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Come As You ART!

This last October, we had the honor and pleasure of participating in this years For the Love of Art event hosted by the Art Centre of Plano. As honoree for the 2022 Small Business Award, we are so excited to see a tattoo studio be recognized by Plano as an acceptable and respected form of art. At Anomaly we understand that art comes in many forms and love to share our passion for that with our community. We look forward to growing and engaging in the arts here in Plano and hosting some more of our own events this upcoming year. Thank you to the Art Centre of Plano for spotlighting an art form that perhaps has had a negative connotation attached to it in the past and shedding such a positive light on the art of tattooing and the industry.

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Day 365..

I can’t believe we’ve made it!! We have stretched our brains, been creative, decreased anxiety and found a peaceful place with our daily art activities. Thank you to everyone who joined in, even if it was just for a day. The great thing about a blog is you can go back and any time and do any of the daily activities over again! We will be exploring some new ways to engage in art together over the next year, but for now, let’s celebrate all we have accomplished in the last year!

Artists sign their work so the world can recognize it. Finish this art journal by signing your name!

X ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(artist sign here)

Congratulations on completing MY YEAR OF ART!

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Day 364..

Using a colored pencil, fill in the spaces between the branches. These areas are the “negative space” (the background) and the branches are the “positive space” (the focal point of the image).

Click link to print off tree branches above.

tree-branchesDownload
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Day 362..

British collage artist Peter Blake is inspired by popular culture. His art often includes pictures of famous people and symbols.

Try it yourself. Find different symbols, faces, or objects in an old magazine, then cut them to size and glue them in the empty grid. Take a look at the Blake-inspired example to help you.

Divide your sheet of paper into four squares to create a grid or use link to print a grid.

4-square-gridDownload
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Day 361..

With a pencil, copy the picture into an empty box, but replace all the round shapes with other circular things, such as eyeballs, wheels of cheese, oranges…

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Day 360..

Look at this picture. Using colored pencils, make one side daytime and one side nighttime.

If you like, try and replicate this scene in your sketchbook or get really creative and come of with your own scene. If you prefer, you can use link to print image above.

day_night-sceneDownload
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Day 356..

Draw a self portrait. Then look back to activity 1 and compare the two.

If you’ve been on this art journey with us from the beginning, then you might remember our very first day of art was a self portrait. If you have your sketchbook, take a look back and compare it your portrait from today. If you weren’t with us on day 1, no worries! Go ahead and draw your self portrait today and continue this year of art with us. You can loop back around to day 1 next month and start from the beginning!

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Day 354..

Cut out a face from an old magazine that will fit in the frame to the right. Cut the face in half vertically and glue one half down to the left of the line. Now use a pencil to draw in the missing half.

Draw a line down the center of your page in your sketch book, or use link to print one.

magazine-faceDownload
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Day 353..

Keep a wrapper from a candy that you like and draw it here with a pencil. Add color with crayons.

Don’t have any candy?? Stop by the shop for a free piece or use one of images here.

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Day 349..

Using a pencil, draw a person in motion. For example, they could be jumping, falling, running, or swimming. You could add movement lines, bent knees, beads of sweat, and other details to show the motion.

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Day 347..

Design a new font and write your name in it.

Anyone else feel super nostalgic when they see these Dot Letters from the 80s?? We had this font written on everything from our school thermos to our storage tubs in attic. Do you have any fonts your remember from your childhood?

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Day 345..

Think of a foggy day. Fog makes colors appear duller. Try drawing a foggy scene in dull colors such as grays, browns, whites, and dark blues. Use crayons.

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Day 344..

You’re a chef and you’ve made up a new ice cream flavor. Use colored pencils to draw it. Write the name of the flavor on the card.

Draw our your own ice cream dish and name tag in your sketch book or use the link below for a printable version of the images seen above.

new-ice-creamDownload
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Day 343..

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is famous for her detailed self-portraits. She would often draw herself surrounded by a border of things that were meaningful or important to her, such as animals and flowers.

Kahlo inspired self portrait by student in Dubai

Write a list of things that are important to you. Then draw a self-portrait like the Kahlo-inspired example above. Include drawings of some of the things you listed below in your portrait.

1.

2.

3.

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Day 340..

Turn your sketchbook or paper upside down and, with a pencil, draw a person with their arms up. Then turn the book right side up again and add a floor to make the person be doing a handstand.

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Day 339..

Look at the picture on the right. An ordinary iceberg has been transformed to show a head and face beneath the surface.

Try it yourself – transform the island in the frame below however you like.

Use this link for a printable version of the island.

islandDownload
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Day 337..

Pick a pencil that’s the same color as your eyes. Without taking your eyes off the page, draw the movement of your eyes as you look around you – you’re taking your eyes for a walk!

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Day 334..

Fill in the peacock’s tail. You could find a picture and copy it so it is realistic, or you could make it up and use unexpected colors and patterns.

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Day 327..

Take your art journal on a walk – either outside or in your home. Find three things that are interesting and can fit in your hand. Draw them in the space below with a pencil.

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Day 326..

American artist Ed Ruscha is known for his word paintings – works made up of simple scenes or blocks of color with single words or phrase over the image.

Try it yourself. Paint the empty canvas in a color of your choice. Once it’s dry, write or paint a word or phrase over the top.

Here is some of Ed Ruscha’s work to get you inspired.

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Day 324..

Draw a square in your in your sketchbook and draw lines to divide it into four sections. Fill each section with a different color. Use two warm colors and two cool colors. Do any of the colors seem to come forward?

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Day 322..

Be a copycat! First copy the cat with a black marker. Then copy the cat with a black crayon. Draw a star next to the version you prefer.

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Day 319..

Flick through an old magazine and cut out some thin strips of pages that you like. Glue the strips down inside these clothes to create a unique outfit. Don’t be afraid to combine clashing colors or patterns.

Sketch your own garments or use the link for a printable version of the blanks above.

blank-cadDownload
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Day 318..

Create a pattern in this box inspired by your favorite fruit. What would you put this pattern on if you could?

Check out this pineapple pattern for example.

Shannon Camden Art
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Day 317..

What is the tastiest breakfast food you can think of? Draw it here.

Need some ideas or want to think outside the box? Here are some ideas.

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Day 313..

French-American artist Louise Bourgeois once created an enormous sculpture of a spider. She though spiders were loveable, protective creatures. Use a black pen to draw a spider with long, spindly legs towering above the figure in the frame.

Draw a curious someone looking up at your large spider, or use the image above by clicking link.

large-spiderDownload
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Day 309..

A “bird’s-eye view” perspective means looking directly down at something from above. Finish this bird’s-eye view of a day at the beach.

Draw your own bird’s-eye view of a beach scene on your paper, or use the link below to print the image above.

birds-eye-viewDownload
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Day 306..

With a pencil, draw a small picture of your head at the top of the rectangle. Now draw yourself a new and wacky body. It could be the body of a robot, or be made up of household items, such as a washing machine.

Draw a rectangle in your sketchbook or choose to use the entire page as your rectangle.

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Day 297..

Blue, green, and purple are cool colors, while red, yellow and orange are warm colors. In the first box, draw something warm using cool colors. The do the opposite in the second box.

Draw two boxes on a blank sheet in your sketch pad, or draw a line down the middle of your sheet to create two sections.

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Day 296..

Find some small objects and trace around them in the space on your sheet. Turn each object into somehting new or join them together. Use a pencil first and then add color with markers.

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Day 295..

Fill in the faces below. Everyone in the world is unique, so try to reflect this. Add glasses, scars, freckles – celebrate the diversity around you.

Get creative if you want and draw your own silhouettes and heads for the new faces you are drawing. Remember, the point is to offer diversity in your drawings to reflect the unique world around us. OR you can use the link below to print off the images you see here.

fill-in-the-facesDownload
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Day 294..

Draw a horizon line high up in the frame. Now you have a small sky and a large amount of land or water. Imagine and draw what is happening. Use colored pencils.

Draw your own decorative frame in your sketch book or print the frame image above.

empty-frameDownload
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Day 293..

Create your own dot-to-dot drawing. Draw a faint shape in pencil, then add dots and numbers around the outline in pen. Erase the pencil. Now try drawing the shape again by connecting the dots.

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Day 292..

American artist Mark Rothko is known for his “color field paintings.”

Try it for yourself. Pick three different crayons and copy the Rothko-inspired example below. Make the edges of the rectangles fuzzy and messy, and don’t be afraid to let the colors run over each other slightly.

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Day 291..

Take a walk outside or imagine a place filled with nature. Notice all the different textures and record some here.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Don’t let these numbers stop you. Continue to record as many as you can.

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Day 290..

Draw your favorite famous person from history. It could be an inventor, a scientist, an activist – just as long as they inspire you.

Here are some people that inspire me…

Frieda Kahlo
Martin Luther King Jr
Corrie Ten Boom
Maya Angelou
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Day 289..

Cut some white paper into four semicircles (small enough to fit inside the square below). Use a black marker and make lots of different lines or marks on each one. Then arrange and glue them in the square.

Draw a square on your paper the size you prefer. Or for our younger artists, let them use the entire sheet as their square. Below are some examples of what you can draw or mark on your semicircles.

Window frame in semicircle shape, vector design
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Day 288..

Many artists link different feelings or sounds with specific colors, shapes, and lines. Try it for yourself…

Shade and angry color…

Draw a quiet shape…

Make a silly line…

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Day 285..

Draw a horizon line low down in the frame. Now yo have a big sky. Imagine and draw what is happening. Use colored pencils.

Draw a frame in your sketchbook, or feel free to download and print the image above.

frameDownload
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Day 284..

Imagine something or someone floating on this cloud. Draw what you see with a pencil and use crayons to add color.

Draw a cloud on your sheet anyway you like, then add to the top your cloud and image of something or someone.

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Day 281..

What do you think of when you hear the word “air”? Draw it in your sketchbook.

So this one made me pause for a second. I had to think…what image comes to mind when I hear the word “air”? I immediately thought of a deep breath and lungs. Then my curiosity peaked so I headed to google and typed in the word “air”. Here are some of the images that came up. Are any of these what came to YOUR mind?

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Day 279..

Complete the doodle below.

Draw a squiggle line in the bottom right hand corner of your page in sketch book. Perhaps try to replicate the one seen above. Now turn that squiggle into something else and complete the drawing.

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Day 275..

Create a sculpture by piling a few different objects on top of each other. Use small, sturdy objects – nothing too fragile in case they topple over. When you’re satisfied with your sculpture, sketch it in pencil.

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Day 274..

Find some string, ribbon, or a similar item and place it in front of you. Make sure that it loops in a way that you like. Draw it in pencil below. Look for dark and light areas to shade in.

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Day 273..

Follow the steps to draw a picture of a road winding into the mountains. Use a pencil

  1. Draw the horizon line, road, and road marking.
  2. Add in trees – large ones in front – and make them smaller as you work back.
  3. Add mountains, clouds, and color.
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Day 271..

Design your very own car. Is it based on one in real life or is it a fantastical invention?

Maybe it flies and looks something like this…

Or looks somewhat like a dragon..

Get creative and see what you can come up with.

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Day 270..

Rename the objects below. The new names should be inspired by what the objects look like. You could use combinations of the words that already exist, or invent brand-new ones.

Ruler:

Pineapple:

Lamp:

Phone:

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Day 267..

Place a small object on a table. Now draw it from two different viewpoints with a pencil. First look directly down at it and draw. Then look at it side-on and draw. Use the example to help you.

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Day 261..

Write down what your biggest dream is inside the cloud, then color it however you like.

Draw a picture of a large cloud in your sketchbook like the one above.

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Day 260..

American artist Jeff Koons is famous for his sculptures of giant balloon animals. They are made from stainless steel (not actual balloons!). Try drawing some yourself. Use bold and bright colors.

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Day 254..

Take a slice of carrot, or another vegetable, and press it onto an ink pad. Print a pattern in this space, then add details and color with markers.

If you don’t have an ink pad, try using some paint like you see in the image above.

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Day 253..

Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh’s famous painting “starry night” shows stars twinkling in a night sky. His swirling lines gives the illusion that the stars are moving. Follow the steps to draw some stars like he did. Fill the space with them.

  1. Start with a small circle.
  2. Add dashes swirling around it.
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Day 241..

Design a boat to take you and your friends on an ocean voyage. Use a pencil and colored markers.

What would your boat look like? A pirate ship, a sail boat, or maybe even a cruise ship. Check out these images for some inspiration.

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Day 240..

Design a fancy pair of glasses for a rock star. Use colored pencils and markers. You could add jewels, patterns, tassels, colored glass – the choice is yours.

If you’d like a simple pair of glasses to start your creative process with, you can use link below to print one for your sketchbook.

glasses-templateDownload

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Day 227..

This gift is for your favorite person. Color the box and ribbon, then add patterns or drawings to make it perfect.

Who is the gift for?

What’s inside the box?

________________________________________________________________________________

Be creative and draw your own gift box and tag, or print the images above using link.

gift-boxDownload

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Day 226..

Using a pencil, draw a portrait of the hairiest thing you have ever seen or imagined.

Here are some images to jog your memory or get your imagination going..

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Day 225..

Dragons breathe fire and whales spurt water. But today is opposites day! Draw water spraying from the dragon’s mouth and fire shooting up from the whale’s blowhole. Then color in the creatures.

Try to recreate the images of whale and dragon in your sketchbook. Or you can use link below for a printable version of both.

whale-and-dragonDownload

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Day 224..

Chinese artist Al Weiwei once filled the floor of a whole room in an art gallery with millions of porcelain sunflower seeds. He chose sunflower seeds because they reminded him of his country and his childhood. What object would you pick? Draw the object and explain what it means to you.

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Day 220..

Pick an object to draw. Now set a timer for five minutes and use a pencil to draw the object in as much detail as you can. Stop when the timer goes off.

Don’t have anything near to draw? Try and see if you can draw these cherries in 5 mins or les..

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Day 216..

Create a rocket ship that you’ll fly to the moon. Draw it with a black marker and use crayons for color.

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Day 206..

Use a colored pencil to fill in every part of the room below. Then use a black marker to add polka dots all over the room.

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama once created a similar room in an art gallery that visitors could explore. Think about how you might feel in a room where all you could see were lots of black dots.

Watch this clip about artist Kusama’s white room and how it came to get its dots.

Click link below to print the image of white room seen above.

white-roomDownload
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Day 206..

Find three small, flat objects, such as leaves, buttons, or coins. Press one side of each object onto an ink pad, then print them below however you like. Try pressing down with different pressures to see the different effects.

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Day 204..

Scrunch up some old newspaper into a ball small enough to fit in your palm. Dip the ball in green paint and press it on the page to make a tree. Once the paint is dry, add the trunk and other details using makers.

Check out this video with Jay Lee and see how he creates his crumbled newspaper painting.

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Day 202..

Monograms are fancy ways of arranging the initials of your first, middle, and last names. Draw yours in these frames.

Check out some of these cool monogram fonts to get your inspired.

If you’d like to print the frames from this post instead of drawing your own, use link to below.

monogram-framesDownload
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Day 198..

Press a finger onto an ink pad. Make a few prints in this space, then use colored markers to turn the prints into bugs. You could add wings, legs, antennae – it’s up to you.

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Day 197..

Hatching and crosshatching are techniques used to create tone and shade by drawing parallel lines. Practice the techniques by repeating each step.

Here are some various approaches to crosshatching and step by step visual.

  • The four directional lines they will be using

  • Steps 1-4 of creating a crosshatch look

See how these artist implemented crosshatching into their drawing.

Now try it out yourself!

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Day 194..

Piet Mondrian was a Dutch artist. He often used primary colors divided by black lines. Try it yourself. Just fill in the shapes above with the labeled colors, leaving the unlabeled shapes blank.

Here is an image of an original Piet Mondrian painting. Instead of labeling each square for you, we thought we’d let you have the creative freedom to fill in each box the way you like, using whatever color combination you like. Try drawing your own boxes or use the printable provided below.

Piet-Mondrian-templateDownload
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Day 191..

You want to start a club about your favorite activity. Design a patch that expresses what your club is all about. Use colored pencils.

Draw a circle on your page or whatever it is you will be drawing on to represent your patch. Maybe even draw some stiches around the edge to make it more realistic.

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Day 188..

Continue drawing smaller and smaller stars inside this star, until you can’t draw any more. Use a different colored pencil for each star you draw, or pick three colors to repeat.

You can draw your own stars, or if you’d like some help with your stars like I do, you can use the printable below.

StarDownload

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Day 187..

Find some pictures of different animals’ eyes. Notice the variety of colors and shapes. Fill each of the circles below with a different eye. You can base them on your research or simply make them up.

We’ve done some research for you! Check out the animal eyes’ below. Now draw nine circles in rows of three in your sketchbook like the ones above. Enjoy filling them in with your own animal eyes.

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Day 185..

Draw a different plant in each of the pots. Choose a variety of leaves, colors, and textures. Use a pencil and colored markers.

We have LOTS of plants around here. They add so much life to the house and bring a little bit of that outside joy, inside. Here are some of our favorites to get you inspired.

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Day 183..

Using colored pencils, turn this oval shape into a bunny face. Add ears, a nose, a mouth, eyes, and whiskers.

Draw an oval on today’s page in your sketchbook. It’s okay if its not perfect, any round shape will work.

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Day 182..

Turn these boring household objects into exciting superheroes.

If you need a little inspiration, check out these superheroes!

  • Super hero cartoon toilet brush in the bathroom vector illustration
  • A friendly picture of remote control TV dressed as a Super hero. Vector illustration

If you’d like a color printable of the boring household items, use the link below.

boring-to-heroDownload
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Day 179..

Add all the elements of a face to this head – but rearrange them so they appear in different places. You could put the nose on the forehead or draw the eyes on the cheeks – it’s up to you.

Draw an oval for the head in your sketchbook or print image above if you prefer.

head-templateDownload
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Day 178..

Take a coin or a paper clip and place it behind your paper. Make sure it’s placed directly under the rectangle on your sheet. Then, using a pencil or a crayon, rub the page over the top of the object. Do this a few times – you should see the outline of the object appear. This technique is called “frottage.”

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Day 176..

Draw the crown you’d wear if you were a queen or king. Glue on piece of flattened tinfoil to add some shine if you like. You can also add color to the tinfoil with markers.

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Day 175..

Look closely at a piece of fruit that is cut in half. Draw all the shape you can see.

Here are some cool fruits you don’t typically see lying around the average kitchen or kid’s lunch box. Check out the insides! I love the variety and the creativeness here. God is so cool like that. Hidden inside, some to never even be opened or eaten, yet they all contain a work of art inside just the same. The Creator loves beauty and it is evident in all of his creations. Leaves my heart smiling in this moment.

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Day 174..

Choose a letter of the alphabet. Look for this letter in a variety of old magazines and newspapers. Cut out three different versions of the letter that you like and glue them here.

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Day 173..

Fill this empty jar with colorful candies. Use colored pencils and a black marker to outline them. Count them up when you’ve finished. How many are there? Write the number on a piece of candy.

Click below for printable.

candy-jarDownload

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Day 170..

Draw some flowers coming out of the top of the vase. Then turn the book upside down and draw flowers coming out from the bottom. Then decorate the vase.

Have fun drawing your own vase in your sketch book or for a printable, click button below.

empty-vaseDownload

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Day 169..

Using colored pencils, lightly fill in these circles. Use the labels to know what color to use for each circle. Notice the different colors that appear in the overlapping sections.

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Day 167..

These kids have lost their heads! Cut out three objects from an old magazine and glue each one where the head should be.

Feel free to draw your own bodies and improvise or you can print the images above using the link below.

kids-headsDownload

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Day 164..

This little bear cub needs a pal. Draw them a friend here.

If you have a younger person drawing with you, or if you’d like to have the image as well, you can print this little cub and have space to draw their new pal.

cub-palsDownload

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Day 163..

Think of something with a matte (dull) surface. Draw the object here.

If you are having a hard time thinking of a matte or dull object, try using some of these images to get your imagination going.

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Day 162..

South African artist Esther Mahlangu is known for her colorful geometric paintings. Her work is inspired by her culture. Make your own geometric art like Mahlangu in the frame below. Try to use shapes and colors that are meaningful to you. Use these Mahlangu examples to help inspire you.

The one and only Esther Mahlangu.

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Day 160..

You have discovered a deserted island. Make a map of your island in pencil. Where is your shelter? Are there mountains, trees, and lakes? Perhaps there’s buried treasure.

Use a blank sheet in your sketch book as your map, or if you are using loose sheets for an art binder, use the printable below.

empty treasure mapDownload
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Day 159..

American artist Faith Ringgold is known for her story quilts. Try making your own below. Think of a story you want to tell – it could be a memory. Draw a picture that tells the story in the central rectangle, then add different patterns, shapes, and colors in the smaller rectangles to create a border.

Try drawing your own quilt to get your started or feel free to print the above images by clicking the link below.

Quilt-like-Faith-RinggoldDownload

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Day 157..

What would a goldfish look like if it were living on land? Draw your version in the pace below.

When reading this I couldn’t help but immediately think of the goldfish from Dr. Seuss. Somehow that fishe managed to live at the top of his water bowl, have conversations with humans (& a cat) and go on some of the wildest adventures without ever even spilling any water from his bowl. Amazing.

Let’s see what comes to your mind.

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Day 156..

With a pencil, draw the elements of a face (eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, ears) in the middle of the box. (or paper) Then create the shape of the head by filling in the background with lines that end where the edge of the head starts.

Your picture should end up looking something like this.

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Day 155..

You’re invited to a costume party. Draw your outfit here.

This day’s art activity comes right on time considering we are a little over a month away from Halloween. From babies to the elderly, we see people of all ages and walks of life dressed in costumes to the join in the season’s festivities. Get creative with this costume. Even if it’s one that may never become a reality, allow yourself to think outside the box and dream a little. Enjoy some of these cool looks we found..

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Day 153..

Give these colors the best descriptive name you can think of. Try not to use the actual name in your description. For example, violet could be called “juicy grape.” Think hard!

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Day 152..

Known for her colorful landscape paintings, American artist Joan Mitchell filled her canvases with frenzied brushstrokes.

Joan Mitchell, To the Harbormaster, 1957.

Try painting like Mitchell. Using paint and a small paintbrush, fill the frame using quick, short brushstrokes in all directions and plenty of color. Use this Mitchell painting as an example to help.

If you don’t have a canvas at home and are going to paint in your sketchbook, use the entire page as your frame. Or you can use the printable below for the image of a blank canvas to paint on.

blank-canvasDownload
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Day 151..

What was the most memorable thing you saw today? Why was it memorable? Write your answers here:

I know this may not seem very artsy, just writing down what you saw, but I think the focus is more on the image of that moment. Something about that moment was noticed by you, the image is still there if you close your eyes. What were the details that caught your eye? If you are like me and just need to create, draw the image you remember after writing your answer.

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Day 150..

Fill this square by choosing a single letter and drawing it repeatedly in different sizes, directions, and styles until there’s no more room.

Since we are doing this in our own sketch books, you can either draw a square on our sheet or use your entire page! Have fun with it, maybe use different mediums or colors.

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Day 145..

Find a picture of some wood grain and draw it with a pencil in the first circle. Draw it again with a crayon in the second circle and with a marker in the third circle. Compare.

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Day 143..

Be a fashion designer. Design a whole outfit including a hat, shoes, and accessories.

I love this assignment today. My education and background are in fashion and this is part of the industry that has always fascinated me. From inspiration boards, color stories, and textile choices to the finished product, the entire design process is bursting with art and creativity! Fashion design is for everyone and from every corner of the world. Each and every culture offers up their own style and interprets that into their fashion. Have fun with this one and express your own personal style.

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Day 139..

Roll up a piece of paper like a telescope. Look around the room or place you’re in. Stop when you spot a good view and draw it in the circle below.

Draw a large circle on your paper or in your sketchbook.

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Day 137..

Using a colored marker, make a ring around each of the dots in this circle. Continue making more rings, in different colors, getting larger each time, until you reach the edge of the outside circle.

Recreate the above circle and dots in your sketchbook or use the link below to print it.

circle-with-dotsDownload

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Day 133..

Many artists draw everyday objects. Look in your home for an object such as a clock, a book, or a pencil cup. Sit in front of the object and draw it with a pencil.

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Day 132..

Create a winding, twisting path using only straight lines inside this box – no curves allowed.

Draw a large box on your paper or let the edges of the paper be your borders and fill the page.

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Day 129..

These empty shelves are missing something. Use a pencil to fill them up.

Draw some shelves on your paper. You can replicate some you have at home or try creating something brand new.

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Day 128..

Fill in the square below with a white crayon. Then use a pale blue marker to color over the top of the white square. The crayon will resist the marker.

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Day 124..

Cut out a face from an old magazine and glue it on this page. Now flick through the magazine to find objects shaped similarly to the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and glue them on the face.

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Day 121..

Find a picture of a pumpkin and draw it below with an orange marker. Use a green marker to shade the darker areas.

Here are a few pumpkin pics for you. Enjoy.

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Day 117..

Imagine you have been asked to build a snow sculpture. Sketch your design in the space below.

Here’s some pretty rad sculptures we found online.

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Day 116..

Place a sheet of paper on top of a material that you’re allowed to get messy (like some old newspaper or a piece of cardboard). Dip a paintbrush into some watered-down paint, hold the brush over the paper with one hand and tap it with the other to create splatter and drips on the paper. Do this three times with a different color paint each time. This is called “action painting.” American artist Jackson Pollock painted in this way.

  • Jackson Pollack.

When you are done and the paint has dried, cut out a smaller square shape and glue it into an empty page in your My Year of Art sketchbook.

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Day 115..

Design your dream bedroom. You could draw a plan looking down into your room, or you could draw the furniture and objects you would have.

Is your layout about space and comfort, color and design? Or is it all about the view?

Bedroom Goals..

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Day 114..

Look out the window and draw the closest thing you see at the bottom of the window. Then draw the farthest thing you see behind it at the top of the window. Notice the colors. Things farther away appear more subdued.

Draw an open window on your paper to fill in or feel free to print of the image above with the link below.

open windowDownload
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Day 111..

Using a pencil, draw three vegetable friends. Make sure to give them faces and show where they are.

Anyone recognize these guys? Yup, it’s the Veggie Tales! See if you can come up with your own versions.

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Day 110..

“Mobiles” are moving sculptures that often hang from ceilings. Design your own mobile. With a pencil, draw an object or shape hanging from each empty point. Add color with markers.

Check out some of these cool hanging art mobiles!

Draw your own or print this empty hanging art mobile.

hanging-art-mobileDownload

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Day 109..

Look at the boat in this picture. Draw a boat behind it and a boat in front of it. Think about perspective and make sure the boat farthest away is the smallest and the boat closest is the biggest.

Feel free to redraw your own version of what you see above. If you prefer, use the link below to print off the image above.

boat-perspectiveDownload
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Day 107..

Using a pencil, draw an imaginary land inside this canvas. Show what time of day it is as well as the season. Use markers to add color.

You can use your paper as your canvas, or feel free to print the image of the canvas on easel for your art sketch book.

empty canvasDownload

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Day 103..

All snowflakes have six points. Draw one here in pencil.

Being located down here in the state of Texas, sometimes snow is a rarity, so we’ve posted these few pics to spark some imagination.

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Day 102..

Draw two bottles on this shelf. Draw them at the same time, with a pencil in each hand!

Use your pencil to draw a straight line on your paper for a shelf, or get creative and make a more elaborate shelf for your bottles to sit on.

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Day 101..

Using colored markers, draw a very fancy outfit on this giraffe. When you’re happy with the outfit, color in any parts of the giraffe that aren’t covered and add details to its face.

Feel free to draw your own giraffe inspired by the one above or use the link below to print it out.

GiraffeDownload
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Day 99..

Listen to your favorite song. Now hum it to yourself and draw with crayons how it makes you feel.

Don’t have a favorite song? Try this one by Dua Lipa, it’s a favorite for our resident artist Catori!

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Day 98…

Draw your favorite fruit and animal. Color in your drawing, but swap the colors around. For example, you could end up with a green zebra and a stripy pear!

Check out this version of an apple swapped with a cheetah!

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Day 96..

Look around the room you’re in for a while. Notice how your eye jumps from one object to another, and how they follow lines. Write down the three objects your eyes kept going to the most.

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Day 95..

Look at the repeating pattern below, then draw your own. Pick two shapes or objects and draw them in any order you choose. Then repeat.

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Day 94..

Stained glass windows can show people and symbols as well as abstract designs. Look at the example below, then use a black marker to design your own window. Add color to both windows.


If you don’t feel like drawing your own, here is a printable of the arched window above.

Stained Glass WindowDownload
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Day 93..

Put an ice cube on a plate and draw it in pencil in the first box. Wait five minutes and draw the ice cube again in the second box, then wait five more minutes and draw it again in the final box. Write a word below each box that describes the picture above it.

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Day 91..

Look around you. Are there any places that are full of light and others that are dark? Write down the lightest and darkest areas.

LIGHT

DARK

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Day 90..

Use colored pencils and fill in the picture. Color the balloon with vertical lines; use horizontal lines for the sky and diagonal lines for the sun.

You can draw your own version of the above image or use the link below to print it off.

hot-air-balloonDownload
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Day 88..

Make a small doodle in the first box with a marker. Draw the same doodle again in the next two boxes, using a different color for each one. You could use a different medium for each one too, such as a pencil and a crayon.

Draw three separate empty boxes on your sheet. If you would rather have a printable for your binder, use the link below.

DOODLE-BOXESDownload
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Day 83..

With a black marker, draw the lines and shapes your feet would make if they were ice skating.

Take a look at these markings…

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Day 81..

Write down what colors these words make you think of:

WARM: ___________________________________________________________

WET: ______________________________________________________________

FROSTY: __________________________________________________________

COOL: ____________________________________________________________

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Day 79..

Slugs, spiders, and snakes – these are creatures that some people don’t like. How could you make the cuter? Reinvent them in the space below.

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Day 78..

American artist Georgia O’Keeffe often painted flowers. She would draw them very close up so that they filled the whole canvas. Try it yourself. Draw a flower so large that it can’t fit in the frame. Color it with markers or crayons. Use this O’Keeffe-inspired example to help you.

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Day 74..

Imagine if cows had wings. What would they look like? Use a black marker to draw a bunch of cows with different kind of wings: feathery wings, tiny butterfly wings, airplane wings – get creative.

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Day 72..

“Abstract Art” is art that doesn’t try to represent or copy reality. Follow the steps to make an abstract portrait.

  1. Flick through an old magazine until you find a face that can fit on a peace of paper.
  2. Cut or tear the face into a horizontal strips
  3. Jumble the strips in a new order
  4. glue it all together
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Day 70..

Using a colored marker, draw a line in this frame from one edge to another. Do the same again with a different colored marker. Continue drawing the lines, each in a different color, until you’re happy with the picture.

Draw some type of box on your paper to create a frame like the one above.

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Day 69..

Design an invention that could help someone you know, like an alarm clock you have to catch, for a friend who can never get up in the morning.

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Day 68..

Here is a giant bottle waiting for you to draw a whole world in it. Show what is happening above and below the ground with colored pencils.

For a printable version of this bottle, click on the button below.

Bottle-WorldDownload

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Day 67..

Draw five circles inside this circle, getting smaller and smaller. These are called “concentric circles.” Use colored pencils, choosing colors that express how you feel right now. Write the feeling under the circle.

____________________________________________________________

Need a circle to draw in? Try this printable below.

concentric-circlesDownload

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Day 66..

Choose a blue or purple crayon. In the first box, shade the top section of the box as dark as you can, then move down the box, making it lighter and lighter as you go. Try it again in the second box, going from light at the top, to dark at the bottom. This technique is called “Ombre.”

Check out some of these cool Ombre inspired items.

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Day 65..

There are many different kinds of water: waves, drops, pools, splashes, and sprays. Practice drawing as many as you can. Think about the different colors and lines you could use for each one.

British artist David Hockney often painted water. Take a look at this Hockney-inspired example, then try drawing a similar splash yourself.

A Bigger Splash 1967 David Hockney

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Day 63..

Find a picture of a bicycle and look at it for two minutes. Now draw the bicycle from memory in the space below.

If you’d like, you can use one of these images we have below.

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Day 62..

Using old, used, or discarded paper and a glue sticks, make a collage of somewhere wild–is it a forest floor? A sandy desert? Or perhaps it’s in outer space?

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Day 59..

You’ve discovered a new bug species. Draw it below. Like all insects, it should have three parts to its body and six legs. Everything else is up to you.

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Day 58..

A “horizon line” is where the sky meets the land or water. Use a pencil to draw a horizon line in this frame. Add details of what is happening in the sky and on land or in the water. Add color with crayons.

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Day 54..

Dip a finger in your favorite colored paint and use it to write a word in the space. Once the paint has dried, use markers to add colorful details and doodles around the letters.

Avoid smudges! Keep your book open until the paint has dried.

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Day 51..

Make a scribble in this space with a pencil. Look at it from all different angles. Do you see anything in the scribble? An object or a shape? Color in what you see.

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Day 50..

Swiss artist Paul Klee said, “A line is a dot that went for a walk.” Use a pencil and try it! Without taking your pencil off the page until you’re done, draw a face in one continuous line.

  • –Paul Klee.
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Day 49..

Listen to some music. Use a black marker to draw lines that represent the music.

Don’t know what to listen to? Try Chain Smoking by Jacob Banks..

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Day 45..

Look out through a window and list six different colors you see.

Don’t have a window near or maybe have one with a really bad view? Have fun borrowing one of these.

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Day 44..

Dip a paintbrush in some paint and practice making lots of different marks, lines, and swirls. Try using a few different brushes too.

Avoid smudges! Keep this book open until the paint has dried.

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Day 42..

Draw an animal using only simple shapes, such as circles, semicircles, triangles, and rectangles. Use a black marker.

Here are some cool images that might jumpstart your creativity using shapes. If you have a little one joining you and would like a step by step sheet for them to follow, you can choose one of our fun printables below.

step by step shape crocodileDownload
step by step shape rhinocerosDownload
step by step shape roosterDownload
step by step shape fishDownload

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Day 41..

Look down at the ground. What do you see? Write three things that catch your eye.

  1. ________________________________
  2. ________________________________
  3. ________________________________

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Day 37..

Using a pencil, trace the outline of a key. If this key could open any door, which door would it be?

Draw a key. Is it ordinary or is it magical? Does it open a secret door or lead to another realm? Let’s see where your imagination takes you. Write out next to your key what door it opens.

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Day 36..

Dip a cotton swab or Q-tip (or a similar tool) into some paint and create a wavy sea out of little dots by dabbing the cotton swab onto the page. Dot art like this is called “pointillism.”

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Day 34..

Use a pencil and ruler to divide this circle into eight wedges. Then use a pencil in your favorite color to shade one wedge as lightly as you can. Working clockwise, shade the other wedges using the same color, making each a little darker than the one before. This is called a “gradient.”

Draw a circle on your paper and divided into 8 portions, like a pizza. If you prefer, use the printable available below.

Circle-with-8-wedgesDownload

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Day 33..

Look at one eye up close in a mirror and write the first three words that come to mind.

  1. _________________________________
  2. _________________________________
  3. _________________________________

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Day 31..

Using a black marker, draw three ovals in the space below. Then turn each oval into a face showing a different emotion. Don’t forget the eyebrows-they show a lot about how we are feeling.

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Day 28..

Draw your favorite character from your favorite book.

Are you a huge Harry Potter fan like my daughter? Or maybe Outlander like my sister? Wherever your favorites land, have fun being creative and drawing them out today.

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Day 24..

These lamps are missing their shades. Draw random objects on the tops of the lamps instead and add color when you’re done. Look at the example for inspiration.

decorative lamp stand with potted spider plant for a shade

You can redraw these lampstands in your sketch book or feel free to be creative and draw some of your own. If you’d like, print these images from the link below and draw random objects on the top.

Lamp-StandsDownload
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Day 23..

Color these bugs in bright colors. You could add spots, stripes, and details.

You can either redraw these bugs in your sketch book and then color them or use the printable below. Maybe try creating some of your own bugs.

bugs-bugs-bugsDownload
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Day 22..

Look around you. Find three things that are red and list them here.

Red. Such a beautiful color. I think I will list mine and even try to draw them with red color pencil as well.

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Day 21..

Draw your perfect tree house in pencil in the space below.

I love treehouses! I never had one growing up as a child but if I had, it is probably where I would have spent the majority of my time. Not just because I am the middle child and privacy was hard to come by in our tiny house, but there is just something about being outside and one with nature. If I could live in treehouse and spend every night falling asleep by looking at the stars above…I would. BUT, since that is a far away dream, for now I will be happy to sketch out my ideas on paper.

Check out these cool designs for some inspiration!

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Day 20..

Using a pencil, continue adding hexagons to fill the space. Color them in to create a pattern.

Hexagons are a 6 sided shape that make you think of a honey comb. You probably see this shape more often in your day to day life than you realize. When linked together and placed side by side, you can create some beautiful patterns using the hexagon. Free hand them on your paper and continue to draw until you have a full page, then color in to create a pattern. Or if you are like me, you’ll want a couple hexagons drawn our for you to build off of. Below you will find two pintables to get us started; one for those who just need a guide to get started and a printable that all our younger friends joining in can color and enjoy.

  • closeup of bees on honeycomb in apiary – selective focus, copy space
hexagon-patternDownload
hexagon-for-kidsDownload

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Day 19..

Look at a glass filled with ice cubes. Notice all the colors in the glass. Write them down.

If you don’t have access to a glass of ice, use one of the pictures below for your inspiration. What colors do you see? Are they shades of grey and white or are there vibrant colors reflecting off what’s around it? After writing down all the colors you see, you might want to use those same colors to mark on your page or even try drawing the ice with them.

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Day 18..

What is your mood today? Use a colored pencil to shade this box in a color that reflects how you feel. Then write a word that describes your mood on top of the color with a marker.

Draw a square on your paper. It may be large box or small one, depends on what your mood is. What color are you feeling? Now let your mood soak into the box and name it.

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Day 16..

Imagine a windy day. What can you see? Draw it in the space below.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a windy day? Is it the joys of flying a kite or perhaps leaves blowing all around? Or is it a heavier and stronger wind that brings chaos with it? Let your pencil go wherever the wind takes you..

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Day 15..

Think about the animal you invented in activity 14. Where does it live? Draw it in its habitat.

Is your creature a domestic animal or maybe live in the city? Or is your creature a wild one that lives with no boundaries? Does it dwell among the top of the mountain peaks or the depths of the ocean?

Here are some pictures of different habitats from around the world to get your imagination going.

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Day 14

Make up an imaginary animal by combining two or three or your favorite animals. Draw it with colored pencils and name it.

Ancient cultures from around the world have tales of such creatures and we still see them now in our modern day books and fantasy movies. Now it’s your turn to be the artist, your turn to open up your imagination and create a hybrid of some sort. What animals will you choose? Here are some for inspiration.

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Day 13..

Pretend it’s your birthday and you can have any kind of cake you like. Draw it on your paper. Use a pencil and add color with markers.

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Day 12..

Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky believed that color and shapes could express feelings and sounds. In one painting he drew a grid full of colorful circles. Take a look at the Kandinsky-inspired example below, then use crayons to create your own version. Experiment with the shapes of your circles and add color to the background of each square. Think about how each color and shape makes you feel.

Draw a grid on your paper or use the free printable below.

  • Squares with Concentric Circles by Kandinsky
2×4-gridDownload
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Day 11..

Look at your thumbprint and draw it.

Did you know that fingerprints are an individual characteristic and no two people have the exact same fingerprint pattern? Wow, that is a LOT of different patterns. And it will remain the same throughout your entire life span. Knowing these things makes me look at my fingerprint a little differently. It’s like my own signature pattern made and created just for me. How the lines arch, where they end and how some seem to almost intersect before they take a deep dive the other direction. Wavy, long, curvy lines…how does your fingerprint add up?

If you have a little one joining you today, they can always explore their fingerprints and turn it into art as well. Let them use a stamp pad or color their fingertips with marker. Now use that finger(s) to make fingerprints all over your page. Now see if they can turn their fingerprints into something else like a flower or maybe a caterpillar!

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Day 10..

Watch the sunset or find a picture of one and count how many different colors you see. Write them down.

I love to watch the sun set and rise, but I can’t remember the last time I was intentional about being still and really observing it. Counting it’s colors and the various shades as they gently fade into one another. The sky is one big canvas where God gets to display his mind blowing artistic ability every moment of every day. How lucky for us that we get to enjoy the beauty and work of his mighty hands.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

– Psalm 19:1

check out these beautiful unfiltered images of a sunset
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Day 9..

Look outside for an insect, or imagine one. How does it move? Draw its path and sketch the insect too.

My kids and I have always found it fascinating to watch the bugs outside during spring. The way they arrive in so many different shapes and sizes and some displaying the most beautiful of colors and patterns. We’ll watch them get full off leaves and carry things away back to their homes leaving various paths along the way. If you can’t make it outside today and need some help envisioning an insect or two, check out these images.

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Day 8..

Imagine you’re petting a dog or cat. Draw some lines on your sheet with a pencil to show how it would feel.

Maybe you own a dog or a cat and to cuddle up and pet them is one of your most relaxing moments of the day. Or perhaps you aren’t an animal person at all and to pet one is not your idea of a good time. Regardless of which side of the fence you find yourself on, how we feel when we imagine petting a dog or cat can be shown in our art. Some might have long beautiful lines that curve and flow. Some may have short and sharp lines representing an entirely different experience. Close your eyes and just imagine for a moment or use these images to jump start your creativity.

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Day 7..

Many artists are inspired by dreams. In a dream, things can seem both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Artists can show this by distorting familiar objects – for instance, they might shrink or enlarge them. Spanish artist Salvador Dali often did this. Some of his paintings feature melting clocks or animals with extra-long legs.

Try it yourself. Pick an object and distort it however you like. Take a look at these Dali examples to help inspire you

  • Salvadore Dali
  • Salvadore Dali
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Day 6..

Collect some scrap paper and tear it into small pieces. Using a glue stick, arrange and glue the pieces into a flower shape. Use markers to add details. Combining different materials to make art like this is called “collage.”

I have always loved making collages as far back as I can remember. It’s the recycling of something old and giving it new life I think that I like so much. Creating a flower collage seems so appropriate for this spring season we are in. Having the opportunity to plant and and see new flowers and life spring up all around us. What kind of scrap paper will you use? Newspaper, junk mail, receipts, colored construction paper? Find some beautiful collage inspiration here.

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Day 5..

Is it possible to draw a perfect circle? Practice here.

There are a lot of post about how to draw a perfect circle or if one is even capable or drawing a perfect circle or why it’s not exactly your fault your can’t. Regardless, we are going to come up with our own perspective today and see for ourselves if it is possible to draw a perfect circle. Everyone has got a different technique and approach. Let’s see what we come up with and post a pic of your circles in our comments. If you have a little one joining us for our art today, you can use the printable below for a large circle to help guide them.

  • Circle guide for kids
Circle-very-large-stencil-templateDownload
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Day 4..

What did you have for lunch today? Draw it.

Well if you’re like me, you are probably working on your art book before lunch and haven’t had much to eat yet besides coffee. So, I am going to focus on something I just really enjoy eating. I can even taste a bit of it now as I think about the colors and try to picture it in my mind. A nice fresh bowl of strawberry shortcake! It’s got me in the mood for summer already. What are you going to eat today? Enjoy some of these cool food sketches for inspiration.

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Day 3..

Using colored pencils, pick four colors to create a pattern or picture in the grid provided.

Grid paper is a great way to start a work of patterns or symmetry. Use one of the grid paper printables below to create an authentic piece of pixel art. Be creative! If you would like more inspiration or ideas on how to create characters or pattern work using grid paper , check out some of the images below.

graph-paper-quarter-inchPrintable
graph-paper-eighth-inchPrintable
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Day 2..

Close your eyes. What do you see? Draw the colors and shapes.

Shapes, colors, images..so many things we see behind closed eyes and today we get to explore those. Put some fun music on or sit in silence, close your eyes, and take a few long deep breaths. What do you see? Is it dark or is it light? Do you see any shapes? Perhaps images containing a lot of colors and shapes. Grab some colorful utensils and let your mind explore as your shapes and colors begin to find their place on your paper and your lines take shape. Here is some inspiration for you.

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Day 1..

Start this art journal by drawing a portrait of yourself.

A self portrait is a great way to start off our year of art together! How you choose to draw yourself is completely up to you. Realistic, anime, cubism, wherever your imagination takes you. Remember there is no right or wrong way to draw yourself. Use your medium of choice on this one, whether that’s a pencil or paint or you choose to mixed them, just have fun. See some of the various ways others have drawn themselves.

  • Middle School student
  • Pablo Picasso
  • Paul Gauguin
  • Frida Kahlo
  • Samella Lewis

If you are a younger person or would just like some guidance, click on link below for a printable outline to help you get started.

Day-1-My-Self-PortraitDownload

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MY YEAR OF ART

I am really excited to launch our Year of Art together! This last year has been a struggle for most as we navigate ourselves through a new way of life. It has been the great outdoors and being creative that have helped my artistic soul manage to survive this crazy time. In fact, studies have shown that expressing oneself through art can help with both depression and anxiety. And doing so has been linked to improved memory, reasoning, and resilience in healthy older people. If that is not enough reason to join in on our year of art, I don’t know what is!

We will be following along with a book by Susan Schwake called My Year Of Art. No worries, you don’t need the book to follow along, but you are welcome to buy your own sketch pad or art book to keep all your creative work in. I will also be providing pintables to go along with certain activities that need a little something extra. Some days will call for little supplies, but the majority of them you will find lying around the house. These art activities are for the young and old, so grab your kids to join in the fun too!

Some will take you seconds, while others might take you much longer. Your answers are unique to you and that is what being an artist is all about – showing the world your own view.

Susan Schwake

AND REMEMBER:

  1. BE BOLD – This is a space to let your ideas run free.
  2. Know that there are NO wrong answers, mistakes, or bad ideas.
  3. Have FUN! Enjoy the time you spend creating your art.
  4. Once you’re done, you’ll have a ONE-OF-A-KIND record of your year.

LAUNCHING THURSDAY APRIL 22nd

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Faith Driven Entrepreneur

“Entrepreneurs often navigate unique challenges while holding onto their faith values, but what about those who work in unconventional work spaces like tattoo shops?”

Recently, Rodney & Sara had the pleasure of joining the Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast to talk about all the things. They discuss challenges they have faced over the years, how they see the Christian community responding to tattoos and their shop, what the bible has to say about tattoos and the people they get to meet and minister to along the way. The Carreras love to see how God is using them right where they are and how they are in a unique position to be a light in a dark world.

Check out the full episode below: