#guy francis

[thesandpiper]

Clark the Shark

Bruce Hale/Guy Francis

2013

[roesolo]

Kwanzaa Books to brighten your holidays!

Kwanzaa Books to brighten your holidays!

I’ve finally got some of my Kwanzaa holds coming in, so this is a short first post for the season, but I’ve got more on the way! Let’s enjoy a couple of books celebrating Kwanzaa, its message of togetherness and peace, and its seven guiding principles.

The Sound of Kwanzaa, by Dimitrea Tokunbo/Illustrated by Lisa Cohen, (Oct. 2009, Scholastic Press), $16.99, ISBN:  978-0-545-01865-4

Ages 3-7

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Feeding Creativity–Lecture Notes

Yesterday I went to an event called the Creative Collaborative. It is a series happening every Tuesday in Provo, Utah. It was my first time going and I got to hear from the entertaining and inspiring Guy Francis speak about feeding creativity. He seems like a  very down to earth, and relatable person, which made me enjoy listening to him talk even about his personal life. And he's got years and yeas of expertise in children's books illustrations.

Anyways, I enjoyed his lecture a lot and I just wanted to share my notes.

1. Be in creative places

Are you always going to be in a creative place? Nope. Should you always expect that the places you are normally will enhance your creativity? Nah.

He was talking more about making and finding creative places. Live life! Have fun! Do things that make you excited about being alive. Artists find inspiration by living. So if you're always chained to a studio desk, you'll eventually run out of inspiration.

My senior year in the BFA program, I got to travel to LA and visit some major studios. One of the artists from Illumination Entertainment (you know, the studio that created Despicable Me) said that a lot of people form their life around their job. But his advice was to find the work that fits the life that you want.

Anyways, find places that give you joy, because that's when you're going to be the most creative.

2. Be with creative people

Make art friends, form groups, attend conferences (like creative collaborative), go to museums, and interact with artists online. A lot of the artists that I know are introverted, so their natural tendency (and mine) is to stay comfortable. But when you form these relationships with , you can have someone to critique, to talk to, and to network with.

3. Exercise your creativity

Just like with any other skill, you need to practice! And practice on a regular basis.

My creative brain seems to unconveniently work when I'm not available. So I get to my day job, and think of 5 great ideas by lunchtime. But by the time I get home from work everyday, all that morning motivation is gone. And sometimes I even forget the ideas all together. But I've been trying to challenge myself to do something creative everyday. Sometimes its drawing, but a lot of other times it is playing the guitar, or creating a new art-inspo board in pinterest. Guy Francis said he likes to do build, so he has a whole shop to fill his creative bucket in a different way.

How can you exercise your creativity? Guy Francis says:

Draw everyday, even if it's little

Make art for yourself.

Participate in art challenges, like #inktober and #mermay 

Try different styles

4. Never stop

This one is very similar to the last one, but never stop. Keep trying even when you feel discouraged. Feeling uncomfortable only means you are growing, which is a good thing!

5. If all else fails, draw pigs

Okay, it doesn't actually have to be pigs... but draw whatever you never get tired of. Pigs are Guy Francis' favorite animal to draw.

[wellesleybooks]

Let these sharks put a smile on your face!