Art Challenge Day 7 and 8

Yay I made it through a whole week! It was pretty hard, I felt pretty tired Sunday but I still pushed myself to do the art challenge because it was my special day 7, final day of the week challenge! I realize that once again even if a project does not seem that challenging or fun it actually is, it is always worth a try. For the seventh day I had to make a stencil and use it. I decided not to "cheat" and use my awesome new Silhouette SD printer, and try to make one the old fashioned hard way. Since it was the harder way I opted for a simple design, a cupcake! I decided to spice up the bottom of a cupcake print lid and make some cupcake stencils. The lid's box original held my cupcake stand. After making one stencil, I filled it in and decide to make two more but with unique designs. Typically you make everything the same with a stencil, but what I liked was the outline was the same but I could have them be different still. Below are pictures of day 7. I just used a simple black marker.
Art Challenge Day 8, aka today was to "Transform an old book into something new by cutting folding, gluing and so on." Now I hate to destroy a book even if it is old so I was kinda stumped at first. But once I looked on my bookshelf I noticed an old cute Japanese journal. I occasionally wrote in the journal, some ambitions, recipes but mostly complaints. I hate journal entries from the past, so moody and depressing. So I happily balled up what I wrote and threw it in the trash. I tore the clean fresh pages out and decided to try to attempt a project I had admired in the picture below. By cutting the pages out and then folding them in half and gluing them back into the spine makes this lovely sculpture. I unfortunately do not have a source of the picture. But thanks to however inspired me! Now this is one of those projects I admire but always thought it would be way too hard to do so I put it off. But I was surprised how simple and fun and breezy the project was once I started. The cool think with choosing the journal is that the pages had three colors, pink, purplish blue and green. I tried alternating the colors giving it a balanced look but I think the pages come off pretty white in the photos. I then had to figure out how to make it able to hang. I found some thread and a needle and the needle luckily was sharp enough to pierce the spine of the cover, it took a while to get the needle through one side to the other. I then threaded it few times and voila! I had hanging floating book art sculpture!

Day 9 Challenge is to make something with your breakfast before you eat it! This one sounds fun, I love breakfast!

Art Challenge Day 5 and 6

My 5 Day challenge is to work with a collection of objects. My mother had just discovered my pog collection and I thought it was the perfect tool for inspiration! I had not seen this collection since I was maybe 10? It was in this hot pink lunchbox, I think I used it as a lunch box? Kind of blurry, funny how little you remember from your childhood. Anyways, it was really fun going through this collection because it was like the '90s in a box. I had awesome childhood favorites like Barbie, Bobby's World, Cookie Crisps and other totally '90s memorabilia. I love the funny beach pogs! I think I got them in California during a summer visit. So I took a few pictures of the collection below and then decided to sketch some with my funky pink pen. I had a lot of fun sketching, which I haven't done in a while and it really made me focus on each pog for awhile. Some were kind of scary, like this monster looking one on the bottom. Did I really have this when I was like an innocent 7 year old? Because it freaks me out so much now! Maybe scary pogs were useful, you freak out your opponent. For those that are really confused about Pogs let me give you the rules I found via Wikipedia.

1. The players each contribute an equal number of pogs to build a stack with the pieces facing down, which will be used during the game.^[4]
2. The players take turns throwing their slammer down onto the top of the stack, causing it to spring up and the pogs to scatter. Each player keeps any pogs that land 'face up' after their throw.^[4][7]
3. After each throw, the pogs which have landed 'face down' are then re-stacked for the next player.
4. When no pogs remain in the stack, the player with the most pogs is the 'winner'.^[4]

Art Challenge Day 6

For this challenge I had to work with a fruit or veggie, any form! I was not sure what to do at first, but after seeing the leftovers from strawberry and blueberry tamales. I really loved the way the blueberries looked in the strawberry sauce. I use the strawberry sauce to paint and used an orange peel to be butterfly wings, petals, etc and few blueberries. I am really happy how it turned out, of course it is not permanent and have to throw it out. But it I like having to push my boundaries!

Art Challenge Day 4

Today's challenge I was not looking forward to doing. I had to take a five minute walk outside my home and then use materials nearby to make something and then leave it for others. I was nervous, I live in a quiet suburb and I really didn't want to freak out neighbors! I really was concerned if I could even find anything to use. It would be an easy project if there was plenty of snow, I could make a snow sculpture or lots of leaves. But no I was left scrambling for what I could. And trying to be discreet. At first I tried using these "banana leaves", that's what they look like to me. However, the wind was blowing so hard I figured no one would really get a chance to see my work.

So I moved on and went to this nearby field where as a child my brother had played soccer. I looked for trash, never had I been hoping for people to litter! I found a plastic red cup that many would use at a college party. At first I thought of trying to use it with the tree's shadows to resemble an apple in the branches, that didn't work. Then I took a picture of it as my red heart.

I wasn't quite satisfied though, no one else would really see it, so I looked for more trash and found two discarded peppermints. I crushed the cup, flipped it so it made a cone shape and was thinking of making a face, using the peppermints as eyes. But that seemed kind of cheesy. Instead I put them on top of the cone structure, resembling a tent. I found I really liked it, the peppermints seemed cute as they are nestling each other on top of their plastic home. I decided to leave it behind in the middle of the field for someone to discover as the assignment described. I thought I would feel guilty for littering but instead I feel cheerful in that I will make someone curious on its origins or maybe inspire them to join in making litter into art.

Tomorrow's challenge is to use a collection of objects in my home...or a friend's. I have a few collections from when I was a kid, I'll have to think of something fun to make. I probably will photograph an interesting arrangement or maybe sketch the collection.

365 Daily Art Challenge Day 2 and 3

For the second day challenge I had to use my favorite animal for inspiration. Cats are definitely my favorite animal. I wanted to use the book my boyfriend gave me for Christmas, How to Draw Cats book, which crazy enough I had one just like it as a kid. I also was really inspired by toilet paper roll art I've seen online and wanted to attempt it using a paper roll from gift wrap. I really like the concept of using something typically seen as trash into art. It really makes people question the use of typical average boring objects. At first I sketched a scene of two cats playing with a butterfly from the How to Draw Cats book on to the roll. I then used a push pin, it was close at hand and it was similar affect as to making a Jack 'O Lantern where you pierce it to make the design. I then popped out the cats and butterfly slightly to make a 3D pop up affect I've admired. If I were to attempt this project again I might spray paint the roll and add a small light inside to illuminate the shadows. Below are pictures of Day 2 art project.

Sketch and Pierced Outline

Cats and Butterfly Popped Out

The Third Day Challenge was to make something using paper without using scissors, glue, or drawing on it. Very tricky huh? I read in the back of the book about quilling, or paper filigree which is taking scraps of paper and rolling it up to make a design. I tried this by tearing sheets of paper and rolling it and carefully placed it on a painted cardboard surface. I made a letter J for Jessica. I also thought that the scraps of paper resembled sky scrappers so I attempted to make a wadded up Godzilla out of paper as well. This was a fun project that once again shows that it is great to have a prompt and deadline. It really pushes me to try materials I never worked with and be creative. Below are photos of this project, I apologize for the fuzziness, I had to use my cellphone camera.
The Letter J, I really love the delicate nature of the paperGodzilla's fiery breath and endangered city, it was a fun last minute decision to try to make a Godzilla.

Tomorrow's challenge is to take a five minute walk and look for materials to make an art project, then document it, i.e. photograph and leave it for someone to stumble upon. I'm not sure if I will do the second half and leave it behind, I think it will either be just taken away by the garbage man or frighten neighbors.

Art Challenge Day One!

I'm starting my 365 day challenge to do an art project everyday by using A Daily Creativity Journal for prompts. On the cover of the book it reads "Make Something EveryDay And Change Your Life!" I think there is something to it, hopefully I'll grow as an artist or just find myself more through this process. I attempted challenge one yesterday but it was just going poorly, I wanted to make some bows and two peas in the pod with clay but it melted...I think I left it in the oven too long...oh well..it's a learning process. Today I decided to use different materials. I always admired paperbeads and had some. I had got Paperoni from Goodwill one day, it was only a buck! I made a cute puppy with it, with plenty of left over beads I decided to tackle my first challenge. "Day 1: Start small today and make something that fits in the palm of your hand using only the materials in your immediate environment." Below are pictures of the paperbeads bracelet and necklaces I made, it was pretty simple I just used a needle, white thread and threaded the paperbeads. I'm pretty happy with my project, I think it is good first step into this challenge.
The Bracelet definitely fit in my palm, the necklaces barely fit.
I encourage others to try this challenge, it is a good way to stay committed to big goal! You can even try the projects along with me. Tomorrow's prompt is to use your favorite animal for inspiration!

New Year means New You

For New Year's we always make resolutions, and usually they are the same as they were the year before. This post touches on my last post. About how to change when you procrastinate. I decided to try to do a daily project, since I was given a 365 art journal prompts by my brother. I'm hoping to be able to keep it up for a year! Starting New Year's day! Wish me luck! I plan to post my projects to keep me motivated!

:)

Procrastination, My Worst Enemy!

I haven't written for a long time, and I'm blaming my worst enemy, Procrastination! I stumbled upon this article that touches on how procrastination works and it basically suggests that it is not being lazy it is just being prepared for a mind battle. It is NowYou versus FutureYou, and sometimes you get back at FutureYou but they get back at NowYou! You make FutureYou do the dirty work, pull the allnighters, rush to out to get the last minute gift, and spend a whole weekend cleaning up the mess NowYou created during the week. But FutureYou gets back at NowYou, while managing to do the tough tasks in short amount of time, it penalizes you by having you fail your goals. What are your goals? FutureYou eats greasy pizza instead of a salad, FutureYou watches TV instead of working out, and FutureYou sleeps in instead of getting chores done. So how do you battle this foe? Especially when it is yourself, you have to plan. By sticking to a plan it makes it easier to make the right choice. So whatever NowYou wants the most you have to just go and prepare for it or do it!

That is why classes are helpful because the instructor sets deadlines for us, forcing us to do the work! So if you really want to learn a foreign language or instrument or improve your cooking skills it is good idea to sign up for a class today. I used to hate planing and hate scheduling. Mostly because I felt nervous about if it was a good idea, what if I didn't really feel like going out that day or what if I'm sick or maybe I should be working on something else. I hated to commit, it was easier to just not do those things. Nothing is less work than anything. But then New Year's is coming up and I realize I still have yet to accomplish many goals I set out for, and I'm sick of saying this year will be different when it is not. I really do hope I can make some improvements. Maybe it won't be a 180 but a 90 degrees isn't so bad! I was inspired by the article below, check it out!
http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/10/27/procrastination/