Doodles and Sketches

Spring break is upon us and the weather is well, not very spring-like. We got rather spoiled the past few weeks so I have to keep reminding myself that a few days of cold and snow won't do me any harm!

Last week, as I was cleaning out my studio, I found these two boxes of onion skin paper that I've had for ages and decided it was time to figure out a use for them. 

With some of my favorite pens at hand I started testing out marks. The pages are in order of being worked on from left to right, and my internal monologue when something like this:

"Thick short gold line with long skinny line on top. Nope. With short skinny line on top.  Man, I need to be more loose. Next page. Long lines with short perpendicular lines to get comfortable. Switch pens. V, V, V. Switch pen. V, V, V. Switch pen. Ah, this pen isn't working! Oh, wait! Now it is starting to! V, V, V, line underneath. Long line and then bifurcate v's. Hmm. Kinda like arrows? Maybe will work as a pattern? Next page. Yup that works. What else can I do?

I then thought the arrow lines sort of reminded me of evergreen trees and would be nicely situated in some of my landscape drawings. 

I had also been messing around with ink washes earlier in the day and tried these shapes out agains that background. I'm kinda excited to see what else comes from these doodles!

I would love to hear what creative projects you other moms are working on while you have Spring Break at your house! We have another week of in about a month, and I'm always seeking out inspiration!