So what's with 365 Days of art?
It's all about inspiration and a love of creating. I create five pieces of art a week, one of which I'll show you how to do, this week simple cactus pattern Day 97.
But if that doesn't take your fancy there's also doodling, printed lemons, and flowers.
I'm taking my tasks from the fabulous artist and art author Lorna Scobie.
Day 96
Task; Cut a piece of fruit in half and 'art' with it.
This is a canvas print I created using a bit of fabric paint and some sticky back foam turned into a stamp. It took a few tries to get it right but in the end I was very happy with the results. So happy I made canvas bags with the pattern and gave them away.
Day 97
Task; Create a pattern.
How flipping cute eh? Learn how to smash this darling cactus pattern out in three easy steps.
What you'll need
Thick-ish paper.
A waterproof ink pen.
Watercolours paints
A couple of paintbrushes
Colouring pencils.
Step 1
Draw the cactus in your waterproof pen. Keep the shapes simple this is fun doodle not the Sistine chapel.
Step 2
Use two brushes for painting. 1st brush as an almost light primer. Fill the cactus with the faint colouring, then bring out brush no2 with a much stronger application of paint. You can add to the edges like the cactus on the bottom right and let the paint drift to centre. Or run it down the middle like cactus on the top left, with dabs of yellow around the edges creating a soft melding of colours. Experiment with the different effects you can create and then let dry.
Step 3
Detailing. Take your coloured pencil and draw over the paint, adding patterns to the pots or the last bits of colour to the plants.
Day 98
Task: Draw noses.
Not much to say except, 'alright big nose.'
Day 99
Task: Draw the face of someone from memory.
Sometimes life comes together in a such a perfect way you couldn't have planned it if you tired, that it makes this sci-fi writer believe that there is some sort of underground fairy mafia pulling the cosmic strings. This task popped along just as I've started doodling the lovely peeps who review my book, as a thank you. This week was this motley crew so when the task came about I was more than happy to mix my worlds.
Day 100
Task, Colour in these flowers.
Yesterday I was being all cultured and popped along to Hull for the BBC writers Strong Language Festival, and while it was amazing, it didn't leave me with much time to get my art on. So I knocked out a cute little watercolour of flowers rather than colour in the beautiful image Lorna had created for this big day; 100 days of art.
That's it folks
... Join me next week where it's draw a tree time, playing with colour and cute animal doodles. I would love to see your arty creations so head on over to Twitter and tag the shit out me. I'm also technically on Instagram but the social norms there confuse me, like life really.
If you can't wait until next week for more art, here is where it all began. Week 1.