Creativity: Week 11 2024 - Flower Drawings = Joy

Week 11: Delight - I choose to do things that make me feel happy. (SoulSistersToo - Creative)

Intention Setting: Spirit assist me in doing things that make me feel happy and to notice what things bring me joy. 

Flower Drawings = Joy

Every now and then I do some little stylised drawings of flowers, both real and imagined. Drawing simple flowers like these brings me so much joy, I begin to move into a feeling of creative flow.

I encourage you too to play with a pen or any mark making materials you have nearby and see how many different flower drawings you can create.  

Creativity: Week 10 2024 - Discovering Through Play

Week 10: Discovery - Today I will take the time to discover something new. (SoulSistersToo - Creative)

Intention Setting: Spirit please assist me to be open to discovering something new.

Discovering Through Play...

This week I've been discovering or rediscovering a range of different things; new music, re-tasting food and new creative explorations.

New Music: I listened to the Oscar nominated songs I have not heard before and I went down a rabbit hole listening to a music style called Bardcore. Bardcore is revamped popular songs using medieval style  music. I listened to quite a few songs by an artist known as the Canadian Hildegard von Blingin' eg. Jolene, Painted Black, Wicked Game, Holding out for a Hero and Bad Romance.

Re-tasting Food: I am in the process of feeding my gut biome a larger range of foods. This week I re-tasted sardines and artichoke hearts after years of not eating them.

Creative Explorations: I also took some time for intuitive creative play in my sketch book, while listening to bardcore music. Drawing lines and shapes with a gel pen*. Trying washes of light coloured acrylic paint. And playing with a red fineliner^ pen and unactivated Scribble Sticks*^, a water-soluble pigment, like a woodless pencil or crayon.

I hope that you too can discover something new this week or something you haven't done for a long time. 

* Uni-ball Signo Line Gel Pen 0.7 black

^ Staedtler triplus fineliner brilliant colours

*^ Dina Wakley Media Scribble Sticks, water-soluble pigments by rangerink 

Creativity: Week 5 2024 - Mini Paintings = Joy

Week 5: Forgiveness - I choose not to punish myself for my failures, instead learn how to do things differently. (SoulSistersToo - Soulfilled)

Intention Setting: Spirit please assist me in finding peace and acceptance as I learn how to do things differently. 

I am yet to begin physically creating my next artwork series. Previously I would have pushed myself to start, even knowing I was not ready to begin. In the past this has led to many hours of frustration and feelings that my work is not good enough. Joyless creating. 

In choosing to do things differently this month I chose to revisit creating Teacup Flower paintings. Mini little watercolour and ink illustrations that fill me with joy. 

Affirmations: Week 43 2023 - Stillness

Affirmation for Week 43 2023: Stillness - I take moments to be still. (SoulSistersToo - Soulfilled)

Intention Setting: Help me feel no guilt when I take time moments to be still or when I choose to do nothing.

Affirmations: Week 40 2023 - Mindfulness

Affirmation for Week 40 2023: Mindfulness - Stop! See - Listen. Be Mindful. (SoulSistersToo - Soulfilled)

Intention Setting: May I have moments to stop, to be mindful and peace filled. 

 

Exhibition Tour with Stephanie Owen Reeder

There is always something new to discover at the National Library of Australia's (NLA) Story Time exhibition.

Today Stephanie Owen Reeder, author of Story Time Stars, guided members of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) though the exhibition. She picked a selection of exhibits that would give writers and illustrators insights into the process in creating books.

To being the tour Stephanie showed us the first Australian children's book, A Mother's Offering to her Children, written by Charlotte Waring Atkinson. 

Charlotte is the 4th-great grandmother of authors Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell. At a recent book talk Kate revealed that even family members cannot handle this book due to its fragility. However it can be viewed as an online version.

Exhibition: Story Time: Australian Children's Literature

Last night's opening exhibition crowd deemed the new National Library of Australia exhibition, Story Time: Australian Children's Literature, presented in association with the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature, a huge success. 

They were a buzz with excitement and even squealed with delight as each new story was discovered on the walls and in the display cases. 

I guarantee that book lovers of all ages will adore this new exhibition, as it takes you on a journey down memory lane. 

Remember your childhood favourites; Seven Little Australians, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie,  Mary Poppins and Blinky Bill.

Rediscover books from your children's childhood: Possum Magic, Koala Lou, Animalia, Max, The Hidden Forrest and The Arrival.

Or discover some newer childhood favourites: Where is the Green Sheep?, Dinosaurs Love Cheese and The 65-Story Treehouse.

Creative Kids Tales Writers' Festival 2019

Georgie Opening the Festival

Invest was the theme and this year's CKT Writers' Festival was a great investment!

Georgie Donaghey organised another whopper festival, it included:

• Jackie French, 
• Emma Quay,
• Jacqueline Harvey,
• Deborah Abela,
• CKT members, 
• Susanne Gervay,
• and some publishing editors & agents. 

I didn't partake in any assessments on the day, instead I wanted to invest my time in listening to the presenters and socialising/connecting. This blog will look at the top tips that I will invest into my craft. 

Day Six and Seven: Portfolio Project with Nina Rycroft

Day Six and Seven of Nina Rycroft's online course, Portfolio Project. 

Day Six, Session One, was with Wen Sylvestre looking at How to Find Your Own Art Voice & Style. This is a idea that many aspiring children's illustrators struggle with, how do you find you own style? 

Wen walked us through how she worked on finding her own style, where you are no longer copying someone else's style. You need to:
1. Look into yourself, and
2. Explore and capture your environment.

She asked us to answer many questions but the most central question was Who Am I? 
To find out more about this process see here.  

I took on the challenge to not just answer the questions in words but to push myself to draw the answers. 

What do you do in your spare time?

Day Five with Nina Rycroft's Portfolio Project

Day Five of Nina Rycroft's online course, Portfolio Project. 

We began day five with Ben Whittacker- Cook (author of Florence Fox Goes to School) who showed us How to Write a Great Bio in 100 words. See my About Me page for my new short biography.

The second session today was with Amy Calautti or @amygorgeousness who talked about Illustration Challenges - Projects to Publication. One Instagram challenge that Amy takes part in is #drawthisinyourstyle She challenged us to take part by drawing one of her illustrations in our own style.

Amy reminded me to keep my SCBWI portfolio link updated.

Finally, take a look at Amy's blog where she has more information about portfolio submissions and organising your to do list into manageable bites. 

Day Three: Portfolio Project with Nina Rycroft

Ridiculous Selfies and Passions that Spilt Over on Day Three of Nina Rycroft's Portfolio Project.

In session one Zoe Collins walked us through the idea of branding ourselves - how are we unique and what do we want to be known for? Mmmm food for thought.

Warning - Ooops imperfect spelling...

Day Two: Portfolio Project with Nina Rycroft.

Day Two of Nina Rycroft's online course, Portfolio Project. 

It has taken me a day (today is actually Day Three) to mull over the CHALLENGE set by Susanne Gervay and Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. They set an illustration challenge to take a child from a classroom and give them a character.

My mind went blank and I've worked in schools for many years. I was thinking all kinds of things to illustrate even an incident in the sand pit and then POCK! It hit me in the head like a yo-yo trick gone wrong. 

This is a work in progress and still needs colour but I like to let my ink dry for 24 hours before I paint over it.

Susanne & Marjorie: Illuminate Don't Decorate (Show Don't Tell)

The second session was a video of Katrina Avery about 'Fitting it all in - An IllustrationBiz Planning Tool'. I was a founding member of IllustrationBiz and I value Katrina's insights about the business of illustration. 

Towards the end of 2018 I began working on planning my day in blocks around my energy levels and daily commitments. This change was inspired by the YouTube video The Daily Block Schedule by Jordan Page (Thanks Jen Storer for sharing this in the Duck Pond). I found that Katrina's planning tool dovetails quite nicely in with Jordan's ideas. 

Katrina: Organise, Prioritise and Plan 
I also liked this thought from Katrina 'Is your disorganisation my emergency?'

March Suitcase Rummage (Art, Not Apart)

The first Suitcase Rummage of the year was part of the Art, Not Apart program and the art stalls were located in the West Courtyard on Phillip Law Street. 

We (hubby and I) found a lovely shaded spot for the day under the trees and I had lots of time to relax and fall into the flow of creativity.

At this stall a new range of cards were available and a few new original artworks were for sale, including: Baby Blue (the original artwork is going to a great grandchild), Hope (the Dove and Olive painting), Easter Wreath and Purple Egg. This market was also the first time two of my original A3 silhouette illustrations were available for sale: Raining Cats & Dogs I and Tightrope Hens I. 

Day One: Portfolio Project with Nina Rycroft.

Today I started to watch the latest online course by Nina Rycroft, Portfolio Project. She has brought together such an amazing and inspiring group of people. Day One was Karen Abend and Penelope Pratley. Words that come to mind are growth, development, play and observation.

My intention is to learn and be inspired to progress my illustrations into a portfolio that I can share with people in the industry.

Karen: Make it Doable.

It was wonderful to do a workshop with Karen again after last year's Sketchbook Revival which inspired my 100 Days of Circles sketching.

Penelope: Learn from your favourite illustrator's styles.

Again I am reminded that Richard Scarry was a childhood favourite and his books would help settle my mind and keep bad dreams at bay.

These days I love so many illustrators; Stephen Michael King, Julie Vivas, Anna Walker, Alison Lester, Anil Tortop, Tania McCartney, Katrin Dreiling and Russell Ayto to just name a few.

New Cards for March 2019

At this Saturday's Suitcase Rummage during Art,Not Apart I will be releasing four new cards. 
My stall will be open between 1pm to 7pm, in the New Acton Precinct. I will probably be in the Suitcase Art section in the West Courtyard on Phillip Law Street. Map here.

Baby Blue and Easter Wreath
Hope and Purple Egg

All of these new cards are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled, uncoated paper. 

The first new illustrated card is Baby Blue. Baby Blue came to life during my daily drawing series, 100 Days of Circles. Baby Blue is snuggled in a blue starry night blanket inside a woven brown bassinet basket.  

This is a draft of Baby Blue -
I think that the version
with white stars and clothing,
and lighter hair is a better composition.

The second and forth cards were both designed with Easter in mind. 

Easter Wreath, is an echo of my Christmas Card (my first printed card in 2017). In this card I wanted to show the traditional theme of spring, the daffodils combined with Easter Eggs. 

While, Purple Egg, is a homage to my silhouette illustration style and a painting that I gave to my sister as her 2017 Christmas Present. I have taken her bunny and given him an egg to celebrate Easter.

Christmas Bunny 2017 (cropped)

The final new illustrated card is Hope. Hope came from the Sketch Book Skool - A Drawing A Day word list and was my second illustration for 2019. Hope always makes me think of Noah's Ark and hence the motif of a dove holding an olive branch. Additionally, olives are grown in the gardens near where I live, so it links back to some of my other New Acton Precinct inspired artworks: Red/Yellow Chair, Butterfly and Beehive, from my Garden Series 1. 

A sketch of a dove that developed into Hope.

I hope that you enjoy these new cards as much as I enjoyed creating them. 

Keep an eye out in April for some new illustrations that I am currently working on that will become a new series of illustrated cards.