It’s in the Cards Tutorial
Do you believe in fortune telling? I don’t know about you, but I used to have a Magic 8 Ball®. I loved playing with it. The idea was that it would magically tell your fortune when you shook the ball and looked in the window for the answer. Mostly I used it in elementary school to find out if a secret crush liked me back. Although I don’t have a Magic 8 Ball anymore, I thought it would be fun to make up a set of fun fortune telling cards using the same 20 responses that are inside the ball. What you will need: 20 ATC cards, playing cards or…
The Drawing Studio
When I was taking my required classes for my bachelor’s degree in Visual and Public Art, I took the minimum required classes in drawing. Drawing scared me. It scared me because I was comparing myself to the other students who had been drawing for years. I compared myself to the established artists that we studied. I compared myself unfairly. Drawing is something that I have come to love. I make lots of mistakes and allow the mistakes to show up without feeling bad about them. Notice I said, “about them” and not “about myself.” That was the key to overcoming my fear. I stopped taking it personally. I continue to…
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
I live a few blocks away from the Emeryville Amtrak station. There are several places to cross the train tracks at gate arms. If I am walking, I have the option to cross the tracks via a pedestrian walkway at the Emeryville station. The tracks are shared with Union Pacific and a really long cargo train makes crossing via the pedestrian walkway the better choice (and safer). I still have images in my head from the movies they showed us in elementary school about the dangers of crossing railroad tracks. Crossing above the tracks makes it fun to take photos when the trains are at the station. Sometimes I imagine…
Moving Away From Fear
Moving away from fear is what most of us do all of our lives. We want safety, security and all the answers. I believe this how Google rose to such high popularity. If you have a need, Google will help you find The Answer. Sometimes the blank page or canvas causes fear. It’s not life or death fear but it still causes an uneasy feeling. Our natural reaction is to turn away from fear. Where do we start when we have a blank surface? The possibilities are endless. It’s the unknown. When we make that first mark, we have started on our path. If we don’t like the path, it…
How to Improve Life
Do you want to improve life? I don’t believe creativity is the only way. But I do believe it’s an excellent pathway to take. Do you know people who are dead inside? They also seem to be the same people that don’t understand the value of visual or performing arts or the written word. I don’t believe it is a coinsidence. I come more alive when I go to a live music event or listen to recorded music. I appreciate the beauty of nature and the how the colors and scents affect me. I couldn’t imagine my life without books. All of these activities inspire me to be more creative. Adding…
