CREATIVE SPARK NEWSLETTER |
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2023 Summer Sketchbook Un-Slump |
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WEEK 0 BEFORE WE BEGIN… Welcome to the Summer Sketchbook Un-Slump! I'm very excited you're here and hope that the upcoming weeks will help you feel inspired to create! Week 1 begins July 14th but before we officially start, I wanted to go over a few things and give you some time to get ready. This will be the longest email I'll send but I wanted to include these details to make this experience easier, get us set up, and ultimately help us have more fun! Below you'll find: what to expect, a note about the prompts, 3 things to prepare, a PDF calendar with the schedule, and a warm-up exercise. |
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WHAT TO EXPECT - Each week's prompt email will be sent on Friday.
- Each week's check-in email will be sent on Tuesday.
- If you ever want your work featured in a check-in, please hit reply to any of these emails and include a picture of your work (progress and/or finished) and a description. You can also reply with how you're interpreting a prompt and what you plan on trying, you don't always have to include a photo.
- I'll be adding all images to a Flickr gallery.
- There is NO pressure to post on social media but if you'll be sharing on Instagram or TikTok, please be sure to tag me @atiliay so I can see it! I also created the hashtag #ssunslump so we can find everything in one place on IG.
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A NOTE ABOUT THE PROMPTS My intention with these prompts and the ideas/inspiration I share with each one is to give you a starting point, to spark a connection, and to help you brainstorm. I want all of us to try thinking outside the boxes we sometimes put ourselves in and to look at things from new and different perspectives. There is no right answer! You can interpret things however you'd like. Go in the direction you feel pulled towards. Be open to what you feel inspired by. Let go of perfection, of putting pressure on yourself, of that harsh inner critic! Be present, have fun, and enjoy your process! |
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3 THINGS TO PREPARE - GET YOUR SUPPLIES READY
You don't need anything fancy, even some paper and a pencil could work! I highly recommending utilizing what you have already in different ways. If you want to get some supplies, feel free to do so but don't feel like you have to!
- Sketchbook/Paper: Sketchbooks, loose papers, scratch paper, etc. all work! You can also make your own sketchbook like Kim did last year! Just make sure the paper will support the mediums you want to use (dry, wet, both). I like multi-media paper since that usually covers a wide range of mediums.
- Tools: Use whatever you'd like! This can include paints and brushes, colored pencils, crayons, markers, pencils and pens, palette knives, watercolors, gouache, scrapbook paper, pages from old books, and whatever else you find interesting! The prompts allow for a lot of experimentation so don't feel like you have to limit yourself to just one medium.
- CREATE A DEDICATED WORKSPACE
It's so much easier to get started when you don't need to clear off a table or find space to work on!
- It doesn't have to be big or fancy: the kitchen table, a corner of a desk, etc. Just make sure it's clean and uncluttered.
- If you're able to, leave your sketchbook out so you can jump right in. If you can't, keep everything you'll be using/need in a box/basket so it's easy to grab and begin. (I recommend doing this either way, esp. if you get messy like me :))
- CARVE OUT TIME
This might be the hardest to do but it's the most important! Commit to making time for your creative practice.- Consider what days/time frames work for you. It can be flexible but if you're able to block time out for it, that can really help!
- It doesn't have to be a lot of time, 15 min is a great place to start.
- Test out different schedules until you find what flows best with your life.
- Get honest and do something you'll be able to stick to! It's OK to start off small, you can always increase the time/# of sessions as you go!
- Set alarms and reminders--this helps me a lot!
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CALENDAR & SCHEDULE To help carve out time for our creative practice, I made a calendar for us. It includes each week of the un-slump (color coded) as well as a section for notes. You can use it to pencil in the days and times you want to dedicate to this practice! |
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WARM-UP EXERCISE Now for the fun part! This is how we warmed up last year and I am officially making this an annual tradition! :) Sometimes starting can be the hardest step and a blank page can be intimidating! So… - Open your sketchbook to a blank page.
- Pick a random tool/medium. Choose a color that's jumping out at you.
- MAKE A MARK!
Apply this concept to an art form of your choice. For lettering, you could make a stroke or letter. If you're working in mixed media/collage/scrapbooking, try cutting out a shape and adding it to your paper. If painting, create a splotch, splatter, or stroke. Don't overthink, just do it! Close your eyes if that helps. It's OK if it's not in the “right” spot or doesn't look exactly how you want it to. Let all of that go. Our goal is to simply take action. That's it! Leave your mark alone (even if you REALLY want to “fix" it!) It might come in handy later on. I'd love to see what your warm up mark looks like--hit reply and send me a pic! I'll be sending out a check-in email next Sunday and would really like to include some of your marks in there! |
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I hope you found this email helpful and I'm really looking forward to getting started! Have a great rest of your weekend and I will talk to you soon! |
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PS: In case this is our first time “meeting”, I'm Olivia and Atiliay is the name of my creative corner online as well as my biz/shop. I'm an artist and I love encouraging others to create as well! I run a newsletter subscription called The Creative Spark Newsletter. The Summer Sketchbook Un-Slump is a free version of what we do in CSN. If at the end of the un-slump you'd like to learn more about CSN or join in, you'll have a chance to do that! |
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You've received this email because you signed up for The Summer Sketchbook Un-Slump or The Creative Spark Newsletter Waitlist. |
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