Robert P. Ryan.

Here is my piece, which isn't entirely white but also not entirely wrong.

Robert P. Ryan, Digital Painting.

Hey you! Making art can be fun, so why not put a smile on your face by making something in response to this month's theme: White?

Theme for December.

Back again with Decembers theme:

White.

You know the drill by now. The theme is merely a jumping of point to give some framework to your creativity. Make some art (preferably square) and if you are feeling generous let the rest of us see your art by sending it to trysquareart@gmail.com so it can be posted here and on the other Try Square internet locations.

Robert P. Ryan.

Ugh!
Just squeezing mine in in time.

Robert P. Ryan, Digital Painting.

Susann Ullrich.

Sweet!

Susann Ullrich, Spices and Sugar Syrup on Paper

This piece from Ms. Ullrich is abstract but simultaneously very literal, First time we've had either sugar or spice in the materials list, if memory serves.

Theme for November.

You know how it works here. A new month means a new theme:

Sugar and Spice.

I wrote this last month but I think it's worth posting these Try Square pointers again:

• This is for everyone (i.e. you).
• The theme is merely a jumping off point for you to make whatever you like.
• Making art can be fun and doesn't have to be super serious.
• Forming a habit of regular art making is more important than how any individual piece turns out.
• Make it square! Or close to square. It doesn't really matter.
• Sharing artwork can be difficult but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Send you art to trysquareart@gmail.com
• Try Square thinks you're tops!

So good luck and get scribblin'!

Susann Ullrich.

Ms. Ullrich makes her return in time for the end of October (which has a frightening parallel with the plot of Halloween 5).

Susann Ullrich, Photography.

The hope here at Try Square is that you may think about art where you otherwise may not have. It can be a little nudge to help form a habit of making and sharing art or, if you already make bags of art, it can be to help make art just for fun. There are no tricks or treats here, so what are you afraid of?...

Robert P. Ryan.

Two Try Squares in one day? 

Guess this is your Halloween treat.

Robert P. Ryan, Digital Painting.

Lette Moloney.

Fish and chips anyone? Computer chips that is!

It's amazing puns like that that net me the big bucks here at Try Square. "Net" wasn't meant as a pun there. If it was I'd try to link  fish in nets to being on the internet which is kinda roboty, but I didn't 'cause that would be terrible. <Cough>.

Lette Moloney, Silver Pen on Black Paper.

So ya, this is Lette's work and be sure to check out her Facebook pages for more art and photography.

Theme for October.

Are you ready to get all themed up for October? Are you? Are you, huh?!! 
I'm too excited, me. This month's theme is:

It's Watching.

Some Try Squarisms to keep in mind:

• This is for everyone (i.e. you).
• The theme is merely a jumping off point for you to make whatever you like.
• Making art can be fun and doesn't have to be super serious.
• Forming a habit of regular art making is more important than how any individual piece turns out.
• Make it square! Or close to square. It doesn't really matter.
• Sharing artwork can be difficult but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Send you art to trysquareart@gmail.com
• Try Square thinks you're tops!

Annika Lönnblad.

One more submission that just bearly got in before the end of the month.

Annika Lönnblad.

I'll take this opportunity to thank everyone for celebrating this, our one year anniversary month, either by submitting some art or by doing a little extra damage to your liver.

Tomorrow will see a return to the traditional format, with a theme that might just blow your mind apart!
It's unlikely but who knows what I'll come up with between then and now.

Emma O'Shaugnessy.

Ah wood ja'?

Emma O'Shaugnessy, Photography, Pen and Digital Editing,

Still some time left to get your art in before the end of the month, so whatever you are in the mood to make, why not give us a peek?

Robert P. Ryan.

Here's my themeless piece.

Robert P. Ryan, Oil on Canvas.

Just under a week left in this, our first anniversary month. Lotsa time for getting some art made, but not too much for procrastination. Remember: whatever you make, whether you love it, hate it or are just brutally indifferent towards it, it's great that you made it and even better if you share it. So come on, Try Square.

Sinead Hanrahan.

Nobody's going to rain on the Sinead parade... with this cascade evade (I'll stop now).

Sinead Hanrahan, Pen, Felt-Tip Markers and Chalk Pastels. 

She writes that this is an "illustration of all of the rain-phobic nonsense people are spouting around town today" and that she is a fan of the rain. This picture may have me swayed.

Lette Moloney.

Pheasant noise! Pheasant noise! Pheasant noise!
A new Try Squarer (Square Trier? No, Try Squarer) hucks some art your way today. Lette Moloney gives us this image of a European Cock Pheasant.

Lette Moloney.

For more of her work be sure to check out her blog and her art and photography Facebook pages. And hopefully her work may pop up here again too.

Patrick Edmund Lynch.

The champagne has now been popped. Patrick Edmund Lynch gives us our first square of our second year. The party's started but Patrick's up on the dance floor all alone. Who'll be brave enough to join him? You? Me? Some other person? I can't wait to find out.

Patrick Edmund Lynch, "Unlucky for Some", Ink and Digital.

I really like how his work sometimes looks as though we are focusing in on one part of a larger process. The finished piece springing from its conceptual ancestors... or whatever.

Theme for September (Second Time Around).

Woop! Woop!

Happy Birthday Try Square!!!

It was one year ago today when had our first theme here at Try Square.

I'd like to thank everyone who got involved over the last year and as we strike off into our second I'd like to welcome new contributors. It's been great getting work in from people of all different styles and ways of interpreting things.

Try Square is for everyone but it has personally helped me quite a bit. It's been a place for me to show work and so gave me a reason to make it. It has also been a project that I am consistent with, which I'm generally not the best with.

Exciting things in our future as we launch a (much overdue) picture book project. Starting off small but may open it out to the wider world, but more on that soon.

Right, down to the matter at hand: This month's theme. To mark the occasion with something out of the ordinary (and to indulge the superstitious by avoiding the thirteenth theme), this month has...

No Theme.

The phrase "no theme" is not the theme, its just informing you that you can do whatever you fancy. A sketch of the man on the bus or a reflection on the multiverse done in batik, it's entirely up to you.

Let's make this a big one so tell all your friends that can draw in a square and even the ones that can't (it's called TRY Square after all) about this and to get some art made.

If you would like some direction though, we would be only too happy to receive any work relating to balloons, streamers, party hats and that celebratory nonsense.

Woop! Woop! Birthday!

Patrick Edmund Lynch.

Mr. PEL give us this chaotic piece:

Patrick Edmund Lynch, "Stuck in the Middle", Ink and Digital.

For more of his work give a look at his website: www.patricklynch.ie

To join in just send your art to trysquareart@gmail.com. We'd love to be stuck in the middle with you.

Robert P. Ryan.

Try Square is not about perfect finished pieces (necessary).
Try Square is about promoting regular art making, whatever you have time for and whatever it may look like.
With this in mind I wanted to do something simple and not overly worked. This was a small sketch at the corner of a page but still I couldn't resist messing with it a little. Ah shur...

Robert P. Ryan, Digital Painting.

Emma O'Shaughnessy.

Emma brings the creeps with this piece.

Emma O'Shaughnessy, Photography & Digital Editing/Collage.

 I got the feeling that something ain't right.

Theme for August.

It's time for a new theme:

Stuck in the Middle.

Send whatever that theme inspires you to create to 

trysquareart@gmail.com

This is the twelfth theme we have had here at Try Square. 

We have now done a theme for ever month of the year. 

Yay!

Let's celebrate by making some art.

Square art of course!

See our About page for more information.

Susann Ullrich.

Woof! Woof! Woof!
Susann Ullrich is new to the Try Square so let's welcome her to the pack!

Susann Ullrich.

The Dog Days are nearly over now, but there is still time to send your square art to trysquareart@gmail.com

Patrick Edmund Lynch.

Beware of Art!

Patrick Edmund Lynch, "Dog Days", Pencil and Felt-Tip Pens.

I've been assured he's friendly, but appreciate at your own risk.

Robert P. Ryan.

Robert P. Ryan, Pen and Digital.

Thought I was going to do something entirely different for this month's theme but then I just kinda of found myself drawing this today.

Theme for July.

For those of you still able to see through all the humidity, this months theme is:

Dog Days.

So send whatever kind of art you can muster, based however loosely around this theme, to trysquareart@gmail.com

More info can be found on our About page.

Robert P. Ryan.

Hey, wanna take a look at my fleshy lumps?

Robert P. Ryan, "Dyad", Digital Editing.

Patrick Edmund Lynch.

Mr. Lynch shares some sage advice with us through this piece:

Patrick Edmund Lynch, "Double Life (or Suffer Ye Not the Perfects, Dude)", Ink.

Suffering from the Perfects is when one can't make art out of a fear that it won't be good enough. Perfection is not something we attain and looking to achieve it in what we create will stop us from making art regularly and so prevent us from getting the practice we need to become the best we can be.
Try Square is opposed to the Perfects whenever they appear, so make some art (that you're not 100% happy with) and send it to trysquareart@gmail.com
Check out our About page for more.

Theme for June.

Your theme, should you choose to accept it, is:

Double Life.

As always, how you execute this theme is completely up to you. Try Square's aim is to encourage people to be more creative and make more art by whatever means necessary. Quick sketch or month long project, it's your decision.

For more, consult our About page. This theme will self destruct in one month.
Good luck.

Shane Horan.

Some more nautical art:

Shane Horan, Pen.

Try Square's goal is get people of all skill levels to make more art and get over any hang-ups they may have about showing it. Please sea our About page for more.

Robert P. Ryan.

Robert P. Ryan, Digital Painting.

Still chugging along.

Try Square's goal is get people of all skill levels to make more art and get over any hang-ups they may have about showing it. Please sea our About page for more.

Niamh Hanrahan.

Art Ahoy!

Niamh Hanrahan, Pencil.

Ms. Hanrahan quickly returns with this piece to launch May's theme and get this month's art officially underway.

Try Square's goal is get people of all skill levels to make more art and get over any hang-ups they may have about showing it. Please sea our About page for more.

Theme for May.

Mayday! May... Mayday! Pl... respond. This is... on Try Square... we are experiencing... Mayday... This month's theme is:

Trouble at Sea.

I say again: Tr... Sea. In need of immediate square art. Please consult the ... page for more information.

Over.

Niamh Hanrahan. It's Still Funny.

A new square from a new Squarer (it's a term I've just come up with, lets see if it catches on).
Excellent stuff and hope to see more of her work in the future.

Niamh Hanrahan, Pencil

I've let Niamh down here. She sent this in before April's deadline but I didn't see the email until today. To avoid living with the shame of this I will be departing on the next ship out of here never to return. Goodbye.

Robert P. Ryan.

... so then the first guy says: "Do it again but this time take the..." Oh! Oh, your back!
Quick, on to the the art:

Robert P. Ryan, "My Face", Pencil.

As a follow-up to my earlier magnum opus "Your Face", this piece is entitled "My Face". Of course in reality I've got much more hair than this.

Anthony D. Kelly.

Heh heh heh... Sorry, I was just thinking about something from earlier. You wouldn't be interested.
Heh heh heh.

You will have an interest in this though:

Anthony D. Kelly "Deleted Scene from Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds", Collage.

Anthony D. Kelly, "The Evolution of Disappointment", Pencil and "Hiligher".

A double whammy of hilarity courtesy of Mr. Kelly. More of this sort of thing can be found on Anthony's artist Facebook page.

Theme for April.

It's time for a new theme! Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, we are going to have to reuse last month's theme. Sorry about that.
Only joking! That was one of those mega-hilarious April Fools' Day gags. This month's theme is:

Funny

Whatever creative endeavor is inspired by that word is perfectly correct. The art itself does not need to be in any way representative of the theme. Make it square and you can do anything you want.

This project is open to YOU, so get your work sent in to trysquareart@gmail.com for it to appear here on the blog (no foolin').
For more info check out our About page. Hope to hear from you soon.

Robert P. Ryan.

Robert P. Ryan, "Harebrained" pen and digital colouring

I couldn't resist the mad March hare motif for this month's piece. Did fight the urge to go towards the darker side of mental illness, that's why it's so full of lovely primary colours. It also includes my lovely mug and you don't get much more uplifting than that.

And there you have it!

Art News: RoCo Open Call for Square Art.

Use your mad skills at making square art and be in an exhibition in New York.

6x6 is the annual exhibition held by the Rochester Contemporary Art Center. They show work from everyone who enters but stipulate that each piece must be square (sound familiar?).

All the details can be found here: http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2015_intro.php

The entries must be in for the 19th of April, which is one month from today. Your Try Square muscle memory is probably kicking in right now, so go grab some art supplies!

St. Patrick Edmund Lynch.

Happy Ireland Day or whatever!
To celebrate we have this specially themed artwork made by a real life Irish person. I know, right?

Patrick Edmund Lynch, "Madness", ink on paper, digital colouring.

So before you go mad tonight spend some time clicking around on Mr. Lynch's website.

Emma O'Shaughnessy.

Lettuce begin the March Madness!

Emma O'Shaughnessy, paint on glass.

Theme for March.

THEME! THEME! THEME!

Welcome to the Try Square March Theme Giveaway Extravaganza! This theme is so good it's:

Madness!

Don't miss out! Act now and make art in some way inspired by this theme. Send it to trysquareart@gmail.com and have it appear here on the blog for FREE! That's right, FREE! CRAAAAZY!

Offer ends the first of April. Terms and conditions apply (make the art square).

Michelle Hennigar.

To save you having to Google it, Giotto di Bonodone is the thirteenth century painter and architect who famously drew a perfect circle by hand as prove of his talent.

Michelle Hennigar.

Ms. Hennigar is apparently unimpressed.

Try Square is, as always, open to submissions from everyone. For the ins and outs please consult our About page and give a look a this month's theme (Feb 2015).

Sinead Hanrahan.

More minimal:

Sinead Hanrahan, ink.

This may be the shortest month but there's still plenty of time left in it to get your art on.

Try Square is, as always, open to submissions from everyone. For the ins and outs please consult our About page and give a look a this month's theme (Feb 2015).

Shane Horan.

Mr. Horan took an interesting interpretation of this month's theme, "Minimal", by submitting three times the normal amount of work.

Shane Horan, pen on paper.

He writes: "Minimal, I'll do what I like".

Try Square is, as always, open to submissions from everyone. For the ins and outs please consult our About page and give a look a this month's theme (Feb 2015).

Robert P. Ryan.

Robert "Me" Ryan, photography.

I decided that my piece for this month would give minimal information. I've been working with images of covered faces for some time now and thought I'd further obfuscate things by bringing the lighting way down. And there it is!

That's my one, where's yours?

If you are unknown to Try Square why don't you step out in the light and reveal yourself? We'd love to get something from you, so give a look a this month's theme (Feb 2015).

More information can be found on our About page, but it's pretty simple: square art type stuff.

Anthony D. Kelly.

In keeping with this month's theme Mr. Kelly created and emailed this piece in the shortest amount of time ever before seen in Try Square history. A matter of hours.

Anthony D. Kelly, collage.

More of Anthony's work can be perused at your own pace on his art Facebook page.


Try Square is, as always, open to submissions from everyone. For the ins and outs please consult our About page and give a look a this month's theme (Feb 2015).

Theme for February.

Minimal

Annika Lönnblad Provides the Final Something Awful?

Ms. Lönnblad finishes the month with this image of anguish and sorrow (or maybe I'm reading it all wrong).

Annika Lönnblad.

Don't despair of all the awfulness, January is almost over. We will have a fresh new theme to rollick in tomorrow, so be sure to come back for that.

And remember it's not what you make, it's the fact you make it. Lots of awfully good work over this month though.


If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015), THERE'S STILL TIME!!!

Shane Horan Calculates Something Awful.

I feel that the plight of a generation is really summed up in this piece:

Shane Horan, "I Got a Job", marker and post-it note.

I just hope he's not miserable now.

If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015).

Patrick Edmund Lynch Something Something Something Awful.

Brace yourself:

Patrick Edmund Lynch, "Something Awful", ink on paper.

I know this drawing is pretty awful but Mr. PEL has lots of great artwork on his new website. You're certain to find something there that you like.

If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015).

Sinead Hanrahan Has Made Something Awful.

A dark, broody image here from Ms. Hanrahan. 

Sinead Hanrahan, pen and a worn-out marker.

In reference to the materials used, she writes:
"(I) wanted it to be awful in as many ways as possible. Think I've succeeded there."
I think so too, but in the best possible way.

If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015).

Robert P. Ryan Gives You Something Awful.

Be warned: the following art is pretty conceptually dense.

Robert P. Ryan, "Your Face", pencil.

Three tiers of awfulness here. It's an awful drawing of an awful face and it's also pretty awful to say that that face is your's.

Try Square? More like Try Cubed or... Tri Square or... something else.


Sorry about the "your face" thing.

If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015).

Defné Cetin Has Something Awful.

Awwwh!

Defné Cetin, watercolour and ink

Ms. Cetin explains: "Because it's something awful when you drop your ice-cream".
Anti-chilling.
Lots more cool artwork can be found on Defné's art Facebook page.

If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015).

Anthony Kelly Does Something Awful.

Bang! First artwork of 2015 and it is Mr. Kelly's collage of Something Awful.
Some say he used razor sharp knives to splice this image together. Chilling.

Anthony Kelly, collage.

More on its way.


If you would like to get involved and have your work posted here, you can check out our About page and also this month's theme (Jan 2015).

Theme for January.

Happy New Try Square!

That's right, we've gotten all dolled up here at Try Square.  Making the move into Facebook (probably tomorrow) so we wanted to look our best.

Okay Theme Time: I was reading a little bit of the Summer Book by Tove Jansson and there is a moment when a child is asked to draw something to which she replies "I don't know anything to draw". So the suggestion is made for her to draw "something awful" and I thought that was as good a theme as any.

Something Awful

As always the theme is yours to interpret. And, as always, the end result isn't the important part but rather the act and process of making art and doing it regularly. It's okay if it turns out "awful".

Create a square piece of art and send it to trysquareart@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
Happy New Year.