Yourself in a Mask

Masks mean so many different things for us.

Make a list of all the ways people use masks. Some positive some negative

• Halloween
• For ceremonies... I was thinking of cool African masks I have seen. 
• To protect yourself against the cold in the winter when you ski
• For surgery or at the dentist office
• When you see a sketch of a bank robber or that scary person in the movies

I am sure you can come up with more. We know the references to "That person" wears a mask, when they don't want us to see their true colors or to present themselves a certain way. We know that part of the disconcerting feelings of masks is that we aren't able to read expressions that people have under the mask. 

So this new state of being in society is very loaded and hard to get comfortable with. Some of our basic instincts are being taken from us in our interactions with others. Not only are we being challenged by distance in our socializing we are being thrown off by not being able to see people's whole face. It feels eire. 

I thought doing some sketches of ourselves wearing masks might helps us get more comfortable with the necessary situation. I feel strongly about the positive role portrait have on people. It gives you time to reflect, time for you to see how you change from one time to the next when you do a portrait. So this is an important moment in time and it will help us to see how we feel about ourselves in a mask and to get time to "sit with it". 

If I Plant a Seed....

So we read one of my favorite books. Actually I was lucky enough to have someone read it to me!

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson

If you plant a seed of frustration, anger, grief.... that's what will grow!

We all need to plant seeds of hope, love, faith, kindness and let them bloom!

We did a drawing of what our seeds would look like and grow into.

Now create yours! Be Kind... Grow kindness while you are in the soli of the dark place called COVID-19.


Be Safe!
Have Fun!
Stay Well!

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Somedays this feels like a dark tunnel we are in and it is hard to see where the end is...

I want to see the light at the end!

So we drew tunnels! And we made our light!

Give yourself the light....
Get creative. It doesn't actually have to be a light... it could be whatever your light would be.
A star of hope...
A school bus pick-up...
A smile....
A loved one...
Freedom.

Have fun!
Stay Safe!
Be well!

Go to your happy place....

When all you want to do is be somewhere else...

Go there in your art!

Find an image. Of a place that would feel really good to be right now! And focus on it. Then create it!
Really spend time working on your image. Make it feel good.  Play the perfect music while you create, think happy thoughts of being there.

Imagine being there!


And when you are done, you can stare at your picture and go there!

Navigating Life

Before all of this COVID-19 changes started, I started a series of drawings which I titled : Navigating. My plan was to draw and paint tools that are used in navigation. I started with tools used to navigate the seas merely because I live near the sea and the sextant has played a significant part in my life thus far. I have done a dozen images of the sextant at this point! It is as if I am drawing hands and feet again!

But I was not planning on doing just this tool. I started looking at the compass, the astrolabe, talking with my brother about tools used to navigate the skies as a pilot, etc. I wanted to dive into all tools we have used through time to navigate our experience of life.

This series started to take on a new meaning for me as I was applying it to all those around me. I realized we are all simply navigating all the time. Unsure when there will be a storm, unaware of new situations that lie ahead, unclear exactly how to deal with things we never dreamt we would have to deal with. So many friends and family describing life situations that they were struggling with and trying to figure out how to go forward, how to reach our goals, how to get around this obstacle, which way to go when there is fork in the road.

I will continue with my series. But thought you might like to see some.

So I would like you to think about what you would use to navigate life. What navigation tools from the past might call to you? Or what you feel helps you to "navigate" this present situation.

Real, imaginary, historical, present day....

I would love to hear or see you ideas. Create away!

Be well!
Stay Safe!
Have Fun!

Message in a Bottle

At times like this you may feel the need to reach out to others.

Please do!

Video, text, call, etc! 

Stay connected. 

Don't feel isolation, 

just physical distance not a social disconnect.

 To think, not so long ago, to reach out to others when you were in isolation, like being on an island by yourself, you would write a message put it in a bottle and send it out to sea. Hope guiding it. With luck someone.... would find your message in a bottle.

You can take this project as a literal project and make a 3D object, sculpture - if you will, and find a special bottle, cork and paper and make a message. What would you say? What would you ask for? Who would you want to say something to? Or what do you think it is important for people to understand?

Or create a sketchbook image of a message in a bottle. The challenge of drawing apiece of paper inside of a bottle, will test your skills. However, the bigger challenge is letting us know what that note might say.

Have fun!
Stay Safe!
Be well!

Drawing with Both Your Hands Day 5

Drawing with Both Hands: Day 4

It is starting to happen...

you can't tell which hand I am using.

Not completely, but it is happening.

I am hoping it is happening for you too!  eep it up. 

Try using different materials. Try using different colors. 

Be well! Have Fun!

Stay Safe!

Mandalas

What is a Mandala?

Here is a great definition or what they are and where they come from.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/mandala-diagram


We are going to focus on the fact that they are a circle. And that they are used as a "collection point"or "receptacle".

So you are going to ask how we are going to create a circle that can hold something?
Simple... get a pie plate. Trace it. You have a circle. A "place to put what you need to express."

Whatever you put on the inside is being contained, held, kept safe or kept away from the rest of the page. You can put all the good on the inside that you want to care for or you can put all the anxiety, fear, frustration, etc. that you feel on the inside.

This is great for anyone. Give the kid a pie plate when they feel out of control. Trace it. And let them create!

For older students you may want to learn more. You can bring meaning to the colors, designs, etc.
https://indimode.com/blogs/news/designing-the-mandala-and-its-meaning

Here are some great books to take you in other directions rather than just using 2D materials.

CD Cover Artwork

This one goes out to all my music loving pre-teens and teens! So if we had a soundtrack playing right now as we experienced the COVID-19. What would the songs be, what would the lyrics say, what type of journey would we express by listening to the whole CD. Be imaginative....

I admit I love to go to Amazon Music and see what their playlists for different times of year, holidays, seasons, etc. But they don't have one for this.... so what would it be?

In the good ole days it would have been a "mixed tape", but today we would create a playlist. What would be the band's cover be or the Design that would go with it.

Design your CD cover for this experience.

And have fun with it. Go digital if you want to!

Love to hear your list of songs.

Be well and have fun!

Drawing with Both Your Hands: Day 3

How is it going? You can see they are changing. 

 I started using dark backgrounds because I started looking at shapes. Rather than thinking about how I am drawing a hand, I am thinking about what the whole shape is.

Is it round, is it a triangle?
Not- is that a finger and that a thumb.?

I zoomed in here so you can see how loose the line has to become when I use my left hand to draw. I need to let go of the way I created outlines to draw. I start looking at the positive and negative space.
https://whitney.org/Education/ForTeachers/Activities/115

And when you raw your feet, do it after you have drawn both hands. So you can draw upon what you just learned from the experience.

Keep going, be strong and stay healthy!

Push your mind and your skills!

Navigating a New Experience: Ship drawings or building ( all ages)

Imagine:  You are on a journey, exploring new lands. You don't know when you will reach land and get to see other humans again. Your crew is only those people living in your home with you. You may encounter stormy seas, have days where you are bored or tired of being with each other, other days when you rise to the challenge, listen to your Captain and overcome great challenges. We all must be careful in how we express our emotions on that ship because we don't want the crew to declare mutiny. We are depending on the strength of our ship, our team and working together.

Now Create:

Take time to create your ship and draw your team. Or even use boxes, recyclables, etc. build a ship. Name it. Name all the crew members. Decide if there are any rules people need to follow on the ship. Talk about how it is hard to not be able to jump in the shark infested waters and how you miss seeing everyone on land. But you are navigating the unknown and we are all brave on this journey.

Love to see pictures if you want to share!

Have fun! Be well! Express yourself!

Drawing with Both Your Hands : Day 2

As I promised, my day two drawings!

How is it feeling for you? Awkward? Be patient with yourself... just like the world around you right now! Add to the fun, try switching to your other hand to eat your meals or brush your teeth. It forces you to slow down in life and really concentrate on your brain communicating with your hands.

And when you are done you could write everything backwards like DaVinci.

Have fun and be well!

What would you say to the Coronavirus? Cartooning for all kids (especially our younger ones)

Kids have a lot to try to figure out right now. It can all be overwhelming. But trying to put a "face" with a name helps kids start to figure out their feelings, what is causing their emotions and possibly what they would like to say to that virus.

Drawing cartoons can be a fun way to imagine what things look like, create a character in this battle of good and evil, give them something to aim their feelings at. And they can take it a step further and  make a comic strip. Let them talk to the "virus" character, play out some scenes, etc. This can be a nice way to get an idea of what they know and understand about what is going on around them. And then let them draw out a scenario.

We want to keep giving our kids an outlet, a voice, an opportunity to understand. Things that we understand are less scary. And as Olaf said in Frozen II, " We are controlling what we can control when things feel out of control." Here they can control what is on the page and start to feel a more in control with knowledge and understanding.

This will then give you the opportunity to talk with them. 

Here is a great resource. Help our kids be resilient!

https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

Homemade Sketchbook/Journal

If you are looking for a way to document this unique situation we are all in, make a journal or sketchbook of your own. No need to buy one off Amazon or run out to a store (that won't help). Make it special, make it unique, up-cycle, personalize, have fun!

Here is one way to make a cool journal.

Find an old book that you already read, never liked, you were going to donate, even an old textbook, outdated catalog, trip guide, etc. Glossy pages are less ideal.

Rip out any pages you don't think you need or to decrease the number of pages because the next step will expand the book and may make it difficult to close.

Next get some paint. Ideally gesso. But you could use cheap white acrylic, even interior wall paint if you have some you are done with. Paint the pages! You don't have to paint all of them. You may need more than one coat depending on the paint you chose.

You can: leave pages empty, pages with some words, parts of pictures, etc. You can even cut out half a page, fold a page over. You are creating your canvas. And as my students know, the background doesn't have to start with white. Blue, red, pink, gray, brown...

And if you don't have any paint.... you could glue in scrap paper. Brown paper bags, wrapping paper, etc.

Make sure your pages are completely dry before you turn the page to paint the next page or they will seal together. Even though sometime I do that on purpose to create thicker pages. I like to make it an all day project. Paint two pages, fold laundry, paint two pages, read a book, page two pages, make a cake, paint two pages, write a story, page two pages solve world peace....etc.

Journals and sketchbooks are a fabulous way to capture time. Not just for drawing, painting, etc. but for scrapbooking, collaging, really saving a moment in time.

Feel free to comment on any other ideas you have!

Have fun and create away!

This one I created with my 5 year old.... share a journal and work side by side at home! :)