Random zen "doodle" art

Random Zen Doodle - 11-8-13

This entry is about something I call Random Zen Doodles. Doodles have long been under estimated as both an art form and a method of thinking, relaxing, and tapping into our creative mind. But let me back up a bit.

Since starting to Zentangle. I have found my art shifting and moving into a place that I am really enjoying and finally feel like I am coming into my own style. This is something I have always wanted, and everything is just starting to flow. So much so, that often I have more art flowing from me on a daily basis than I can keep up with, and even if I stopped making new art today I could easily post something daily for the rest of the month without going back even more than the last few months of my creations.

Walter - 11-7-13

Several series I am working on have yet to be released, some of which are related to the doodles you see here, so stay tuned for those in up coming blog entries.  In the mean time, let's talk Random Zen Doodles!

Swoon - 1-23-13

Doodle Pixie - 10-20-13

A large part of this proliferation of creative expression is due to my being limited to primarily staying home by myself while I'm waiting for a medicine to be found and kick in that will better stabilize my mast cells.  Another part of the cause has also been my introduction to Zentangle.

In Zentangle I draw one line at a time, with no real preconception of what the end product will look like, focusing on my breath and the line I am currently drawing.  I really love this method of creating! I find it relaxing and inspiring. And it is a great way to let go of my perfectionist ways when my body is not up to the level of creation I would like and to embrace whatever my body is able to do or create in that moment. If a line I am drawing is shakier than I would like, that is OK, because it become s a part of the final picture. It has allowed me to explore many things I never would have otherwise. I am grateful for this new way of being. I highly recommend Zentangle, Zentangle Inspired Art, and Random Zen Doodles to anyone! Give it a shot and see where it takes you, you may be surprised! And if you do, please share your results in the comments section. I love seeing other's art.

"Self Communication" - 8-7-13
Inspired by an art therapy prompt, using zen tangle patterns,
and drawn one line at a time wth no plan in mind.
It was drawn during my first visit to the Mayo Clinic

Art Therapy - Conflict, Through Another's Eyes

Through Another's Eyes - 10-26-13

This week's journal prompt was "Conflict - Through Another's Eyes" and Working on this was a very inspiring evolution process.

Resolution - 10-26-13

I would love to see others take some of the journal prompts I share, and make them your own. If you make art about this topic,  I hope you will share it in the comments section.

Last week I faced multiple difficult communication moments with a variety of people who have some sort of influence or authority in my life.  These are my attempt to explore those from a different perspective.

I found the process healing and empowering. And due to that, I managed to have some good conversations that resolved some of my questions. 

Of Two Minds - 10-30-13

BowTie and Bars - 10-25-13

Success - 10-30-13

4 AM, the Series

4 AM - Awake 10-28-13

Since April I have been waking up at various degrees of mast cell over activity between 2 and 4 AM. At first it was multiple times a night. Thankfully the waking has gotten much less frequent, although I still seem to wake at 4 AM.

Trying to make the most of a challenging situation and reclaim the morning as a positive and productive time, I've begun a series called 4 AM.

4 AM - Creation 10-29-13

Here are the first few pieces I have created since making the decision to heal my feelings around these morning wake up calls from my body. They were created by tangling a pattern in freehand with a micron .01 pen, photographing and digitally altering those drawings in my Android phone.

This has also inspired a new Zentangle pattern I call 4 AM. Here is an example of the pattern and a page showing how to draw my "4 AM" Zentangle is coming soon. You can find lots of instructions on how to draw zentangle patterns at TanglePattern.com, one of my favorite sites!

4 AM - Magical Reclamation 10-29-13

"4 AM" Zentangle Pattern 10-28-13

Art Therapy - Zentangles

String Theory - Learning how "strings" work in Zentangle

Recently I began experiencing a turn for the worse in my health. I started shocking, passing out, and being told by the Emergency people that I was having anaphylaxis. We were unsure what was causing it, and not knowing how to prevent it was overwhelming and frankly terrifying. To learn more please visit my  Mast Cell Awareness blog.

Relaxation - ZIA

In order to deal with this anxiety provoking situation,  as well as the frustration of being often confined to the house, I asked my Facebook friends and family to give me a list of positive or inspiring words  and began drawing a "Daily Doodle" on my phone inspired by this list of words. I also began to see a therapist who really encourager me to continue this as an active participation in directing my own art therapy. It has been really helpful!

Today 9-26-13

This has been a personally empowering and motivational experience, and over  time, has changed into making art every day of some type. Sometimes it it is a small doodle or other times a 3d piece or
digital manipulations of my own art.  Most recently whole series have been born.

Along the way a friend on Facebook asked if I had ever tried to Zentangle,  which I had never heard of. I am so grateful that she did, because it has become a very relaxing thing to do in scary situations. Zentangle.com has more information and you can find inspiring patterns at tanglepatterns.com

Do you Zentangle? Why do you do it? Do you also make Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA) or is it primarily about the zen of the tangling? If you haven't tried it, please give it a shot and share  your pictures with me! You can share them in the comments section,  on my google plus profile or at my Peace Full Creations Facebook page. I hope you enjoy and look forward to seeing your tangles.

Making Art Every Day

Today's Word of the day - Swoon 

Some time ago a friend on Facebook invited me to a group challenge to rekindlle my artistic spark and make art every day. I did it consistantly for a while, then lost my stride and continued making art but sporadically and self judgement came up for me often.

Then my health took a turn for the worse and I realized that I needed to refocus on my purpose in life, and that I could still make 

Art Therapy Prompt

art even when stuck in bed for days at a time.  I decided to make art every day even if just a doodle on my phone. At first I downloaded a simple free paint app for my Droid X, and over time I have returned to making art offline as well as online, and a combination. taking pieces I have drawn and adding color in my phone is one of the most relaxing methods. I will share that process in  another entry.

 For at least the last 2 months I have created something daily. Sometimes a piece of something,  Or a doodle, tiny sculptures, sometimes 100% original, others use layers of pics and graphics. Some unfinished,  others multiple complete pieces that are whole series of paintings. 

Here are some examples:

Just fun playing with stickers on a Mandala, Made in PIXLR

Art Therapy Prompt Zentangle - Poor Advocacy

Zentangle and Sketch turned into a meme

Word of the Day Tangle and Mandala - Wisdom

Happy Bean Doodle

Zentangle - Triumph

Digital Manipulation of Freehand Drawing

Zen Drawing - Hope Mandala

Mural Plan for Phoenix Mural Event 2013

Zentangel and Poem - Confidence

Alice Mandala 

"Effervescence" Series, Part 1

Effervescent 10-21-13

Yesterday, while dealing with a bit of a reaction I chose to relax by sketching in my art journal about the word "effervescent". This word was suggested by a friend from a group of artists I love, "FTL". I have found it quite inspiring.

I also wrote to acrylicpix for a photo consultation to see if they can help me print some of my work onto acrylic that I can mount on light boxes. I am eagerly awaiting their reply.

Last but not least, I researched various ways to design my own fabric designs besides batik and screen printing, both of which I do enjoy, but which will not work for all my purposes. A friend recommended spoon flower  and I am checking it out for possibly making Masto Maybelle themed epi holsters and masks.

The Picnic - 10-21-13

Today I woke at 4am as per usual for this week, but this time no construction, and no major mast cell craziness.  I took advantage of the daylight without construction dust to put some work in on my current watercolor and ink project. But more on that in a future blog entry.

Officiate - 10-21-13

I also put more time in working on these before anyone else was up around the house. I am enjoying "Effervescence" and am very happy with the results thus far.  I foresee wood block prints and fabric art in this theme some day. In the mean time I hope you enjoy the digital versions. Too many came to me to include in one post, so I will post the others separately.

Flow - 10-22-13 (miss dated on pic)

This series started as a sketch in my art journal, then I took as picture using my Droid,  edited that in various in phone applications, and whalla! I feel strongly that this series has more in it's future. I really enjoy this mixture of free flowing drawings which I then photograph and digitally alter. I also am working on a larger format watercolor using a similar method of Zentangle inspired freehand. I use the Zentangle model of one stroke at a time, remembering to breathe, and there are no mistakes. It has allowed me to tap into my intuition, and really let the art flow be it mandalas, freehand doodles, or something entirely different.

I, Eye - 10-22-13

The Circle - 10-22-13

Under Construction & a Brief Introduction

"Under Construction" Photo Manipulation

"This page is under construction" must be the most often used line there is. But if the shoe fits, wear it!

"Mandala Man" Stencil for the Phoenix Mural Project

Rainbow Buddies Part of The Peace Full Projec

My art tends to be called outsider art and has been very healing for me as I deal with chronic pain and illness, and searching for a diagnosis over the last 20 plus years. Recently my health problems prevented me from using my previous favorite media, but the changes have really helped me to focus on my small motor coordination and cultivate a spirit of peace as I breathe with each stroke and try not to rush my drawings.

The media I use varies depending on the moment, what is available to me, and what best fits the project. I tend to use Acrylics, Ink, Watercolor, Fiber Arts, Clay, Glass, Duct Tape, Wood, and Photography.

After dealing with chronic pain and health problems for more than half my life, I recently had a turn for the worse and my health problems became severely limiting of what I could do without severe allergic like reactions. I was stuck in bed or the house a lot, and felt anxious at never knowing when an ER trip would be happening.

"Flaming Heart" Freehand Zentangle & Phone Art

It was stressful and I did not want to give up or give in, so I decided to use whatever I could to create art daily. If I didn't have a pen and paper or couldn't get to my art room, I could use my phone. I challenged myself to make a doodle based on a positive, empowering or inspiring word daily.

Whether it's to doodle on my phone, make mandalas, zentangle, or something entirely different, I continued to make art daily since then, and have found it fulfilling my artist spirit, and empowering myself and others. I hope you find my art brings you as much peace, joy and empowerment as it has me.

Tiny Buddhist Geek Statue (1 by 1.5 inches)

COMING SOON: There will be sections for various series and types of art that I am working on. I look forward to sharing my art and interacting with you. I hope that my art brings others as much peace and joy as it has for me. Sections will include Daily Doodles/Phone Art, Meditative Markings, Masto Maybelle and her Faithful Friends, and more. All art work in the Masto Maybelle and Friends collection will raise money for Mast Cell research and related charities. Stay tuned as her first faithful friend and sidekick will be revealed soon, more coming soon!

My Card

All art in this post are original works by Sean-Michael B. Gettys and can be purchased as prints, or if available, in original format. Please contact me at AskPeaceFullCreations@gmail.com for details.

Please do not reproduce my work without permission, it is my goal to be a self sustaining artist, and theft of my work is disrespectful. Online storefront coming soon. Plus you just don't need the bad karma. *wink*