Sparkly Scribble Cards + An Update

So, I am still alive! After a perfectly average cold in July I experienced my first physical and mental health relapse in 5 years. It's been a tough few months, but things are slowly improving. I've been sharing a lot of my in progress sketchbook art over on my Facebook page, so why not go have a look? :) And hopefully you'll understand if I'm not replying to comments or posting overly regularly atm! I do read and appreciate every comment :)

Refined Scribble Cards I

If you've been following along on my Facebook page, you will have noticed the progress of these!

It began like my recent piece, The Refinement of the Scribble, with paint being splashed across watercolour paper, however I then cut the paper into sections before I began drawing!

Before finally being mounted ready to be sent to friends who need smiles :)

The Refinement of the Scribble

There are two artists who are inspiring me so very much at the moment. One, is Messy Canvas, whose words could be a conscious stream of my own. I love the freeform of her painting and the words she accompanies it with. The second, is Alisa Burke - I love watching her creativity combine with her husband and her daughter, and it is always encouraging to see an artist grow as a mother too. I love how she draws such detailed decorations on her toddler's artwork, the collaboration is immense.

I wanted to embrace the freedom oozing from their blogs and artwork. Creating without judging myself, but also hoping the finished work would be suitable for my latest card design.

I began with my watercolours and some wax crayons, trying to hold my brushes like a child would, creating unrefined marks as opposed to my normally precise motions. I discovered this within myself.

Next, I pulled out my fineliners. And promptly destroyed several of them as they tried to cope with the wax crayon. This pen held up the best, it's always been one of my favourites anyway. It was so therapeutic to just start with a simple circle or flower, and gradually expand it, working out shapes that flowed for me, and working past the areas I didn't like...

This was the final product, and I love it. More than I thought. I can't cut it up for cards like I wanted...

I am working on more though. This time it will be for cards. I'm cutting it up before I draw it, so I don't have to make myself cut it up after!

The Younger Years I

I realise when you look at this you probably just see a kid's scribbles. Well, I suppose you're right.

But, I like it because (so far) it's one of the earliest examples of me creating that I've found! (I was 23 months old.)

It's exciting, because it's the formation of me. It's the beginning of my creative life,
and it's putting crayon to paper so freely.

And I think that's something we all can learn from.