Prompt 10: illustrating from a poem

Welcome committed artisans and fans we are entering the final stretch. Those of you still awake have a chance to win a prize for staying up with us.

A lesser known fact about me (Rhonda Chase) is that I write Children’s stories and poems. I’ve always loved Dr Seuss and Shel Silverstein’s unique artwork paired with rhyme. I have started working with a company recently to help me get my drawings and poetry together for print. I would like to share with you the first one we are trying to tackle. (Thinking it to be easier than the longer stories.)

There are a couple of things we still need to work out for the story. I need some sketches and items for the title type pages and to figure out what is missing in the story. We feel like it needs one more line before the end…. What do you think the crayons do before they get put back into the box?

Here are some of the images I made to go with the story some years ago.

Crayons:

I spilled my crayons they rolled around the table.

Yellow stood up plainly with a happy prideful grin.
Planting itself squarely underneath my little chin.

Blue was speaking lightly in a very mellow tone.
Asking in it’s own way to be left a bit alone.

Orange kept on rolling tell it ran into a chair.
Pulling out a bandage for it’s wrapper had a tear.

Red was staring smugly at my little forest green.
Wanting him for herself to create a Christmas scene.

Green was watching fearfully about to run and hide.
Behind the salt and pepper, or maybe deep inside.

Pink began to promenade around Purple with glee.
Hoping she would be invited to a cup of tea.

Lifting each one gently, I placed my crayons back into their box.

Rhonda Chase

Rhonda Chase

Screen Shot 2015-03-21 at 10.44.19 PM

You are welcome to make a drawing about my story or any other you enjoy. What is your favorite story?
Here is one more poem to help inspire you:

The Cat

There was a little cat.
That sat and sat and sat.
Until his butt began to grow.
Because he sat upon it so.
He got off his rump to eat.
And fell back down upon his seat.
The little cat began to fear.
His rear had grown too large to steer.

 

Promt 5: Inspired by a song…

By now it’s afternoon for everyone stateside. Hopefully you have already made something (anything is encouraged but not required.) Stop by and see us/chat with us on facebook or leave a comment/post here. Make sure to say Hi somewhere if you want a chance to win a prize.

I have never tried to create something inspired by a song… at least not that I can think of. I normally have to listen to something while working to distract my left brain while the right side is creating. On this occasion I was thinking one song… over and over that is purposefully inspiring the creative process. What will you make?
Post it here! 🙂

 

Here is the song a few of us are using for this prompt. Kelly Clarkson’s “Heartbeat Song” from her new album “Piece by Piece”.

I’m so excited…

and I just can’t hide it… and I know… I know… I know… I know that I want you to come and play with us!

Ok… I’m only partly sorry for planting that song seed in your brain.

So I’ve been getting myself ready because I really AM that excited, and I wanted to share a little bit of how my brain works.

I have found with time that having a plan helps. Sometimes this means I only need a week with a single focus. And sometimes it means I need more than just a little box on a bigger page, and so a day will have TONS of information, as with the Art-a-thon which needs much more than one little box.

sometimes a day needs a whole page

sometimes a day needs a whole page

Sometimes ideas occur in the 10+ hours I’m not at home every day, and at those times I write on whatever I can find. I’m sure my co-workers think I’m nuts, and they might be right. I have 11×11 post it notes, and all manner of other papers around me all the time, I’m a receptionist, paper is kind of how I get my job done.

because 10 hours away from home looks like this on paper

because 10 hours away from home looks like this on paper

Working from the plan I start to compile the “ingredients” I need for certain projects, whether this means making them or buying them or just sorting them out of the wall of bins I have in my studio.

As I get items I need for particular projects I will put them together. Last summer I bought a bunch of baskets and now use them to organize my brain. Quite literally.

seuss cards, star purses, cabochons, 50 year old pearls, glass beads, pretty backgrounds… even a canvas and ALL of the paper plans and ideas. ALL IN THERE.

seuss cards, star purses, cabochons, 50 year old pearls, glass beads, pretty backgrounds… even a canvas and ALL of the paper plans and ideas. ALL IN THERE.

And because I really am SO excited… here are some little sneak peeks at what I’ll be working on during our time together on Saturday, March 21st…

sneak peek 1

sneak peek 1

sneak peek 2

sneak peek 2

sneak peek 3

sneak peek 3

And in the mail this weekend, some invitations. I’ve made a couple of different batches of cards and postcards from my old artwork over the past few years. I used up the original batch sending out invitations to some friends because I want them to come and play with us. I just used sharpie markers on the already printed cards. Homespun and still kind of cool looking, I think.

invites a'la my own postcards

invites a’la my own postcards

I can’t wait to see you there!

How does YOUR brain work? What projects do you want to work on with us? How are you organizing yourself to maximize your time? Do you organize yourself at all? Not everyone does. I’m jealous.

-12Squared