Creating Challenge Day 271--Photography & FX

While walking today I saw this funky plant, so I photographed it using my Camera+ app on my iPhone. 

Then I used my picfx app to transform it. 

Creating Challenge Day 270--Art Journal Background

Today I played around with the background for an art journal page I brainstormed two days ago. I actually created much of this page months ago by smearing leftover acrylic paint from another project onto gessoed book pages. When I looked at the colors this morning, I knew this background, created with no particular idea in mind, was perfect for the page I'm currently creating. All I had to do was add the gray, white, and black blotches, which I did using my fingers. (I LOVE to fingerpaint!)

Creating Challenge Day 269--Lettering

I began outlining my letters from a couple days ago. I had to experiment with a variety of black pens to get the right width. I finally settled on using my black Pitt pen. That works well since I'd already planned on coloring this work using my vast array of Pitt pens!

Creating Challenge Day 268--Art Journal Page Design

A quick sketch of an art journal page I'm considering:

Creating Challenge Day 267--Lettering

I've added detail to the lettering I began the other day.

Creating Challenge Day 266--Lettering

Wow, fewer than 100 days of Creating Challenge to go! This year has flown! I've learned so much and am already brainstorming my Creating Challenge for next year...

In the meantime, I'm doing some lettering. I felt prompted to focus on joy, so why not letter that beautiful word creatively? Here's my beginning:

Creating Challenge Day 265--Art Journal Page

I have a picture in my head of a richly colored flower outlined in bold black. I went to my art journal to attempt its creation. This is close, but not quite what I was after. I love the richness of Derwent Inktense Watercolor pencils, but even so they aren't rich enough for what I'm imagining. I may have to go to acrylic paints. But the bold black of Stabilo pencil, especially when brushed over with water, is going to serve just fine.

Creating Challenge Day 264--Face Sketching

I sketched this face from my imagination. I wonder what she's thinking...

Creating Challenge Day 263--Sketching Faces

It's Friday. It's Starbucks morning, which apparently means sketching faces!

Creating Challenge Day 262--Watercolor Lettering

In the spirit of completing things that I've been in lately, I finished this lettering project I began many moons ago.

Creating Challenge Day 261--Pen Work

Today I finished the watercolor wildflower painting I've been working on by adding pen work.

This painting seems to be about community. We're all different shapes and sizes--in differing levels of growth, but essentially all the same.

Creating Challenge Day 260--Watercolor Wildflowers

Today I made more progress on the watercolor flower picture I worked on yesterday. I finished dropping watercolor paint onto the sketch, then I did a background wash which I'm hoping won't overwhelm the flowers. I have to remember this picture is in its adolescent phase. Once I finish it with pen work, I'll be able to assess it better.

Creating Challenge Day 259--Watercolor Flowers

I find myself in a flow of completing projects, which is a good feeling! I have some new projects to begin, but before I do, I want to clear the way of currently unfinished artwork. To that end, today I began dropping watercolor onto a wildflower sketch I drew a month and a half ago.

Creating Challenge Day 258--Completed Art Journal Page

I put some finishing touches onto this art journal page, which I've been creating over the past couple of weeks. I painted the title in acrylic and finished it off with pen work. Then, using old book pages, Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils, and Stabilo black pencil, I added circles in various places on the page, including the ellipsis in the title. I'll add my personal journaling in the next day or so.

Creating Challenge Day 257--Sketching Faces

A couple of quick face sketches:

Creating Challenge Day 256--Finishing Curtains

Today I wrassled with power tools to hang curtains my daughter and I sewed during summer break.  She returns tonight from a week-long field trip, and I want to surprise her with the finished product. I'm grateful for serendipity: I "just happened" to have ribbon matching the valance (which has hung in her room already for many years) so I could tie back the curtain panels. They add the perfect finishing touch.

I am notorious for beginning projects and not following through to completion, especially when it's something this huge with many challenging sub-tasks. I'm proud of myself for finishing this, and I'm pleased with the result. I hope my daughter is too!

Creating Challenge Day 255--Art Journal Page

I've completed an art journal page using some petals I sewed a few weeks ago. I like how the leftover threads play into the finished product. For the middle of the flower, I gessoed a muslin scrap, then bunched it together and painted it using watercolor crayons. I twisted a green pipe cleaner into a stem and leaf shape. Using gel medium, I glued it all onto a background I'd created with various acrylic painting techniques. I colored in some extra petals using my Pitt pens, and finished the page with the word "bloom" penned onto Washi tape. I'm pleased with the result!

Creating Challenge Day 254--Art Journal Page Progress

A couple weeks ago I sketched a face on a previously made art journal background. Today I added some color to the face using my Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils (I LOVE these pencils and really want to use them more than I do). I was surprised when the water activated the black Stabilo pencil I'd used to outline the woman's face. It originally muddied the colors I was trying to use, but as I gained experience with how the water and pencil interacted, I leveraged it to enhance the drawing. I like the result, and look forward to finishing this page soon.

Creating Challenge Day 253--Mind Mapping

Today I hit the MindJet mind mapping app on my iPad again, this time to brainstorm a magazine article I want to write.

Creating Challenge Day 252--Music

Today I spent about an hour playing piano and singing.

Creating Challenge Day 251--One Definition of "Artist"

Today I read an article about artist John Whipple in the July/August 2013 issue of Somerset Studio magazine. In the article, Whipple defined artist in a way I appreciate:

"I would define being an artist as a type of brain style, one where creativity, curiosity, problem solving, and finding connections somehow seem important and stimulating. The fascination is the surprise of seeing how your own mind resolves things."

I like that definition. What do you think?

Creating Challenge Day 250--Sketching

I had a frustrating day, and I turned to sketching to help me feel better. I found a beautiful subject in this  church (well, technically outside the church, but you know a colloquialism when you read one, right?).

Creating Challenge Day 249--Photography & FX

I call this "Purple Hazy Daisies." I photographed the flowers using my iPhone Camera+ app. Then I applied the "Purple Haze" filter and "Light Grit" frame from within the app.

Creating Challenge Day 248--Photography and FX

I love sunflowers! They are cheery and sturdy. They follow the sun. As a child, I once grew one, and have loved them ever since.

So, when I saw some for sale at a local store, I had to buy them to enjoy and to use in art. I plan to use them as models for drawing and painting, but first I had to photograph them. And having photographed them (using Camera+ on my iPhone), why not play with effects (in picfx)? Above is my play for the day.

Creating Challenge Day 247--Baby Face!

Creating Challenge Day 246--Digital Photography & FX

This evening I photographed some clouds kissed by the sunset, using my Camera+ app on my iPad. From within the app I applied the Purple Haze filter and Dark Grit border to the picture. I love how it turned out: dramatic and alluring.

It has been something of a stressful day today between car troubles and emotional challenges. I didn't feel creative today. But taking a simple picture and enhancing its beauty has done wonders for my soul.

Creating Challenge Day 245--Creating Order

I've been feeling an urge to clarify my life: physically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually, etc. The physical manifestation of it comes as I tackle little areas of clutter in my home. I'm ready to release, organize, shift, label, and whatever else it takes to clear space in my home, head, and heart. It feels really good!

Creating Challenge Day 244--Mind Mapping

Today I created order in my life using the Mindjet Maps app on my iPad. I have a number of roles I need to keep in order. With those roles go various tasks. They're becoming jumbled in my head, so I created a mind map to keep things straight. I'm still working on it, but I'm grateful for what I have so far. I feel much clearer. The picture portrays a portion of it.