Blue Winds

Here's a poem and picture set.

This poem is about feeling empty and bitter, but slowly coming to fruition and freedom. There's lot of context throughout the whole poem but since I'm dealing with excerpts...Yeah I'm going to just put the general gist of it.

The picture is done totally in GIMP, I did record myself drawing it but idk if I'll make a video, if I do I probably won't post it right away. I tried to make it more stylized with sharp edges but it looked terrible, I also was aiming for a more detailed face but somehow simple just looked better so I went with it. I did color everything in blues, I didn't cheat even though it killed me not to just use colorize.
I know the hands and arms look weird, I'm bad at poses and hands, and drawing with a mouse makes it worse.

There are 8 verses, I'm putting here, 1, 2, 5, 8

I feel a tug of war inside,
My emotions trying to find a place to abide,
I see and feel that something in me has died,
But I wonder, was I ever really alive?
...
Yes, I walked around and payed my daily dues,
Sure I was painting a rainbow worth of colors,
But my favorite color group was the blues,
And yes, of course I've been breathing but was it really air,
I can't really tell within all of the despair.
...
This wind it blows within me,
Swirls the storms inside,
My emotions are more unstable than the moons effect on the tide,
Surly I'm awaking to who I'm supposed to be,
Possibly I'm slowly but surly becoming free.
...
Though my tears they fall,
Being washed with the rain,
The wind that blew around me ,
No longer symbolizes pain.
But now the peace of mind but freedom I have gained.



~ God Bless ~

 ~Firefly

13 + 1 Drawing Challenges for Visual Artists!

Hello! In this post I'm going to talk about art challenges! Or more to the point why one should do them and some of the challenges that I know about that you can do and/or participate in...So without any further ado lets get going!

Art Challenges; Why should I do them?

This is a golden age for artists right now, and when I say artists I mean visual artists, I'm sure it's good for the other types of artists also but I'm not in those worlds so I won't talk about it as if I know what I'm saying! This is a time where all you need it a camera or a screen recorder and a youtube channel and you can get subscribers, maybe not millions but you can at least get a few hundred but often I see artists with thousands and some in the hundreds of thousands. And with that growing community there have arisen many art challenges that we as artists can do to be more of a community. Now before I talk on about these challenges I will note that at this time I do not have a channel. The reason is simple, I can't. Don't ask why I can't because it's personal in nature but that is my simple answer I can't, not right now. Eventually? Possibly, right now no. Anyway moving on.


These art challenges are great for people to draw, paint, and express themselves all in their own unique way. And with twitter, instagram, facebook, snapchat and all these platforms even without a youtube channel you can still participate in these challenges!


Now the question is, why should I put my time in to these? Well the answer isn't why you should, it's more of an answer why you would want to. Because art is one of those things most people do out of enjoyment not obligation (unless you are being paid then you have an obligation obviously).

The reasons I'd say you want to do these is:

1. Recognition.

People will see what you have made, even if they don't click on the heart to like it or comment, they still saw it. And if they do like it and/or comment it's a bonus!

2. You get to be involved in a group.

Of course everyplace has bullies, and artists are no exception. There are art bullies, but in general fellow artists are friendly and supportive; and with that you will be able to share with similar minded people as yourself.

3. You improve as an artist.

   Most of these challenges I will touch on don't forbid you from drawing what you like, so if you want to stick to drawing one thing but want to be better at that one thing you can still do that. These will simply push your creativity more even if you want to stay in one realm. I don't say however you have to limit yourself, expanding your horizons is always a good thing and I encourage it!
   

4. You have something to look back to and enjoy once it's completed!

   Some of these challenges are actually small projects and in the end you will have a pile of drawings to look over and see real results of your hard work.
   

Okay, those are some reasons, I'm sure there's more now on to the challenges! I haven't done all of these but I have done some of them. Also None of these artists asked me to link them or talk about these challenges, this is purely on my own.

The Challenges:

1. Sketch Book Video Challenge

This is a Challenge done by Juicy Ink on Youtube. Her challenge was to do a video everyday and post on YouTube of her getting back in to the habit of drawing in sketch-books and improving here video editing speed. She did this for 30 days. - I haven't done this challenge but I followed her through the process and I think if you can do it, you “should” do it. It looks hard but it would be rewarding and enjoyable! If you want to see her videos click here. For more Information about the challenge, here's her first video talking about it more.


Now you don't have to make the videos, but I think drawing everyday is a good thing if you are able to do it.

2. #MayWeDrawDaily

This is a current thing going on right now, started by Jellie Bee and Audra Auclair and inspired by the Sketch Book Video Challenge. The simple premise is drawing every day in May, if you want to post a video you can. That's it. And if you post it use the hashtag #MayWeDrawDaily. You don't have to draw everyday to participate. I'm participating in this at the moment.

3. #MerMay

This is another month long challenge, you simply draw mermaids all May long and if you post on social media put the hashtag #MerMay. I first saw this from ArtALaCarte. - I don't really draw mermaids but it's still a clever idea.

4. March of Robots

This is a drawing challenge I first heard about from Jake Parker. The premise of this one is drawing robots all the month of March. I haven't done this one either but it sounds fun.

5. Draw 100 Somethings

This is another challenge I saw from Jake Parker (You'll see a lot from him on this list), the premise of this is to take a very specific subject and draw it 100 different ways, this is to help you solve problems, think outside your respective box and expand your horizons. For example, instead of drawing 100 robots, draw 100 robot mice. It's more than a general subject it's an actual specific thing.
For more detail on this one watch his video here.

6. 8 Minute Drawing Challenge/#8MinuteDraw

This is yet another one from Jake Parker, only I think he got the idea from a book. The idea is to draw the same picture 6 times in 8 minutes starting at 4 minutes, then 2, then 1, then 30 seconds, 15, 5.
He made a timer on YouTube so you can bounce from one to the other. His video here, and his timer here. - If you post it you can take it #8MinuteDraw and you'll be in a semi popular hashtag.
I have done this one, you can read about how I approached it here.

7. Inktober

This is a challenge I'm sure more people know, InkTober.
Basically you draw pictures in ink/pen every day in October.
Jake Parker started this one to learn a new pen he received, I believe it was a brush pen at the time (something he still uses a lot) and then people started to hope on board and now it's actually a thing.
I participated in #Inktober last year and I have to say my pen skills improved a ton because of it. I HIGHTLY recommend this challenge it's so much fun! If you post it tag it #inktober and more people will see it. If you want to see the full history of #InkTober you can watch the video here.

8. Cheap Art Supply Challenge

This is a challenge a lot of people have been doing lately, where they go to the dollar store (or their country's equivalent) to buy the cheapest art supplies possible and then make art out of them. You don't have to go that cheap but it should be cheaper than brands like prismacolor or copic or a brand like that. I'm not sure who started it but I have a few favorite videos and I'll post the artist's name in the links.


Kattvalk – Cheap Ball Point Pens
Baylee Jae – Cheap Art Supplies (Mixed)
Sakuems - Cheap Watercolor
Kattvalk – Cheap Water-Based Markers
Jellie Bee – Cheap Art Supplies (Mixed)
Sakuems - Cheap Markers



Sharpies also count as a challenge too.


I can't say that I have or have not participated in this challenge because I can't afford good markers that cost 6 dollars each so I use sharpies, and I have prismacolor pencils but I also use Crayola and off brands as well. I mix it up so for me it's not a challenge it's how I am normally. But if you use the fancy stuff, try to do a drawing with the cheaper stuff!

9. Crayola Challenge

Again, for me this isn't a challenge because I always use crayola mixed with better brands but if you do not use crayola then this would be a good challenge for you to try, and if you're not going to use the supplies again you can give to a kid that likes to doodle! Basically you do all you coloring with crayola products. Many artists have done this challenge I'll post a few below.


ArtAlaCarte – Crayola Crayons
Jellie Bee - Crayola Markers
Baylee Jae - Crayola Colored Pencils

10. Wrong Hand Challenge/Left Hand Challenge

I first saw this one from Baylee Jae but I think she got if from somewhere else (not sure). The idea is that you draw a picture first with your native hand, then try to redraw it with your none native hand. I've tried this and it's quite hard but it was interesting to look at when I was done. It's normally called the left hand challenge but since Baylee and I are both Lefties I call it wrong hand challenge.


You can watch her video here.

11. 3 Marker Challenge

The premise for this one is you close your eyes and pick out 3 markers at random and try to color a drawing with them. Some people get all up tight saying you're cheating if you draw a picture to go with the drawing, or if you ink with a pen but there are no rules except to color with the 3 markers that were randomly selected.  Baylee Jae's video made this one popular, I think Sakuems made a video a while back but it got taken down due to music or something stupid because Youtube is a bunch of jerks sometimes But she has made (another?) one after that which you can see here. You can see her (Baylee's) 3 marker challenge videos here, and here. I highly recommend searching in youtube 3 marker challenge and watch the different videos ( I haven't seen them all so I don't guarantee the rating on every image, however in general they are G or PG, just watch your step). - And I have tried this with my Sharpie/Bic markers.

Sakuems also took this principle and did a 3 watercolor (color) challenge you can see here.

12. 1 Marker Challenge

Also made popular by Baylee Jae, it's basically the same as 3 marker challenge only you only pick 1 marker.
You can see her original video here. - I have not done this one.

Others:
Sakuems Video
Jellie Bee Video 
That Artsy Girl's Video

There are many others these are just a few I like.


And in honor of Friday the 13^th, here is the 13^th challenge I will cover.

13. The Blindfold Challenge.

For this one you blindfold yourself and try to draw and color an image blindfolded. The first video I ever saw of this was Baylee Jae but I don't know if she started it. There are many videos of people doing this one, it's quite amusing so please search in youtube for some videos!


Those are the challenges I know of so far, there is one last challenge but it isn't really a thing so I'll add it as an unofficial challenge because as far as I know only I have done this.

14. Poetry/Drawing Challenge

Here in the states April is national poetry month so for that I wrote poems and drew pictures to go with them, my goal was 15 sets but I only did 10 so I'm still working on it a little bit. So if you want to go with national poetry month or make little stories every day and draw a picture to go with them that would be a good challenge.


And with that I shall bid you all good day, I hope you enjoy your challenges!




~God Bless ~


~ Firefly

Unbrella Beach

Been slacking I know I missed last week! I'm sorry! I was very busy then I just wanted to relax.
Here's a little timelapse of a picture I drew last night. Took me about an hour real time.

~ God Bless ~

~ Firefly