Khadi cards and colour sourcebooks

New bird cards on Khadi paper

My latest digital card design

Pattern and Palette Sourcebook 2 and inside page

Pattern and Palette Sourcebook 1 and inside page

I have finally managed to finish my "Waiting For The Dawn 2" digital artwork that I have been working on for some little time. You may remember I posted a sketch of it and also a work in progress picture. Well now it is finished and I am very pleased with it. The palette is not my usual but I thought I might try something a bit less traditional. I got the combination of colours from one of my wonderful Pattern and Palette sourcebooks. These were a wonderful discovery which I first read about in Print and Pattern Blog which is a fantastic read by the way.

There are books 1 and 2 and both are in similar format but have different themes, colourways and designs. They are brilliant if you are not sure what colours to put together. Each page shows a group of colours and shades and a series of different designs illustrating how those colours go together. Brilliant concept and very useful for artists and designers. So many of us are not sure which colours go together and often steer clear of certain combinations just in case they are wrong. With these books I don't worry about it anymore. (Do I sound like I am advertising them here......?) One of the photos above illustrates the palette I chose which is called Deco. I think I was attracted to it because it is very similar in colouration to my Etsy banner and avatar. I bought the first book myself but the second book was a Christmas gift and a very welcome one too. I may even decide to use this bird and tree design for a new avatar and banner......hmmmn now there is a thought....!!!! My top photo shows two of my latest bird designs on handmade Khadi paper which I mentioned in an earlier post. I love this paper which is quite rough with torn edges and some inclusions. It is stiff enough to make handmade cards with and takes ink and paint quite well in small areas. Unfortunately I don't have any handmade envelopes to go with it but I have used my super duper Artoz envelopes which I love to bits. They have a wonderful colour range and you absolutely have to have all the colours don't you? I may be a bit odd but if I had a choice between buying shoes and stationery I am afraid stationery would win hands down. I know I am in the minority here folks...!!!