YAARRR!!!! This was an easy and fun one, totally inspired by my pirate-loving sister. So i'll dedicate this one to her :)
Monday, January 30, 2012
Day 17 :: Tuesday January 17 :: Ottawa
Make something inspired by and/or that goes over an eye (yours or someone else's).
YAARRR!!!! This was an easy and fun one, totally inspired by my pirate-loving sister. So i'll dedicate this one to her :)
YAARRR!!!! This was an easy and fun one, totally inspired by my pirate-loving sister. So i'll dedicate this one to her :)
Day 16 :: Monday January 16 :: Ottawa
Make a unique print by cutting up a potato or sponge, and use it to stamp on a material of your choice.
Disclaimer: I really wanted to work with a potato. Unfortunately, the grocery store near my house doesn't sell large potatoes by the unit, and those mini-potatoes would have been more trouble than they're worth. So i settled on option b, sponges.
It's only when i opened the sponge package and started removing the 'heavy duty scratch pad' part with an x-acto blade that i noticed the packaging saying that the cleaning agent was built-in, and to just add water! Unfortunately, this meant goop residue all over my hands, blade, ink pad, work area... let's just say that i couldn't be done soon enough. Maybe i should have used the second, uncut sponge to clean up?
Disclaimer: I really wanted to work with a potato. Unfortunately, the grocery store near my house doesn't sell large potatoes by the unit, and those mini-potatoes would have been more trouble than they're worth. So i settled on option b, sponges.
It's only when i opened the sponge package and started removing the 'heavy duty scratch pad' part with an x-acto blade that i noticed the packaging saying that the cleaning agent was built-in, and to just add water! Unfortunately, this meant goop residue all over my hands, blade, ink pad, work area... let's just say that i couldn't be done soon enough. Maybe i should have used the second, uncut sponge to clean up?
Day 15 :: Sunday January 15 :: Ottawa
What can you do with just a dollar? Use a dollar bill as your medium or inspiration today.
Since Canada hasn't had dollar bills for quite a while, I opted to used foreign money. I've been carrying this 5 dirhams bill in my wallet since returning from Italy last August – after playing with team UAE, the team manager gave it to me as a present. I wanted to do something 'more' with it than simply having it, and this seemed fitting.
Since Canada hasn't had dollar bills for quite a while, I opted to used foreign money. I've been carrying this 5 dirhams bill in my wallet since returning from Italy last August – after playing with team UAE, the team manager gave it to me as a present. I wanted to do something 'more' with it than simply having it, and this seemed fitting.
Day 14 :: Saturday January 14 :: Ottawa
Make something microscopic. How small can you work? Can you make something that requires a magnifying glass or microscope to see?
Working small wasn't really working out, so i opted for quick sketches of enlarged microscopic objects (atom and fractal) instead. Does it count?
Working small wasn't really working out, so i opted for quick sketches of enlarged microscopic objects (atom and fractal) instead. Does it count?
Day 13 :: Friday January 13 :: Ottawa
Use tea leaves or tea bags (used or unused) or even just liquid tea (in a cup or not) to create something today.
This is what one infusion of David's Tea 'Bear Trap', post-6.5 minutes infusion, then pressed looks like. I debated sketching overtop, but decided not to... instead letting the beauty of the leaves' imprint tell its own tale.
There was a raging snowstorm outside.
This is what one infusion of David's Tea 'Bear Trap', post-6.5 minutes infusion, then pressed looks like. I debated sketching overtop, but decided not to... instead letting the beauty of the leaves' imprint tell its own tale.
There was a raging snowstorm outside.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Day 12 :: Thursday January 12 :: Ottawa
Camouflage. Create or alter something so that it disappears into its background.
I found myself pondering over this assignment all day, with little luck. On my walk home from work, looking at snow on trees, i thought how perfect that'd be – draw trees in Sharpie, go over them with liquid paper 'snow' – but without liquid paper at home, it was back to square one. Then i thought about those 'colour-in-the-dotted-areas' drawings... and this turned out to be one of my favorite created things so far!
I found myself pondering over this assignment all day, with little luck. On my walk home from work, looking at snow on trees, i thought how perfect that'd be – draw trees in Sharpie, go over them with liquid paper 'snow' – but without liquid paper at home, it was back to square one. Then i thought about those 'colour-in-the-dotted-areas' drawings... and this turned out to be one of my favorite created things so far!
Day 11 :: Wednesday January 11 :: Ottawa
Work on the other hand. Pick a medium you're comfortable with, then work with your non-dominant hand – if you usually favour your right hand then only use your left and vice-versa.
Ooooh boy.
Deciding on the medium was easy, as sketching with a pen has to be my favorite. I looked up some images online to base this drawing on... and can't believe how well it turned out. The shading's a bit off, and it took about four times longer than it would have if drawn with my right hand, but here is the result!
Ooooh boy.
Deciding on the medium was easy, as sketching with a pen has to be my favorite. I looked up some images online to base this drawing on... and can't believe how well it turned out. The shading's a bit off, and it took about four times longer than it would have if drawn with my right hand, but here is the result!
Day 10 :: Tuesday January 10 :: Ottawa
Use only water as your medium/inspiration today.
Hmmm. Since it's the middle of winter, anything outdoors with water is out. I opted to work with ice, ice, baby!
Step 1: Cover work area with plastic garbage bags and towels.
Step 2: Break chunks of ice off frozen freezer with hammer and screwdriver.
Step 3: Shape using an x-acto knife before the ice melts.
Step 4: Take picture, throw whole watery mess in bathtub.
Hmmm. Since it's the middle of winter, anything outdoors with water is out. I opted to work with ice, ice, baby!
Step 1: Cover work area with plastic garbage bags and towels.
Step 2: Break chunks of ice off frozen freezer with hammer and screwdriver.
Step 3: Shape using an x-acto knife before the ice melts.
Step 4: Take picture, throw whole watery mess in bathtub.
Day 9 :: Monday January 9 :: Ottawa
Make something with your breakfast before you eat it.
This was a case of the original idea/plan not working out! The star-shaped cookie cutter was bigger than the bread, so the back-up plan was to slice bananas in my oatmeal... Not very original, unfortunately. I vow to do better tomorrow!
This was a case of the original idea/plan not working out! The star-shaped cookie cutter was bigger than the bread, so the back-up plan was to slice bananas in my oatmeal... Not very original, unfortunately. I vow to do better tomorrow!
Day 8 :: Sunday January 8 :: Ottawa
Transform an old book into something new by cutting, folding, gluing, and so on.
I was out and about running errands during most of the afternoon, and picked up a promo brochure from the entrance of a mall shoe store. It caught my eye with bold graphics and type – and after roughly three hours of cutting, folding, trimming, gluing, etc, i was done. This was my most time-consuming project so far, but i'm very happy with the results (and feel like it makes up for a somewhat bland Day 7). I called it my 'mini-resolution book', and when folded, it's the size of a driver's license.
I was out and about running errands during most of the afternoon, and picked up a promo brochure from the entrance of a mall shoe store. It caught my eye with bold graphics and type – and after roughly three hours of cutting, folding, trimming, gluing, etc, i was done. This was my most time-consuming project so far, but i'm very happy with the results (and feel like it makes up for a somewhat bland Day 7). I called it my 'mini-resolution book', and when folded, it's the size of a driver's license.
Day 7 :: Saturday January 7 :: Ottawa
One week down! See how fast it goes? Today, make a stencil and use it in your work.
This isn't the fanciest, but since i was out for a friend's birthday it seemed fitting!
This isn't the fanciest, but since i was out for a friend's birthday it seemed fitting!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Day 6 :: Friday January 6 :: Ottawa
Look in the kitchen and work with the first fruit or vegetable you spot. It could be in the form of juice, jam, or even canned.
Mmmm, bananas! This was the only fruit in sight, and it was a very small banana... meaning only one extra slice/one chance in case of screw-up! Thankfully, it all worked out great, and was a delicious late-night snack once photographed.
Mmmm, bananas! This was the only fruit in sight, and it was a very small banana... meaning only one extra slice/one chance in case of screw-up! Thankfully, it all worked out great, and was a delicious late-night snack once photographed.
Day 5 :: Thursday January 5 :: Ottawa
What do you collect? Work with a collection of objects you have in your home (or borrow a friend's if you like).
I thought this one would be a doozy. I collect frisbees, so all i'd have to do was get a bunch out of my basement storage and i'd be done, right? Wrong. There was no time to do so between work and my evening ultimate game, and by the time i was on my way back home i was in no mood to dig frisbees out of storage. Now what?
As luck would have it, a friend dropped by and started lounging on my couch as i grew increasingly frantic (think going in circles in the living room!) about being unable to do my creative assignment. Suddenly, he interrupted me: "You know, G, there is something else you collect..." and nodded towards the fridge. FRIDGE MAGNETS!!!!
By then it was about 11:40pm, so i promptly sat down on the kitchen floor and proceeded to move magnets from the fridge to the oven. A few minutes later, i was done... and someone got a very big hug in thanks!
I thought this one would be a doozy. I collect frisbees, so all i'd have to do was get a bunch out of my basement storage and i'd be done, right? Wrong. There was no time to do so between work and my evening ultimate game, and by the time i was on my way back home i was in no mood to dig frisbees out of storage. Now what?
As luck would have it, a friend dropped by and started lounging on my couch as i grew increasingly frantic (think going in circles in the living room!) about being unable to do my creative assignment. Suddenly, he interrupted me: "You know, G, there is something else you collect..." and nodded towards the fridge. FRIDGE MAGNETS!!!!
By then it was about 11:40pm, so i promptly sat down on the kitchen floor and proceeded to move magnets from the fridge to the oven. A few minutes later, i was done... and someone got a very big hug in thanks!
Day 4 :: Wednesday January 4 :: Ottawa
Take a five-minute walk, then make something using whatever materials are available where you've ended up. Leave it there for someone else to discover, but be sure to document it first.
I decided to tackle this one on my morning walk to work. I took a slightly different, more scenic route than usual, eventually stopping by a small man-made (frozen!) pond close to the canal. Carefully plucking maple seeds off the snow, i cleaned them up and rearranged them in patterns. Here, i should mention that it was -26C windchill at the time – meaning that my fingers were frozen by the time i was done!
Also of note: i was practically in someone's backyard while doing this, and at one point i looked up at the house and noticed someone inside looking at me. I walked by the 'scene of the art' the next morning, and was surprised to see the seeds perfectly undisturbed. This was especially surprising as the pond acts as a skating rink and dog park.
I decided to tackle this one on my morning walk to work. I took a slightly different, more scenic route than usual, eventually stopping by a small man-made (frozen!) pond close to the canal. Carefully plucking maple seeds off the snow, i cleaned them up and rearranged them in patterns. Here, i should mention that it was -26C windchill at the time – meaning that my fingers were frozen by the time i was done!
Also of note: i was practically in someone's backyard while doing this, and at one point i looked up at the house and noticed someone inside looking at me. I walked by the 'scene of the art' the next morning, and was surprised to see the seeds perfectly undisturbed. This was especially surprising as the pond acts as a skating rink and dog park.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Day 3 :: Tuesday January 3 :: Ottawa
Make something out of paper, but don't use scissors or glue or draw on it. What now? (And no, you don't have to know origami to do this.)
Doh! Since i did origami on day one, that idea is out the window. I decided to bend the rules slightly – i mean, a shredder isn't scissors, and tape isn't glue, right? :)
The two photos i used are from last year's travels: horizontally is the rising sun on Lignano Sabbiadoro's beach (Italy) and vertically is a nice powder day in Kicking Horse, BC. After putting both through a paper shredder and weaving them, i love the final result – especially the contrast of light/dark occurring on the top and bottom of the weave. I wish i could say it was planned!
Doh! Since i did origami on day one, that idea is out the window. I decided to bend the rules slightly – i mean, a shredder isn't scissors, and tape isn't glue, right? :)
The two photos i used are from last year's travels: horizontally is the rising sun on Lignano Sabbiadoro's beach (Italy) and vertically is a nice powder day in Kicking Horse, BC. After putting both through a paper shredder and weaving them, i love the final result – especially the contrast of light/dark occurring on the top and bottom of the weave. I wish i could say it was planned!
Day 2 :: Monday January 2 :: Ottawa
What's your favorite animal? Use it as your inspiration today.
Hmmm. I don't really have a favorite animal at the moment, but since it had been so long since the last time i drew a wolf (definitely my #1 animal in my teens) i opted to do a pen sketch. Fun!
Hmmm. I don't really have a favorite animal at the moment, but since it had been so long since the last time i drew a wolf (definitely my #1 animal in my teens) i opted to do a pen sketch. Fun!
Day 1 :: Sunday January 1 :: Ottawa
The first step is the hardest, so start small today and make something that fits in the palm of your hand using only the materials in your immediate environment.
Easy enough, right? Wrong. After mulling it over for about an hour, i decided to fold a paper crane. Thanks to a web tutorial, i had my little crane done in... way more time that it should have taken! But here it is, along with the japanese character for 'peace'. Happy new year!
Easy enough, right? Wrong. After mulling it over for about an hour, i decided to fold a paper crane. Thanks to a web tutorial, i had my little crane done in... way more time that it should have taken! But here it is, along with the japanese character for 'peace'. Happy new year!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The beginning...
It was late afternoon, on January first. I'd just returned to Ottawa from a wonderful Christmas break in New Brunswick, and was looking around my tiny apartment for something to do. Digging through books, i found this:
I had bought this book almost two years ago – and i confess to putting the '365' project off in 2011. After paging through it, i decided that 2012 would be the year and sat down to complete the Day 1 entry.
Here's how it works: each day has its creative prompt/challenge/directions. I'll post the prompt along with an image of what was created, along with some 'behind the scenes' commentary when applicable.
I'm now on day 24, and so far, it's been really fun – and sometimes challenging. I'm definitely happy i took this challenge on – maybe reading this will inspire you to undertake your own 365/one-a-day challenge? If you do, please share it with me :)
Looking forward to the remaining 342 days!
gstar
Here's how it works: each day has its creative prompt/challenge/directions. I'll post the prompt along with an image of what was created, along with some 'behind the scenes' commentary when applicable.
I'm now on day 24, and so far, it's been really fun – and sometimes challenging. I'm definitely happy i took this challenge on – maybe reading this will inspire you to undertake your own 365/one-a-day challenge? If you do, please share it with me :)
Looking forward to the remaining 342 days!
gstar
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