I was stuck in my head. When I am in my head it means I judge harshly. I criticize unrelentingly. I try to make it perfect the first time. Do you ever do that? Not a surprise that when I am only in my head my creativity is blocked.
Below is the process of how I used my spark of art-spiration to get out of my noisy head. What’s a spark of art-spiration? An inkjet print of a little piece of a larger painting that gives me a jumping off point. Exclusively in my newsletter, I share the links to download my sparks of art-spiration so you too can play and get out of your head. I have a newsletter going out this Sunday so if you aren’t getting my newsletters you can sign up on the top right of the blog (just under my photo) or here.
I printed out the spark in different sizes and looked at them on a journal page. I chose to use a small print of my spark of art-spiration. The hint of big wide eyes peering up grabbed my attention. No judgement. No grand plan. Just going with that first instinct.
I drew in my little critter but what is he looking at? What has him so wide eyed? My imagination was starting to come out and play!
Amazing creatures is what he’s looking at- but I started to over think and doubt my ability to draw. Sigh, back in my head. That doubt was paralyzing so I put the paint brush in my left hand and closed my eyes. What a mess I made. Oh, there is the judgement…
I didn’t love it at all at this point but the point of this journal page was to get me out of my head not make a masterpiece. Adding color made a huge difference- both in the page and in my attitude towards it.
More color with no plan but also no criticism. I played. I had fun.
Added rubber stamps and the flying horse thing still looks like a mess. Hmm. As I get out of my head I start to see opportunities in my “mistakes”. The strange body of the winged horse gives me an opportunity to add another layer.
The wide eyed wonder in this little guy reminds me of a little brother watching his big sister grow up and sprout wings ready to fly into the world. He realizes that he has those wings too, just hidden inside himself. As soon as he believes he will sprout his wings and fly too. I wanted the word fly on there and I wanted it be huge!
A building (love imaginary places- they don’t have to follow rules!) and some journaling and this spark of art-spiration is finished! I am out of my head and my creativity is released so I am ready for A Colorful Gelli Print Party!
A Colorful Gelli Print Party starts Jan. 1st! It is 7 days of Gelli posts. Don’t know much about a Gelli plate? Stop on over and see what this creative toy is all about! Got a Gelli plate? Bring yours and let’s play! There will be a link party so we can share the fun!
Want more creativity? Check out Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Every Day, and Creative Every Day!
Fun and bright! Just the way I like it. 🙂 Happy Holidays! 🙂
Glad you ‘got out of your head’ ~ wonderfully creative and colorful! ~ ^_^
(A Creative Harbor ~ aka ArtMuseDog and Carol ^_^)
Your art is always so bright and positive!
Love fantasy flying going on in your studio….hope you aren’t buried under a mountain of snow….looks pretty bad in your part of the world….maybe you can fly above it all. Enjoy your art-spiration, me too. I want a winged creature of my own. xox
So cool. Love the colors and the textures! But those little eyes…LOVE!! =D
I love the looseness with which you painted the ‘flyer’! Nice layers, too!
It’s just amazing what can come from a random snippet from your printer! And a willingness to play with no rules, of course! A good reminder for us all – you ended up with such a whimsical, colorful, uplifting page……
So much fun! I need to get some creative time in soon.
Rinda
This is a fun piece, bright and happy! Valerie
What a bright, colourful fun piece! Love it! Great message too!
Wishing you an extraordinary New Years!
How strange that out of (almost) nothing comes something so motivating. I feel empowered to get back into my studio and create! I love the background that supports your thick bright yellow (not to mention HUGE) thick title letters. A bold message!
I love reading about your process; it’s so enlightening and inspirational!! Wonderful colors!
This sounds familiar to me… bright and inspiring art
love love love seeing the work in progress!!!! wonderful journal!!! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!!!!
going to the non-dominant hand — brilliant! Love how you were able to recognize and acknowledge the critical voice, and then embrace your wild side! Gorgeous colors, as always, and the bit of art-spiration is truly an inspiration. You go girl!!
Wish I had an ounce of your creativity! You make these pages come alive, and your step by steps are always so inspiring! I love to see your wheels in motion! Fabulous!!!
Fun process, I enjoyed the trip! HPPF!
What a fun and creative process – and great, fun, beautiful result! HPPF!
Hey watching the entire process has been a total fun experience…yes I too believe in sprouting my own wings and flying high with all my might…Have a splendid 2013 🙂
Amazing seeing the whole process. I couldn’t do this. Have a happy and very arty 2013 Caroline, which I bet you will.
I enjoy how playful and free this is happy PPF!
So bright, clear, positive and sunny. FLY letters are so powerful. Beautiful, inspiring and creative art. thank you for sharing.
Love this work and all its luscious colors and textures, Carolyn!!
I’ve been thinking about my word for 2013, and was really leaning toward “fly!”
♥♥♥
Happy PPF and Happy New Year!!
Mary
Mixed-Media Map Art
Carolyn, your painting is beautiful. What a wonderful technique you have shared with us today.
Love your painting Carolyn. Most of all I love that you shared the process of “getting out of your head” I’ve been there myself for a while. I think I definitely need more “play” time to leave my head behind. Happy PPF
Don’t doubt yourself–just FLY! You can draw, you just have to believe in yourself 🙂 I believe in you!
Your art always makes me smile Carolyn-they are always vibrant and I love the surprise of how your pages finish in the end-fabulous!! Gotta check out the gelli print party-I am so hooked on that plate too but had it put aside during the holidaays.
Fly Fly Fly – spread those wings!!
Nice!! Love the art-spirtation. I love your color and I love the honesty in your post where you show that even though the inner critic came to play – you made her sit on the sidelines. There is so much fun in art and you showed it here. Happy PPF and a very happy and creative new year to you.
Awesome post Carolyn. We all get stuck in our head and letting us in our your powerful process to move forward was awesome. I love how your journal page turned out.
I really like how you’ve shown step by step how your wonderful page developed. It’s great to see how other people get unstuck.
What fun you always have and share so much with us. I like the flying horse story so much. Blessings, Janet PPF
How fun! Love the step by step!
Wowwwwwwwwwwwww! This is GORGEOUS!! I loveeeeeeeeeeee the colors …. especially that bright yellow on the letters!!!
Thanks for sharing your artspiration process and the colorful results! I’ve signed up for the newsletter. Looking forward to it.
This is really AMAZING Carolyn!
Happy New Year to you!
xxx Susi
So glad I can follow your creativ journey and to see what an amazing piece turned out 🙂 Wish you all the best for the new year to come ♥♥♥
What a gorgeous outcome! Really enjoy hearing the process and seeing the build-up on your pages. Happy New Year!
What fun! I love how you share your process here. Wishing you and yours all the best in the up and coming new year!
I LOVE that you showed your process with this Carolyn and YES I know exactly what you mean about that stuck in your head bit. UGH don’t you hate that! BUT…let me say, it didn’t effect your pic negatively….it is GORGEOUS! The colors fly! lol off the page in such passionate and charismatic urgency. It is really a powerful powerful piece. I would NEVER guess, if I saw part one or two it would end up where it is….isn’t that the way eh? Just wonderful! “Singing in the Rain” Samara
This is truly a joyous piece, Carolyn. I love the vibrancy of your color scheme. Happy New Year!
Love your work, and thanks for this exercise! I printed the piece today from your newsletter and used it to get myself started for 2013! I haven’t made anything in a little while and it felt good to create again 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!