#365doodles Project

A late, but still cool, post!  ;)

In 23th September I started a personal challenge: I'll make at least one doodle a day, everyday, for one year. I chose this date because it's the beginning of the Autumn, my favourite and inspiring season.

You are probably thinking: but this is easy! Just a doodle is not a REAL challenge... But well, I always invent a bunch of excuses to draw when "it is for real" and the fact is: the "for real" not often happens. Plus, when the "for real" happens, I'm so over-thinking that my skills run away from me. So, for a person like me, a doodle is a Real challenge.
Another point was to create a routine. I discovered recently that I like routine, a good routine, with a small "to do list". So, this #365doodles will be a cool "to do".
And last but not least, this year I spent some months trying to make my "website". When I finally found a "nice template" etc, I noticed that I spent a lot of weeks doing the cover and totally forget the content. So, I need more content. And with this challenge, I expect have some.

So, 22nd October I completed 1 month - 30 doodles! Yay!
I made a video with the doodles to celebrate this personal achievement.
(I used Animoto for the "animation")

It's so nice to see them! I didn't do thinking about the video so there is no theme. But anyway, I have 30 doodles! :) And more then be happy, I can see how much I learned from this first month of challenge. So, let me share some of the achievements (and maybe inspire you!):

1. After the second day, I decided to turn my doodles public and I use the Instagram for this. I thought a lot before start to post there - how annoying will be share a poorly doodle everyday? - but well, I wanted a digital register to follow my small progress and to keep myself motivated. So, I closed my eyes and posted! Best thing ever! I receive so many likes! I never imagined!. Some of them really like and others are maybe just being kind. Anyway, It does keep myself motivated! (I admit that I like quick reward and Instagram is perfect)

2. After the first week, I started to draw anywhere, specially if it's late in the night. The feeling "I must do a doodle today" makes me use what I have, where I am. I have fun drawing on the sofa during a boring movie, for example. Never happened before. Drawing was sort of "a serious business". Really glad with this achievement.

3. I lost my silly fear of waste paper with my drawings. Yes, it exists. I always had a sketchbook and well, just for important drawings, you know. So, since I need a place to start to doodle and I could't look for a brand new sketchbook for this, I used what I had. And turns out that what I have is perfect. It's paper and it's here for my drawings.

4. After 3 weeks, I feel more confident. I gradually started to use more the pen and less the pencil. It's baby steps. Still not a "pro", but it's an interesting discover: drawing with pen I force myself to picture first in my head or be open to make adaptations in case I mistake a line (happens very often).

5. I'm proud of myself. You know when you took bad decisions and blame yourself for months? Well, I made a good one with this challenge. So, cheers for me! I'm happy with the "I can do it" feeling. And I'll keep going. 35 days so far. And I love each day. Even when I have no clue what to doodle.

Enough for today!
Love and inspiration,
Malu

Growing week by week

I know, almost 2 weeks without post! And here comes my excuse:
I was busy growing up!
(I know that I'm suppose to be growing up every week anyway, but this past 2 weeks I really noticed this happening)

Last week started my MATS part B classes, and as was the part A, it's a like start a creative marathon! No, it's not a competition, but, it's about each week improve my skills and show a better work based in amazing market tips.

The week 1: a Winter Holiday for Greeting Card

The first week is a mix of excitement and madness. I was determinate to make a wonderful piece and very goofy lost in my own creative process.
This week had the perfect combo for me: paper goods ( I love paper goods!) and Christmas (my favorite time in the year).
So I had everything to do a very beautiful and proud artwork, right? NO! What happened? I think I just freaked out! I over-think the whole process and put so much pressure in myself that I couldn't create a  joyful piece. I had a lot of icons and wasn't able to put them together. One part is because my weakness is composition (still working on this) other part is, for sure, my over-thinking.
The conclusion was: I didn't find a way to like the result and pass the after days grumpy. More and less like a teenager that couldn't go to her favorite show. Very child.

Here are the layouts that I struggled with and the final.

Growing up: Learning to be kind to myself. Less over-think, more joy. Less child behavior (haha!)
Note to myself: Make other beautiful card with joy at time for the holidays! :)

The week 2: Camping for baby apparel. 

While I was wasting 2 days grumpy with the week before, the week 2 began and I almost lost the track. Baby apparel is a market that I like, well, basically because it's cute and I love cuteness. The big challenge this week for me would be: composition and make a pattern. I do want enter in the textile market and I know that it's for senior and good designer because it's very complex. So every time I have textile to do as an assignment in MATS is a really good chance to take a step forward in direction of my personal dream.
Fun fact: I never camping! haha! But I take inspiration from the movie Moonrise Kingdom for color palette and draw from my imagination (of course lot of cute animals)
Since my last week was a nightmare, I tried to use a new creative process for this one:
Less research, made a mood board, less but well done icons, real baby pattern as structures models and went to digital earlier. HAVE FUN. Note: All good choices.

And the result was...
Not so fabulous but a very very proud artwork!
First time I do a real pattern, a good composition, and put in a seller presentation way with coordinates and mock ups! WOW lot's of learning.

Here is the proud result:

Mood Board (it's in a very poor resolution, but you can see the colors and some motifs)

Growing up: A new and good creative process to follow. Skills improvement: pattern and composition.
Note to myself: I can do it!

Today starts the week 3: Scrapbooking!
See you soon!

Love
Malu

1 year doing what I love - drawings

Today I celebrate 1 year doing what I always loved but had fear to do: drawings.

Yay! Sing with me: "Ceeeeeelebrate good times, Com' on" *clap hands*

In 10th October 2012, I was in a sort of sabbatical year (since we moved cause my husband got a job in Malmö and I couldn't (and didn't want) continue the ad/mkt career) and after watch some videos about Design Thinking, I had this conversation with my husband:
me: hey, do you want know a funny thing about me? I always want to be a designer/artist but, well, since I saw a lot of more talented people than me I just gave up...
he: I believe! I think you're very creative! I bet you could be a really good artist. :)
me: Look! This site drawspace.com has a free drawing class! I'll start today and let's see!
he: Sounds like a plan!
And voilá! So far, a very amazing decision! Even with the ups and downs.

Here are some of my first drawings from drawspace class (try not laugh loud and sorry about the scan quality)

 

And here are the drawings from my sketchbook this week - again, be kind ;)

Even without show the digital improvement, I can see (maybe you can too) some evolution.
For me, the big achievement after one year is mostly invisible: 
I'm more confident, more kind with myself and I'm in love with my new"career"in the making.
Of course there are a lot of bad days in the middle when I feel like my drawings are crap and ask myself "I should continue this?" And then inside me, comes a very low voice "yes, because you love this". And then I just go sleep and wait for the other day when maybe my hand is more light and available to create cute drawings. (Sometimes there is a very loud voice outside me, from my husband and some friends: shut up and keep drawing! works too and I'm thankful for that)

So, that's it! Let's come back to drawings (I have a Christmas card to create this week for Lilla's class! So exciting! I LOVE Christmas!)

I can't wait for one more year of drawings!
Happy me!

Love and thankful thoughts,
Malu


PS: One year of classes - the review:
I didn't finish the drawspace course because I became too anxious to start to draw more cute stuff (!). I started to look for more online courses and I keep investing in classes since then. I bought a lot of books, I did a lot of online tutorials, an Illustrator 102 class (Nicole's classes), a Character Illustration (Skillshare) and Make Art that Sells part A and B (Lilla Roger's Studio). Next week I'll go to The First Steps of Hand-lettering (Skillshare)! And I have a list of courses to do and books to read!

I know it's a long road process and I'm having fun in this ride! :) 

Back to School (sort of)

During the summer, I went to school to learn how to Make Art That Sells - MATS - part A and it was a life changing. Now starts the Part B: + 5 weeks of happiness and inspiration! Yay!

Before start the MATS B, I'd like to share a little bit about my experience with Part A. 
I confess that I had no clue what I'll learn exactly and the course wasn't (still not) cheap that you pay by impulse. I'm a novice, as you probably noticed, and besides my advertising background and the creative feelings, I'm out of the Art market and I don't know what to do to enter in this market.
You probably wondering: but why thinking about market if you still learning "how to draw". Well, as a half rational person, I need to see ahead to put some sense in what I'm doing now. There is a lot of options in the world and discover which way I'd like to invest my time was my motivation to enter in this course. I know that sounds a little nonsense but well, everybody needs a motivation, right?
Last but not least, I didn't know Lilla Rogers. But after a quickly research you'll find a very respectable background with amazing references. So, I jumped in with all my coins.


It was the best decision I made this year (so far). I not only learnt more about the markets but I learnt so much about myself! I grew up with my art skills, and especially my artistic confidence. A boost of inspiration and motivation! I never had an art "teacher/mentor/inspiration". Not even during my Architecture college neither in my Communication college (weird, isn't it?). Anyway, since I had no  big motivations in the past I never believe I should invest my talent time in drawings and art. Well, Lilla changed this scenario. She showed me the yellow brick road and put together wisdom and supportive art classmates in so many different levels and countries. I can't be thankful enough. In my creative journey, after my supportive husband, my mom and friends, Lilla has a golden place in my heart.

My personal review
MATS part A was about the following markets:
Bolt fabric, Home Décor, Children's book, Wall Art and Gift.
Everything I created I never have done before. I loved and struggled during all the process. I finished at least one piece for each assignment. Even the most difficult, I didn't quit. I'm very proud of myself. :)

1. When I signed for the MATS I had huge expectations about the Bolt Fabric market (one of the reasons I re-start to draw) but since it was on the first week I kind of get lost in the process of create the artwork, but besides have took the wrong path with the briefing, I still love the market and want to go this way. My artwork suppose to be a pattern but in the end I think I created a tea towel (haha!) my second favorite piece.
2. Home Décor I had some expectations but shows me much more than I imagined. I just love it! (and I did my top favorite artwork in the whole course)
3. Children's Book was one of the hardest. It's very complex and intense to translate text in characters. I definitely need much more art skills to enter this market specially scenario. It's a fascinating market. One day...
4. Wall Art was a collage experience and a huge challenge for me. I never did collage before and usually I don't appreciate too much. I didn't have lot of materials at home and well.. It's not my favorite but my piece is in my living room (this probably means something).
5. Gift was a very confuse market for me. The briefing was an exciting lush-lush theme, that again I never did or noticed before. My artwork was not exactly a lush-lush but I did a lot of layers (never imagined use this) and got an interesting result. My third favorite piece.

That's it! This was what happened in July!

Today begins the part B!
I'll update in real time this time! :)

Happy Monday!

love,
Malu

Brand new day

Today is the first day of my new blog! Yay!

I'd like to start saying that I'm proud of myself for taking this another step of my creative journey: register the day by day.
Since I decide to come back to the "drawing life" (almost one year ago), I've been taking baby steps in the technique and confidence paths. It's a long process but I'm very happy with my creative choice.
Most people don't realize how shy I am about the artwork I do. After years selling the other's work as ad/marketing woman it's weird to think that I'm not a good seller of myself. Well... happens! I'm being brave and going outside my shelf and showing seek peaks of my artwork. (My amazing husband can say how hard is to cheer me up almost everyday with wise words).

So this blog is one part of this process.
Another part is a personal challenge that I started on the first day of Autumn (my favorite season): Doodle every day for one year - I called: #365doodles.
Today is the 12th day and the doodle was inspired by the package I sent today to my lovely friend in Brazil. It's always exciting to send gifts that you collected thinking about your dear friend. One day you put everything in a cute box,  drop on the post office and start to count the days for the delivery!
So, here is my version of the process this time:

I admit: I draw fast and yes, could do better... but it's a doodle right?
let's focus on the fact that it is my first flowchart doodle! : )
All the past days are in my Instagram. (follow me like me)

On monday It'll start my MATS (Make Art That Sells) class part B! I'm very bubbling about! Next post I will tell a little about my experience with part A and the new days back to school.

See you!

Love,
Malu :)

PS: Huge thanks to my friend Camilla who push me to do this blog!