Products

notes app drawing: SightLines

| Patricia

“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.” ~ Jonathan Swift

Another of my daily scribbles using the simple drawing tools offered in the Apple Notes app. Edited in Procreate on my 12.9” iPad Pro. I dubbed this drawing “Sightlines“ to represent the volumes of information that we are taking in and processing every day. This is a particularly virulent time history, politically, environmentally and technologically. Trying to keep up with the latest news while dealing with the vagaries of life can be overwhelming. We artists and writers generally internalize the environment around us and these events can appear in our work—often unconsciously. How do current events affect your work?

The chronic arthritis in my shoulders complicates the making of traditional analog art. On days when it is particularly problematic, I often draw on my iPad Pro in apps such as Procreate, Adobe Fresco and other dedicated painting apps. Lately, however, I have been enjoying the simplicity of the Apple Notes app drawing tools as a vehicle for creativity. I generally use the Apple Pencil for navigating around the tablet to cause less stress on my hands. In this drawing I primarily used the Notes app pencil and crayon tools. If you are dealing with arthritis or another challenge, what are some ways that you continue to be able do your creative work? Would love to hear from you in the comments.

All artwork and creative writing is copyright ©️ of Patricia White. No use of this content or concept may be used without the express permission of the artist/author.

concept development with MOLESKIN’S Flow App

| Patricia

In addition to my fine art work, I also do graphic illustration. So, I’m always looking for ways to quickly sketch out a concept or idea on my iPad Pro before it flits out of my head. These concepts are often used to provide direction for analogue works or digital brand development. Digital drawing apps, such as the native Apple Notes, or the newer Freeform apps also have sufficient drawing tools to scribble down a thought or image idea.

Ran across this concept from last year when I tried out the FLOW: SKETCH, DRAW, TAKE NOTES APP, which is part of the Moleskin Studio trio of applications, and found the tools to be quite good for marker rendering, pencil sketching, etc. The shape snapping feature was particularly useful for this quick concept. March 21, 2022

Check it out: Moleskin Studio

CREATIVE INSPIRATION: New book based on neuroaesthetics

| Patricia

Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross

CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE IN THE WASHINGTON POST. IT STATES SO MANY THINGS I BELIEVE ABOUT ART. For me, art is a ‘MUST’ do activity. It keeps me CENTRED, expresses concepts or thoughts that otherwise may disappear into the ether. It KEEPS my AGING HANDS and brain dexterous. I create EVERY DAY. It may be a sketch, painting or other VISUAL art; or WRITING a chapter in a story or development of a new character; it may be slapping together a COLLÁGE from found materials; or knitting a row or two on a NEEDLEWORK project; it might be FOOD preparation or INVENTING a new vegan dish to sustain our health. I create for the FULFILLMENT of creating SOMETHING from NOTHING .

The author states that “Art is NOT a LUXURY for our downtime, but an important CONTRIBUTOR to physical and mental WELL-BEING”, says Susan Magsamen, co-author of an upcoming book on the new field of neuroaesthetics, which studies the brain’s responses to art. Book: This is Your Brain on Art – Penguin Books.

To Magsamen, founder and executive director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, her artistic pursuits are ABOUT FAR MORE THAN HOBBIES. “I need it for my SOUL and my HEALTH and my SURVIVAL,” she says. “It’s not a NICE to have, it’s a HAVE to have.”

Sketchy Coloured Charcoal Apple, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

| Patricia

“The sweeter the apple, the blacker the core…” ~ Dorothy Parker

I’ve been using my DAILY PAINTING regimen to experiment with new materials, rather than working in just one medium or style. When testing new products, I generally draw a familiar subject so I only have to think about how the materials are working.

LOVED working with Derwent’s Coloured Charcoal pencils (included in their Derwent Sketching Collection).

Used a limited palette of Brown Ochre 5700, Terracotta 6400, Peat Tinted Charcoal TC18 and Burnt Earth Tinted Charcoal TC19 but I will definitely be checking out adding a larger range of colours.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White, 2023.

Brenda’s Sunset

| Patricia

A friend took a photo of a stunning sunset a few days ago inspiring one of my morning pastel sketching sessions (see photo reference displayed on my iPad Pro in pic 2 below). One of the sketches is on 5.5” x 8.5” Strathmore 400 series fine tooth 60 lb. dry media paper using Faber-Castell soft pastels and a set of 24 lusciously creamy Stabilo CarbOthello pastel pencils (really need to get a full set of these babies. They’re magnificent). Also working on a second ‘in process’ drawing on a more unforgiving black photo album stock using a tray of well-used vintage pastels (still need to add the tree line to the black-papered version after spraying with workable fixative to enable an additional layer of chalk).

Brenda’s Sunset – 5.5” x 8.5” Strathmore 400 series fine tooth 60 lb. paper using Faber-Castell soft pastels. Simplified subject, using a light touch and the reference photo for the basic composition and colours of the sky and clouds.
Getting ready to play! A friend took the photo, shown on my iPad Pro screen, of a stunning sunset a few days ago inspiring a morning pastel sketching session. Faber-Castell set of 72 half sticks and a set of 24 lusciously creamy Stabilo CarbOthello pastel pencils (bought last year to try out but must get the full set. They are amazing!).
An ‘in process’ pastel painting, on an unforgiving black photo album stock, using a tray of well-used vintage pastels. Still need to add the silhouetted tree line after spraying the piece with workable fixative to enable an additional over layer of chalk. Fingers crossed that it works. The tooth in this paper is shallow and fills up quickly. In fairness, it is a photo album, not meant for art so can’t complain. Just experimenting on what’s layin’ around.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2021.

Daily Sketchbook

| Patricia

This site is dedicated to maintaining a daily habit of making art. It may contain pages from my sketchbooks, examples from past work, conceptual ideas and inspirational influences, I have several small sketchbooks and journals in my ‘bedoffice’, with a variety of drawing and painting materials stacked alongside, so I can get an idea down quickly when it is fresh in my mind. One really CAN make art on just about anything. This quick ‘fantasy landscape’ sketch was drawn with a set of 72 half stick Faber Castell soft pastels and may serve to inspire a larger work down the line. Has a bit of a woodblock feel to it I think. This cool little 7” x 9” book was originally purchased as a small photo album. It has thick black paper separated by glassine-like cover sheets, perfect for protecting soft pastel sketches. The photo paper however is UNFORGIVING, having a shallow tooth that fills quickly with each stroke, disallowing more layered colour. Still, I will be sad when this little book, with it’s bright woven fabric cover, is full but want to get a HIGHER QUALITY BLACK PAPER to continue EXPERIMENTING with light on dark work.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2021.

Chalk Forest

| Patricia

When the cares of the world weigh heavy, I debrief my psyche by making art. This is a little 6” x 9” soft pastel sketch drawn in a small photo album on not-so-friendly shallow-toothed absorbent black paper that can only take two layers of pastel before its pores are full. This is CHALK FOREST a study for a series of larger abstract-expressionistic landscape pieces.

Artwork Copyright Patricia White 2021.