Oh my word… I LOVE THIS PROJECT! I had so much fun, and I even had a couple of ah-ha moments. {As a refresher, in case you missed the first post about this – on the first Saturday of each month, for all of 2015, I’ll be posting a new project right here. Each one is from my book, Creative Block. I’m doing all of them, and you’re welcome to join in!}
The #creativeUNblock project for January is by Trey Speegle – p.79, Creative Block. Find or draw an image, copy it 50 times on cardstock, and then alter it 50 different ways. Trey also adds, “Create your own tight parameters… then give yourself a LOT of room to play.” Ok, so to be totally honest, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Alter it 50 different ways? With any supplies I want? The possibilities felt endless… but not in a good way. I decided to take Trey’s advice and add one more “tight parameter” for myself. I chose a very limited palette, mainly neon pink/red. I grabbed my gel pens, gouache, bits of cut paper, washi tape, the spirograph set I got for Christmas, and a big cup of coffee!
In the back of my mind, as I was choosing supplies, I thought, “Maybe I should grab some paint.” Nah. I’ve decided that I’m not a painter, so no need for paint. But it kept nagging me… this is supposed to be about being free to experiment. Why wasn’t I truly doing that? I wasn’t even touching the neon gouache that I’d brought out. Then it dawned on me {and I have no idea why I’ve never put this together before}… you can’t spell painting without PAIN. Ha! Very true for me… and it actually made for a fantastic piece in this little series! I decided to stop being such a baby and face my “fears”. I grabbed the paint. Wouldn’t you know, my favorite piece from the whole day was covered in paint {the hands, above}. The thing I had to get over was worrying about “ruining” the piece I was working on. Who cares? That’s the whole point in having 50 in front of you… make make make make… that includes making mistakes – or happy accidents depending how you look at it. Oh, it was amazingly liberating, in so many ways! I’m sooooo doing this again. And again, and again! {No really, I’m going to choose a totally different image, and go again before January is over!}
If you want to share what you’re making for this project, just upload your work to instagram or twitter and hashtag it with #creativeUNblock. I’ve seen lots of you doing it already, and I hope you’re having as much fun as I am! {Just a few weeks til the February project goes up}
Danielle, awesome job and hurray for grabbing that paint!
I’m following along (on Instagram for now) and loving it. It’s freeing me and, actually, gave me some ideas for the future projects. Slap slap slap!
Love love love.
Hope you’re having a great time in Mexico 🙂
Marta
These are awesome – I think my favorite is the grid of pink dots
I need to grab this book ASAP – I love all of the creative unblock ideas you have touched on!
maggie
http://www.unboundprocess.com
thanks ladies! i’m having waaaaaaay too much fun with this! 🙂
you made me decide to do this – NOW
My birthday is coming up soon and I am sooooo hoping a certain book arrives for me.
Loving what you have done. Must get on with starting myself 🙂
oh, those ghostly hands with the painterly cuffs… absolutely gorgeous! i am totally loving working on this project with your good self, and lots of great artists. biggest breakthrough for me is discovering that it’s fun rather than scary to share your work with a like minded and supportive group (on instagram). looking forward to a whole 12 months of unblocking projects :))
You gave me, unknowingly, the last push to not only start this project with lots of others but also start a new blog. My second post is about you. Thank you!
http://www.foundsomepaper.com
oh, wow! i’m honored… thank you so much uli! have fun with it!!!
OK! I’m on board with everyone else – just can’t wait to get started making a deck of 50 ways of looking at the Virgin of Guadalupe…
I love what you’ve done – and hearing about your process with getting into the PAINt. That color OPERA is a favorite – there is just nothing like it…and now I wish I had a tube.
I live in Mexico, but next trip to the USA I’m getting your book.
Congrats on the book – it looks just beautiful.
Quick question:
Did you do all 50 at once?
yes lisa, that’s the idea… or enough in front of you that you won’t care if you “ruin” one. the idea is just to go and go and go without worrying or being too precious about any of them. i did 50 in one shot and i’d say i was happy with about 30 of them… not bad! 😉
ps. no pressure, but i think my book is available in mexico too. check your local bookstore – and you can always ask them to bring it in 😉