30 days done!!!

Yay!!! The 30 days of the get-your-art-on challenge are complete – and I managed to be creative for every one of them!!! As you can see, I’m pleased, lol!!! My thanks to Traci – she was an inspiration

So, what have I done for the last 2 days, I hear you ask? Writing. And creating maps. And setting up a new blog to follow my progress on my possible novel, lol. Now that IS a challenge!!! But friends are telling me that they’ll prod me into action if I seem to be doing nothing toward it. Nothing much as yet to publish, but here is a sneak preview of the new map.

Base map of Rohinval

I traced parts of the old map that I used for the TAG project and used that as a base for the new one. Some of you may be able to spot a few of the original places, although I still have to add names, towns and roads. It’s on acrylic paper and I’ve used acrylic inks plus pen. The reason for the changes? My initial ideas grew as I wrote for TAG, and that included a changing view of the world. There were no plains, or very little in the way of grassy areas, and that just didn’t seem right. Plus I wanted to move some islands and incorporate the ‘desert’ island into the main continent. And so, voila!!!

Now, hopefully, I’ll be able to carry on creating most days. No, I’m not going to worry if I miss the occasional day. As long as that doesn’t turn into a week or longer without doing something creative then I’ll be happy. Good to know, though, that if I push myself, I can produce far more. I’ve also worked out a better timetable – writing in the morning (when I usually find I can write better) with other creative activities after lunch and into the evening, depending on what else is happening.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to stick to the plan now that I have one

The end of a project

Today I’ve written, and posted, the final chapters in Zentara’s Journey plus answers to a questionnaire that the creator of the project asked us to complete. The Travelling Artists’ Guild has been an extremely fun and useful project and challenge, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey. Some of the participants are choosing to continue and I thought long and hard about doing so. One part of me aches to do so, as I’ve made friends along the way and will miss the debates, discussions and support of those within the group.

But there comes a time when such projects become confining, when there is a need to depart gracefully and say farewell. And this I have done – well, maybe not gracefully, but you get the picture, lol. For me the project was about combining visual art and writing. Being able to do both was something I’d failed at before. During the last year, however, I have managed to do so. In fact, if anything, my visual creativity has blossomed.

As has my writing. Zentara’s journey may be finished within the parameters of the Guild. But her journey is not over. I plan to retell it, remake it and write her story in a different way and with different perspectives. No longer will it be told within the first viewpoint, limited to Zentara’s view of the world. Other characters need to have their say. And they will.

That is, at least, the plan. Whether or not it ever comes to fruition is another matter altogether, lol. But the seeds and the desire are there. I’m off to begin that part of the journey now. And oh, yes, Day 28′s challenge has been well and truly fulfilled, even if is only just past noon!!!

Writing and tearing

Torn papers, week 10, HeArt Journal.

Here is the finished spread for week 10 of the HeArt Journal. Torn dressmaking pattern tissue was layered down first before being painted with acrylic inks. I then added various torn papers plus some net and fabric torn from an old card. After adding more ink using a sponge and graphitint pencils to deepen the hue in places, I added the text, first with a Sharpie pen then a staedtler black pen to make the letters stand out more. Not my favourite spread in the journal but I’m pleased that I’m still doing the project – only 14 more spreads or pages to go!!!

I’ve also been writing. This week is the last for the current Travelling Artists’ Guild project. Our characters had to return to the Guild and I also wanted to bring Zentara’s current tale to an end. There will be one more episode after the one I posted this morning, plus possibly a final note from the ‘author’. But more on that later.

For now, I’m delighted to reach Day 27 of the get-your-art-on challenge having not missed a day. Only three more days to go

The Weekend

Autumn Colours fabric ATCs

Over the weekend, days 24 and 25 of the get-your-art-on challenge, I worked on these fabric ATCs for a swap on the Mixed Media ATC group. I had some wonderful fabric arrive with a mug rug via swapbot, and as soon as it tumbled out of the envelope I knew exactly how some of it would be used. So the little appliqués are from that and sewn on by hand. The rest of the stitching was done by machine, apart from sewing on the buttons, of course.

I also made two more spreads in my Arty Journal. I’ve been enjoying these – not only the making of them, but the writing on them later. These have yet to be used, but it’s good to have them ready for when I need to journal. And feels good, too, that so far I’ve been able to rise to the challenge. Only 5 more days to go!!!

More pages in my Arty Journal.

And the get-your-art-on challenge continues…

Background in heArt journal

Although I’m not updating my blog every day, I AM still continuing with the challenge to be creative every day in September. When I first started I was unsure as to whether I would be able to. But here I am, 23 days later, and still going strong. Only 7 more days of the challenge left. But hopefully it has got me into good habits, lol. So that once October rolls in I’ll carry on in the same vein.

Since my last posting, I’ve written another episode on Zentara’s Journey. ‘Taking Stock’ is not just about the character; it’s also about how I stand now, seeing the final line of the year’s project approaching. Zentara will continue. Either within the project if it goes into a second year, or as a solo project. I have plans. I want to expand my knowledge of the world I created. To see it through others eyes. To write more. Perhaps to even take it into the realms of a novel.

No promises though – a novel is a very, very different undertaking to the year’s journey. I tried it once before so I’m no stranger to the process. I got as far as probably 6 or 7 chapters from the end when I stopped. I’d suddenly seen a shift. Not just in the way the story was unfolding but in my whole concept of how the story should be told. And having shifted I couldn’t return to continuing the novel as it stood.

I worked on the new ideas, shaped a new novel chapter by chapter so that I wouldn’t have any more surprises when I came to rewrite. But by the time I came to the end of that, the love of the story had ended and the feel of the exploration expired and the spur that drove me had been snuffed out. I never wrote another word on that tale, and know I never will. So, I know exactly how fragile the story-telling can be. If I ever get to rework Zentara’s world, I’m sure I’ll be more amazed than anyone, lol!!!

Torn tissue background.

Back to the art challenge. I also made two backgrounds in my HeArt journal as I felt like doing something with paint, lol. Although one was done with watercolour pencils and pen. The other, though, is torn dressmaking tissue and acrylic inks. Both done before the next prompt became known – which I now learn is for torn papers. So I’ll be using that as my background for my next spread. I also read more about lace-making and had another little practice. I have new bobbins, and they are much more to my liking than the plastic ones. They just ‘feel’ right in my hands. Hopefully I’ll have a longer play with them soon.

More writing + cutting & pasting.

Week 9 of the HeArt Journal challenge

Yesterday saw me writing another episode for Zentara’s Journey. My character has now returned to the Travelling Artist’s Guild, as all of us active within the Guild will by the end of September. However, for Zentara there is more of her story to tell. This will, at least for this month, be told within the Guild Halls, with perhaps a bit of retrospection thrown in as she (hopefully) looks back and produces some visual images. That’s the plan, anyway!!!

I also worked on my HeArt Journal, producing the spread shown to the right. The prompt for this week was ‘Cut&Paste’ using a magazine face as a focus, and the image shown to inspire us was one by Teesha Moore. I’ve been meaning to play with her ‘style’ for a while so enjoyed doing the spread.

So much so, that this morning, virtually shut away in the front room whilst an engineer sorted out our heating system, I produced 3 more pages in her style within my Arty Journal. One has already had text filled in; the other two will be written on in due course.

First 'play' in my Arty Journal...

...and a double spread, ready to write on later.

Some writing

For the last 2 days I’ve been writing and have just published the latest episode of Zentara’s Journey for the Travelling Artist’s Guild project. It’s been nearly a year since this was started and has been a very worthwhile project as far as I’m concerned, despite my neglecting the journey in part since June. Life sometimes has a way of getting in the way of major projects such as these. It certainly did for me. But I feel as if I’m now back on track and am getting my character en route for the Guild in time for the finish of the year.

I’ve also managed some more lace-making practice – nothing much, just playing still with the 4 pairs of bobbins – plus reading up on lace, textiles and quilt-making in various books. So the get-your-art-on challenge still going strong – yay!

Days 16 and 17

The finished mini printer's tray.

Yesterday I finished the mini printer’s tray, including painting the back and edges. In the end I decided not to add as many elements as I’d originally intended – the old adage of keeping it simple seemed to work best. Will certainly do another of these trays at some point, has definitely been an interesting project.

Zentangled "I" ATC

I also made another of the zentangled alphabet ATCs – the letter “I” this time. As with the last 2, I printed the letter onto card before doing the zentangles using Staedtler pens.

Today we went to the Barrow Hill Railway Centre near Chesterfield for a special event there with the Hornby Model Rail exhibition as well as the normal displays. As always I took my camera and luckily we did get some sun between the heavy showers, so I was able to make the most of the photo opportunities.

In fact, I took over 100!!! Well, there was a lot to see, lol. Here are just a handful to prove that I more than fulfilled my creative challenge for the day: I have plenty of images that I might well use as the basis for collages or drawings in the future.

Looking out from the Roundhouse Engine shed.

Engine driver spotted through the shed window.

Happy engine?

Wonder where the temporary trackway department is then?

Steam, trains and chimneys.

Through a steam train window.

The hand of a god...

The Mayflower. A beautiful engine, and one of the main attractions.

And on Day 15…

My first tiny piece of lace pasted in my journal!

The lace-making in progress. Just before it all went wrong, lol!

… I finally made some lace!!! OK, it was only a very small piece, and I made mistakes, and because I missed out a pin it all started to fall apart. So I finished the pattern there, and instead have started a practice piece with just 4 pairs of bobbins, with no pattern to follow. Just doing whole stitch and learning slowly. And having fun.

I also painted the printer’s tray but took no photos as it was too gloomy by the time I’d done. And I’ve been thinking and making notes about Zentara’s Journey. All in all, the halfway point of the get-your-art-on challenge was a reasonably productive one.

Today I’ll be going out, but I still intend to do some art. Just not sure exactly what at the moment although I suspect there will be more lace-making practice at some point as I thoroughly enjoyed what I did, even if the result was poor and something that my great-grandmother would have probably tutted about and thrown away, lol. But then, we all have to start somewhere

Day 13 of the art challenge

Autumn

The Heart Journal challenge for this week was to use one word as a focus. With the blustery winds of the last 2 or 3 days and the changing leaves, I chose Autumn as my word. I added pen drawings to the background that I did yesterday, some cinnamon paint and foam letters, also painted with the Viva cinnamon precious metal. The words were added using a silver pen.

the mini tray as it is now

I’ve also made a little progress with my printer’s tray, adding a couple more elements and glueing down the second frame. The tray itself came with 3 frames but I’ve decided that 2 are enough for this trial play at 3D, plus I have an idea for the third frame. So this is as deep as it gets! Still playing with the other elements, plus I need to paint the sides and back before adding any more.