Monthly Calendar Doodles

February just seems ‘doodle-y’ to me. With all the hearts and candy and the flowers and the hearts (oh wait, I said that). It just seems like it needs some extra swirls and flourishes. Is it me? It must be just me. All of those things were the inspiration for my monthly calendar doodles. From the font I used in February to the banner and the leaves floating across the page.

New Video Format – Created to Provide Inspiration for You

Yay or Nay?

I do have to say that I really love the format of the new videos. The new format is slowing it down and talking through the process. I had someone on YouTube tell me that it felt like I was talking to a friend That is exactly the way I want it to feel. Since I really want to inspire people out there and if I run everything at x2500 speed, well, it seems just overwhelming, especially to someone new or if you would like to get some ideas.

This really struck me when I wrote the last blog post (Bullet Journal Fails – when you make a mistake) that there are so many out there who are in need of inspiration and sometimes inspiration is best served in a more meaningful way and not rushed. But it matters what you think – so let me know Yay or nay!

Monthly Calendar Doodles Plan With Me

Watch the video and see me plan out my monthly calendar doodles and let me know what you think of this format. I will do some smaller snippets and hyper-lapse videos as well. (for one thing, they are a lot of fun to create!) If you like to see a little more of my ‘behind the scenes’ thought process as shown in this video, please let me know below in the comments or on the video comments on YouTube.

Back to My Roots

I decided this month to go back to my roots of drawing – which was in essence doodling. Since my yearly theme is ‘grow’ there is no better place to start growing than by strengthening my roots. I used to doodle in class ALL the time. It never failed… a teacher or professor thought I was just whittling the time away before I could bolt through the door to my next class. I was called out so many times in various classes and asked if I was paying attention. My notes were not like the other student’s notes. I had circles and squares and repeating patterns. Sometimes no words existed on my pages.

When an instructor would stop me in these cases, usually with a sneer, they would ask me if I could repeat anything they had just said. I would rapid fire a complete detail of their lesson thus far, including dates, names, important events, and the like. I knew it then but never articulated that doodling helped me pay attention. Invariably I excelled in the classes that I doodled my notes.

Sketchnoting

Since then there are many books written about doodling and ‘sketchnoting’ (see this lovely list at Amazon). I must have been on something and wish I would have explored it further then. In fact, I’ve checked this one out from the library and I can’t wait to see what it says.

One of my friends I met through hosting a challenge on Instagram (@Karinlibrarian) has written her own book on Sketchnoting in school. She also has another Instagram account @365DaysofSketchnotes and it’s like a visual diary. I’ve done a couple and will post them later. I am looking forward to getting that one and reading her thoughts on the benefits of sketching notes. (Here’s her page on Amazon.)

So Why is This Significant Now?

There are a couple of reasons why this is significant to me now. One I have some BIG ideas that I would love to get ready for you and doodling helps me focus. Just as I experienced the focus when I was earning my high school and college degrees. I need that focus to sort through all the ideas swimming through my head.

Secondly, I am working very hard to accept my method of drawing. As I said in the video, I would love to do hyper-realistic paintings, but my current style is not hyper-realistic. It is more fun and whimsical. I see the style all over – it never seems to die. But because it is not what I expect of myself, I do not accept it as ‘good’. That is one thing I would like to accept of myself. So a whole month of doodles seems like a perfect first step.

What Else is New:

This month I am also trying out ‘color-coded’ repeating tasks. I have a key down at the bottom with a color showing which days coordinate with that event. Another new thing on this monthly spread is that the days of the week are at the bottom it was where they fit the best.

One thing that is not new: I forgot to cross the T on my Saturday. I’ve forgotten this for several months. I have since crossed that ‘t’ and dotted the ‘i’ in Friday but none of the pictures show that. The last thing that is new for me on this calendar is that I am scheduling my blog posts with my daily personal appointments.

February Monthly Calendar Doodles - whimsical leaves & banners and handlettered text + Video process

Here’s Your Question:

I am trying to change my opinion of my drawing style and accept it for what it is and not being unhappy with it. What would you like to accept of yourself?

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully and don’t be afraid to find your inner muse.

~Tricia

How to Draw Mummy Text

I created a mummy! No, I am not Dr. Frankenstein creating a monster or an Egyptian of old preparing a Pharoah for the afterlife. Nothing like that. I just created mummy font. An easy way to create a Halloween lettering effect without having to be fancy schmancy. In the video, I give you the how to draw your own mummy text with a step-by-step method of lettering mummified words with hints, tips & tricks.

Enjoy!

Here are some tips from the video:

#1 Font Tip:

You will lose detail from your word sketch, do not use a font with a lot of details.

#2 Font Tip:

Start with a thicker-font type (Arial Black is what I used for inspiration for the initial text) – that way you can show more great mummy details!

#3 Mummy Tip

Use different shapes such as triangles going in opposite directions to create variety in the wrapping.

#4 Mummy Tip

Add some rectangles in the mix of the triangles to create variety

#5 Mummy Tip

Start in different corners to give even more variety

#6 Mummy Tip

Extend your ‘wrappings’ beyond the lines of your sketched text to make it look bulky like a bandage

#7 Mummy Tip

When going around corners or curves, think of that time you hurt your knee or elbow and wrapped it with that bulky ace bandage? Think about how it stretched around your knee or elbow and bunched up in the crook of the inner part of your elbow. Do the same thing with the triangles around the curves.

#8 Tying it off

Like toilet paper trailing after an unsuspecting person exiting a public bathroom make it flow like a ribbon. You could also connect two letters together with a single ribbon connector instead of ending each one separately like I did.

#9 Bonus Techniques for Drawing the Mummy Text

Use this in other ways like wrapping the stems of flowers for a rustic bouquet or making a sweet, swaddled baby for celebrating at Christmas time or when a new baby arrives in your life.