HELLO & WELCOME
to the 2024 Creative Spark Newsletter! |
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How will we transform a blank page? What will we fill our sketchbooks with? I can't wait to find out! I'm so glad you're here! You are receiving this email because you have signed up for CSN or have been gifted a subscription. I am excited to see how the year unfolds and what we create in the days, weeks, and months ahead! The first Creative Spark prompt will be sent out on Friday, January 19th. We are beginning a little later in the month so that we can get settled into the new year and ease into things. Before we officially begin, I wanted to share some information to help you prep and get set up: how to make sure you receive the newsletters, the link to the welcome survey, what to expect, details about supplies, and 3 things to prepare. You'll receive one more email this Friday about the prompts, sharing your work, our calendar, resource links, and a few optional warm up exercises to try! (These 2 emails will be the longest ones I send out, the rest will be shorter!) |
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DON'T MISS ANY NEWSLETTERS |
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Please take a moment to fill out the welcome survey! I'd love to get to know you a little better and see how I can personalize the newsletters to your areas of interest. Feel free to skip any questions that may not apply to you. Thank you for taking the time to fill this out! If you've filled out this survey from last year, I've added a few more questions! If you could take this new survey, that would be great! |
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WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR INBOX - Prompt & inspiration emails will be sent on Friday mornings.
- Check-in emails will be sent on Tuesdays. They will include photos of what we've been working on, additional inspiration and ideas, and/or tips for your practice.
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Please note you aren't required to buy anything and don't feel pressure that you need to have a wide range/variety of supplies (I love the idea of making the most of what we have in new and different ways). In case you need a few things to get started or want to add some items to your toolbox, here are a few recommendations (Amazon links are affiliate links but they are all items I have used and loved!): - Sketchbook I do suggest having a sketchbook of some kind--I find that it makes the creative process easier by providing a place to “go" to for your art and keeping everything in one place! (If you feel inspired to work outside of your sketchbook that is fine too and you can always glue things in or take photos to add to your book!)
Mixed media sketchbooks that support both dry and wet mediums work well and allow you to use different types of paints, inks, pens, etc. If you know you want to work in a specific medium (watercolor, pen and ink) you can get a sketchbook that's specifically designed for that. Here are some brands I have tried and liked:
- Arteza Mixed Media Sketchbook, 110 lb This is what I have been consistently using. I like the spiral binding that allows pages to lay completely flat and they're perforated if you want to tear anything out to scan, frame, or share. The paper can take a LOT of acrylic paint and I've also used watercolors, inks, and Mod Podge on them. (The pages can get a little wrinkly if you use a ton of water but I don't mind and could tear it out and flatten if I needed to.) Here's a flip through video of this sketchbook if you'd like a better look at how the pages hold up.
- Strathmore Visual Journal 140lb Watercolor This sketchbook was recommended by fellow CSN member, Ellen! She works with a lot of watercolors and this is what she likes painting in. The pages are thicker than the Arteza sketchbook. I want to try this one next, I think it would work well with mixed media!
- Stillman & Birn Zeta Series, Smooth Surface, Extra Heavyweight This paper has a very smooth finish and I originally used this as a sketchbook for lettering for that reason. I have tried a variety of inks and markers on the pages and you can also use watercolor and other dry/wet mediums on them. They come in different shapes and sizes.
- Etchr Mixed Media Sketchbook, 100% Cotton I received this as a gift. It's ideal for pen, ink, watercolor, and gouache. In addition to those mediums, I also used pencil and acrylic and they all worked well on this paper. Both sides of the pages can be used and the cotton fabric cover can be painted on too!
- Try making your own sketchbook! There are lots of easy tutorials on YouTube.
- Tools, Paints, & More
- Artist's Loft Brush Sets - I'm not so good about taking care of my brushes 😅 but these affordable sets from Michael's have served me well and helped me decide which sizes I use more of and want to invest in.
- Water Brush
- Palette Knife Set
- .38 Gel Ink Pen - This is my favorite pen to write and draw with! It's a very fine tip and writes so smoothly.
- Liquitex Basics, Acrylic Paint Set, 24 Count - I like the thicker texture of this acrylic paint (they work with palette knives) and the colors that come in this set (it includes metallic gold and silver!) They are smaller tubes but I feel like they go a long way and can help you decide which colors you want to get larger tubes of.
- Koi Watercolor Sketchbox - I've had the 24 color set for YEARS and it's still going strong! I love that it's meant to be used outside on location and when paired with a water brush pen, you're good to go!
- Artist's Loft Gouache Paints, 12 Count - This set is such a steal ($5.99!) and is great for beginners to get familiar with before investing in pricier brands. (I had one tube where the paint separated a little but after mixing it, it was fine!)
- DecoArt Metallic Acrylic Paint in Glorious Gold - This specific shade of gold is my favorite! The consistency of this paint is more runny and good for pouring or making splatters with.
- Speedball Mona Lisa Gold Leaf Kit - If you've been wanting to try gold leaf on your projects, this set includes everything you need. I have found it very easy to use--here's a video that includes a sketchbook page I use the gold leaf on. It looks like it's not available on Amazon right now but you can also get it at Michaels.
- Blue Painter's Washi Tape / Washi Tape - This tape helps you create clean borders or can be used to create lines and shapes within your piece. This brand is the one I've tried that has worked with MOST sketchbook pages (peel slowly just to be safe)! It can be a bit of an experiment to find the right tape for the right paper. If you have washi tape on hand you can test those out too! The linked tape comes in 3 sizes that cover a variety of projects.
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3 THINGS TO PREPARE - GET YOUR SUPPLIES READY Have them handy and easily accessible.
- 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--a 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 on your workspace so you can walk over and get started anytime/right away. 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 this practice that you want to do and enjoy doing:- Consider what days/time frames work for you. It can be flexible and change throughout the year but if you're able to schedule it in/have dedicated time, it really helps!
- It doesn't have to be a lot of time, 15 min is a great place to start.
- Be realistic and come up with a plan 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 (I do this for just about everything!)
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If you ever have any questions, feel free to hit reply and I will be happy to help! Keep an eye out for the next email that will arrive in your inbox on Friday. In the meantime, if you'd like some sketchbook inspiration, take a look at these posts. One of the many things I love about working in a sketchbook is you can really make it your own and there are so many possibilities! Seeing what others are doing (especially if this is your first time keeping one) can give you some ideas on what you might want to try or what you don't want to do. Have a great week and I will talk to you soon! |
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