Yes, I know there’s all sorts of huge things going on it the political world today (we had a general election here in the UK yesterday, in case you didn’t know), but I’m going to distract you with my first bash at a soil-themed inky doodle. It came out more blue than I expected and the addition of silver did not really work, but this is what I created to begin with, just using drops of alcohol ink on yupo paper:
not sure it looks as much like soil particles as I had hoped
And then I started drawing bugs… completely randomly and just to play around with. I got a bit over excited and didn’t allow the ink to dry completely, so some of them are smudgy, however, this is starting to resemble what I had in mind.
My next attempt may involve a base wash and a felt applicator…. and allowing the inks to dry overnight before I doodle. Eventually these are going to be used to make cards, I hope.
And before I go, just a quick reminder about the give-away. If you want a chance of winning the ‘ditch the plastic bag’ bag that I made for the Manchester craftivism exhibition, check out the post here.
The Snail of Happiness 
Wild Daffodil
/ June 9, 2017ooooo oooooooo – I want to have a go at that – looks great! Love the bugs.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 9, 2017I’m going to scan and print out some of these once I’ve done them and use them to make some of your never-ending cards. I though revealing different bugs with each unfold would be fun.
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Wild Daffodil
/ June 9, 2017oh my word, that sounds fabulous!
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nanacathy2
/ June 9, 2017Goodness me this is incredible, looking forward to seeing how this progresses. Have you thought about blowing the ink blobs as they dry?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 9, 2017now that’s an interesting idea
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katechiconi
/ June 9, 2017I don’t quite know what it DOES look like, but I love it! Personally, I can’t resist playing with Sharpie pens and alcohol!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 9, 2017what a combination!
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katechiconi
/ June 9, 2017You draw on fabric with the pens, then splosh it with rubbing alcohol and you get gorgeous patterns. On the other hand, I wouldn’t waste the good stuff on my scribbles!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ June 9, 2017Love the bugs!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 9, 2017well, it’s ok for a first attempt. I need to play with the inks more but I enjoyed drawing the bugs
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coppicelearner
/ June 9, 2017Playing is important! Glad to hear you are exploring new possibilities and I really like the result.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 9, 2017well, it’s a start and I’m hoping to get better… this seems like it might be “art” which I was no good at when I was at school and so I’ve avoided as an adult… isn’t formal education grand?
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KerryCan
/ June 9, 2017What a lot of fun you’re having! (Just the thing to distract from politics at home and abroad!)
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insearchofitall
/ June 9, 2017I have some of the Yupo paper here but haven’t had a chance to play with it yet. Your colors came out quite soft and gentle looking. Bugs can be fun. Anything to distract a bit from the political mess in the world is welcome. Looking forward to seeing your new adventures with this medium.
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Laurie Graves
/ June 9, 2017Very snappy! Love those crawling critters.On a less fun subject…the voting is over, and once again, the polls didn’t get it right. Across the pond, we had our own fascinating day with the testimony of former FBI directer Jame Comey. The fun never ends 😉
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Annie
/ June 9, 2017Love it!
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ June 12, 2017Oooh, I love this! What a super idea, and the bugs are such a nice touch. Have fun experimenting with your new inks… There’s nothing like new toys for firing your imagination!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 12, 2017I’ve had another go… it’s fun to learn what’s possible, although the paper is rather expensive for too much play without results
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ June 14, 2017Oooh, I hate that! Expensive materials mean there’s always this voice in the back of your head saying “hey, this had better be good”! Is there anything similar you can use while you find your feet with your new skills? Even regular scrap paper would give you an idea of how the ink behaves, even if it’s not exactly the same…
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painterwrite
/ June 13, 2017What fun! I love playing with ink. Although I have been tempted, I’ve never tried Yupo paper.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 13, 2017The problem is it’s rather expensive, so I think I’m going to have a go on some absorbent paper and see what the effect is. I’ve got watercolour paper, but I’ve also got some cotton rag paper which might be fun to try.
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painterwrite
/ June 14, 2017The price is what’s kept me away from yupo. I think you’ll have just as much fun with watercolor paper, although the effect will be a little different.
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Born To Organize
/ June 18, 2017Bugs, bugs, bugs. And Yupo paper. And no politics. Love, love, love. 🙂
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