One of my favourite processes to get my imagination working is to make random scribble drawings and develop them. There are no preconceived ideas when I begin. I simply draw a whole bunch of scribbles on the surface on which I am working. The original inspiration was from Carla Sonheim's idea of looking at sidewalk cracks and making pictures from what you see. I then started seeing creatures everywhere, on my wooden floors and on the ceilings...no I promise I am not crazy!! It is particularly weird if you are in somebody else's house and you see a cool creature in their floorboards and you want to draw it. Come on! I know I am not alone in this!!
Here is an owl from my kitchen floorboards. I hope you can see him too!
And another cute little floorboard face!
After you have made your scribble have a look at what you have drawn. I find the best scribble drawing is one where you are mindful of how your pen or pencil has been moving, draw slowly but don't over think it. Make varied marks. rounds curly ones, square ones, zig zags. The following drawings are examples from my sketchbook. The first one shows the scribble and what I found within it.Of course you can add lines if you want to, this is only a starting point.
The drawings are then further developed as you like.
I enjoy looking for characters in my scribbles and love it particualrly when there are a whole host of weird
and wacky findings in one drawing. I just finished a set of ACEO's which are 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches and are full of weirdness! It was really fun and challenging doing it in such a small space and trying to create a unity of composition and meaning. They will be heading to my Etsy Shop shortly.
This is a great project for children when you are trying to amuse them and have no resources.
Have fun discovering the weird within the random!
Ironically when writing this, the tree outside my studio fell down...how random!
Monty the cat lost one of his nine lives.
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