tools of creativity

One of my other creative endeavors is participating in a 365 photo/day project. I'm on day 141. The 'theme' for today is tools and as I was contemplating how to portray tools like a hammer or saw, I realized that I don't have any connection to those kinds of tools. My connection is to tools of creativity, so I pulled out my art journal and paints to illustrate my "tools".

I've never kept a diary or journal of any kind. Although I like writing (I have 2 other blogs that fulfill that need), I never felt the need to chronicle my thoughts and feelings. I still don't in the traditional sense of a diary. However, after seeing all the art journals proliferating through blog land, I have been inspired to be more specific, more controlled in working with my sketchbook.

I don't have a natural ability to draw - I took a couple of architectural classes in pursuing my interior design degree, so it gives me a slight understanding of perspectives, but it's definitely a beginner understanding. Consequently, I always am hyper critical of my sketching efforts and often times don't feel that my sad drawings look anything like what I'm trying to capture.

Now I'm trying to push past that natural critical eye and draw anyway ... how else am I going to improve, right? And one way that I'm making that kind of more fun (instead of a scary chore), is to make my sketchbook an art journal. Now I'm enjoying the freedom to put more than just sketches, but also include whimsical doodles, an occasional note or memory, new technique experiments, etc.

This will be FUN!

I went to a Strathmore paper presentation and attendees were given some ATC cards to experiment on with Inktense pencils and a watercolor brush - here are a couple of my efforts.