Where to Start

Where do ideas come from?

After I wrote that line, I reread it and realized there is more to that once little sentence.  Where do GOOD ideas come from?  or Where do GREAT ideas come from?  or even, Where do BAD ideas come from?


I found out that ideas come from everything you experience. Some people draw their ideas.

That is how I am looking at my art.  I brought a few different ideas in to create this piece.
I'll name Bunny!!

As you can see from the above picture, I had a background of blues and greens and white dots. That, came from a picture I saw with cool colors.  I knew I wanted a cute girly and so I doodled and decided I wanted an Easter theme. I sketched the girl on regular white paper, cut her out and layered her on top of the dried painted background.

I 'glued' (mod podge) her to the background and then I colored her, or painted her in.  The surface is acrylic paint, markers and gel pens.  

Not sure what it is, but I think it is missing something, My idea is not complete!

  

The good thing about painting in a notebook is that I can just add paint over the top to change it, or enhance it, or eliminate it!

And then by capturing the photo with my iPhone camera and loading the picture into my computer, I can adjust color and add text with PhotoShop. 

And now my idea got bigger and better, or smaller and greater.... depending on how you look at it.

Imagination and creativity are the juices that produces great ideas.

Beyond the Impression

I like signs!

Figuratively and literally.

I'm a visual type personality.  I need to see it, and or be reminded of it!

I literally have signs all over my house! You may have seen them highlighted before on my blog.

This above is a glossy white painted dinner plate.  But it also the base for a changeable sign.  Using a dry/erase marker I change the saying on this plate anytime. The marker writes smoothly and I can glide around the surface with ease.  I've just got to watch out for smearing with my left hand.

Being a crafty person, and a thrifty one as well .... Pinterest is my inspiration for a lot of 'stuff' ( A LOT OF STUFF).  So, the in thing was to use black chalkboard paint to make unusual chalk boards and write fun and cute things on the board.  I found the above kitchen cabinet door raw wood, unstained and unpainted for about $3.  It's approx. 12" x 15".  I spray painted it with the black chalkboard paint and used actual school white chalk and wrote one of my Halloween greetings on it.  I tried to wipe it off.... and the board/wood had absorbed the chalk writing.  It wouldn't erase and looked like a mess. I retouched the sign paint  and decided to put  permanent text on it with a very smooth chalkboard ink.  I love the results. I love what it says!!

I don't always picture the end result of a random item I purchase when being thrifty, (or is it crafty) but I'm extremely excited when something turns out even better than I could have imagined!!

This framed board is approximately 15" x 32".  I think it used to be a country calendar that had the interchangeable wood pieces for months/weeks/days.  But all I saw was a great structure and a backboard that I could make into a blackboard.

I don't think whatever man made board the back is, was too absorbent, because I spray painted it and eventually could erase the chalk message on this one.  I love how I can practice my handwriting and be creative and change out the words to whatever is happening seasonally around our home.  I see the sign, every day!!

And then  there are purchased signs, or signs that were given to me as a gift.  They are different sizes and textures and different sentimental meanings!

Signs give me comfort.  I love the fact that I can see them and be reminded of their content every day. I can think of who gave them to me, or the occasion it was purchased, or a reason behind the words!

Augustine on signs: A sign is a thing which causes us to think of something beyond the impression the thing itself makes upon the senses.

At the outset you must be very careful lest you take figurative signs literally.

Little happy reminders, that often help me to Brighten Someone's Day!