Hosted by Olivia Lin of Atiliay |
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Welcome to week 1! Every week for this year's un-slump I'll be sending you a prompt as well as a material to use. The idea is to focus on a different material each week and use the prompt for inspiration on how you will use it. Then on the last week, we'll combine all 3 materials to create a mixed media piece! All weekly prompts and materials are suggestions and optional! You can use them if it works for you or if you have already know what you want to make or use, feel free to do that! The main goal is to consistently create for 4 weeks--please do what will help support this. Let's begin! |
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“The land looks the same each day but is different in a thousand small ways.” Excerpt from the poem Feathers by Mary Walker. |
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This week we are using paper as our material and “land” as the prompt. Below are ideas, inspiration, and a technique to try for this week. Keep in mind that everything is open to your interpretation. This is about your point of view, what a prompt means to you, and how you want to express your imagination and creativity. Use the items below as is or as a starting point and see where it takes you. Feel free to go in a different direction if that's where you're being led. Let things flow and enjoy your process! |
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ENVISION & EXPRESS - Ways to use paper: try different types of collage techniques (see below for a suggested method), play with layering (see through and solid papers or different patterns), add an extra piece of paper to extend your page, include folded / origami elements, explore paper cutting, look into quilling, or try your hand at making your own paper!
- What landscape calls to you? Desert, a field of wildflowers, rolling hills, mountains, the coast, or wetlands? What textures and patterns do you find in the earth, plant life, wildlife there? What colors do you associate it with? Take a detail or many characteristics to use on your page or create a scene inspired by this place (it can be realistic, abstract, imaginary, a real place you've been too, fantasy, dreamy, etc.!)
- Jan Erik Waider captures stunning views of the land from above, giving us a unique perspective on lines and shapes created by nature! Find the videos on YouTube--one of my favorites is Coastal Confluence.
- Imagine a painting on paper towels then take a look at what Helena Minginowicz has created--is this what you pictured? I never would have thought it could look like this! It's also such a great example of re-imagining an every day item!
- Other words and ways to think about “land”: earth, homeland, neighborhood, soil, feeling grounded, to win or gain, to grab or get, to appear, stop, settle, or arrive.
This Way, Come by Mary Walker
A curtain billows
letting in a draught of fresh air,
inviting a glimpse of what lies outside.
There is no singular view of anything,
no one way to get things done,
no right way to live a life.
But at times your life will show itself
arriving in the dancing sunlight,
landing with a soft stirring of air.
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TRY YOUR HAND AT… Torn Paper Collage For this collage method, small pieces of torn paper become your “paint” and you'll arrange and glue them down to form an image. Below is an example and some tips. Your fingers can definitely get tired during this process! Take breaks as needed / do a little bit a day throughout the week. - Decide if you want to use a reference image to replicate (you can find one on Unsplash or use the one I shared above, use a photo you've taken, use a photo from a book or magazine) or if you'll create a scene from your imagination.
- Notate all the colors you will need then gather paper to use such as junk mail / catalogs / magazines, scrapbook / printer / construction paper, photos, scraps from other projects, pieces of paper you've painted / colored / drew on.
- Decide if you want to tear your paper or you can cut them with scissors as well. (Torn feels more organic and handmade to me, cut with scissors feels more geometric.)
- Start tearing / cutting and putting your small pieces into piles by color.
- When you have your pieces ready, arrange and glue them down to create your image.
- I like using glue stick--it's pretty forgiving and you can usually peel off a piece and reposition if needed.
- Layer and overlap the pieces.
- If you have a large section of one color, don't be afraid to mix in different shades of that color to create more interest.
- You don't have to follow your reference exactly! Feel free to make any changes you'd like.
- Here are more beautiful examples by Brooklyn-based artist artist Nia Winslow.
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I can't wait to see the way you transform paper and interpret land! Enjoy exploring and experimenting. Talk to you Thursday for a quick check-in, |
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PS: Do you know someone who might want to do this challenge with us? Forward this email to them, the sign up link is below!
PPS: Here's my warm up page where I closed my eyes and created marks. I totally thought I was filling up the left side of the page but apparently that was not the case lol I love how free this feels and it's always fun to look at what ended up on the page vs what I imagined in my mind. |
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IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS SERIES & WOULD LIKE TO, HERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT MY WORK 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 being a part of this and your support! |
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The beautiful PNW
Renton, WA 98058, United States |
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