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A spoonful of creativity a day
Day 29
Today was a day of catching up on other things outside of the studio and then when I finally got around to working on the mouse scene, I felt thick headed and slow - I think my dear son finally gave me his cold - he is generous that way :)
I spent most of the afternoon messing around with various papers, trying to pick the right wallpaper/floor combo. I wanted the floor to look like wood and I quite liked the idea of making the wall look like it had years of wallpaper on it. Sandy from Art Tea Life very kindly sent me some vintage wallpaper samples many moons ago, and I have always kept them for that special project - and today was the day. Thanks Sandy!
So now I can't make up my mind - I am not sure if the background is too busy and needs to be plainer. I think the answer is to leave it alone and come back to it tomorrow.Some days just don't work out the way you plan 'em.
*edit* This was bugging me and I realized that I needed to see it lit by candle light. So here it is - better I think...
A spoonful of creativity a day
Day 27
I did have to miss a day yesterday, which was a bit disappointing. I will add on an extra day, so that the last day of my challenge will be the 1st of October. This doesn't mean that I will stop being creative after this, I just might not post about it every day :)
A friend of ours, children's author Alan Silberberg was with us at at the Burlington Book Festival yesterday. During his presentation, he talked about his writing methods. He felt it was important to try to write something every day. It could be as simple as a few lines, a list or character sketches. But the point of the exercise is to physically write every day - exercise your writing muscles. He felt that this really helps his work to flow.
I think the same method can work for making artwork. Doing something creative every day, (no matter how small the spoonful) can be really beneficial. It becomes a habit and it has certainly made me feel more inspired and excited about creating.
As I mentioned the other day, I want to create a dioarama bedroom scene with the needle felted mouse that I made. I started with the bed, and made it out of scrapbooking card...
So that I could make it just the size I needed...
Then I made a mattress, pillow and a teeny patch work quilt...
Wakey, wakey, little mouse...
Time to get up...
Good morning!
Inspiring artist of the day: Rare Bird
Art on my desk: Vintage photograph of Ruth Miller, 1928.
A spoonful of creativity a day
Day 25
When I began this challenge, I did not imagine that I would end up doing so much needle felting, but I am loving it and and want to continue with it while I am having so much fun, and hopefully it is not boring for those of you that check in regularly.
It has also got me thinking about how I could use it in my children's book illustration work. I would love to make some little characters for a story and create backgrounds for them with a combination of illustration, collage and other felted pieces. I don't have strong photography skills, but that is something I could learn/improve upon.
So I am going to start with making a simple little bedroom scene with a mouse. I am excited to see how it will turn out, and of course, I will share the process with you. It may be a disaster, but if I don't try it, I will never know.
Unfortunately, today I didn't have much time to get started. Ah well, tomorrow is another day :)
Inspiring artist of the day: Chris Sickels
Art on my desk: Cutting a rug by John Byrne
A spoonful of creativity
Day 24
Today was one of those nice days where we had to go out early and got lots of stuff done (I am not naturally an early bird!). And the icing on the cake was finding an Art of Walt Disney book that I have always wanted but could never afford (it was originally $90) and I got it for $40 at Multimags. Happy, happy.
It is a wonderful book - it goes right back to the beginning of Disney and the artwork is just amazing. Lots of sketches and beautiful watercolour spreads. I was brought up on this stuff, in fact I learned to draw by copying stills from animations like Alice in Wonderland and Peter pan. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Disney.
Then I came home to some fun mail: felting needles (I had ran out of #40's because I kept breaking them, clumsy needle felter that I am) and glass eyes - not for myself but for my little guys! The eyes are a little smaller than I expected. I can use them, but think I will have to order some larger ones.
Now, on to my spoonful of creativity for today. A teaspoonful today, just the beginnings...
of two bunnies...
Inspiring artist of the day: Abigail Halpin creates whimsical illustrations with a lovely, old world charm.
Art on my desk: Vintage photograph that I have always loved. Look at the ladie's fancy coats with big buttons - fantastic!
A spoonful of creativity a day
Day 20
Whoo! Day 20 already. The time has zoomed past, which must mean that I am having fun. Not a lot of creative stuff done today. Just a smidgen of something new. Well, it was Sunday after all, and a beautiful, sunny, autumny day it was too....
So I only got as far as making a head...
Of a teeny mouse...
Squeak! Squeak!
Inspiring artist of the day - Needle felter: Violet Pie
Postcard on my desk: Tears by Man Ray, 1930
A spoonful of creativity a day
Day 7
And another teaspoonful today. The holiday and a long bike ride curtailed the creating today, but we had a lovely day and it was well worth it.
So, today, Little Red got a new pair of boots made from red felt and some cute buttons:
And a skirt made from a cuff of an old shirt. I think my original Little Red who is looking on, approves:
Next, a top and of course, a red cape...
A spoonful of creativity a day
Day 4
A bit late posting this, but I didn't really get going until this afternoon, and today I decided to give needlefelting a try. Once again, I have had the materials sitting around for a while. I had used a little of the roving to make hair for my stuffies, but had never really tried to make an object - until today.
So I got out some wool roving (such pretty colours!), needle felting needles, a foam mat (you need a surface that gives a little when you stab with the needle so that it doesn't break)..
I thought a Christmas tree might be a simple shape to start with. I folded the roving into a rough triangular shape...
Then started stabbing into the shape while turning it every now and then. Be careful as the needles are very sharp and it takes a lot of stabbing (and patience)to start creating a solid shape, and it is easy to get carried away and forget about your poor fingers!
Starting to look like a tree. I took a piece of pink roving and made a little ball for the top of the tree...
I began to make a little snow scene for the tree and I plan to stick it on a little box....
This needs more work, so I will continue at another time.
Needle felting takes a lot of time and patience, but it is fun, like sculpting with a needle. I already have a few ideas for some little critters, and my son has already put his request in, so I forsee plenty of stabbed fingers in my future :)
Nighty night!
A Spoonful of creativity
Day 3
Today I have a scratchy throat and feel very lethargic, so my enthusiasm for sitting at my desk was pretty low - but I knew I had to do something - it is only day three, after all!
I didn't have the brain power to come up with ideas and needed to do something more connected to my hands and less with my brain - if that makes any sense.
So today was paper clay day.
I have had this sitting in my cupboard for a while. When working with it, it is handy to have a sheet of waxed paper to use as a working surface, a bowl of water, a wet cloth, paper towels and sculpting tools if you have them:
The clay was pretty tough at first and not very malleable. so I broke off pieces, kept dipping my fingers in the water and kneaded it. It got quite soft after a while and I just played around with it, not really knowing what to make. These started to look like mouse ears to me...
A little mouse head, with a folded pipe cleaner as possible base for a body, and a little bunny. I pierced a holes through the body to possibly put wires through to attach arms and legs...
The beginnings of a doll. I put little holes in the chest piece with the idea of sewing it to a fabric body...
This is as far as I got, then ran out of steam...
The paperclay was nice to work with and fit my mood - a bit spaced out and slow.
More tomorrow folks :)
A spoonful of creativity a day
It's the first day of September and change is in the air. Our son is back to school which means the beginning of new routines and I thought that perhaps now was a good time to make a new routine for myself. Work has been slower, which over the summer was really nice but has now left me feeling a little restless. Thinking about it, I realized that I have got used to deadlines and sometimes feel a little lost without them. I have also been talking about creativity and staying motivated with quite a few people recently and came to the conclusion that a little project was needed. Something fun, without too much structure or rules.
So here it is: A spoonful of creativity a day. Every day of September I will create something. It can be anything from a two minute doodle, or a painting, collage, sculpture, knitting, sewing - anything. By documenting it here, it will encourage me to keep producing, even on those days when I just don't feel like it. I am hoping that by the end of the month, I will feel newly inspired and hopefully inspire some other people along the way too.
If anyone wants to join in that would be wonderful (you don't have to commit to every day, sometimes would still be nice!). Leave a comment so that I can visit and see what has made your day feel a little more creative.
Today is Day One....better get started.......
Brilliant and I can see the wheels turing in your head Susan he he he! It's just sparkled another avenue of your creativity! LOOK AT YOU! It's beautiful!
Ooooo.... his profile is wonderful! And the diorama idea is brilliant. Can't wait to see what you come up with next. :0)
OH. MY. GOODNESS.
So cute, as usual!
:)
Christina
Oh goody!!! One step closer to adopting (buying)one of your fuzzie guys!
Do you have any Halloween ideas?
A fuzzy bat, perhaps?
These are the cutest things ever.
A bat could be really cute!
your blog is pretty amazing!
thank you very much for letting me join the blog.
If you are serious about using this technique for book illustration, I think every element should be rendered in wool...the bushes, the mushroom, even the background and the clouds. the characters are too cuddly and adorable to be in any other environment.
That ribbon-scarf is adorable!
He has such a sincere little face!
Sweetest little bunny. And the scarf is perfect. I hope your list is fulfilled! And don't forget to let us in on that journey.
Your Spoonful of Creativity month has been a highlight for my September. Thank you so much for sharing. I know the time involved can be daunting. It is very much appreciated!
I just wanted to write a quick note to say your work has inspired me to get painting.
I love your needle felting stuff too but I disagree with Anonymous that all the elements should be felted. I like the layering of textures that you have already posted on your site and I think it makes the little guys really pop. It would be such a cute book! Go for it!!
So sweet!
Have you seen Lauren Child's book 'The Princess and the Pea'? It features 3D illustrations and sets photographed to create the illustrations - very inspirational!
A
:-)