Restarting the Creative Fire - Anyone who wants to share

[Sallying Forth]

Today I woke up and said to myself, "Self it is about time to get back to ALL the creative pursuits you were doing." So today I took my whole piece of crescent board to a picture framer who helped me cut it into "bite-sized" pieces. I asked my h to cut this board up for me so many times I finally decided it was time to get it done myself.

Now I have enough pieces to experiment with a type of art I stopped doing. In essence it is a fictionalization of reality and exactly like my writing technique. I take a photo from a magazine, ones of nature are my favorites, and cut it up into 1/2 inch or 1 inch squares. Then I rearrange the squares to form a picture which depicts the same thing only changed. For example, if I have a rushing river photo I rearrange the squares into a rushing river which is somewhat abstracted. It is the form or shape of a rushing river but the actual picture maybe different. Pictures of water are my favorites and I've collected lots of them for the past 3 years. The rearranged pieces are then glued to a board. Finally I duplicate each 1/2 inch or 1 inch square on a bigger board where the squares are blown up to twice their size. My media is colored pencils.

What this exercise taught me years ago was to truly observe color and how each color is made up of many colors. Then I would go outside and observe the colors of things in nature and see how there is no true blue, no true green, etc. I found the process was like meditation, drawing me deeper within.

I will post the picture I choose, then what it looks like reformed and then my progress.

[onlyrenting]

Sally, Sounds cool,

I love color and used to paint animals from rocks. I would make frogs or bunnies, dogs, cats, bugs. I loved to paint and made some money on the side. My big frogs sold for 40.00. Sometimes the efforts are not worth the pay. You must love your art first and payment is second.

I quit for different reasons my H used to complain all the time about the mess from my paints, and with work it was too much.  Now that my H is no longer in my life I have recently picked up the colored pencils to get back into the creative side of me. 

What you are working on reminds me of a quilt I made from various colored prints to create a landscape with green hills and blue skys with a big red sun. I took forever to make it I only made one.

I love to paint and create, I as very angry at my self for allowing my H to stomp the fun out of it.
I may go beyond the colored pencils after I finish up the tons of paper work Im dealing with for my upcoming divorce.

I can't wait to see your finished piece.    OR

[el_Thom]

I too, have been attempting something.

I went and asked everyone I know for an animal.  After I got all their animals, I drew pictures of them with a computer program I have (it's called opencanvas, it's almost like photoshop, but for designed for creation instead of just changing).  Each animal is drawn in a different style with one similar concept.  I don't ever erase.  Every mistake I make is left in to be appreciated.  A lot of it is absolutely awful, but that's ok.  Other times, it's amazing how well it turns out, and I can be incredibly proud of myself.

I find it helps to keep me from being too hard on myself.

On top of this, I come up with a title for each drawing, directed to a random person.

For example, this drawing (which I really enjoy) is titled "Tell Your Regret Sloth To Stop Staring At Me, I Never Said No"

and was drawn for my friend Jenna Young, but titled for my friend Ashley Withers.

In contrast, here's one that's not so great, but I still accept as my own work.  It's called "Your Faith Bear Is Alarmingly Large, But Could It Walk A Tightrope?"

and was drawn for my friend Henry Horton, but titled for my friend Jillian Parrish.

So far, I've got about 17 of these, and I'm set to draw at least 10 more.  If anybody wants me to draw an animal, go ahead and contact me, and I'll tell you if it's still available.

And don't be too harsh on my bear, regardless of whether it looks like it's vomiting strawberry jam or not.

[Plucky]

You creative people are great!  Wish I had some talent.
Can't wait for Sallying's things. el Thom, I love your work.
Plucky

[Sallying Forth]

I like your work el Tom. It is very different. I love your titles.

I've done the same with my artwork. I drew a lot  of pictures and just left as is. Some are even half done. Some have mistakes but I can't erase watercolor pencil. Once in place that's it.

Here's some watercolor pencil I've done in the past:

[Sallying Forth]

The last one is colored pencil not watercolor pencil.

The first one is called Mind Altering Experience.

The second, Mind Altering Experience II.

The third, Tumultuous Uprising. I drew this with both hands at the same time.

These first three all came from out of my head.

The fourth, Pansy Profusion and is in colored pencil (not watercolor pencil).

The fourth one I staged some pansies from my garden.

[Marta]

SF,

OMG, they are beautiful!

SF, I can see the intensity of your feelings reflected in your drawings. I really liked them all, but love the first one, Mind Altering Experience the best. It somehow fits like a hand in glove with what I know about you through your posts. On the other hand, pansies is sweet and quiet and reflective, like the life you could've had if you'd been born into a loving family. Shame that I couldn't get your images to blow up full size.

Keep posting 'em!

Grrrrreat! Marta

[amethyst]

This is wonderful, Sallying and El Thom. Love the dynamism in your pictures, Thom. Sallying, I love the delicacy, the washes of color. Particularly love Tumult and Pansies.

How do you get these to post? 

[miss piggy]

Hello SF and El Thom,

Fantastic!  Thank you for sharing it with all of us.    MP

[Sallying Forth]

How do you get these to post? 

Every time I do it I have to remember how. 

Below the box where you type your message is an arrow and the words "Additional Options..." Click on the arrow and you will see how to add images.

[Sallying Forth]

SF, Shame that I couldn't get your images to blow up full size.

Grrrrreat! Marta

These are all thumbnails.

Here is the full sized Mind Altering Experience. It is my own face, btw, which I drew by looking into a mirror.

[Sallying Forth]

Here is Tumultuous Uprising bigger -

[Sallying Forth]

Pansy Profusion bigger -

[Sallying Forth]

Onlyrenting could you repost in a jpg file? I can't see .doc files.

Thanks!

[Sallying Forth]

I am going to challenge myself and try something different and NOT do a rushing river. I found two very stunning photos which I like. I haven't decided which project I'll tackle first. Here they are: