Lost in the trees… a.k.a. Good reasons to nurture your inner artist

April 14, 2020September 21, 2023 | Anna Cull

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…

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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.

Who loves a challenge?

April 3, 2020April 5, 2020 | Anna Cull

‘Port Chalmers, Dunedin’ colouring pages

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.

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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 : )

Drawn to drawing

March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 | Anna Cull

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.

Port Chalmers colouring page ~ a work in progress

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.

Christmas Countdown * 7 *

December 18, 2016 | Anna Cull

As we start the countdown to Christmas Day, now only a week away, I’ll be posting a few seasonally appropriate images that I created over on Polyvore. Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas, happy holidays and Happy New Year!

Wednesday

July 20, 2016February 4, 2023 | Anna Cull

“They didn’t want it good, they wanted it Wednesday.” Robert A. Heinlein

I tend to thrive on deadlines, creating them for myself even if I don’t have to because it makes me more productive, but this month I have no projects demanding urgent attention. And I’m still managing to get a few things done.

Here are three little drawings I’ve just finished:

Anna Cull The Return 1 — The Return #1 — ink and watercolour, 90 x 90 mm, 2016. SOLD

Anna Cull The Return #2 — The Return #2 — ink and watercolour, 90 x 90 mm, 2016. SOLD

Anna Cull Worth the Risk framed WP — Worth the Risk — ink and watercolour, 128 x 128 mm, 2016. SOLD

Reinventing myself (an annaversary post)

March 13, 2016March 13, 2016 | Anna Cull

Today is my little blog’s fourth anniversary🎈🎈🎈🎈 and so I thought I would go back in time to the very beginning. Here is my first post from 13th March 2012. Have a creative day.

A couple of years ago, I started an illustrated journal. I was inspired by Danny Gregory and his book The Creative License and I wanted to see if I could draw.