holiday zentangle sketch

Had a short break over the past few days and don't have very much art work to blog about. I did find myself at a loose end after dinner one night and opened a notepad and started doodling. This is the result:-

I did not have any particular thing in mind and as I filled in the outer shape I found myself thinking of a photograph I had recently seen in all the newspapers of a migration of ray fish. The idea wouldn't go away but I did not doodle to achieve a recognisable object. I did however use the image in deciding on a name, "Night Ray". Daft name, perhaps you can think of another? But if you want to see a photo of such a migration check out these images. I couldn't find the original on a quick search.

I have also put together a set of four faux postage stamps using the basic image offered by Lisa Vollrath, if this aspect of art/craft interests you a useful article can be found on Lisa's Squidoo Lens on the subject of artistamps. Anyway here is my set, made for the make it monday challenge this week.

Not quite sure I have been "creative" in making these but the subject is not something that I have really had much to do with so far. But I have used the challenge to have another go with my digital painting software (this time photoplus) and try to keep my hand in before I forget everything I have learnt about using it to date.

I may seem to have been posting lots of links to Lisa Vollrath's sites recently as I have gotten involved in the Make it Mondays challenges. I can assure everyone that there is no connection (as-if LOL) but it has given me a great deal of inspiration thro' what has been a difficult time for me creatively after the death of my cousin, Kathleen. I know I promised in a recent post to list some of the challenges around the web, and I will be sorting this out soon. But for now, I have to report that one of my colleagues in a Yahoo art group has started a challenge blog, which I hope will be great fun. Check out Margaret Fields (aka mop head) new challenge