Mark making

I have a special to-do list for occasions where either pain, fatigue, Resistance or muddled concentration keeps me from the projects that require thinking/planning/energy, but also don’t want to “just” read or knit. Or simply to shake up a stuck imagination by doing something new and relaxed.

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One task has been on the list for a couple of years now, and yesterday I finally got my A into G: A wad of packing paper, all sorts of textured doodads, black paint, and remember to wear an old shirt.

I’m going to both photograph and scan my various papers and sections thereof for use as Photoshop brushes and textures. When I’m done with that the papers can be doodled on some more and perhaps be part of collages or handmade books? (like, some 10 years in the future)

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It’s also generally a fun exercise to find patterns that you might like to use in paintings, something I’m definitely going to play with too. I’m not done with my list of suggestions for texture objects, but I ran out of drying space (floor), so I guess the next job is to install a washing line or something.

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In case anybody is interested, I’m thinking of making some of my PS brushes available for download here, free of charge. If I can figure out the technical side with file types, compatibilities etc. That in itself should be a good rainyday, achyback activity.

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4 thoughts on “Mark making

  1. I like just making marks too – it’s a no pressure relaxed activity – I’ve also got a fondness for crumpled brown packing paper as it happens!

  2. love it! Yes, you need a clothes line. 🙂

    You know, one of the most fun things I ever got as a present was a “doodle calendar” a friend of mine made me. She took a big sheet of water color paper, made a year’s calendar on it and then splotched water color paint and some pen and ink squiggles on it. She invented a little character she knew I could draw, and then gave it to me. My job was to doodle this character in various scenes created by my imagination around her paint splotches and squiggles. She checked in on it periodically, and we both had a great time with it!

    Thanks for this post that reminded me of that great gift!

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