The Artsy Fartsy Challenge

Few days ago, I gave myself a self-induced challenge and called it the "Artsy Fartsy Challenge". The challenge is this, for 15 days I have to make at least one artwork in a day. My reasons are pretty simple... Number 1 is so I will not get tired, lazy or dormant with the talent that was given to me by God (I also believe in the saying, "If you'll not use it, you'll lose it."), and the other one is because I also believe that practice makes bongga. :) ("Bongga", for those who didn't understand this word is an informal Filipino word that could mean "Great" or "Superb"). ;) I also try styles and stuff that I haven't did before or did for a very long time.

Sharing the artworks that I did for the past 5 days (Sorry for the low-res pictures. I'm still praying for a new phone with a bongga camera with it ^^).

Day 1

Used black pens with felt tip on paper. I just draw on paper whatever things, words or images that crossed my mind during that time. It's like a... umm... "vomit artwork" (for lack of good terms) ;) Sometimes random things can make a beautiful whole picture when they are put together.

Day 2

Used black pen with needle tip on paper. I was watching the PBA All-Star Games during this time and was very entertained with the Slam Dunk competition. :) You know, inspirations can come very randomly to you! ;) I haven't drawn a man's anatomy in action for a very long time so I think it's just a right time making one. :) I searched for an action shot from the internet and copied it.

Day 3

Ballpens with black and red inks were used for this one on paper. I copied it from a shawl that my aunt gave me that got eagle heads all over it. A Bible verse crossed my mind before drawing this eagle head--

Isaiah 40:31- "But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."

Just a trivia about how an eagle soars. The eagle is the only bird (correct me if I'm wrong) that can fly ABOVE the clouds. It means the eagle can fly above the storms. It means if you "soar like an eagle", you can soar above your troubles (not soar away from them but soar above them). Waiting or trusting in the Lord will give you that strength to soar on wings like an eagles.

And yep, I've read this Bible verse several times before making this artwork (from my own Bible reading, from a friend's text message, a Facebook status, etc.! This could be a Word of God for me or for you my dear reader. :)

Day 4

Oil pastels and black ink on paper were used in this one. This is one of the days wherein there's no enough inspirations and I don't feel like doing it. Indeed feelings are not always right and could be very unstable... Now that's the time wherein commitment and diligence should kick in, bringing it over your feelings to stay true to what you've decided. I read a definition of "commitment" during the time I attended the World Vision Loyal Donor Dinner last year and it got stuck on my mind since then-- "Commitment is staying loyal to what you have said... Even when the mood already left you on the time you said it."

From you hands are much opportunities and possibilities... don't let yourself miss those just because you don't feel sticking on your commitment. Much realization for this simple artwork haha!

Day 5

The latest one, watercolor on paper (paper specially used for watercolor). This is not the initial artwork that I made for day 5 for the first artwork that I made for this day is something that I didn't really like haha! It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be. It's like a "vomit artwork" too but this time it didn't look very pleasing unlike the artwork that I made for day 1. Watercolor is really not my forte and I have to practice on this medium more than any other.

Some realization for this one, or maybe a reminder, that for something to be beautiful you gotta put more time for it. Now that's the difference between my "vomit artwork" day 1 from my "vomit artwork" supposed-to-be-for-day-5... Time. Yep, I put just random things on paper before BUT it took me a long time to finish it, unlike my supposed-to-be-for-day-5 artwork wherein I just put some random colors on paper in a much shorter time (not to mention that the medium that I used is something I'm not used in using).

So how will I apply it to other areas of my life??? Haha! Well here it is (and maybe you can also apply it to your own life, too) Time makes things beautiful or makes them MORE beautiful... or you can say it this way, "Waiting can make things beautiful..." for rushing some things can make them ugly even though they're supposed to be beautiful. And don't rush things just because you just have to do it, put some lovin' in it. You know that there's much lovin' in someone's work or effort if he/she took more time in pulling it off, not because this person's a perfectionist freak, but because he/she wanted it to become "great" from "okay". :)

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Will be sharing the rest of my artworks and the inspirations and realizations that comes with them in the following days. :) Now, this self-induced challenge is more than just an art challenge to me. :)