Tag: new year

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Art Supplies

So many art supplies to choose from…Yes, there sure are! 

I suggest keeping things simple. I believe in the inspirational powers of limitation. You don’t need the fanciest of supplies out there to get started and to make art. If you think you do, then, I will tell you right now, that’s just an excuse. And you don’t need another excuse to keep you from creating.

Now later on, you might want to splurge on quality watercolor paper or an expensive ink pen that delivers precise lines in just the right way. I won’t tell you that you won’t notice a difference in the end result. You will, especially when it comes to watercolor paper. But, for the every day sketching and learning, you don’t need to shell out the hard-earned coin for anything special. 

For the month of January, I will be limiting myself to the use of pencil and ink pen. My intention is to get better with line drawings, so I will be using this 31-day challenge to practice with only these tools. I imagine that after 31 days of drawing daily with pencil and pen, I should learn something knew and gain a bit more control of using them. 

So, when it comes to choosing art supplies for this challenge, think about limiting yourself. Maybe you will do 31 days of drawing with colored pencils or maybe even using crayons. Perhaps you want to have the option of combining a few items to see what you can do. And then there are those who don’t need to limit themselves at all. 

Go for it. But whatever you choose for supplies, make it something that is meaningful for you. Choose something that you are curious about using.

I would love to hear in the comments what supplies you will choose during this month!

– Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

January Sketchbook Challenge

With a new year, often times comes a want for new habits and growth. For me, I have a pretty long list of goals I would like to target in the year 2021. But, I will start with the 31-Day January Sketchbook Challenge for now. 

To answer what it is, watch the video below. 

As a quick note, I plan to keep things simple and use limited supplies–such as a pencil or ink pen and a smaller sketchbook (I’ll post what I will use soon). But you can decide what supplies you wish to use!

Oh! And as a supply option, I forgot to mention crayons! Don’t forget the beauty of drawing with crayons. Hope you will join me!

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A New Year, A Yes Year

2015 is my year of saying, Yes.

Yes to opportunities that scare the crap out of me, push against my comfortable habits, challenge my shyness, and confront my resistance toward fulfilling my dreams and seizing opportunities. It’s a year of saying, yes, and figuring it out–whatever it is–along the way, in the moment and usually afterward, when many mistakes are made. It’s going to be messy at times, imperfect often, and, I suspect, quite incredible.

I follow Elizabeth Gilbert on Facebook. She is a reflective thinker, a talented writer, a brave adventurer, who inspires and encourages myself, as well as many, to believe in the importance of cultivating our unique and creative expression. Our important, brave work.

One of her latest Facebook posts is currently promoting her next book being published September 22, 2015, titled, BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR. To promote her upcoming work she is posting a quote from the book each Monday. The first quote seemed perfect, timely and validating. Just another nudge from the universe, as per usual, when you begin to step onto the path. When you begin to finally say, yes.

So here it is…

“Your bravery is the big strong voice (or sometimes the tremulous little voice) that says: ‘The new thing. I choose the new thing. I am absolutely terrified, but that’s only normal because I am a human being…yet still, I choose the new thing.”

And, so it begins…I choose the new thing. This online journal is one of my new things. I’m terrified to share my writing with the world. I’m terrified to publish my creative works and ship them out into that big ol’ sea of human beings to judge and to feel or to not feel something after encountering it. It’s out of my control. It’s a new thing. I don’t really know how to blog or be successful at it. I don’t honestly know much about the publishing world. But, I’m saying, yes. I’m choosing a new thing. And, I will figure it out, all of it, along the way.

Yes, means that I will publish a post at least once a week. I will share short stories, chapters from books in the making, reflections, curiosities and even some art. I will share my journey of the New Year of Yes and remain transparent about the glorious and terrifying struggles it will invite. It is my hope that you will be inspired, maybe even encouraged to step onto the path of your important work that only you can grace the world with despite how terrifying it may be.

May your small light ignite something grand, as it only can….
Autumn