Do you ever have a day where you want to create art, but you just don’t know where to start? The first few minutes in creating something new are the most daunting for me. A blank canvas gives me the chills! There is so much possibility, but what if I mess up along the way? When I pick up my paint brush I ask myself questions like: Where should I start? What color palette should I use? What do I want my end product to be? And, I often get so caught up in the details that I don’t even start.
Sound familiar? To break out of this rut, I invite you to participate with me in a 7 day creative challenge. I will be painting for my 7 day challenge, but you can draw or sculpt as well! When you are ready, here are the 7 day departure points:
Day 1: Complementary Colors
![By Ellywa (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.thepursuitofart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Contrast_of_complementary_colors.jpg)
Day 2: Nature
For this challenge, start creating while being inspired by nature. My suggestion would be to go on a nature walk. While you are on the walk, take inspirational photos and collect leaves or sticks that you can combine into your creation or be inspired by.
Day 3: Black and White
How far can you push yourself while limiting yourself to only using black and white? Can you think of any artists who are known for monochromatic painting? Pablo Picasso and Kasimir Malevich come to mind. Who can you add to the list?
Day 4: Shadows
Shadows and silhouettes are all around us. For this point of departure, let’s examine interesting shadows that we find in our day. Think about the positive and negative spacial relationships in your drawing, painting, or sculpture. Let this be a point of departure for your new creation.
Day 5: Concentric Circles
Concentric circles are circles with a common center. Wassily Kandinsky is known for his famous painting Squares with Concentric Circles. Join me and originate your own piece of art with the concept of concentric circles in mind.
Day 6: Collages/Cut Outs
I challenge you to draw abstract lines on your canvas and fill in each area. Or, if you want to take the most realistic path, draw an animal, flower, landscape, etc. Spread glue on each area of your canvas and cover it with torn or cut pieces of paper. You can use paper that you have painted different colors or cut or tear from magazines. An optional last step is to add a coat of fluid matte medium to seal your finished collage.
Day 7: Lines
Join me in combining lines in an interesting way. How much will your lines vary or stay the same? What types of lines can you think of: straight, curvy, dotted, jagged, transparent, thick, thin?
Feel free to share your 7 days of creations (or just your favorite pieces) by adding the link to an image of your piece in the comments below! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!