I read about the GPP Street Team on TJ's blog at Tales from Studio Mailbox. Michelle Ward sets out a challenge every month on her blog http://michelleward.typepad.com/how_cool_is_that/ and invites everyone to play along. I hopped over last week and found the latest challenge: Seasonal Wardrobe.
And this is the question:
When seasons change and you change your wardrobe, do you also change your creative habits?
Oh yes I do! Ever since the warm and bright days of May, I want to go outside and just soak up every ray of sunlight that there is. But on the other hand, I want to paint and work in my books as well.
So my wish is to take out a sketchbook and go outside and just do some doodling, not even serious artwork. Just playing.
And there is a change in using materials. I am a of acrylic-paint-kind-of-girl But one thing that does not go well with warmth and sun, is acrylic paints.
It quickly forms a skin first and then start to dry everything under it. It is frustrating to work with it outside and I tend to throw away too much paint.
So, when the sun comes out I like to dig up the water colours again. And to be honest, watercolours are just not really something for me. I have the feeling that I can't express myself that well with these soft transparant colours. And still, every year when summer approaches I think that this summer is the year that I really learn to use them properly.
And, I feel more like doodling and doing small and simple things, like sketching in a small book. Or working on loose pages.
And instead of spending lots of time behind the computer, I just take notebooks everywhere and write out new ideas that come up. The change of seasons certainly brings me more inspiration.
I even started to change the appearance of my blog since spring arrived. I changed the black background to a fresh white, posted bigger images (just for a while) and recently changed te font too. And I am full of ideas to make more changes.
So I guess that my 'Seasonal Wardrobe' is a change of working in medium, a lighter and brighter way of working, and getting too much ideas that I really have to write down in notebooks!
And how about you? Do you change just the clothes that you wear? Or do you change the way you work, or the colours that you work with?
10 comments:
Jacqueline - welcome to the team! Love hearing that you work differently in the summer, not only lighter and more free, but with different medium. I never considered that working outside with acrylic could be problematic. (When I work outside it is with spray paint - I love that it dries so fast in the sun.) Fun to hear that you also changed your blog appearance - since it is my first time here I have to say I couldn't imagine it with a black background. White works! Thanks for coming to play!
I definitely feel the same urge to get outside. I'm glad you found a medium to fit your outward-bound tendency :)
I definitely work outside more in summer myself. I carry little pocket sketchbooks to write down ideas and inspirations. I recently discovered spray inks which dry so quickly and it doesn't matter if you spray the grass! I love that you switch to watercolors when it gets warm. I like acrylics, but love to fill watercolor journals with pages and pages of colored backgrounds! Thanks for sharing!
Yeah Jacqueline! Welcome to the Crusades... your blog is looking fresh and beautiful. Your watercolor tray makes me want to drive to Holland and come paint with you!!
Best wishes from your friend in germany, tj
Watercolor is great for the warm days of summer. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on art and the seasonal changes
I've been switching between mediums a lot lately, and it is a challenge. Working with watercolors is almost backwards to the way I work with oils and acrylics. Is that the problem you have, too/ And sometimes I forget what I'm using and work the wrong way round, LOL. Watercolor and watercolor pencils (with a waterbrush) are much easier for outdoor summer use, you are right.
Oooh, I love the look of your watercolour box; it just begs you to grab a brush and get going huh? Love it.
Interesting that you change mediums as well as colours with the seasons! Welcome to the Street Crusades!
You have a wonderful blog!! Love your thoughts on seasonal mediums to work in and also your color tags, they look very pretty!
So love your layout! I love your paint box, I want it! Very cool!
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