Daily Paper Prompt #23: Draw a Mandala

3x5" index cards, mandalas in gellyroll 

These are collaborations with my daughter (12) where we each started a mandala and then added something and kept passing them back and forth. 

Drawing mandalas is about focusing only on the lines, the paper, the pen. It's all about the lines. My suggestion is to work in pen or marker, no erasing, no goal of perfection. This lets you keep going and not stop to change and fix. If there's a line you don't care for, just incorporate it into something else (make a line into an arrow, a plus sign, a square, for example). To make a circle, draw it around and around a bunch of times. It all evens out into a quasi-circle. 

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #22: Mapping

9x12" maps drawn by my 12 yr old daughter with gellyrolls + sharpie markers

Today's prompt is to draw a map of an imaginary place.

Include the names of places, or numbers and a legend with names.

Any sized paper.

Markers, pencils, pens, calligraphy pen. 

A drawing prompt.

Streets, creeks, swimming pools, gardens, homes, buildings, waterfalls, farms, barns, pagodas. 

Please snap a photo of your work for this prompt and add your link below. Link to the specific photo at flickr or to a specific blog post.

August Weekly Prompts 22-31

 

and #31 = alphabet stamps

Each week, I share a set of 7 phrases to use as prompts just in case the daily prompt doesn't float your boat, or you don't have the materials. This is the last set for the August 2012 Daily Paper Prompt!

Daily Paper Prompt #21: Stamp a Mandala

3x5" index cards, number stamps

Create a mandala using only rubber/eraser stamps. A mandala can be made with any small stamps. Flowers, dots, stripes, stars, hearts, arrows, alphabet stamps, number stamps, symbols, circles. Try to look at the stamps as shapes, and how those particular shapes can add to your mandala. Are they linear? Round? Curved? Like the "7" stamp - really two lines at an angle, right?

I used my new set of number stamps to create these two mandalas, using the numbers as shapes.

Please snap a photo of your work for this prompt and add your link below. Link to the specific photo at flickr or to a specific blog post. I've added Link Loves to all of the DPP's to date - so please pop back and add your links. The Link Loves are looking quite lonely!

Daily Paper Prompt #20: Stitches + Drips

the front of the card, stitched swirl dripped with airbrush acrylics

sometimes the back is just as cool as the front

the front of the card, stitched grid dripped with airbrush acrylics (or use fluid acrylics mixed with water or mixed with airbrush medium)

Drip paint on your stitched papers. Spray gently with water.

Please snap a photo of your work for this prompt and add your link below. Link to the specific photo at flickr or to a specific blog post.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt?

Daily Paper Prompt #19: Mail Art

 Create a piece of mail art and mail it to someone within 3 days.

Make a postcard.

Just pretend it's a big index card. 

Put it in a decorated envelope if you wish.

Stamp it. Send it.

Please snap a photo before mail your work of art {mail + art = mail art} here! Link to the specific photo at flickr, or to a specific blog post please.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #18: Accomplishments

Write a list of artful accomplishments for the current month.

"month-to-date"

On paper.

In pretty lettering.

Things you've drawn.

Pages you've painted.

Experiments.

Even if they are not finished.

Because tiny steps count.

Teeny tiny steps.

And tiny steps add up to LEAPS! 

You can always say, "made progress on..."

With interesting numbers or letters or icons for the bullets.

Please add a link to a photo of your page of accomplishments or to a specific blog post.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt?

Daily Paper Prompt #17: Chandelier

Inspiration...

{go to flickr for full photographic credits}

Draw a chandelier.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #16: Pattern

3x5" index cards

Play with patterns using Caran d'ache Neocolor II wax crayons {water soluble type}, magic markers, water soluble colored pencils or colored pencils. Draw an interlocking pattern of some sort. Play with alternating colors or random colors. Spray or paint with water if you wish {I didn't}. Try to get at least 3 "looks" using the same pattern.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #15: Words

{Remember when I said there might not be a photo for each prompt?}

Create art that looks like a scrabble board or a crossword puzzle. You could create a grid using a ruler and add alpha stamps for the letters. Or draw the letters in block letters. Spell actual words, do a haiku, make nonsensical words, as you wish.

And learn one new word today. 

floccinaucinihilipilification - 29 letters, noun.

Definition: The action or habit of estimating something as worthless. Origin: Mid 18th century: from Latin flocci, nauci, nihili, pili (words meaning 'at little value') + -fication.

hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian - 30 letters, adjective.

Definition: Of or pertaining to extremely long words. Origin:An extension of sesquipedalian using a modified form of hippopotamus and Latin monstrum; the extensions almost certainly chosen with the intention of making the new construct autological.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

August Weekly Prompts 15-21

 

Each week, a set of 7 phrases {posted Wednesdays in August} to use as prompts just in case the daily prompt doesn't float your boat, or you don't have the materials. Or for anything you wish.

Daily Paper Prompt #14: Pocket

part of an envelope, stitched on 3 sides to an index card, with collaged papers, fabric, a word charm {see instructions}, a little watercolor

part of an envelope decorated with striped washi tape, attached to an index card with heart washi tape, watercolored

Add a pocket to an index card, journal cover, or art journal page. You can stitch 3 sides of a piece of cardstock or fabric to an index card or inside journal cover to create a pocket. Another idea is to cut the side of a legal sized envelope and then tape or stitch 3 sides to a page. Add some interesting doodles or color on the top or around the pocket or even a hint of what is inside. 

Daily Paper Prompt #13: Music

 Create imagery from a favorite song on an index card. When you listen to that song, what do you see? For example, when I listen to a particular Shakira song, I see purple velvet draperies swaying as a backdrop to the song. This is my interpretation. Pick a song, think about the colors or textures that you see when yo hear the song. Something that in your mind would "match" the flow of the song. And create a texture or page with that color or theme.

There's a song by Enya that I like to envision with long narrow blue and white ribbons unfurling and swirling in the wind.

This is so absolutely not scientific.

There isn't any RIGHT. Ignore your analytical side while you paint, just try to match a feeling to a page.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt?

Daily Paper Prompt #12: Round

{more about these pages here}

Use round or oval stickers as part of a collage, on an art journal page, as the focal point on an index card, within a doodle. An oval or circle can take the place of a square or rectangle in a grid.

 On this index card, I dripped airbrush acrylics {using the process detailed in DPP #3: Drips} after sticking the sticker on the card, and sprayed it lightly with water. Nothing special, just to see what happens. The sticker doesn't absorb any paint.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt?

Daily Paper Prompt #11: Seasons

Draw three vertical lines to separate your card into four sections. Label each section if you wish. Use any order. Add color or a sketch to represents each of the 4 seasons... spring, summer, fall, winter. If you live in an ultra cold or ultra hot climate, just exxaggerate the seasons so that you can indicate differences.

I used watercolors to try to depict the colors that represented each season in north Texas. In the spring, there are still some browns as all of the deciduous trees haven't yet blossomed with leaves. In "winter" we have some pansies and other flowers, so I tried to envision the coldest part of winter.

As an alternative, you can paint how the seasons make you FEEL in terms of color.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #10: Stitch Paper

“The world doesn't make sense,
so why should I paint pictures that do?”
Pablo Picasso

Today's prompt: Stitch a little paper collage that makes absolutely no sense.

Start with a piece of paper that is a little sturdy, something like an index card, bristol paper, scrapbook paper, heavy cardstock, watercolor paper, an index card divider, manilla folder. NOT copier/printer paper or cardboard.

{Follow the prompt at your own peril. If you know how to use a sewing machine, go for it.}

 It is my humble opinion that you don't need a special needle, a special machine or special thread.

Turn on the machine. Lift the presser foot. Place the paper under your nifty sewing machine needle with a smaller piece of fabric or paper on top (the stuff you want to attach). Move your paper around as you sew to get the stitches where you want them. Straight lines are easiest, obviously, but you can move the paper back and forth to get waves. Add something else to the collage. Sew. Etc.

Another option is to just sew lines.

I imagined the stitches going the path of the old screen savers or a PONG game. Apparently I'm dating myself in this post. Sew in a straight line til you get almost to the edge. Make sure the needle is in the DOWN position when you stop stitching. On my machine you can tell it to do that. Then swing the card {same way you do a corner in REAL SEWING} and ricochet on.

The sewing machine is either your friend or your enemy. 

My beloved sewing machine is a Janome Magnolia 7330.  I've had this machine for 2 years and absolutely adore it, and I recommend it without hesitation. The kids love it too! 

For 10 years, my original machine was my enemy. Not even a frenemy. Just a horrid tear-inducing nightmare. I gave it to my friend Andrea who smartly discovered that it needed to be repaired {because she knew what she was doing and I had no idea} and she and the machine now live in Georgia. 

Fun things:

The Interview Series: Marit Barentsen

CraftyPod, An Image Only Interview

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #9: Games

 

Draw a game board or a game-inspired doodle on your page. This index card is a mix of backgammon and Clue! We've been playing Clue a bit this summer.

Ideas: chess, backgammon, parchesi, ouji, risk. 

Please pop back and add a link to your artwork for this prompt. You can link directly to a photo at flickr or to a blog post {links to the home page of your blog will be deleted}.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #8: Faded

 

3x5" index cards, neocolor IIs, gellyroll

Start with a manilla folder, index card or cut a sheet of watercolor paper into 4 pieces. Draw a pattern with caran d'ache neocolor II watersoluble wax crayons, watersoluble crayons or watersoluble colored pencils. Lean the card against something upright that is protected from the water and use a spray bottle to spray water at the paper. Let the water drip down and dissolve and thus fade the color.

If by chance you do not have any watersoluble crayons/pencils you can try this with heavy body or fliuid acrylics. Paint "shmears" or stripes on your paper with your fingers {wash hands after} and spray the paint and let it drip down. You'll get an interesting color fade and dreamy drips. It's different from the DRIPS prompt, in that was to let the watery paint roll down the page. Here we want something to remain and look faded.

Please pop back and add a link to your artwork for this prompt. You can link directly to a photo at flickr or to a blog post {links to the home page of your blog will be deleted}.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt?

August Weekly Prompts 8-14

 

These are bonus prompts just in case the daily prompt doesn't strike you, or you don't have the materials. You can use these prompts to create anything you wish. Please pop back to each of the days of the DPP and add a link to the work you do for each prompt. That way others can visit your photos at flickr or at your blog and share the love.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt? 

Daily Paper Prompt #7: Leftovers

 

3x5" index card, heavy body acrylics, diluted

The Daily Paper Prompt today is to use the leftover paint from an art journal page or painting to create abstract art. I created these fun index cards as I sort of multi-tasked. I was painting a canvas as part of Flora's workshop, and the paints ran down the canvas onto a plastic dropcloth. Spying the stack of index cards nearby, I pressed the index cards onto the blobs of diluted paint. They were very watery, so they created a translucent effect. So you can grab the drips of another project, press your paper onto a wet journal page, clean your brush or brayer on a new page and use that for journal fodder on a future page. It's a never-ending circle of paint!

Please pop back and add a link to your artwork for this prompt. You can link directly to a photo at flickr or to a blog post {links to the home page of your blog will be deleted}.

Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts

What's the Daily Paper Prompt?