Dock

ATC_Dock

The 6th stage, although the steps are not necessarily sequential, is Dock.

dock

¹   

noun1.a landing pier , some place to put our ideas, to give them structure, shape and form. Even the free-est for of art has a framework some kind of outline.

As artist we have ideas, inspiration, materials (both tangible and technical). How we we wrangle them how we harness them is by docking. 

My docking process take many forms. Sometimes simply flipping through my inspirational books, magazines, & art journals spark a form or structure. Sometimes it is through challenges. Oh, there are challenges and then there are CHALLENGES. The challenges I am referring to are the "rules" someone has set to follow. Many art journaling and scrapbooking sites have creative minds that make weekly challenges. These challenge give us form and structure. They set an outline or framework to work within. Some of my favorites are :

Jessica Sprague>forum>challenge  

scrapbookgraphics>forum>challenge
designerdigitals>community>weekly challenge

Once again my inspiration for the blog comes from the book Changing Patterns Discovering the Fabric of your Creativity written by  Daena Giardella and Wren Ross. Read older post for more stages and Collect your FREE ACT cards to keep and use as you choose.

Challenges give our creativity a place to DOCK. Go over to Jessicasprague.com click on forums>7 days in May. Everyday for 7 days a challenge will be described and a freebie to kick start, if you so choose. Unfortunately the freebie is only for the day, fortunately there is a new one everyday of the 7 Days in May.

Keeps Me on My Toes

Over at scrap book graphics Tangie Baxter 2012 Caravan the word for the wordology section was gallivant. The following page is from a 1980 board game that I scanned, with some game cards and flippery clown and hand. Sometime it just take a word to trigger the creative thought. Marination time on this was very short. I had a FLOOD of ideas having just scanned the game this week before reading Tangie's itinerary! Serpendipity? The layout it's self was not too difficult. Scan, resize, place. The title font is from dafont: Roady Roadrunner, A little warping and a paint bucket and voila. Signage is dafont, road sign and road warning signs.

I wondered what I would do with this board game that has been hanging around my stash. 

My Mother-In-Law

Don't Forget your FREE ATC

Free Artist Trading Card Collect the series from this site

Marinating

Suppose the lack of a blog can be an example of the creative stage of Marination. Letting things sit, soak in. For an Artist or creative person this can be viewed negatively. Seen often as a time of non-productiveness. My marination time was triggered by a trip to Marco Island. I had hoped to take at least 200 photos but actually took about 20. My quest was to add to my photo stash to alter in Photo Shop. But, instead I was uninspired and unmotivated finding the Island so commercial that the quest turned into Marination.
But I can not go to the beach without taking pictures of sand, shells, and sea. Here is a page from my art journal.

And my Self Portrait

Altered Shadow Photo of me at the beach! The shots of me in a bikini are long over!

So I have been Marinating, reading, oogling, and also purging, making room to breathe.

How do you marinate? What do you turn to when you need to sit and be? How long does this process take you? Hours, Days, weeks, may be just minutes. Me I was buried for weeks in my purging process, marinating while I rid my belongings to open space in my house, studio, heart and head.

 I won! How exciting. Check out my winning challenge page at http://www.jessicasprague.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4447:are-you-up-for-the-challenge&catid=69:jscom-articles&Itemid=147.
Participating in Jessica Sprague challenges is on outlet for me to use specific guidelines to form a creative piece. The challenge was to use words that were on inspirational bracelets, use handwriting font, and circles (since bracelets are circles) to showcase 6 inspirational words.

Jessica Sprague and her staff have been a major influence on my digital knowledge. Her classes have given me the tools to create. I highly recommend logging on to www.jessicasprague.com and start your digital journey.

Been THERE Done That

I have to apologize to the great people over at shoot fly shoot, I commented on there post and referred to my blog, and for some reason (because I am a rookie blogger) the post was not posted. So here we go...

This long awaited  class Photography 101, over at  Shoot Fly Shoot, is by far the BEST instruction for newbies. From my experience as an public school educator, my mantra, was Tell Me, Show ME, Let Me.

That is what 

                                      Josh                         and                         Kevin

do through there Video instructions. OMG, these guys are awesome! Just imagine you have a best friend who just happens to be a Pro-Photographer. Your friend noticed your interest and said, " Want me to teach you how to use that camera with all those settings?".  Hell, yeah!
So your new best friend tells you, Shows you, and lets you try (still holding your hand, via video) how to manage your DSRL and take photos in MANUAL !  And if you have a table, your new friends can go to the shoot with you. But if you don't, never fear cuz they take you on one of there shoots and talk you through the entire process and show you everything they are doing, how awesome is that I ask?

More soon to come Photography 102! Video ! I am jumping for joy. All this for 55$. Get those fingers moving to Shoot Fly Shoot. There's always room in the class for one more student!

Been THERE Done THAT

Big Picture Classes is the site I began my journey into online classes. As a life long learner (lll) what brings joy to my heart is learning. There was a time it was teaching and seeing the joy in others from learning as well. Over at Big Picture there are so many classes to turn on the creative switch. The class, Great Pictures with Any Camera by Elisha Snow, was a workshop give Fall 2010. So why talk about it? 

As an instructor myself I have found that some learners ( I include myself in this category) need more than one way, one point of view, one technique, to fully grasp a concept or two.  This class covers the more creative side of  Photography covering light, composition, Creative Icon settings on your DSRL, taking self portraits and dealing with flash white Balance Focusing on post processing. All valuable information for the wanna be like me. 

Big Picture offers Workshops and Self Paced classes (ie, Instant Downloads). I would love to see the past workshops repeated or offered as an instant download. Anyway, just head over to Big Picture and learn something there has to be something going on over there that will assist in THE QUEST.

Been THERE Done THAT

My own quest has lead me to several online Photography Classes. Over at Jessica Sprague, OH Shoot with Candice Stringham offers plenty of downloadable text/photos discussion Shutter Speed, Aperture, Focus, metering, histogram, lighting and manual mode. Candice has Exposure Rulers, a sort of slide Rule ( oh, remember those nifty things from High School), that uses shutter speed and aperture to give all  exposure settings. Her explanation is flawless. At 126$ for 6 weeks of classes with video explanation, MP3 audio of lesson, Daily (M-F) emails and one assignment per lesson I felt she covered the gamut of DSLR. The most valuable detail at Jessica Sprague is once you sign up for a class you are able to access it any time for as long as the site remains. This is invaluable for refresher one month to one year down the line!

Next Been There Done THAT - I will talk about Mastering Manual Mode at Big Picture with  Elisha Snow.
Shoot Fly Shoot with Kevin and Josh two great guys with a passion for photography and teaching.

Just in case you are wondering, yes, I paid for and took all these classes. Find out which was my favorite --- Just keep reading----my quest continues.

Quest

Diving in and learning everything possible about what ever you are doing. Whether your a Cook, seamstress, painter, photographer, and the list goes on,  the need to read about, gain insight, anything that helps us understand, make connections, and  spur our creativity. The quest to know everything and anything about our Topic is the quest! 

On a personal Note:

Spring fever. This is a good thing. We are having unseasonably beautiful  weather her in the North-Coast. Sunny and in the high 60's and 70's. Soon the patio and deck will be a place of my creative outlet, place to share time with loved ones and a sanctuary of solitude when no one is home.  The above photo is my deck, decked out in full summer glory and altered for my Art Journal. Inspiration is every where!

I can fill myself falling into the WOW stage. With every pop of a tree bud, to shadow created by sunshine, to the sound of the birds at daylight to the sound of the peeps at night--WOW !

The Flood

Where ever I go what every I do I am thinking about what I am creating. My brain is filled with idea, processes, opened for inspiration. The flood of thought consumes me. I tend to work fast, talk fast, think fast, move fast, yet not fast enough. Nothing can stop me and time does not exist. Flying high as a kite and enjoying every minute of it. Some my refer to it as the zone.

WOW- The thrill of it all

Free ATC

The thrill, the exhilaration,it is there in our head waiting to get out! THE WOW. Since I am not in the WOW phase today I am finding it difficult to get motivated, that is an other stage all in of it's self. However, we have all been there. Its seems that you can not work fast enough, whether your writing a book,short story, painting, art journaling, digitalizing in Photoshop, sketching, designing kitchens to sweaters the adrenalin is flowing! The excitement, the joy is at times a complete high. Focus is so intense that a bomb could go off and not be heard. Your are dancing with joy.  

 Which brings me to the new show on NBC:

Putting aside all the drama. Yes, we love the drama. Watching the performers, actors, directors, writers, go through the creative process is magical. I try to identify where they are in to creative spectrum and then I focus on the drama!

Comments are always welcome --come join the ride and collect your ATC cards

The Itch

I seldom Do Not have THE ITCH! I always have the itch to make something. I do not feel satisfied on any give day without creating something or nuther.  You know that feeling of flightiness, distraction from what every you are doing because there is this itch to create. Sometimes I am not sure exactly what the itch will become I just know I have to "get my hands Dirty" . Weather you create by gardening, sewing,knitting digital art, scrap-booking, cooking, and the list can go on... You have at one time or another felt the ITCH.

Here's a freebie: ATC  of the ITCH

  ATC by Me:

Credits:


Embellishments
TFS_Frippery boumboum clown

Paper:
Holliewood+ Wihs upona star 5

Fonts:
Rockwell Extra BOLD
Some Weatz Swashes
Vladimir Script

Roller-Coaster ride of Creativity

With 19 stages of Creativity not wonder the process feels like a roller-coaster ride.

1.  Itch
2.  Wow
3.  Flood
4.  Quest
5.  Marinating
6.  Dock
7.  Laboratory
8.  Thwarting
9.  Deflation
10.  Wall
11.  Rebellion
12.  Denial
13.  Wake
14.  Glimmer
15.  Testing
16.  Reunion
17.  Lovemaking
18.  Pruning
19.  Resolve

Oh why stop at 19? I like even numbers, I like symmetry, I get a # 20. HIGH when I am in the mist of a creation. The stage, you know, when there is no sense of time, no sense of distraction, no care in the world, That my friend it THE HIGH. (my contribution to the authors list)

For me creativity is not a linear process. Therefore, any given time one or several stages may be part of my process at once. But, for the sake of my own sanity and to organization of this blog. Each step will be taken in sequential order, at least something in life can be predictable. Enjoy the RIDE.

Processing creativity

http://www.scrapbookgraphics.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?12118-Your-creative-process

See how others process

Discovering Creativity

http://www.amazon.com/Changing-Patterns-Discovering-Fabric-Creativity/dp/1401907563/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329345226&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Another passion is reading and as an X Reading Specialist I have always relished in the printed word. I have found a peaceful place in a book, an entry to learning, and sparks for inspiration. This year I will work at reviewing a book I read in 2006.  I became aware of the book through my knitting habit. It's interesting how all my creative outlets really are the basis for the need, and I mean, NEED to create. THerefore, I'll use this blog for the same. Doc you mentation of "create":. If you like come along for the ride.

Challenge to Self

A good challenge is great motivation. Gets the creative juices flowing and the Photoshop skills sharp!. This Challenge is from the 2012 Caravan from Scrapgirls at Scrapbookgraphics.com. A quote from Through the Looking Glass: 

 Alice laughed, "There's not use trying she said. One can't believe impossible things." "I dare say you haven't had muchpractice," said the queen. "When I was your age, I always did for half-an-hour a day as many as six impossible things before breakfast. --Through the Looking Glass

SO I am looking forward to my six new practices before lunch! Wanna join me?

Art Journaling via Jessica Sprague

February 4 2012
Having started this digital journey in the late 1990 I can honestly give most of my skill from the Jessica Sprague online workshops. The most recent workshop- Art Journaling seemed to open the creative door, and prompted this blog. The blogging community is a plethora of creative, generous people who are supportive and encouraging. I highly recommend anyone interested in digital Photoshop or Photoshop Elements go to www.jessicasprague.com .  Credit for the above page from my art journal goes to deviantscrap.com.