sign up at www.visarts.org
 

Creativity
 Take a Visual Journal to Your Soul - We'll spend a weekend making an extraordinary 64 page bound journal, then will meet 6 Thursdays to fill the journal with art, musings, dreams, thoughts - whatever you'd like.  Classes will offer opportunity to learn art skills; explore personally and spiritually; play, etc.  Saturday, April 13, 10-4; Sunday, April 14, 1-5; Thursdays April 18 - May 30 (no class April 25 - I'll be at Tech Rehearsal for the Vagina Monologues!); $275 + $25 for materials; at my studio; contact me to sign up
Follow Your Bliss - a class designed to help you learn what it is you LOVE to do, to figure out what might be stopping you from doing it, to support you in doing it with vitality and joy, Mondays, July 8 - August 26, 8 weeks, 6:30 - 9 PM, at the Visual Arts Center, sign up at www.visarts.org

 
Watercolor
 Watercolor Painting in the Garden - class held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden; sign up at www.visarts.orgTuesday, April 9, 10-4 OR
Saturday, April 20, 10-4 OR
Monday, June 10, 10-4, OR
Saturday, July 27, 10-4

More meanderings through my sketchbook

The last few weeks I've continued working/playing/experimenting in my sketchbook.  It has been one of the most freeing periods of my artistic life.  I don't think I've ever before given myself such a stretch of time without goals or expectations to produce for a series or a show.  My perfectionism has, thankfully, taken a back seat, and my playfulness has come to the fore.

Here are some pictures I've done lately:

Street scene of Main St across the street from the Visual Arts Center.  Practicing one point perspective.  Pen and ink, watercolor, and graphite.

Pattern I more or less copied from a book about visual journaling.  Pen, ink, watercolor, watercolor pencils, wax crayons.

I gave my student the assignment of drawing an apple 10 times in 80 minutes.  I decided to do the same thing.  Until I got going - I couldn't let go of the prettiness of it and wanted to complete the drawing. I started in watercolor then my student wanted to use them so I had to move on - I switched to color pencil after that

After I finished the above apple, I went on to another one.  First I glued some random Dur-a-Lar to the paper just to give me some different textures to play with, then I painted it in acrylics.  I was fascinated to note how the paint acted on the Dur-a-Lar as compared to the regular drawing paper.  It resisted.  I used gold paint for the highlights on the apple.

Sometimes what I do in the sketchbook is affirmations or assertions

.

 

I let myself be bold.  This was one of those times.

Zendoodles are never far away.  This one is Micron pens on Dur-a-Lar.

I use my sketchbook when I'm in figure drawing sessions on Friday evenings at the Visual Arts Center (all are welcome - $6/person - it's a great opportunity to draw from the model)  Sometimes my drawings aren't all that successful because I'm still learning to work from the figure from life.  The picture on the left is how it looked after 20 min.  then I brought it home and had a great time cutting up magazines and making it into something completely different.  Whether the pieces are skillful or not, I'm learning so much from doing them.  It is changing the way I approach art completely.

This is the same model.  I drew the gesture drawing with green Micron then put the body on it with a graphite pencil.  I used the scrap from a magazine to glue it into the sketchbook because glue doesn't seem to work too well on Dur-a-Lar.

A friend told me about this quote.  I thought it was worth noting:  "There's a crack in everything.  that's how the light gets in."  Leonard Cohen

Workin' my stuff.  And what a great place to do it.

This postcard was my place marker at my niece's wedding I went to lately.  Va Beach in the old days.

Another picture from figure drawing sessions.  I love how the white and black look on the red background.  This one made me happy.

21 things that didn't work that night when I was 16.

 

An earlier figure drawing session.  I drew the figure on Dur-a-Lar which is slightly see through - it's translucent - then did a pattern on the page behind it.  I'm intrigued by the juxtaposition of the two.

Allowing myself to play.  Zendoodles.  Colors.  Sumi ink, micron pen, watercolors, on rice paper.

As you can see, I'm not sticking to any one medium or paper or subject or type of creation.  Whatever arises is what gets expressed.  It's a very right brain way of approaching art.  I'll write more about the difference in my next post.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying these meanderings and am very curious to see where they're going...