The Start Art Challenge

A few things from my Instagram, where I’ve been a lot more active lately. (@startartchallenge) Of course the cat needed to sit *directly* on top of my sketchbook. (The one that looks sort of wave-y is the one he was sitting on. Thanks, Leo)

Little acrylic painting anniversary present for the husband. I actually tried on this one! Lots of layers and blending and trying to really pay attention to the reference. Could definitely be cleaner, have more depth, etc but it’s one of those things that looks mostly decent from far away :)

Work in progress on the first spread in my art journal (the rest of it is almost all filled - for some reason these first pages were scary!).

I MADE A THING!

A multi-step challenge! By me, for me, for fun. Lots of things I've never done before. (Bad ukulele music also by me) Step 1: Fill one sketchbook. Did it take you 2 years? That’s ok! Is it a hot mess? Awesome. Step 2: Figure out how to film a flip-through video. Without an actual tripod, if you're me. Is it also a mess? Carry on! Step 3: Figure out how to use movie editing software for the first time ever to turn the video the right side up because you definitely filmed it upside down. Step 4: Realize you have no idea how to find public domain background music. Decide to play your own silly little ukulele tune. Step 5: Figure out how to use music recording software. Regret decision to play your own background music. Step 6: Battle with software to combine video and music files that are not the same length. Step 7: Eh, good enough. Save that sucker.

There are a few things that making this silly little video made me realize:

I can fill an entire notebook! I completed something, there is proof right up there. (Even if I started it back in 2014)

I don’t usually think of my sketchbooks as a whole, and it was so interesting to see this one as a singular, complete thing. I can see how things in my mind stayed the same and how they changed. I can see all the times I start to sketch out the lightest pencil possible and then abandon it. I can see when I tell myself I don’t need to draw and I can just write.

HAHA oh goodness gracious I love playing music but oh it is not my forte, especially with the pressure of recording. 

I can push through the uncomfortableness/fear/embarrassment of putting myself out there and trying new things. (Like, many new things. Sharing an entire full notebook that has a lot of my soul in it, filming a video of it, editing that video, “composing” and recording ukulele music and LETTING PEOPLE HEAR IT, starting a YouTube channel)

I’m alive, and slowly getting back to making art! (Life happens and it’s easy to find yourself underwater)