LIST OF 6 FREE ART CHALLENGES AND GROUPS BEGINNING IN 2012

Where to start ? I am amazed and delighted at all the free opportunities for exploring art!  These are all new 2012 art challenges and activities. It seems like creative inspiration is just multiplying and spreading like crazy online ! What a wonderful year we have in front of us :) 

I'm listing these in the order that I discovered each 2012 art project :) since I could not find a better way to organize LOL.

First, on Ustream is Dede's/ Inkwell's 2012 Idea Collector Project @  http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/18838638. Each Wednesday morning Dede streams AND records for those of us who may miss her early bird show. Being on the West Coast this is at the crack of dawn for me, and I'm not always awake. Dede will give us a subject for each month and each week a subtopic for us to think about, collect and do art, then we will share during her stream. This is an exploration. For January the subject is Discovery and the first week is Style.  The link to her show is the one discussing the project and how to make a book with a pocket for each week. She made another stream that discusses January subject and the first week. this was an impromptu stream @ http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19398209, titled Coffee and Trickerheads in the Afternoon.This is a 3 hour stream and at 1:52 Dede discusses the Idea Collector book and January subject; she will probably discuss again tomorrow Wednesday on her regular show 9 am EST/ 6am PST on Ustream.

Second is Book of Days 2012 with Effy Wild. Effy has a Book of Days 2012 group on Facebook and a web page. Here is the link for the class description and signing up @ http://wildpreciouslife.com/

This class will have weekly videos and emails. We have already been working on creating journal covers and choosing One Word for 2012. She provided an online chat- Winter Solstice Releasing & Celebrating Ceremony that was fun for all! The Facebook group has been very active with everyone preparing their journals and choosing One Word for the new year.

Third, is the Postcard Challenge 2012 by Darcy on her blog Art and Sole @ http://art-and-sole.blogspot.com/2011/12/postcard-challenge-2012.html . This is based on Nick Bantocks Griffin and Sabine series. I had heard of these books, but never read. I immediately ordered a copy via amazon- there are some available for .01 plus shipping = 4.00$ I really enjoyed this book and now want to read the others! The challenge is to create two characters and two addresses. She will post a country each week and we are to create a postcard between our two characters. Sounds like a lot of fun! I'm thinking if you don't want to create a story between two characters it is still possible to do postcards based on the country provided for the postcard challenge.

Fourth, is 52 PlayDATES by Jan fox @ http://janfoxdesigns.blogspot.com/p/52-playdates.html. Each week she will post a new mixed media/ art journal adventure  for 2012. There is a flickr group @  http://www.flickr.com/groups/1844373@N21/

When I discovered two more challenges today, I knew I needed to organize these in a list :)

Fifth, is the Creative Color Challenge 2012 @ http://louisegale.com/color-your-life/creative-color-challenge-2012/ . Each month a color palette will be posted to explore, create and inspire. On the 28th of each month Louise will post her creations and everyone can post a thumbnail with a link back to your blog for us to visit. There is also a flickr group for posting images.

Sixth, just created today is Great Inspirations and Creative Conversations  by Kristen Powers to read The Artist's Way.   Here is link for the Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/groups/305469276165135/ or look up Kristen Powers on Facebook

All of these groups are providing amazing opportunities and communities of artists.

Please comment about any other free challenges or groups. I'm sure there are some more blog challenges. Maybe I'll try to collect and do another posts on blog prompts and challenges.

HOW DO I KEEP MY JOURNAL WRITING PRIVATE?

There are many different levels of privacy. Do you need to feel free to write your emotions, thoughts and feelings down when you are upset? Are you concerned about prying eyes, or just that it might possibly, be accidently read? Do you want to keep this journal entry totally private? Do you feel the need to preserve this entry once it is written? In this video I am going to show you some options for keeping your journal entries private to free you to open your heart and soul and let it all out.

First Things First

I want everyone to know about art journaling! It is something anyone, both children and adults, can do. Little children can start with collage or paint, coloring etc. I remember, when I was very little, cutting out images and putting them in a scrapbook. I don’t remember how, tape or glue, but I remember sitting on the floor with one of those very large old scrapbooks. I think my Mom was just trying to keep me busy, lol. I have always remembered that , but never asked her about it. Anyway, art journaling is something everyone can do with minimal supplies or you can buy supplies from every section of the arts and crafts stores.


WHERE AND HOW TO BEGIN

JOURNALING-
How do I begin?
How do I keep my writing private?
How can I avoid the editor in my head?
How can I avoid the White Page Syndrome or Blank Page Syndrome?

First off , lets get it very clear :

ART JOURNALING IS FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE!!
THERE ARE NO RULES!!
YOU CANNOT DO IT WRONG!!

The Blank Page
For artists or writers with a task such as a novel or nonfiction assignment it may be not knowing where to start or worrying it will not be “good enough”. For art journalers, it is usually the fear of starting. Fear of ruining a perfectly good journal with dross. Fear of writing your innermost fears, imaginations and thoughts about anything and everything.

My Story
Everyone has their own “story” of how they arrived at art journaling. Mine apparently is not that unfamiliar, one I’ve read from others. I came upon altered books, zendoodles and then discovered art journaling when I was searching for techniques to change the cover of my Moleskine. I had decided I couldn’t begin to write until I changed the all black cover of my beloved Moleskine. I never did find anything with that search. Well, I now use that same Moleskine to keep notes about art journaling, and it still has it’s original black cover! Not that I haven’t learned an abundance of techniques, just that I am still “playing” and learning. Learning the basics,that is, because the learning is an ongoing process of trying new techniques, products and combination of products!

Ok, Lets Finally Begin
So, where to begin? I bought a lot of stuff, spent a lot of money... it can be addictive, especially watching Haul videos by the many crafters on youtube. BUT,and that is a big but; it’s not all necessary!! You can begin with a small outlay for basic supplies. Many of you may already have supplies from other crafts. I had none. Walking into Michael’s , I felt like a Stranger in a Strange Land or alien walking into another Universe. I was overwhelmed, but I now feel at home. I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or not , lol. All I had was some nice BLANK journals. I have since discovered, I am not the only collector of pretty Blank Journals that continue to remain empty... Maybe one day, but for now lets get started.

If you are hesitant like me, start with something already used or an empty Composition notebook. At this time of year, the best price is usually the dollar store. However, come summertime with the back- to-school specials you will find the Composition Notebooks for 25 cents each! My local grocery/department store had coupons with a limit, but Walmart had no limit. I bought both and I think maybe the Walmart ones are not sewn as well, but it really doesn’t matter!! I bought many, with the intention to make a junque journal/remains of the day journal for my daughter and son for Christmas. I discovered it to be more like making mini-albums and scrapbooking, and this did not bode well for me and my ATG! ; we are still having issues! I’m hoping when the first roll of tape is done, I’ll have better luck. Anyway, back to art journaling.

Some inexpensive beginnings (and less intimidating) suggestions:

1. I started with an used Pocket Moleskine Weekly Planner only 3x5.
2. Used school notebook- wirebound 3 ring
3. Old catalog- any type, large book to small pamphlet type
4. Composition notebook- new or used
5. Any journal
6. Inexpenive used book, save some old yellowed books for adding
to your journal
7. Copy paper
8. Newspaper
9. Magazine- although you may want to keep some images

WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN ART JOURNALING

I hope to have a little for everyone, beginners and experienced art journalers. For the experienced art journaler there will be a focus on some writing prompts and the journey exploring life and our inner self. As I work through the beginning stages of the art portion of art journaling, I hope that everyone will find some useful ideas and inspiration.

Art journaling consists of two parts,the journaling and the art. Although you may have no journaling and choose your art to express your thoughts there will still be a focus point, inspiration and prompts offered.

My plans are to start with some VERY Basic ideas to help the beginner. Things I wish I had known:) I bought more than was necessary in the past 6 months, now I want to show how you can start simply and grow your supplies. I found it very difficult watching others who have been collecting for years, and the wide variety of supplies available made me want it all. I was unable to differentiate between what was basic and optional, and how to make choices. I found it very confusing for a beginner, at least it was for me :). So, if you are already an art journaler, what do you consider as the most basic essential supplies? Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Love, Community and Pink

 First a layer of craft pain, then I added Golden Quinacridone Magenta with a Recollections brayer with a flower design. I then added some Starbucks tissue paper but the words are very faint.

 Next I mixed the Golden Quinacridone Magenta and Titanium White and some acrylic medium and painted on and wiped some off and around on page with a babywipe- the "Paula" method:) or Journal Artista method. Then I stamped with a red Staz-on pad and a script stamp.

 Close-up but you still cant read the tissue paper words that are barely visible, they are in the lighter areas.

 Page 1 closeup

 Here is the Recollections brayer from Michaels, I went to a larger store out of town and they had two additional rollers with designs. The other is dots.

First time using my alphabet stamps and a new stamp of a woman with stars in her hair. This picture is a little washed out because the sun was shining so below is closeup out of the sun.

 This is a more realistic picture of the colors page 1.

Page 2 close up- the colors are more like the picture above, and near the bottom of the page. The lighting made the top of the page lighter.

Now to finish with journaling and doodling!

I have yet to complete a journal page. I am definitely a newbie beginner, still trying different papers, and different products learning how they work together. Today the challenge in the art journaling community is to do something pink with the theme of love and community. I've had a migraine mild to moderate the last 2 days, so I started my background and think I finished. The migraine increased, so it was time to sit on the couch and watch the stream-athon today :) My plan is to journal and do some zendoodling on the pages to finish. This way I can finish on the couch with my heating pad on :) I am also a beginner with the doodles so I may practice some first. I am posting the pages in progress. When I came downstairs, I was surprised that the beginning stages looked a lot like Jelliebeans who was on next. I added Starbucks tissue paper that is now nearly invisible... so sad because I loved the words! The tissue paper is the lighter areas of the page, these areas are  where I used a baby wipe to wipe off the paint :)