Showing posts with label sketch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sketch. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Book Page Cat Art & Waiting For Spring





Is it spring yet? 

I think most of us (on the east coast at least) are ready for some warmer weather. I'm working on a new Upcycled Garden blog post - the first of the season is always fun to do - and looking forward to cleaning up my own yard to rake away the last of winter's mess. 

Will you be planting this year? If yes, what? 






Have a great week!
 Laura




Article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love for Dishfunctional Designs™ 2018
all rights reserved

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Artists Who Mingle In Different Mediums - Spare Time Illustration



I noticed that I've been spending an extra bit of money on art supplies lately, and yesterday I told myself that I would not buy any more paint!  I just needed a last few watercolor colors, and they were on sale, and well, I might as well buy the professional grade paints just in case - by chance - I land up creating something of merit. At least that's what I told myself ha ha...

But I'm drawn to drawing. I like to not just sketch out images, but I like slow, semi-intricate creative drawing, like the feathers in the photo above. These are things that come directly from my own imagination. I create them for fun and for relaxation, and I just started drawing a few on watercolor paper so that I might be able to add color to them if the mood strikes later on.


A few months back I shared this photo on my Instagram and laughed when I realized it looked like I was drawing wire and bead jewelry designs in my drawings. You can join me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurabethlove/




I like to use black pens and different types of black ink, and pencils too. When I draw or paint, it's like a break from the constant jewelry making that is my day to day effort. 

You might think that when an artist takes a break from their artwork that they might participate in a completely different activity - and I'm sure this is often true - but lots of artists find great relaxation and rejuvenation in playing around with and experimenting with different creative mediums. 

I think that's why you often hear of illustrators who were once textile designers, or potters who like to play with paint, or painters who like to work with jewelry. 

Sometimes our hands and minds need something else to do, something new to try. The stream of colors and shapes and designs and ideas never stops coming, but sometimes it's like my hands and brain want to organize them - and give them to the world - in a different way. 



Ink and paint illustration 



There is something magical about a fresh new pack of paper. Maybe it's the possibilities. No matter how you plan, you never quite know exactly how things will play out.

I like the small tubes of paint and the power that they hold. It's almost electric, and you can feel it all inside you if you just give it a chance.

I like what I draw. I like to see my imagination and personal creativity on paper instead of always in metal, wire, and gemstones. It makes me happy, and I think this is because I draw only for myself, without much concern of what other people think. There is great difference of freedoms between creating for yourself - for the sake of just creating - and creating to impress. I think you forsake your freedom in the latter.

What are your favorite creative endeavors? 




I hope you have a great week! 
Love, Laura


My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns



Wednesday, November 16, 2016

New Design Listed on Society6 - Blue Space Feather

Hi friends! Tonight I listed a brand new design on Society6, so be sure to check it out here! I really love the way this piece turned out!





It started as an ink drawing...


Working on the design



I've been drawn to sketching feathers lately, and laughed when I realized how much you could see my jewelry designer influence in my finished designs. But I like them. I think they're really unique. Anyway, once I had it all drawn out, I added some color with watercolors, and then photographed my artwork and added it to my Society6 collection. Here are a few of the pieces in this collection... 











This design is available in many more items; iphone cases and skins, laptop sleeves, travel mugs and even bedding. There are so many great gift ideas at Society6, and they run great promos too. I think today they have free shipping and 20 percent off of many of their categories. 





If you haven't visited Society6 yet, you really need to check it out! There is so much amazing artwork from talented artists from all over the world.  

Shop this collection at Society6


What do you think?

Have a great week!
Love,
 Laura



article and images ©Laura Beth Love 2016 all rights reserved




Wednesday, August 3, 2016

A Meditative Sketch: Find Your Magic

I shared this freehand sketch on my Instagram a week or two ago and liked it so much that I thought I would share it with you here on my blog. It's a simple drawing that I drew while sitting outside on my back patio next to my fish pond (aka my outdoor office!), right as dusk was approaching and the sun was beginning to set.


It started as sort of a mandala drawing. I began with a simple circle and then added the leaves and from there it bloomed into what you see above. I could have gone on and added lots of layers and embellished the heck out of it, but instead I left it as is, pleased with its simplicity. I'm a big fan of Art Nouveau and Craftsman motifs and sometimes I see faint impressions and inspirations of those designs come alive in my own artwork and doodles. 


I snapped the photo above with my iPhone and then added a bit of digital text art (the "Find your magic") with an iPhone app as an overlay on the photo of the drawing - but not on the original drawing. 

I think I chose the words Find Your Magic because sometimes it's in doing simple, relaxing things that you come into your personal magic. Just like when I made this drawing. When do you come into your personal magic? 




I hope you have a creative weekend! 
Love, 
Laura




My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns


article and images ©Laura Beth Love 2016

Saturday, February 6, 2016

A Peek Inside Of My Jewelry Design Sketchbook

One of my favorite things is my jewelry design sketchbook. Not only do I consider my sketchbook a great creative tool, but it also serves as a journal of sorts that documents my designs and ideas over a span of time.


Mind you, these sketches and scribbles aren't created for beauty, but more to capture the blur of an idea and get it transferred onto paper before it disappears from my memory. 

Some sketches are completed projects, like this lariat necklace that I created on a whim.

The finished piece turned out so well that I made a quick sketch of it, and along side of the sketch I detailed the materials that I used, so that if I wanted to create another one in the future, I had a written guide to what beads I used and in what sizes.

Most of what you will find in my jewelry design sketch book are quick sketches, what I think of as impressions of shapes, sizes, movements, sometimes little details. To some people they probably look like scribbles, but when I look at them, I know what's going on!  


For example, the design above was the way the cables were installed on my basement wall. Funny, right? For some reason, the design of the cables and connectors just caught my eye, and I had to sketch them down. Who knows, maybe they will inspire a design sometime down the road! 




The sketches above inspired the finished projects below...


Copper wire shawl pin. This is one of my very favorite pieces. Glorious simplicity!

Copper and turquoise earrings (unfinished) 



Hmmm...figuring things out...







Not everything turns out great, but practice makes perfect! 



This one was titled, My Broken Bleeding Heart...I must've been pretty sad when I sketched that one out, but the finished project is beautiful, and unique... 





These sketches later became projects in my book, Soldered Alchemy.












I absolutely LOVE scarabs! 







I hope you enjoyed this little peek inside of my sketchbook. You don't have to be great at drawing to keep an illustrated record of your ideas, you just have to sketch them down. The importance is in the action.



Enjoy your weekend! 

Love, Laura


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My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns


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