Day 5

In January 2010, I decided to write a movie blog called Diary of a Celluloid Girl.  I'm a huge fan of films, especially classic Hollywood, so I really wanted to share my love.  I made myself the goal that I would write about one of my favorite films every week that year.  That, in time, grew to two posts a week, with the second being suggestions of what to watch over the weekend.  It was hard to keep up with it because the more movies I included, the more research I needed (and wanted) to do.  I achieved my goal by the end of the year, but without another goal in 2011, the blog fell to the back and got lost in the shuffle of daily life.

Well, this year I've decided to bring it back.  A new goal with it this time - only once a week, whatever films I want to talk about, and no end date.  Today I kicked that goal off, with a Year in Review post about my favorite films of last year.  Read it here and enjoy!  :)

Day 4

Today I worked on another item for my impending nuptials.  This time I got to utilize Photoshop, a program where I can manage the basic stuff, like removing a pimple or changing a photo to grey scale, but beyond that it is a scary void of possible ways to screw a picture up and not even know how I did.  Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I will say this truth - graphic artist I am not.

My design really was the simplest idea I could possibly come up with.  The only extra-special touch I put on it I discovered by accident because I couldn't figure out how to move something.  But luckily, I have my Jeremy.  In just a few minutes, when I showed him my draft, he taught me a few more tricks I didn't know.  I think I've now doubled the amount of things I can do!  (Haha, just kidding again.)  I have a feeling that my Photoshop skills are going to get a lot better as we lead up to the wedding.  Who knows, maybe there is a graphic artist deep down inside me after all.

Day 3

I happen to come across an article last week that talked about how copying other drawings is the best and most challenging way for a sketch artist to improve their skills.  Now, I'm an...okay sketch artist, I would say.  Not great by a long shot, but decent.  I'm actually at my best when copying other drawings, though that still isn't stellar.  And I haven't really drawn anything in quite some time (unless you count the Animation Academy at Disney's California Adventure).  So, today I decided to start improving my skills more.

I decided to copy a comic book panel.  I've never attempted to sketch anything from a comic before, unless you count Snoopy or Calvin.  Man, do I have a new found respect for comic book artists! They have such a great talent that I am not even close to.  Below are my results.

The original work from "Astonishing X-Men: Gifted"

My version

It's a little longer in the face and a bit crooked.  But I am definitely going to keep up with these exercises.  These peeps know how to draw!

Day 2

Okay, I can already tell this goal is going to be tough, let alone the daily blogging to go along with it.  Luckily, I have a pretty big event near the end of the year that has plenty of creative projects in preparation for it - my wedding. :)

In September, my fiance Jeremy and I will finally be getting hitched, after suuuuuch a long courtship (a year and a half!  teeeheee). We are both very creative people, so we have lots of ideas for the whole event that we want to make ourselves. Today, I got to work on one of them.

Now, I can't tell you what exactly it is I worked on (not yet at least). And unfortunately that is going to be the case for much of the things regarding the wedding. We both want to keep as much of the event as possible a surprise for our guests. We want them to walk in and see the place and say, "Wow, this is going to be fun...and it's totally Jeremy and Michele!" So forgive me for not going into more detail, but...I'm really excited about what I worked on today! It was nice to sit down finally and work on it physically, instead of it just living in our heads. 

I can't wait to show off the final project! It's gonna be awesome!

In the Beginning...

I feel like I've been blocked, creatively, for an eternity. Sure, I've been able to get a few things out here and there - a script here, a figurine there, a few cards in the middle - but I haven't been able to fully focus on one craft, one art, one direction in years. I miss that feeling...a lot! This current sensation of being made of sand as the wind whips me in every direction possible is not for the sane. It's time to stop drifting and follow a path.

Of course, that's a daunting task. After so many years of just following what the world hands me, it's a bit frightening to finally stand up and say "Hey, world, it's time for you to follow MY path!" The thought of all this does slightly terrify me to the very core of my bones. What direction do I even go? Am I being responsible or just a flighty flibbertigibbet? What will people think of me? How do I even start?

Well, this is it - my new blog, the first step in finding that focus. I have set a goal for myself, one of those pesky resolutions of the new year, you might say, but I see it more as a lifetime resolution. Each day I must do something creative. It may be something small like a doodle, or something big like a canvas painting. If for some reason I am blocked and can't come up with anything, I must find something inspirational and write about it. And each day's project must then be documented on this blog. (Today's task, by the way: creating and starting this blog.)

My journey to find my path has began. Fingers crossed it's a good one.

Happy New Year, everyone!