“Create to share” vs. “Share what you create”

February 17, 2016 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

After posting everyday from Feb. 1-14, in the Valentine’s Day theme, I was relieved when Valentine’s Day was over. Last year I found so much inspiration in the challenge to post everyday, to delve deeper into the theme. This year…not so much. Once it was over, I realized I wanted to work on whatever inspired me. I didn’t want to think about posting everyday. I didn’t want to create just to post something. I enjoy sharing what I’m working on, but it’s amazing how different it is to “Create to share” vs. “Share what you create.”

School’s on break this week. It’s snowing as I write this post. It feels like a nice break from our busy life. The break gives me a chance to step back and reflect, and look forward and plan. Or just relax.

I’m not saying I won’t be posting. I just posted a quick sketch on Instagram of the cardinals out in the snow. But now, I feel free to work on whatever strikes my fancy. And learning what those things are, is the interesting part.

Just 5 minutes of sketching

January 11, 2016 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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I’ve been sketching everyday. To accomplish this I’ve committed to “just 5 minutes.” Even on the busiest days, I figure I can spare 5 minutes. My old schedule was of a couple of hours of creating, one day a week, with shorter periods added here and there. But by the time another creative day came along, I sometimes couldn’t remember what I had been working on. These short sketching sessions keep me in the creative mode. They have been great. A great way to practice, come up with ideas, or just relax. And sometimes it goes beyond 5 minutes. 🙂

Hope your having a creative New Year!

New Year, New Banner

January 7, 2016 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

I thought it would be appropriate to design a banner that better represented what I do. So, why not a sketch of my painting setup? I’ve kept my bear in there, on the can holding the brushes. If you are wondering what’s with the bear – read my about page.

The New Year, has given me a recharge. I’m more committed to being creative than I was at the start (of 2014). I’m excited to pursue all the different things I’m interested in (painting, illustration, surface design, animation). I’m trying to doodle in my sketchbook every day. I ask myself for only 5 minutes. Even on the busiest days, I can spare that right? It’s relaxing, and it allows me time to come up with ideas. I usually do it early in the morning, while I wait for the kids to get ready. It puts me in a creative mindset for the day. And because of that, I usually end up creating later in the day.

Hope your New Year is off to a creative start too!

Looking back and looking forward on my creative resolution

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

When I first made “my creative resolution” just before the start of 2014, my mission statement was: “Hoping to draw, paint, and create my way through 2014.”

I just wanted to be creative. I didn’t even know what I’d be working on. My interests were a varied list of painting, working with recycled materials, refinishing furniture, decorating my mantle, etc. The real goal was to be creative on a regular basis, and finish projects. I had a terrible habit of never finishing things. I made great progress in 2014, my interests became more focused on drawing and painting, and I finished almost everything I started, including some old projects.

At the start of 2015, my mission statement was: “Continuing my creative journey into 2015.”

I knew I had come so far, and I wanted to keep growing, and learning. I wasn’t giving up. I had a long lists of goals, although this list, wasn’t as varied as the year before.

Things I want to try in 2015:

Linocut
Lettering
Online workshops
Painting on dark paper
Doodling
Video
Patterns
Maps
Digital Brushes
Watercolor Parties

Most of these items, I tried at least once. Some, like designing patterns (surface design), I adopted as a monthly goal. See all my 2015 patterns here.

My mission statement for 2016 is more of a declaration of me: “Painting, Illustration, Surface Design, and Animation.”

I want to continue painting, working on my illustration style, and designing surface patterns. And I want to learn and grow in the area of animation. See my recent post on exploring animation here.

It’s important to look at where you’ve been, and plan on where you want to go. These two years have been amazing for me. I’ve grown so much on this creative journey. I’ve met amazing friends. It has made me feel happy and fulfilled, and I’m excited about what 2016 will bring. 🙂

Comparing last Fall’s work to this Fall

November 19, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

As I added branches to my latest illustration project, I wondered, “What was I working on last year?” I asked myself the same question at the end of the Summer and the answer was interesting. When I looked back to Summer 2014, I saw the start of my watercolor and ink style. I could pinpoint that first project where I added the ink details, and something clicked. The first couple of projects from Summer 2014 looked one way, and then a change took place.

Now, when I look back to last Fall, I see that I continued to work in that style. I actually don’t see much of a difference between last Fall and this Fall. To me, the projects are almost interchangeable.

Fall 2014

Fall 2015

But I don’t feel stagnant. I still think I’m growing and developing, and I’m happy to have found my style. Especially, after years of wondering how to find your style!

Focusing and following through

October 29, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

My last post was about “Coming up with Ideas.” A few of you commented that you have no shortage of ideas. This makes sense as Maya Angelou famously said,

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

The “ideas” post was from the early days of my creative resolution. While reading through my old posts, I realized that focusing and finishing were recurring themes. Previously I wasn’t successful with my creative projects because I was always starting and stopping, and never finishing. Which left me feeling discouraged.

I started this creative journey in 2014, by finishing several old projects and doing several projects that I had always wanted to try. Accomplishing these things made me feel good, and so I kept going, with new projects.

I’ve come a long way since then. I try to draw or paint every day. I always shy away from the word “daily” because I’m more likely to paint and draw a lot for a day or two. Do nothing for a day or two, and then get back to it again.

I keep a notebook of “to do” lists and project ideas. I check off things as I go, and look back to see if I forgot anything. I’ll keep an old idea on the list for a while. Of course, I don’t get to everything, but it feels amazing to accomplish something that’s been on my list for months. The percentage of unfinished projects is much, much lower than it was before MCR.

Recently I wanted to be creative, but didn’t know where to start. I literally felt anxious. I sat down and wrote out all the ideas buzzing in my head. When I was done, I felt like I could breath again. Just writing the ideas down, cleared my head, and helped me prioritize. And then I started to create. 🙂

Writing a checklist to help you achieve your Creative Goals

October 7, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

I’ve learned so much since starting my creative resolution in 2014. About how important setting a goal is. But, not only do we have to set a goal, we need to outline the tasks that will get us there.

My 2014 creative resolution, or goal, was very simply to “be creative.” Early on I wrote (and adapted as I went on) a “weekly checklist” or a set of tasks that would help me achieve my goal. They were:

My 2014 Weekly Checklist:

3 pencil sketches – “5 minute sketches”
1 watercolor
1 acrylic
illustration (children’s book illustration style)

As the year went on I added things like “figure drawing” to my list, and, as I focusted more on watercolor, acrylic painting moved to my monthly list.

My 2014 Monthly Checklist:

learn a new technique (from a video, book, etc.)
1 acrylic painting
“other” project (furniture, wood, etc.)

My 2015 creative resolution or goal was to “continue my creative journey.” Right from the start of 2015 I wrote a list of things I have always wanted to try. Some of these things were one time “tries,” while others I incorporated into my checklist (see the last three items).

My 2015 Checklist:

Try one thing from “the list” each month
Create almost daily (and post on Instagram)
Paint with watercolor at least once a week
Doodle with ink almost daily
Design a pattern a month
Practice hand lettering at least once a month

As the new year gets closer and closer, I’m excited to set a new goal, a new creative resolution. I’ve grown so much, I can’t wait to see what 2016 brings! 🙂

How to create a repeating pattern in Photoshop {Feathers my pattern for September.}

September 30, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

featherspattern1d
Here is my pattern design for September. As you may have seen, I’ve been drawing and painting feathers all month, so it’s seemed appropriate to turn them into a pattern. I pieced this pattern together from my sketchbook (see below). I wanted this pattern to be much tighter than ones I’ve designed so far this year. This tighter pattern, required more playing and arranging in Photoshop becauses once I thought the pattern was “set” and I tried repeating it, things would overlap and I’d have to readjust and try repeating it again.
feathersinink

If you know Photoshop and want to try creating a pattern, I’ve included my steps below.

Creating a pattern in Photoshop:

Scan artwork
In Photoshop: separate each element of your design into different layers
Within your artboard, create the area for your “repeat” using guides. (translation: use guides to create a box within your artboard. You can expand the canvas size before this step.)
Arrange your elements. They can go over the guides.
On a separate layer outline the guides to make a box.
Create a group with the box and element layers – call it “original”
Duplicate the “original” group. Drag to the right so the left edge of the box touches the right guide
Duplicate the group again. Drag to the left so the right edge of the box touches the left guide
Select the three groups and duplicate them. Drag the 3 duplicate layers up, so the bottom of the boxes touch the top guide
Duplicate the three groups again. Drag them down, so the top of the boxes touch the bottom guide
If any adjustments need to be made – delete all but your “original” group, make the adjustments and repeat steps 7-10
When you are happy with your repeating pattern, hide all the layers with the box outline.
Crop to the guides to create your “repeat.”

Below, you can see my boxes. The center box is where I have my guides (which are not visible).

Slight variations on my feather pattern.
No distress in the background.
featherspattern1

Distress shows yellow.
featherspatterndy

Which one do you like best? 🙂

Drawing what your drawn to. {feathers}

September 21, 2015 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

seagullfeathers
I didn’t even realize I loved trees until they kept popping up in my paintings and illustrations. Drawing feathers was more of an accident. I was painting a sunflower when the watercolors bled beyond the shape of the sunflower. I moved on to another version, putting this accident to the side. Over the next couple of weeks whenever I looked at this accident, I saw a feather. Eventually I added ink details to turn it into a feather. You can read more about that “happy accident” here.

Since this “accident,” I’ve draw a lot of feathers, especially over the last couple of weeks. Recently I sketched several feathers in my book. I wanted to add a color background to them, so I started over and drew more feathers on watercolor paper.

For two of the paintings I started with the simple outline of feathers, then painted the backgrounds, and a little color to some of the feathers. I added the feather details in ink after. On the third painting, I painted a feather shape with a pink, purple, blue blend and added ink details afterwards.