So.. the crazy in me.. decided my plate wasn't full enough and I needed to give myself one more thing to try and accomplish on a daily basis! A few weeks ago.. at my She ARt Matters Retreat, one of the sweet girls attending the retreat.. Michelle.. talked about a sketch a day challenge she participated in on another blog. The challenge was to do a face a day. Whether it was draw, paint, sketch.. scribble. lol.. just SOMETHING to help you become a better face artist. I LOVED the idea.. and mulled it over in my head for a few days.. and then decided I wanted to create my own personal challenge to create 30 girls in 30 days. A girl a day.
I didn't want to limit myself to just paint, I wanted revisit old favorites like using charcoal, my stabilo pencils, sketch pencils, oil pastels, watercolors, CHALK pastels, mixed media techniques and more. Somedays I knew I would spend more time on a girl, somedays would just be a simple drawing. But I wanted to challenge myself to create EVERY day. So on the 5th I decided to start. (who says it has to be on the 1st of the month?? right? :)). I am always known for making my own rules. lol.
I can tell you this challenge so far has been a BLAST. Somedays Its been seriously close to midnight and I have run out to my studio to sit and sketch something really quick to get the challenge done for the day!
But I did! AND.. some days and nights, I have gone out to my studio to sketch something really quick and ended up staying hours in there.. painting and exploring! Which I have ended up cherishing!
you may think I spend so much time in my studio.. heck before we moved into this new/old house I couldn't get ENOUGH of my studio. I was over here everyday I could.. just being here. Whether it was sitting on one of the couches reading books, or actually painting and creating. I LOVED being over here. Needless to say.. my "other" responsibilities seemed to fall by the way side and I found myself getting behind. lol.
Now that we have moved in.. I noticed that i would go a week sometime TWO without even stepping FOOT in my art studio! WHAT?? hello? it's across the driveway! lol.
(this was taken with me standing next to our house. Seriously that is my studio.. across the driveway. that close lol)
I just got so busy with the other aspects of my creative job/Life.. i would forget how important it was to be creative in THAT way too. I always felt so overwhelmed try to keep up with our Store.. ordering and listing new product, getting ready for upcoming retreats, Ordering products for the kit club, and running the back end of the kit club. Plus answering emails, trying to blog (once in a while hahah). Creating new workshops.. and not the actual filming of them.. but creating the classroom, back end website stuff. Same with all my websites. Scarlet Lime, my blog, and even creating logos, etc... not so fun stuff. . Etc. Many might think I hire a lot of that side of things out. But I actually do all of it myself. I dont have a background in web design.. but I have taught myself because I have never been one to "pay" for something I am determined to figure out on my own. I also have a hard time letting things "go" to other people too. Like I need creative control on EVERYTHING lol. It's a bad problem with me. So i just hunker down and do it all. Spend lots of day.. and nights after kids go to bed, managing the blog, all my workshops, our mixed media store, our kit club and even our online bead store. it's a lot and it's sometimes tiring.. but it is how we support our family and so I do it and don't complain because we are BLESSED to have this job. BLESSED i tell you!
I started realizing though.. I was hardly EVER making time to create! AND HELLO?? isn't that the reason I do all of this? To create?? I think so.. and to SHARE what I create with others.. not just in my classroom but in other ways as well.
So I started this challenge for myself as a way to kind force myself into creating something EVERYDAY and being in my studio everyday too! It IS a challenge to find the time.. when I feel like I have WAY more important things to do.. but I have decided it's important!
I have been sharing my daily progress on facebook and Instagram. I admit. Now that I share everything on instagram/facebook.. I have a hard time "bloggin" as I feel like so many of you already follow me on instagram or facebook and I post so much about my life on there, that it feels "redundant" to be posting about it again here.
But I also forget that a short "blurb" on my instagram about something.. isn't the same as writing and sharing with you all here. Here I can be so much more involved and open, here I can give so much more detail... Here I can be long winded and bore everyone to death! lol.
But you know what I mean. I also haven't spent much time lately sharing about my personal and struggles on my blog. I used to do that alot.. I think I have shied away from it because our little family of 8 has been through some pretty life changing, heart breaking trials over the past two years. Even more so over the past year. Things that at times I thought would totally just break me to the core.. and I didn't feel like sharing my struggles with the world. I could barley get through some days as it was.. let alone sit down and write about it. I just shut down.. and closed myself off to others. Seriously i did. Ask my family and friends. I HAVE.. not just did.. I HAVE. Which normally isn't me at all. I am a gabber and love to talk and love to share and LOVE to be around people! I think sometimes when you go through hard things.. your heart gets hurt and your spirit gets broken and you close yourself off to others as a way to i guess just survive? I don't know. I don't know the right words for it. I think for me too, its just so personal.. I feel like no one will understand.. so why share.. right? I don't know. Who knows. I didn't use to think that way.. but i guess sometimes we change :). Maybe someday I will feel different and be more transparent with my struggles. right now. not feeling that vulnerable lol.
Anyhow.. holy cow.. we have gotten sidetracked from this ENTIRE blog post.. SERIOUSLY lol.
SOO about this 30 day challenge! I have really had a lot of fun with it and just wanted to share some of what I have been doing with YOU! My BLOG friends! So here are just a few from the past couple of weeks. I will share more as the 30 days continues!
this was a fun watercolor I did on book paper. I LOVE watercolor as it can be so simple and LOVE using NeoColor Crayons and Inkense blocks. They give such BOLD color. Which for me.. well you know me! I love color! lol
I also have had fun exploring just simple things like charcoal.. and just a stabilo pencil. The pencil I love to sketch with and then turn it wet with a brush. LOVE the look. Charcoal is just fun all around. SPECIALLY love using charcoal sticks. yum.
Also have been playing with my soft pastels. I am not usually a fan of these when I work with mixed media because they don't translate well wet. I mean They "move" when you get them wet. Like Pan Pastels look awesome wet.. but not if you are layering other things on top of them and your design goes to pot. So these were just fun to do because they were done using only pastels and a stabilo. I also had fun trying different papers.. like using pastels on watercolor, bristol and charcoal paper. All with every DIFFERENT results.
The two small ones above were on cold press watercolor paper. VERY loose and smudgy. I kinda liked them.
this girl was done on charcoal paper. Smoother paper and you can see that her lines are a little more clear.
Just fun playing!
this girl was dong of course using messy paints and sprays, stencils, rubons. you name it! Trying a new technique for my upcoming online Abstract class!
here's another one I got messy with. This one I had actually started back at the retreat. But left it way undone. So decided one day I would take the time to finish it. Had fun with all the details on the shirts and hair. Always love getting messy on canvas!
and like I said.. some where just simple sketches with my sketch pencil on sketchbook. Nothing fancy.
All in all it has been a FUN experience! I have more to share.. but I think I have already bombarded you with words and pictures for today.
now whats up next for the blog?
WELL I have written a very long.. very "full" blog post of pictures and my experience with my She Art Matters Retreat here 2 weeks ago. It's was an emotional post to write! I have to say.. but I can't wait to share the experience with you.
Also.. next week will be announcing two new art retreats for Spring Here in my Studio/House. A mini more affordable retreat ALL about girls (kinda exploring things within my 30 day challenge.. like charcoals, pastels, watercolors, paints, etc). and then a full week long retreat where you will get to experience EVERYTHING.. girls, abstract, gelli plating.. the WHOLE shabang!
So next week! I plan to share both of those with you!
In the meantime. Have a happy weekend. Hey if you want.. JOIN me in this 30 day challenge! I would love it!
If you are on instagram.. tag me! @christytomlinson or #girladaychallenge. I would LOVE to see them!
xoxox
Happy Thursday
Love your 30 day face challenge, think it will be a great idea for me to try after Christmas. Just too many things going on right now. I follow you on FB but always love reading your blog posts for more details. You really are an inspiration to many.
Posted by: Dolores | October 23, 2013 at 11:28 AM
I don't follow you on Instagram or Facebook or I don't always check them but I do look forward to your Blog post. They are always inspiring. Love your 30 Day Challenge. I'd be running to my studio too, but obviously the reward has been worth all those late night art sessions. I might have to give this a go. Thank you!!
Posted by: Laura Strack | October 21, 2013 at 06:54 AM
Love the faces on your girls, Christy. There is so much depth in there eyes and the set of their mouths. Looks like a lot is being worked out through your challenge.
xoxo
lynn
Posted by: [email protected] | October 19, 2013 at 08:02 PM
I wish I could make it to the Retreats... Maybe when the kids get out from college (my youngest one is 16 month old!. You dont have a clue of how much your work inspired me! You were one of the first artist I discover at youtube. I fall inlove with your creations. I am totally going to take the challenge of one girl/face a day! I will start tomorrow Sunday!
Thanks again for so much inspitarion!
Becca
Posted by: Becca Boriscrapbookera | October 19, 2013 at 10:28 AM
I'm definitely learning that with a household to manage, kids, etc... time just flies ... so it's definitely important to make time to create! Thanks for sharing - beautiful girls!
Posted by: linda | October 19, 2013 at 08:02 AM
totally can relate-- I didn;t think we became artists to spend all our time on the computer and yet I spend so much of my time in front of this screen editing my listings, writing posts (though less lately), etc etc!
been stalking your beautiful and funny pics on instagram and may be up for a challenge...
Posted by: Schulmanart.blogspot.com | October 18, 2013 at 09:19 AM
I love your girls Christy, it's so interesting to see the different products you've used to create them. I had lunch with a girlfriend today and as we walked by the gift shop I recognized several of your products there. What fun it was to tell my friend I was taking some of your online workshops. I'm looking forward to hearing about your new art retreats and hopeful I'll be one of the lucky ones to attend. ♥
Posted by: Donna Howard | October 18, 2013 at 01:31 AM
Wow Christy, you inspire me so. It was YOU who started me on this art journey. I would just love to attend a retreat at your home but I live in Maryland so far away. One day maybe I can cross a retreat with you off my bucket list. Love all your girls above and love everything you haven't even made yet. LOL Sue
Posted by: susan schultheis | October 17, 2013 at 03:34 PM
Loved reading this Christy; I am hopeful that someday I can share what I create - but I know I need lots of practice. I loved seeing how all the "real" artists that I follow have to "practice" too - and I definitely how see the art has changed over the years. It gives me hope that I practice for a reason. Thanks for sharing from the heart.
Posted by: Missy | October 17, 2013 at 02:18 PM