Videos for a lazy Friday!

 Since I am having so much trouble getting started, I think I will go back to basics.  Art journaling is a great way to get your mind free and loose.  Here are some videos from a few of my favorite artists online.  I hope you enjoy!

 

Artist Block -- Who me?

In case you haven't noticed, I went on vacation and apparently never returned.  I am having trouble getting myself back into the swing of things.  I haven't been keeping up my blogs, I haven't been doing any art, I haven't been reading good books or watching any good movies.  I just seem to go through my days in some sort of fog, performing necessary activities only.  I work, I pay bills, I walk the dogs, etc.  The only thing I find any time for is to sit in front of this computer.  I look at everything, it really doesn't matter the subject matter.  The computer is a treasure trove for trivia driven information and the computer can eat up large blocks of time. 


They say that acknowledging the problem is the first step, so here goes.  I am forcing myself to update all of my blogs today.  I am committing to keeping them updated at least twice a week.  I will spend no more than 2 hours a day just "playing" on the computer -- mostly I like to read about setting up websites and such.

I am going to make myself set aside a specific block of time each week to work on my art projects.  If I still cannot get going, then I will make myself sit there at my craft desk for the allotted time.  I want to paint, I just cannot get myself to start doing it, so maybe that will help.


So, with all of this in mind, I received an email today that resonated with me.  I am posting some of it here in case you are struggling with any of these issues.  I hope you find it helpful.

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14 Days of Art Prompts
1. Be inspired by your breakfast: Use the colors from your cereal box to start your next piece. 2. Use a mirror: Place a mirror on your work surface and make a painting by looking into the mirror. 3. Draw without looking: Draw a still life in a journal with your eyes closed. 4. Make a book: Google book binding and try a new binding technique. 5. Add glitter to something: Try German glitter glass or cut-glass glitter for a vintage look. 6. Create a Packing Tape Transfer: Place a piece of packing tape over a photocopy image and rub off the paper backing with a wet sponge. 7. Use old supplies: Use a supply in your studio that you haven’t used in at least 6 months.
8. Make a stencil: Take a picture of your favorite pet (or person) in profile and make a silhouette stencil. 9. Tear it up: Grab an old book and tear it up. See what you can build/cover/create with the pieces. 10. Fold it up: Try a piece of origami, search online for directions. Try it with vintage sheet music or even fabric paper. 11. Go opposite: Use the colors on the opposite side of the color wheel from your go-to palette. 12. Work big: Grab a piece of paper at least twice as big as you usually work on, and stretch yourself. 13. Work small: Sharpen your pencils, and grab your .005 Pigma® Micron pens and magnifying glass, and work small. 14. Carve it out: Take a moment to make your own artist stamp by carving an eraser with a craft knife.

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