Daily Drawing Complete!

Hi there. How are you?

My Creativebug 31 days of drawing challenge is complete! It was a great experience and I'm proud of the work I created.  Click HERE to see the first 12 days of drawings. Here's what I've drawn since I last posted:

Daily Drawing Challenge, Day 13-20, January 2016

January Daily Drawings - Days 21-26

January 2016 - Daily Drawings days 27-31.

So, I decided to make the Day 29 drawing the large one in this vignette, as I like it much better than day 31. I didn't have a whole lot of time to draw those phones, and it's not my most successful drawing. At least I still did the drawing, right?

What's Next?

I woke up on February 1st feeling a little bit of a letdown. With January's drawing challenge complete, I just didn't know quite what to do with myself!

There are actually 2 different February drawing challenges out there and I was planning on taking part in one or both. I sat down to draw yesterday and was just not enthused about either course. I guess I'm getting a little tired of someone else telling me what to do (although that was quite comforting over the last month. ) 

I've got my own subjects to tackle and I'm ready to get cracking on these! I want to do a special drawing so send out to my mailing list later this month. I want to draw wine and coffee illustrations to complement my beer tea towel design. I want to finish up my second coloring book.

I'm not going to give up the practice of drawing each day, and posting them on Instagram, but I'm going to draw what I want to. If the prompt in one of the daily challenges seems appealing, I'll draw it, but I won't feel beholden to the draw what's been prescribed for today.

That's all for today!

Ciao friends. I have to go draw. See you here next week! Like to see what I'm up to in the studio on a daily basis? Follow me on Instagram.

Daily Drawing Challenge and A Belated Happy New Year to You!

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know it's almost the end of January, but 2016 has been slow going for me. I'm finally getting into the swing of things, and now I am ready to kick some 2016 a$$!

I'm taking part in the Creative Bug 31 Days of Drawing during January 2016. Click to see all of my daily drawings.

Daily Drawing Challenge 2016

To kick-start my creative practice in 2016, I'm taking part in a daily drawing challenge, organized by Lisa Congdon, one of my artist heroes. Each day in January, she has selected a different subject to draw. It's been awesome to have someone tell me what to do, and I look forward to drawing each day!

But Sometimes It's a Challenge

Some of the subjects we've drawn this month have been totally in my wheelhouse. Drawing these root vegetables was a breeze. Other subjects, like watches and cats, were outside of my comfort zone and I had to really push myself to do the drawings. Even if I'd have varying degrees of success with these daily drawings, I've learned and grown much.

Daily Drawing Challenge - Days 7-12, January 2016

Follow Along on Instagram

I've been documenting each of my drawings on Instagram. I invite you to follow me there. It's been fun to see how other artists have approached the same subject matter. I'm learning as much from my fellow artists as I am from doing the drawings myself!

That's all for Now

I've got lots of big plans for 2016. Check back soon to see what I've got brewing. Ciao!

How to Get Out of a Creative Funk

Hi there. How are you?  

I drew this pattern in my sketchbook the other night. I must admit, I love this one! It's organic, a little bit elegant, and very much me.  I don't know how I will use this new pattern yet, but you will see it somewhere. Maybe on a card? Maybe in a coloring book? Perhaps on a textile? (Stay tuned!) 

This drawing came to be after hours of creative struggle. Read on.....

A pattern drawing from my sketchbook.

In a Funk

Before I made the drawing you see here, I was working one some drawings for a new coloring page. (I'm not going to share it with you because it was CRAP!) Everything I was drawing looked forced. I was frustrated. No good was going to come from these drawings.

Instead of sticking with it, I opened my sketchbook to an empty page and let my pen wander.

I came up with this new pattern by loosening up and letting my pen wander around the page.

Loosen Up!

This is what I drew. The shape that became the repeating element in my pattern organically emerged from this doodle. Just as I've said time and time again, the looser I am the more the work flows. All I had to do was loosen up and turn off my inner critic.  Just moving that pen along the page with little thought and absolutely no judgement was enough to get me out of my creative funk.

If you're struggling with your creative work, try this!

Seriously, just get out a piece of paper and your favorite drawing implement and let your hand wander. It's terribly therapeutic!  (If you do try this, I'd love to hear about it and see your efforts.)

My other favorite ways to get out of a funk include walking, cleaning, and organizing. Just a change of scenery, rote, mindless movement/activity is usually enough to get me in a better space. (The time I spent today removing excess mortar from the shower floor tile we are installing in our new bathroom was incredibly therapeutic!)

What do you do to get yourself out of a creative funk? Do share!

That's all for today. Ciao, and Happy Thanksgiving Week!

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