Thursday Progress

Today's post is going to start with  a tiny book review!  The Wizard is a children's picture book written by Children's Poet Laureate Jack Prelutzsky and beautifully illustrated by the talented Brandon Dorman.

The Wizard is adapted from a story originally published in 1976.  Mr. Prelutsky's rhyme combined with Mr Dorman's illustrations make this story a real page turner as the book opens you are invited into a seemingly ordinary suburban cul-de-sac with one very odd house at the end.  The wizard stands at his window deciding what to do that day when he spies a bullfrog...  There is a lovely surprise ending and the duo of Prelutzsky and Dorman leave the young reader with curiosity instead of fear as you turn the pages to discover what evil deeds the wizard is up to.

I found Mr. Dorman's illustrations so perfect for practicing my Make Your Marks Make Your Splashes water colour sessions run by Mark G. Mitchell.  Here are two of my attempts to copy digital art with traditional media.  They are thumbnails of the larger version I'm working on.

The Wizard my version from Brandon Dorman's work NFS -this was a leaning purposes only exercise

The Bullfrog my version from Brandon Dorman's work. NFS - stricktly for learning purposes

I'm very pleased with these two.  There are some imperfections but it is about learning and improvement.  Let's see how the big picture works out...

I'd love to hear from you!

SARK Tuesday: Develop Support

Dancing Fairies -Newsprint Cutouts by Melissa Mead 2011

SARK CARD:  Our creative dreams need support.  It is essential to practice receiving so that you can ask for, AND receive support.  We are meant to help each other.

This weekend I was surrounded by my core support staff.  Family and friends came to spend the weekend with us.  We laughed, shared food and children and talked and planned.  It was wonderful.

This core group allows me to have space and time to paint.  I call on them to assist me.  I have slowly learned not only to ask for the help but also to accept it.  I think sometimes we ask for the help but when it comes we start to feel guilty for needing the support.  This guilt fouls the creative juices in such a way that we can't really make full use of the support we've received.

I'm also learning that I am surrounded by a HUGE support team in my links with the Marks and Splashes Course as well as my 12x12 and PB Dummy groups.  I'm not at all versed in social media and I'm really floundering about trying to work out the best way to assist these folks.  I know that what I give I will receive.

It's a funny awkward feeling knowing help is waiting and all you have to do is figure out how to help another (sometimes how to help yourself!)

How are you supporting your SELF?  Do you have a support team?  How might they help you?  Remember - voicing a question can lead you through a myriad of people who lead you to the answer.

Leave a comment about your answers - I look forward to hearing from you.

SARK Tuesday

Each Tuesday I am going to play the SARK CREATIVE DREAM GAME.  I will randomly draw a card and share a portion of the card and my thoughts with you.  I hope this will assist us both to move our creative dreams to fruition!  You can get your own game HERE .

Inspiration:  You and your creative dreams are nourished by inspiration.  To inspire is to give breath.

Not so very long ago I was not breathing.  I was not allowing myself the space to create - to be filled with inspire-ation!  What I realized was that those things the inspired me the most (painting/creating) I was actually holding OUT.  I had actually exhaled and was not inspiring.

I took action - I enrolled in a part-time fine art program,  I enrolled in Make Your Marks, Make Your Splashes (How To Be A Children's Book Illustrator ), I took  the 12x12 in '12 challenge (thank you Julie Hedlund – Write Up My Life ) and I've further joined the picture book dummy challenge (#kidlitart: #PBDummy is back! ).

I was so inspired I began inspiring my family again.  My husband, my children and even my friends.  My son wrote a story inspired by an event at his school!  Each day I am inspiring myself to not only dream big but find the WILL for the WAY, because if you don't have the will you won't find the way.

Are you breathing?

In what ways do you inspire?

In what ways does your daily life allow you to breath?

What is inspiring you?

Please stop and share your ideas.  If you'd like more creative inspiration please visit Planet Sark at Creative Inspiration  Even check out CREATORmakers