Over challenged

I needed a break because of too many challenges at the same time. I didn’t even finish Inktober, my computer crashed without saying bye. Still not sure if all data can be recovered.

But I did complete my personal artistic challenge!

It was the second year of the challenge, from birthday to birthday. One topic every week regardless of the amount of work or health status. I’m afraid some of the images show a lack of inspiration or mood to paint the subject of the challenge. Or exhaustion due to several other challenges on daily basis – painting forest in March and April, and Inktober recently.

I will try to focus more on quality instead of quantity next year.  

Thanks for watching my gallery!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

window

plant

food

winter

document

butterfly

lantern

temple

chariot

monster

forest

mosaic

suit

spring

night

heart

connection

market man

fragility

wasteland

sportsman

boat

fable

book

summer

hood

independence

collage

ornament

ear

postcard

stairs

insect

fountain

pearl

city

castaway

figure

battle

family

container

harvest

thief

rain

autumn

mask

laziness

mushroom

nymph

vegetables

fear

shield

Advertisement

I can hear you!

How many times have you heard that? Don’t yell at me, I can hear you! We have ears, so we can hear, that’s clear. But do we listen to everything and every time we hear? How many people catch the same message when hearing the same?

There are many factors that affect what we actually get. Most does not depend on the ability to hear, but more on the ability to listen. Which means the will to understand each other.

This leads me to wonder if the ear is a tool for hearing or even for listening. Mechanically, it is clear. But why is the shape of the ear so unique? Have you ever observed the ears of people around you? It’s a fascinating spectacle! So many mysterious shapes and turns falling into the depths of the head. You can only guess where and how it ends.

Perhaps the ear is not only used to capture tones, voices or noise. What if all those complex and unique shapes define our ability to listen? I would like to discover the little part responsible for the desire to listen, for the desire to understand each other. In my world of naïve imagination, it would be possible to stimulate this part of the ear and change where we are. What do you think?

Hugs, love and peace!

Ivana

Paint a monster

Many artists paint monsters – many kinds of them, so the monster became a part of my artistic challenge too. It should be easy – paint what you want, no stress with the right proportions, it is a monster!

I was looking forward to discipline with no limits, asking my inner child for help. But either I don’t have enough fantasies or the monsters belong to the list, which is better for me to avoid. My monsters are not scary at all. Maybe bored, maybe cute, maybe a little upset. But not scary.

In fact, I don’t like scary pictures, I don’t watch scary movies, I don’t read books with monsters and a lot of blood. I don’t like violence in any form. Until I tried to paint a monster, I didn’t realize how deeply pacifism is a part of my nature. From this point of view I am happy for my naive monsters and art in general.

Have you ever wondered how your nature shapes the choice of topics, techniques, styles? It is not only skills but also our inner essence which define the art. It sounds clear but I should repeat it often for myself to stay who I am. Your comments help me too.

Enjoy the so called monsters!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

Milestones and goals

Most people analyze the previous year and set up goals when the New Year is coming. I tried to illustrate both, remembering a game I played with myself years ago.

Like the medieval knights had a shield with the insignia of their family, I drew the shield that best characterized me at that moment. Great time to use secret symbols or color language, great time to simplify even deep thoughts, great time to combine art and fun. Have you ever tried to make up your personal shield?

I love when my right hemisphere activates while I draw, and then comes totally different kind of thoughts. That’s why I don’t have a plan in advance, I gradually draw what comes to mind and where there is still a space left on the paper. At least when I’m trying to draw messages from the inner self.

I used the same process for the Milestones 2021 and the Goals 2022 shields. Maybe they look ridiculous, but I precisely know what each part means. This time I don’t only share my art with you, but my heart.

With love, Ivana

Repeated pattern, part two

Thanks for the encouragement to make repeated pattern from my artwork, printable on fabric!

Since the hand-drawing tiles were demanding on patience, accuracy and time, I tried to dive into editing tools a bit deeper. Even free software contains a long list of them, under whose names I usually can’t imagine anything at all.

I’m a beginner, but I’m not a coward! Moreover, I was gifted by the nature of a discoverer. So I tested applying one tool after another until I met the right one. Hurrah!

So far I haven’t tried any modifications to the basic settings, instead I immediately applied this tool to a million of my existing artworks.

The results are not such repeated patterns I originally imagined, but some of them are damn interesting, what do you think?

Where available, they are linked to the posts with original images.

• 

• 

• 

Myrtle – colored pencils + liner, Aquarius – colored pencils, Alchemilla – colored pencils + liner

• 

• 

• 

Quo vadis – colored pencils + liner, Yellow bedstraw – colored pencils + liner, Hidden secret – colored pencils

• 

• 

• 

Iris – watercolor, Peony – watercolor, Rose – watercolor

• 

• 

• 

How to reach perfection – colored pencils, Water – colored pencils + liner, Fire – watercolor

Let me know if you found a favorite. It’ll help me keep improving. Thanks a lot!

Hugs and love,

Ivana

P.S. The featured image contains a part of the leaves with droplets, see In the middle of lockdown.

A bit of flowers

I finished the floral skirt and T-shirt finally! And it seems that the young fairy is satisfied with the result, hooray! I was quite nervous before the package was delivered to her and before I received the feedback. So, here is the result!

 

Unfortunately, combination of a bad light, old camera and shaking hands doesn’t give a very sharp picture. That’s why I put the T-shirt painting under scanner to get more details. Painting effort is visible, hopefully the improvement comes with practice 🙂

Actually I have a dilemma. My first two floral attempts on fabric were more realistic, then I gave my painting more freedom. So far, I can’t decide which way is more mine. I don’t have enough distance for such a decision yet.  Of course, I need more practice, but your opinion from outside could help.

My very first attempt was a birthday gift for my long-term friend. Tulips were a clear choice from the beginning. I made a ton of sketches in watercolor, but when I actually painted the T-shirt, I was so nervous, that the result is a bit cramped. Plus it was the first experience with the special fabric paints, which behaved absolutely differently from watercolor. Knowing all the obstacles, I wouldn’t call it bad, but what you say? My friend is not the type openly excited, her feedback didn’t say much.

The second attempt brought me more joy – when painting and reading feedback from the recipient. I had a happy accident when the brush full of red paint fell on the white surface of the T-shirt on a completely inappropriate place. And that’s why I decided to paint the grass below poppies. Lucky decision, isn’t it? 🙂

The third floral attempt needed to be more abstract, perhaps because of the cold spectrum called for use. I had a little doubt, but the young lady was satisfied. It fits to her, doesn’t it?

Last, but not least was the daisy set of skirt and T-shirt as above. After that, I got into lack of white paint, the canvas of the skirt was extremely thirsty. And before the new paint arrives, I could think of a new floral project. To be honest, I already have the background. I sewed two black T-shirts on top of each other and got a long summer dress, perfect for painting. I started thinking about tropical flowers, but I’m not sure yet. What do you think?

Beginner’s uncertainty can be annoying, I know and I’m sorry.  But I quickly jumped into unknown waters, so I appreciate navigation of experienced lifeguards. Thanks!

Love, Ivana

Rose of my heart

Many call it weed, complain about ugly smell of blossoms, but they run to it for help in case of heart weakness. Yes, I’m talking about hawthorn (Crataegus) from the Rosaceae family.

I love hawthorn since childhood, mom taught me to know its taste and healing value. To be honest, I prefer hawthorn to a thousand beautiful roses. All the fragrant roses fit into well kept gardens around noble houses, but it’s not me.

I have a thorny nature and hard stone inside. More likely you can meet me on a walk in the forest or wild nature than elegant in the city or artistic garden. I can do it as much as hawthorn. There are cultivars that grow in urban parks, but they almost lost their healing effects through breeding.

I spent a long period of my life in a busy city and I wasn’t unhappy. But I was slowly losing my basic essence, which was pointed out by my physical body. When I was finally willing to admit it and change my lifestyle, the body began slowly to recover.

My whole lifestyle has changed from busy to slow but I have time to see the beauty of life in great details and enjoy it better. From time to time I watch things that I already knew as a little girl. And that’s why I devoted my colorful drawing to all the hearts and healing power of weed roses like hawthorn.

Love, Ivana

What’s wrong?

I’ve been walking through the colorful landscape, accumulating sunshine of amazing Indian summer, and suddenly came to me a burden of emotions, requiring immediate drawing. Fortunately, I was ready for a similar situation, having a pencil and paper in my backpack. Sometimes it’s exhausting to use nature as a partner for spiritual conversation 😊

Still in the heart of landscape, I drew a rough sketch and was surprised how the original intention developed. My first emotional load was supplemented in a breathtaking way, which was ugly and true at the same time.

I had to draw a bigger sized picture in colors just after returning home, but nothing could change the story that screamed from the depth of my soul.

The lovely proclamations and prayers are directed to the sunflower instead of the sun and the pink lady opens heart to the whole world except to the person with whom she’s connected.

And the other person is shivering in the cold directly under sun, waiting for apology and satisfaction, instead of taking luggage and leaving the board.

Both are stuck together and both are waiting for the other to change. Nobody’s happy. What’s wrong?

I sent a question for solution to the universe and immediately got the answer. I’m going to draw it in colors, but the sketch is already done. Do you have tips what might be there? 😊

Hope you like the picture even though it’s not much about hope.

With love, Ivana

Sitting in darkness

The wind storm came last night suddenly, shortly announced by lightning and rain. After a few minutes the electricity supply went off, so the options what to do became limited. No light, no tea or coffee, no internet and unfortunately the low battery level on my mobile at that moment.

What to do in the middle of darkness besides lightning candle if you have one. First, I used the rest of battery for reading e-book, hoping to get electricity soon back. But one hour later I was still in the dark, the phone completely dead.

I wasn’t sleepy at all, so I took a paper and my set of color pencils, wanting to draw an intuitive picture, a small candle next to me. I must say that was an interesting experience!

I picked up pencils blindly and had only a rough idea which color has been used. After two hours of layering colors, I had tired hand and tired mind, but still I was sitting in dark. No chance to see the result before bedtime.

Fortunately, the electric people worked overnight and the supply was restored early in the morning and life has returned to normal civilization mode, if we can call it that.

But that leads me to the question: What would you do in case of blackout, home alone? Yesterday I really suffered from lack of inspiration, please give me some tips I might use next time. Thanks a lot!

Love, Ivana

Reading colors

There is no doubt, that colors affect our lives. We are surrounded by colors, and even if we do not realize it, their selection mirrors our personality and even our mood.

Last time I gave you a game with associations, which is pretty easy to play and read. And before I tell you about more sophisticated method of reading colors, I owe you a solution of my associations.

Looking at the picture, I always look for the weakest point first. At the moment, it is the orange for sure. The sun occupies just a little space and has no companion. So I would guess for a little joy.

To be sure, look at the opposite side, at the level of the complementary color, which is blue. Despite of the blue nature, this part of the color pie is smiling or it seems to me like it. It means that some deep topics of blue take a part of joy away. I would recommend to be less focused on sadness and more to be surrounded by orange in any form (even as a fragrance), which could help to light the darkness.

In general, the axis orange – blue is nicknamed the axis of relationships. So you can assume that the field of relationships belongs to the weak points of the author and it probably brings a portion of deep or sad emotions currently.

It calls for transformation, and this is nickname of the axis yellow – violet. Looking at these colors, we learn how much is the author ready to make or accept change.

And I don’t see much hope. Although I feel a lot of yellow available, it means there are tools to break the darkness, there is a dust on violet side. So I would recommend thinking less (which is the yellow part) and be more focused to the faith (which is the violet part). The picture says, that the current problem couldn’t be fully solved by logical brain. On the other hand, the honest faith of heart could do it.

Last, but not least is the axis red – green, which is nicknamed the axis of the balance of life. The words and picture reveal that the author is somehow afraid of the life fragility, but it is balanced by the love to trees and nature. Despite of the problems in relationships there is a stabilizing element that helps to overcome it. Anyway I would recommend to be more braved and take more risk.

So, it was a short example how to easily read associations of colors including mutual context. Comments and questions are welcomed.

But there is another way how to read your inner self through colors and it is illustrated on the main picture. The method is called Aura-Soma, comes from Great Britain of the late 1980s. I’ve been in touch with the color bottles of magic since 2004 and still they can surprise me with accurate and deep messages.

I believe there are many who have already met the Aura-Soma bottles. There are more than 100 of them already, so the picture above is a small example only. Would you like to share your experience?

With supporting love of colors,

Ivana