Using My Doodles as Decor: Georgie and Georgina Sugarskull

My doodling addiction continues. Introducing Georgie and Georgina Sugarskull, the newest additions to my doodle collection and Halloween decor. I've been wanting to incorporate some Dia de los Muertos ( Day of the Dead) touches and these were an easy addition. I printed them out and framed them in black and gold painted frames to match my color scheme of black and white and  gold.  

I started my drawing by tracing a simple skull outline. I knew I wanted to give her a floral crown so I drew the flowers on top of her skull first and then kind of went wherever my pen took me. This is what I find relaxing about this. I just kind of go wherever in an image, usually without a plan and just feel my way through. 

Georgina was done first, but Georgie was named first. I'd texted him to my son, he asked if he had a name, I said "you name him" and he named him Georgie. Georgina was kind of a no-brainer after that. 

I followed the same process for Georgie, took me a while to get the hat right. If I'm adding an element like that I'll do it in pencil first, then go over it in pen but the Zentangling itself I just go for with the pen. 

The frames were inexpensive plain unfinished wood I had in my stash. I painted with a couple coats of black paint, then dry brushed with gold. 

Now, lest you think I'm allergic to color, I did color each of these in my Recolor app. 

Zen Doodling

This may be old news to all you cutting edge artists, but Mr. Chocolate, who watches me do this regularly, asked me if I'd put anything up on my blog about it and I haven't so here I am. I first became aware of this while watching an episode of "Scrapbook Memories" . Officially, it's called "Zentangle" but since I haven't taken a formal class I don't feel qualified to use the term. Here's the same segment I first saw:



I was instantly hooked and went online looking for more which led me to the official Zentangle site started by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. They have a Zentangle kit you can order and you can also become a certified Zentangle instructor (which I am not). I decided I would play first before ordering the kit and about a year later, here I am but I do plan on ordering it.

Most work is done in black and white but you can do whatever you want. I was playing around near St. Patrick's day when I did the green one (colored pencil). For me it's just relaxing, and unlike many of the creative things I like to do, very portable. I can Zentangle waiting for things like doctor's appointments, or sitting in an airport , or wherever. I have a small notebook I carry with me all the time and another one that sits by my "TV chair".

It's forgiving because you can hide your mistakes and consider them intentional. And there's no right or wrong. I've cut my pieces into smaller pieces and used on cards, and have framed some pieces as easy DIY artwork:

You can start any way you like but here are a few basic musts ( shoulds):

• Good quality paper....I like Canson sketchbooks 
• Smear proof pens. The recommended ones are Micron by Sakura and they're great, but a smear proof gel pen is what I tend to use...Pentel, Pilot  whatever's on sale at Staples usually

That's it. I either start with a free form blob kind of random drawing that I then section off and fill in until I get tired of whatever pattern, or like this basic diagram, with a focal point and work out from there wherever my mind goes:

 

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