Ds106 6 second watercolor 2

6 Second lesson-

Well here is something that makes me feel a little 'Bob Ross' on crack, minus the afro and acrylic. Though I refrained from mentioning happy trees and clouds, I think he would have still been proud, and really anyone could compose a similar image by following along after downing 12 cups of espresso.

There is no media trickery here, a single shot displays the simplicity in which a water color painting can be made with very little supplies and only a small bit of manipulation. For this daily create, it was a no-brainer to combine my digital and non digital self.

 I try to complete at least one water color or sketch a day, when I am lucky, I squeeze in two into the the busy western life that have become a custom to. No, this is not something that I have done my whole life, and much like living in the digital limelight, I have just began to live again by sketching. I blame a man by the name of Danny Gregory, after hearing him talk, and watching him sketch during an ART of ED conference, I have been hooked, he is my creative Yogi. I follow his blog: https://dannygregorysblog.com/, have purchased his books, ( yes all of them, which I have lent out like a favorite pair of pearl earrings to very special people) and now follow him on Twitter. Wow, that sounds creepy- but really he is quite inspiring, and really teaches one to slow down and look closely to the things that are around us, kinda like the Warhol of today, without all the fame and hype.

So how do I get my student's to react the same to sketching? Good question, let me know when you find the answer- As a new(er) teacher, I still struggle getting my students to practice, and sketching what is in front of them is a challenge. Let them 'free' draw, and they will draw every cartoon character and everyone else's drawings all day, but to extract their own creativity, I am still pulling teeth for about 75% of them. Sometimes I think I am expecting too much from elementary, but even my middle schoolers, are the same. I am wondering if offering more of a daily create, and the use of technology might inspire them, maybe if it is some of this 'new school' creativity, it will become more successful? 

I put the movie together using Imovie, after all I am a complete Apple drone (again, it creeps me out to say so, but for the artist, a PC just won't due). I had forgotten how much fun, and all the little gadgets, and buttons, to make things do this and that. Much like riding a bike, it took a few trips around the block and I felt back in the saddle again, and snap there was my own little movie. I hope it sounds as intentional as I had planed, for NAS to just start singing about life as the film ends... 

Sketching, painting and creating is life, and now I feel so too, might this digital thing.