“Distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything.” -Jonah Lehrer
Hey there. Yesterday was the bi-monthly Creative Challenge, so I’m a day late with my Double Page Spread (DPS) sketchbook challenge prompts and whatnot. If you’re new to this, click here or on the DPS tab in the navigation bar (above).
Can I tell you how much I’m enjoying the DPS Challenge? It’s inspired me to get back on the creativity horse and I love the community that’s building around this project. Those of you who are participating are so creative. And different from each other. And brave. Here, I’ll show you what I mean…
This Week in Review. A Sampling.
Anna from The Imagination Tree created this DPS in honor of the Jubilee.
Chelsey and her daughter always create their DPS’s together, and designed princess castles.
Angaleta created this DPS with post-its and washi tape
This is Jalarah’s first DPS, made with white crayons and water color
If you’re not already on Instagram, please consider joining. First of all, it’s totally free. I love free. And it’s one of my very favorite aps and social media outlets, and I cannot recommend it enough. Once you’re on board, you can tag your DPS with #tinkersketch and you’ll see a beautiful stream of images from all the tinkersketchers. Woah, inspiration!
You can also add your DPS images to Facebook. Just add them to my wall or tag me @tinkerlab
Prompts: Distance
And finally, here are this week’s prompts. This week I’d like to encourage you to create some space, distance, or movement in your life. Get out of your comfort zone (whatever that means to you) and look for inspiration in places you wouldn’t normally look.
- Collect paper from random places and use it in your DPS (junk mail, magazines, kids’ drawings, etc.)
- Leave home. Go for a walk, sketch in the post office while you’re waiting in line, doodle while your kids are at soccer practice. Inspiration often strikes when our minds get distance from our comfort zone.
- Just doodle. Doodle for two minutes. Copy that doodle and change one thing about it: doodle for two more minutes. Keep this going until the pages are filled.
- Write your favorite words in gigantic letters. Experiment with fonts.
- Pour a bit of watercolor paint on a wet rag and experiment with blotting, rubbing, dabbing your papChoer. Use this as an underpainting, or stop with the watercolor.
- Go to the library and pick out three books with illustrations that you love (fine artists, kids’ books, etc….it’s up to you). Copy elements from these illustrations.
- Glue a page from a book or magazine into your sketchbook. With a black Sharpie or paint, block out words that you don’t care for. What remains uncovered is what matters the most.
- Make a list of things that make you happy. Decorate the list with doodles.
- Make a list of things you would never do. Circle two that you might try. Add some color to it. Try it on for size.
Look forward to seeing your #tinkersketches this week. And see you next week for more prompts and such.
Dear Rachelle,
Wow I feel so honored to have my first sketch as part of your sampling of the DPS sketches that were done this week! This challenge is helping me rediscover the artistic/creative side of myself that was nutured by my father (who is an artist) when I was young but then set aside when I went off to college and decided to study physics. But now, many years later and with two young children (and no longer working in the sciences), I find my thoughts constantly occupied with drawing, crafting, creating. I’m SO happy I found your website and decided to go for it with this challenge because it is doing wonders for me. I really really love it.
Warmly,
Sarah
Lucy and I have loved this too! I’ve always been scared of anything ‘art’, always over thinking it, and don’t want Lucy to grow up with the same hesitations, so this has been refreshing for me. It’s also nice to get to ‘play’ myself instead of just helping Lucy. And spending time together doing it is something we are always looking forward to- one of our favorite times of the day!
I am a proud tinkerscketcher, because while I am creating and sharing my ideas with this little and adorable community of tinkerscketchers I’m growing (it’s true!)… I grow when I make beautiful things, I create, I make strange things (like drawing with my two hands at the same time), but I think that one of the most important things: I learn to observe with curiosity and clean open-mind. Thanks, darlings!