“Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”
― Mary Oliver
Another little slideshow, this time showing the progress of my ‘Akaroa’ illustration/colouring page, painted by hand on the computer. Yes, it took ages.
Both the coloured version and the colouring page are available as printable instant downloads on Etsy (as is ‘Port Chalmers’). And… on to the next one…
…another colouring page (or three)…
…and another slideshow showing the progression from reference photograph (taken oh so long ago in 2009) through to the final line drawing. Available on Etsy as a printable instant download for your colouring pleasure : )
Here is my finished ‘Port Chalmers, Dunedin’ colouring page (WIP slideshow below).
I did a little research online and, as well as being an easy way to relax and have fun, colouring pages ~ especially intricate designs ~ can help to:
* reduce anxiety and relieve stress
* encourage positive thoughts and feelings
* improve mindfulness, connecting us with the here and now
* improve focus and concentration, and help with problem solving
I coloured this on my computer using a crayon-style brush to give it a subtle texture…
The best thing about doing it digitally was that I could change my mind about what colours went where; the worst thing about doing it digitally was that I could change my mind about what colours went where : ) I’m really happy with the end result and I’m now wondering if it might inspire some canvas paintings later in the year. We shall see.
Colouring pages for the virtual traveller, for the stuck-at-home self-isolator, and for those of you who love a challenge… It has taken me over a week to draw this Port Chalmers scene. What was meant to be a single, printable, A4 page has ended up being so detailed (what was I thinking?) that I have created a two-pager as well, to make it a little easier to colour in (all three are shown above). I’ve just started colouring the single-page version ~ I’ll post it here when it’s finished.
The slideshow shows my progress ~ from the reference photograph (taken in 2017), through the stages of drawing the church, the buildings and the many plants and trees, to the final colouring page. Available (without the annoying © info and watermarks) on Etsy as an instant download for printing and colouring in or to use on computers/devices with art apps. Enjoy : )
As New Zealand prepares to enter a four-week nationwide lockdown (thanks, COVID-19), I have been wondering if there might be some little thing that I could do to make life a little lighter and brighter for those in isolation from their normal lives. And so the first of my colouring pages is being born. Of course I have picked THE most complicated scene to start with… and it’s taking ages to draw… but I figure that if I’m not bored, anyone colouring it in might be not bored too.
I’m planning to do at least three New Zealand landscapes as colouring pages. My first page is based on a photograph of Port Chalmers with the historic Iona Church in the foreground and a large congregation of houses and trees in the surrounding neighbourhood. It may take a day or two (or three) to finish… and then it will be available via Etsy as a printable instant download.
Here are my 17 quote+art images inspired by Danny Gregory’s ‘All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Drawing’ list. The quotes are Danny’s; the art is my own:
Anna Cull ~ Art & Music 