It's a Creative Tuesday

Inspiration Photo

The Today is the day that I have to think outside the box and create something in a different media.  I love the shapes and textures in the photo, so I decided to do a 3 dimensional design.

The design is yet to come.  I'm still working on a freelance job that needs to get to the printer tonight....aaaaahhhhh....so the finished piece you will see tomorrow, unless I can get everything done tonight.  Since I'd like to go ahead and post (to fulfill the challenge), for right now you can see my process of what I have started.


The Story of My Sculpture

When I was at ASU, that isArizona State University (ASU in this area is Appalachian State, so I have to distinguish myself from the "other ASU" alumni!) one of my first art classes was 3-D art.  I only took it because it was required!

Up to that point all I had ever done was 2-D paintings and drawings.  It opened up a whole new world for me and I found a new side to my creativity.  One of my favorite place to shop for supplies was Home Depot.  Everything in there had the potential to become something other that what it was intended for.

So today I decided to look around the house for something that I could use to create a sculpture of my inspiration.  So this is what I did:

I took coffee filters, and piled them a couple hight and colored them with water-based markers, nothing pretty, just scribbles.

Then took a cup of water and poured it over the filters.  When I wrung out the water, most of the color went with it :(.   This was not the look I hoped to see.

So I started again, this time with 2 stacks colored differently.

Then I used a spray bottle to wet them instead of soaking them.

Then I flipped them to see if they went all the way through.  then I separated them to let them dry, which didn't take long at all!

After they dried, I cut them into quarters, thirds and halves.  As soon as I get a moment, I will start creating a sculpture from it and other pieces.  Until later.....

Sketching Monday

I got my sketching done....and as you will see it's been a while!  And I didn't pick an easy photo. But that's ok, cuz I love a challenge!  I do have to say that it felt good to pick up a pencil again!

The first sketch I did was a blind contour drawing.  Basically I looked at the image and didn't look as I drew the edges of the image. In school I used to do these with charcoal and large newsprint.  I just loved it.

The second one I didn't like, so I didn't finish it, but when I went back to take the photo (had to improvise since my scanner died) I didn't think it was so bad after all!

This one is more light and shadow sketching.  I had fun with this one.

This one was more a gesture drawing, just giving the basics of what I was seeing...although I think it ended up looking like I was just scribbling.

It was definitely fun to pick up a pencil and draw again, but I will need to get a larger sketch book, and a new set of drawing pencils.

Have you ever tried any of these sketching styles?  What is your favorite?  Do you have any suggestions on how I can improve my sketching?

Decided to post a few of Katy's photos that I liked!  Not bad for an aspiring photographer?

Inspiration Photo January 23, 2011

The Inspiration photo for this week is:

I chose this photo because I love the shapes 

 the fungus makes, it is also interesting and has great light and shadows.

The Story Behind the Photo:

This afternoon I took my daughter Katy and went to the park near our house so we could take photos.  On the way into the park, there are a couple of horse farms.  One had a pony & a horse in the yard. We stopped so Katy could see them and take some photos.  Because we were so far from the road, she got out and went up closer to the fence.  The two horses just came right over.  They were so friendly, I even fed one of them from my hand.

Katy named them Chestnut & Fluffy

Chestnut eating from my hand

Katy wanted a photo with the horses....

.....but Chestnut wanted to eat her jacket.

I ended up taking over 200 photos, and if I may say so myself, some were pretty good.  It was really hard narrowing down to 1 inspiration photo. These are the other photos that were in the running:

This was my 2nd choice

I can't wait to start sketching tomorrow.  I just need to get my scanner going since it hasn't worked since I upgraded to snow leopard.  If you want to see any of the photos in a higher resolution, I will post them to my Flickr account. 

Facing Forward, Looking Back

As I face my challenge for the new year, I am looking back at what has inspired me in the past.  Probably not a surprise, but my kids are a big source of my inspiration. I look at them today and wonder where my babies have gone, how did they grow up so fast.  So I decided to look thru some old photos and I'm sharing the wonderful love that inspires me most!

Katy's Christening, 2001

they truly love each other,  2002

Shayne running through a fountain in Charleston, 2003

New Year's Eve 2005

Christmas Navitiy, 2005

Spring Break back in NJ, 2006

Katy, Shayne & Cousin John David, 2006 

Lego & Harry Potter @ FAO Schwartz, 2007

excited about the WII, 2007

Cousins on Annual Family Vacation, 2007  

My rock star kids, 2009

Vacation at Myrtle Beach, 2009

I'm a Great Aunt - My nieces son Roman, Katy Shayne & Cousin Priscilla

Sometimes they do still get along, even if it's only when they sleep!

Shayne getting his hair cut short, & getting tall, 2011

I am blessed to have such a wonderful family.  One day I will show you what they create.  Shayne is an awesome artist.  Katy just loves to create anything.  She has a fantastic imagination!  My kids are the greatest, and I love seeing them grow, develop and learn.  They truly inspire me!

What did I do now?

Did I just commit to a year of blogging?  and a year of design challenges?  What was I thinking?

GASP!

I know what I was thinking, a way to improve my skills, spark creativity and rising to the challenge!  Although I was thinking of doing something before we talked, Donna helped me define the parameters. She really knows how to push me...I think it's one of her favorite past times.

I was originally inspired when I went to lunch with my son at Cracker Barrel. I love to peruse their candy display (yes, I'm a sugar junkie!).  That day I  found Divinity. It's one of my all time faves and was a Christmas tradition at Grandma's.  She made it herself and it was heavenly!! Although this divinity wasn't as good as Grandma's, it inspired me and brought back lots of great memories.  And it inspired me to take a look around to see where I could find inspiration.

Cracker Barrel Divinity

And that led to deciding to be more proactive in seeking out inspiration, then figuring out how to make use of it....then along come's Donna with her challenge!

A side note about Grandma: I'm sure my creative genes came from her...she (and her sister, Aunt Jessie) could make anything out of anything!

The last picture I had with Grandma in 2003
with my mom and my daughter, Katy.

What inspires you?

COMMITTED!! To a Year Long Journey of Self-Discovery

Like most people at some time or another, lately I feel like I am just running in circles.  I never seem to get anywhere.  After talking about this with my friend Donna (LeaveATrace.net), I found out she has similar feelings. Donna and I used to share a tiny office where if we both rolled our chairs back at the same time, we would crash into each other....ahhh, memories.  Although we don't work together anymore, our friendship has remained throughout the years.

This is the logo I designed for Leave A Trace.
What do you see?

Donna has challenged me (and herself) to commit to blogging for a year.  And, in true Donna fashion, this is not simply blogging for the sake of putting myself out there.  It's a year long, structured and disciplined journey of self-discovery.  And of course, Donna knows I can't resist a challenge!

This is me and Donna at our weekly coffee shop bible study.
She is thrilled I am posting a photo of her!

Based on my passion -- which is art, design, creating -- I have decided to do everyday for the next 52 weeks, I will post something (good, bad or ugly) EVERY SINGLE DAY under the following guidelines:

SUNDAY:  I will post a photo on the blog.  During the week I will sketch, draw, create and design elements and pieces that are inspired by that photo.  I am open to using photos you post to my flickr account.

MONDAY:  I will post sketches that I draw based on the photo.

NOTE: I have switched Tuesday, Wed and Thursday around so all my creative exploration comes before the creating the graphic interpretation. 

WEDNESDAY  Tuesday:  I will create a piece of art inspired by the photo.  I am going to leave myself open to creating with different mediums.  I'd like to be creative with that too!

THURSDAY  Wednesday:  I will play with color themes.  Changing things up, thinking outside the box a bit.

TUESDAY  Thursday:  I will create a graphic interpretation of the photo, or part of the photo.  It could be a logo, an icon, a background, a photoshop brush, a repeating pattern, or anything else. I am definitely open to ideas. 

FRIDAY:  I will post a design piece using the photo or one of my art pieces from the week.  My goal is to use different design styles throughout the year.  

SATURDAY:  I will review either the past week or previous weeks.  

I am excited and nervous to do this.  I'm a fairly private person, so it's scary to put myself out there, but mostly I am excited about the journey!

I would love you to come on this journey with me.  You can just read along, or you are welcome to post comments or send me pictures to use as my weekly inspiration.