One Sketch a Day

This year I've been practicing my drawing with one of these One Sketch a Day books. "Improve my drawing skills" has been on pretty much on every goals list I've written in the last few years, but I was finding that I was never very inspired to actually practice. This little book has been an amazing motivator! The boxes are quite small, so they don't feel intimidating, it always feels like I have time to squeeze in a little sketch every day. I've attempted a few 365 projects over the last few years - mostly with photos - but this is the longest I've managed to keep one going. Now that there is a good bank of material there, it's more and more satisfying to keep filling up the book one little box at a time. 

Anyone else doing a sketch a day? Or any other 365 projects that are still going strong? I'd love to see! 

x Rachel 

Getting my Art Journal On...

I feel very lucky to have a job where I get to be creative every day, it's amazing. The only trouble is that because designing is my job, I feel like I have lost my hobby. Making things has always been my way of relaxing and staying inspired, but when everything I make is work related I start to feel a bit zapped of motivation. I think it's really important to keep creating just for fun, because often that's when the most valuable skill practice comes in - when the pressure is off. 

To give myself the excuse to make things just for me, I've started Rachel Denbow's 52 Weeks of Art Journalling on A Beautiful Mess. I had a feeling I was going to love it; I've read one of their e-courses before (dream-job) and it continues to be a great source of inspiration for me. I've completed the first week and I have to say the course is exactly what I wanted it to be. There's something I find really satisfying about making pages within a style or prompt that someone else has set for you - it cuts out that "what shall I make?" feeling (which I get enough of in my day job!). 

Sometimes it's nice to do something "just because"; and that's exactly what I'll be doing more of from now on. 

Is anyone else out there doing this course? What do you think of it? 

x Rachel 

Reuse "Ruined" Film Photos

I recently shared my very first roll of film from my Diana F+ camera, and as I said in the original post - I definitely need more practice! Some of the photos came out very dark and blurry, and while I quite like that effect, some of them were barely recognisable! 

I thought it was a shame for these (ahem - very expensive) prints to be wasting away under the bed, so I decided to turn them into little quote pictures instead. I used a white marker for one and my trusty Dymo for the other... I'm really pleased with them now! 

I'm going to make enough to cover the door of our record cabinet, each with our favourite lyrics on them. Fun :) 

x Rachel