Aa is for Another (Zentangle) Abstract

How fun is this? I started with the idea of a symmetrical floral-ish design I found among the zentangle patterns - but, never one to follow the rules or the recipe, I soon adjusted it to become a flower.

All the zentangles I have seen so far seem to be black lines with color added. Really stunning and strong. What I especially like about them are the varied patterns that surround the main pattern.

So, though I chose to work in color, I followed overall idea by extending the flower lines (fractured images come to mind) and filled each area with a different color scheme and pattern. I love doing this. This is the art of my childhood, the doodles that filled my notebooks and my ongoing obsession with lines and florals all rolled into one fun art form. I am going back for more. So, watch this space tomorrow to see what appears.

J is for Jewel colors

Golden Apples Hang Like Jewels

Amber, topaz, citrine, tourmaline, even carnelian and a touch a jade and amethyst - these are the colors I see in this digital image of tiny, jewel like golden apples dangling from a tree on an autumn evening.

Several years ago, I knew it was time to stop sitting at a computer to write and create digital art. I knew it would be good for my health to work away from my desk.And good for my mind to learn something new. So I began to paint and draw. In the same way I would lose hours playing with color and texture and effects on my screens, I now work at an easel or a large table - often standing. This decision has enhanced every aspect of my life. But sometimes, on my daily walks with dogs and camera for example, I take a photo that calls out for Photoshop. These tiny yellow apples are a perfect example. As I walked by the tree in the evening light, the last rays of sun lit them like jewels. I could not resist playing with them in Photoshop to see if I could turn them into something abstract and emphasize the golden light.