Saturday, 31 July 2010

JFAC Prompt III


Journal Prompt:  Today is all about altering a repeat image :)  Copy an image, or images, multiple times using a copy machine, or scanner and print the images in black and white.  Use different writing tools to alter your images in many different styles.  (If you don't have access to a copier of any kind, alter images from a magazine or old pictures, do it your way and it will be awesome).

Ok so first off I didn't read the prompt properly, spent hours thinking I couldn't get started because I had no printer and no photos.  Now I re-read it properly and see that actually I could have done it if I hadn't been such a silly billy!  So here's the deal.  I need to use the Library photo copier so this prompt is on hold until Tuesday (We have a civic Holiday this Monday) and then I will up-load and update this post!

Well, well, well!  Amazing!  Suddenly the penny dropped!  I had just one black and white photo of me saved on my laptop.  So I thought why not play around with Photoshop and learn a few tricks?  Then the brain really clicked into gear, I could upload a jpeg now then on Tuesday get it printed and stick it in my journal!  I'm not JUST cute eh?!!

Friday, 30 July 2010

JFAC Prompt I and II


Journal Prompt One:  Since today is the first day of the class, I wanted to start our journals with a "Welcome" page.    I want you to include a little blurb with five adjectives explaining your life right now as well.  So, it will go something like this: 
Welcome to my ______,______,_______,_______, ______ life.  
This will be a nice little intro for our journal :)



Finding five adjectives to sum up my life right now was fairly easy.  I just moved from a small home in the UK where I worked five days a week, to a bigger home in a dream setting, in Northern Ontario, Canada and right now we are taking a 'work break'.  As our garden backs on to the forest there's a very good chance we'll see bears and moose.  So my life right now is truly wonderful, wild and exciting!  Images typical to Canada sprang to mind immediately.  Producing the piece, however, proved more difficult.  I have a trunk full of art supplies somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean!  Manitouwadge is a small township with nothing as grand as an art shop!  And so it is that all I can muster is a rather poor quality sketch book and some even poorer quality felt markers in a limited range of unexciting colours!

Journal Prompt 2:  I am a huge fan of writing out my goals, short term and long term.  I thought it would be appropriate to have some journaling goals for ourselves too!!  What are your goals for your journaling?



Straight away the word 'smart' popped into my head! After several years supporting people with learning difficulties in the community and within Day Service Provision I am used to setting 'smart' goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. To my previous Line Managers at Aldingbourne Trust and West Sussex County Council , all those courses paid off you see?  I actually learnt AND retained something!  And so the idea was to word my goals in a way that the acronym could be used as bullet points.

Upon leaving school in the late 70's all things 'arty' were abandoned.  Boys, discos, clothes and having fun ruled.  This was closely followed by marriage, domesticity and motherhood. So thirty something years later my confidence in my creative ability is somewhat shaky.  If it wasn't for the encouragement of my good friend, Lorrie , I wouldn't even be doing this!  So anguish over my ability is what holds me back most.  Issues of time, or lack of, and leaving things unfinished are well used excuses and tactics for avoiding failure. Reviving skills and trying something new are the 'cure'!

Now.  At this point I would be tempted to apologise for my,what I consider to be, a disappointing offering.  But then that would negate the first two goals......


Thursday, 29 July 2010

Welcome!

Welcome to my new Arty Blog!  As it says on the tin "this is where I record my progress"!  My dearest friend, Lorrie, having had to cut short her 30 day challenge due to other commitments kindly asked me to carry it forward.  I hope I do it justice Lorrie!  The challenge, Journal for a cause, started on 26th July so today is day 4 and I have a lot of catching up to do.  Having just moved in, and with my art equipment still sailing across the Atlantic, I have been able to purchase a few fairly average pens and a sketch book from the local bargain shop to get me started.  So enough waffling, time to crack on and get creative!  Watch this space!