Hosted by Olivia Lin of Atiliay |
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Profound, inexplicable, or secretive quality or character Something not understood or beyond understanding “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” - Francis Bacon |
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This week's prompt is inspired by one of my favorite holidays, Halloween! I like the creativity and fun behind it but not the scary aspects 😅 so “mystery" felt like a good word to settle on. Don't worry--if Halloween isn't for you there's still a lot that can be done with our theme--the ideas shared below actually don't have a lot to do the holiday! I found it to be very versatile and applies to many different ideas. Here are a few ways to get started and things to try! Always feel free to use the prompts as you see fit and in a way that works best for you! Follow what you're feeing enthusiastic about and allow yourself to go from idea to idea until you're ready to settle on one. Each week you can fill in one sketchbook page--or more. You can also split one page into different sections to fill out or work outside of it. There is a lot of flexibility! |
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WARM UP EXERCISE TO TRY THIS WEEK… Unknown Results
To embrace the idea of mystery, create something where you have NO idea what the results will be! An easy exercise to try is to close your eyes and fill in a page or a piece of paper. Have your mediums ready and easy to grab. Color, draw, write--anything you can think of. Once you think you’ve covered your paper, open your eyes and see what you’ve really done! I like doing this because not only do I find it fun to see the results, it's a no pressure way to jump in and start moving your hands and get past perfectionism! |
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ENVISION & EXPRESS - Pick a mystery board! I created 3 mood boards over on Pinterest. Choose one to use for more inspiration. Be sure to read the short description on the board and take a look at the images. What feelings or scenes do they conjure up for you? What can you do with the color palette? (None of the boards are scary or Halloween themed!) I like the idea of picking one randomly or you can look at all 3 and pick the one you are most drawn to.
- Create mystery for the viewer of your art by adding secret elements that can be uncovered and discovered.
- Use pop up books as a source of inspiration from simple elements such as a flap that reveals something underneath to more complicated elements like a 3D pop up.
- Try something interactive such as creating an image or text-only collage then asking the viewer--what do you see first?
- Hide a secret message within your piece. It can be an actual written message or quote or something conveyed through the different elements in your piece. You can also literally hide something by creating a pocket and put something in there that can be pulled out.
- Riddle me this. To get in the mood for our prompt, here are 22 visual riddles (with answers) for you to try (so they won't remain a mystery! :)) Try creating one of your own. Here's one more riddle for you :) (the answer is at the bottom of my email in the PS section): I have cities, but no houses; forests, but no trees; and water, but no fish. What am I?
- What do you find mysterious? Research, jot down notes, draw--create a page inspired by what you're curious about and what's unknown to you.
- What does the word mystery look like to you?
- Create an abstract piece with colors, patterns, and shapes that embody the word for you.
- Create a piece using objects that remind you of mystery (this can be a collage or a page filled with drawings.) For example, magnifying glass is the first thing that comes to my mind!
- Is there an animal that embodies this word for you? Use that as your inspiration / main subject.
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Here's a song to play as you begin to brainstorm (and watch it for some visual inspiration--colors, the way light is used). Do you know it? I haven't listened to it in years! Talk to you soon, |
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PS: Sorry for the delay in getting this email out! I had some technical difficulties but they have been resolved. Thank you for your patience! PPS: The answer to the riddle is map :) Did you get it right? |
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IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS SERIES & WOULD LIKE TO, HERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT MY WORK If you'd like to support with a monetary contribution / tip, you can do so here. Visit my website & shop for the Creative Spark Deck, prints, PDFs, and more. Share with a friend! There's nothing like good old fashioned word of mouth and the more the merrier :) Thank you for your support and being here! |
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The beautiful PNW
Renton, WA 98058, United States |
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