“Hope” 11-16-2024
After I started Art Collage, in about May/June of this year, I decided to get a sketchbook. I started looking up ideas on Pinterest for things to draw, like doodles and flowers. It got to the point where I was drawing multiple times a day. It was like all of these thoughts were pouring out of me. It gave me such peace to either draw or do collage art. I bought acrylic markers, watercolor pencils, pastels, and acrylic paint. In one of my art classes, I learned to mix paint colors so you can make any color in the world with just a few basic ones.
Today, I felt like I wanted to create something, but I didn’t want to make a collage. In fact, yesterday I thought that while I’ve been working on this blog/website, I have gotten away from doodling/drawing, which has been key to managing my anxiety.
I painted like this before, putting down some paint and then drawing over it. I like how this turned out today. I should have put the base color on first and then painted over that. When I finished painting and drawing, the page looked so “white,” so I added yellow afterward. It almost ruined the page, but I filled it in with some watercolor pencils, and I’m fairly happy with how it turned out. I love to mix paints, and you can see the different colors I used today. I’m naming this painting “Hope.”
I recently got my pathology results back. Initially, I was very optimistic, and I still am. However, the fact that it has been so hard to get appointments, especially with my transplant doctor, really was weighing on me yesterday. That’s why I started drawing again last night and felt the urge to paint today. I needed to find a way to release these emotions. It really helped.
My therapist’s opinion is that when I got cancer 3 years ago, the subsequent recovery seemed to be a pivot point for me and not necessarily a bad thing. I agree. Now, I try to look out for my well-being and have improved my self-talk. I now have an outlet for negative (and positive) emotions. I’m certain I wouldn’t have found art if I hadn’t been given the gift of time away from PT and fewer responsibilities.
“Hope” 11-16-2024
Supplies I used to create today.
I added a gallery for my drawings and doodles. It’s comforting to look at them, and I can see how far I’ve come. I usually draw in black ink, then color them with acrylic markers. Occasionally, I paint or use pastels. Here are a few doodles I’ve done over the past several months.
What surprises me is that I’ve never had any painting or drawing lessons. I’m not the best, but I’m pretty happy with how most of my creations turn out. I wish I could figure out how to turn this into something more useful, i.e., $$$ haha, but for now, I’m enjoying improving my techniques. I think it’s a very healthy way for me to deal with anxiety, and I’m so thankful it’s something I’ve found relatively late in life.