Sunday, October 9, 2016

Artist Spotlight: Seb Barnett

It's been a while since my last post. One thing or another took my focus this past few weeks.

Today I learned some terrible news that a beautiful soul lost the battle with depression and took their own life. Seb Barnett was an incredible artist who inspired me and encouraged me. I wish I'd known you better when I had the chance. The world is less bright without you in it.

Blodeuwedd by Seb Barnett


I remember that Seb often railed against the idea of artistic "talent" as something you either had or you didn't. Instead Seb championed the notion that accomplished artists were the ones who put years and years of work into honing their craft.

So here I am, back at it with blogging my progress, still at the beginning of my journey, trying to follow your lead and put the work in.

Diva Challenge #287

I started with a watercolor background, created the design using Staedtler fineliner pens, and then I deepened the color shading with Neocolor II watersoluble crayons and Prismacolor colored pencils. I learned a valuable lesson about the way that finely sharpened colored pencils can sometimes scratch through the softer, more fibrous watercolor paper I was using for this piece. You might notice that one of the abstract orb shapes looks a bit more like a pearl than the others. That one got a bit of Liquid Pearls paint to cover the damaged paper.

magenta pink and yellow watercolor splashes and drips
Windsor & Newton watercolor in
Transparent Yellow and Quinacridone Magenta

zentangle watercolor shading neocolor
Work in progress, after inking the design I
added shading with watersoluble crayon and colored pencil

zentangle dreamcatcher nebel yincut sandswirl
Diva Challenge #287 on watercolor tile
Dreamcatcher, Nebel, Yincut, and Sandswirl

Daniel Lamothe's Dreamcatcher pattern is quite stunning all on it's own. Here I let it take center stage with a mandala-like circular symmetry. I used a Uniball Signo white ink pen and a white chalk pastel pencil on coal black Strathmore sketch paper. I was inspired to try my hand at the convergent shading technique shared by Lynn Mead.

black tile zentangle dreamcatcher
Diva Challenge #287 on black tile

This post is for you, Seb. You are missed.

6 comments:

  1. We live in a hard world, and it is very sad to know that some people, we love and admire, couldn't find their way...A good advise is not trying to be perfect and to be satisfied with little moments of happiness. They come and go and we have to accept that.
    I'm sure you have had nice moments while making this lovely tiles: on the first one, I see such cheerful colors and a beautiful combination with other tangles! On the second one, I like your uncomplicated but so well drawn dreamcatcher.
    I'm glad you are back on the Diva's challenge and wish you a happy sunday and a fine week!


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    1. Thank you for your kindness and wisdom, Ria. It's always lovely to hear from you. <3

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  2. I'm so sorry that you have lost someone very special to you. Your work shows a positive outlook and some glorious colors.

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    1. I appreciate your sweet comments, Jean. Thank you for visiting!

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  3. Your dreamcatchers are so beautiful! My favorite is the watercolor dreamcatcher! Love it!

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