The Creative Kickstart is a 5 week series from The Creative Spark Newsletter! If you'd like thoughtfully curated prompts and inspiration for your sketchbook and creative practice, learn more here.
I started off the year with a 5 week Creative Kickstart Series within The Creative Spark Newsletter with a wonderful group of artists--I can't believe we've gone through all 5 weeks already!
The start of the year always feel a little discombobulated as I find my footing and creative flow. This kickstart was what I needed to help me focus, find consistency, and gain momentum!
Here's what the 5 weeks and 5 prompts inspired in the pages of my sketchbook and the creatives who are a part of the CSN:
WEEK 0: WARM UP EXERCISE
Before the kickstart officially began, I shared a simple exercise for easing back into our sketchbooks--supply test & inventory: take stock of your inventory, get organized, test out supplies to see what works/what doesn't, and use tools and materials you haven't picked up in awhile with simple mark making.
This was a nice no pressure way to warm up and get started again and the process of filling in each square got me thinking and was a lot of fun!
Here’s what I did for each square (top to bottom, left to right):
- Seeing how colors overlap with Le Plume II Dual Brush Pens
- Line practice using the edge of palette knives with acrylic paint
- Using gouache the way I would use watercolor
- Testing out all the colors in the Creativepeak Brush Markers set
- Using embroidery thread colors I don’t normally use
- Testing out ink pads by stamping random objects
Watch a short process video on IG or TikTok
While going through my tools and supplies, I came across these stamps I carved years ago! I love the process of pulling them away from the paper to see what marks they made and where the ink gets left behind. It’s gotten me thinking about how I can use these in a new way…
For this page I used crayons (I should’ve used more!) and watercolors for the background, then added the stamps on top.
Is there something you’re feeling inspired to revisit or a tool you’d like to pick up again?
Watch a short process video on IG or TT
WEEK 1: VISION
I’ve been wanting to create a vision board (I’ve also heard it being called an action board which I love) so this was the perfect opportunity.
Flipping through magazines and catalogs to see which images resonated was really fun and relaxing—I ended up cutting out a bunch of stuff (AAA magazine has some awesome travel content!) and created an extended page to fit it all in!
On the back I added a pocket to save little mementos in. I tucked in a mini manifestation check in there for fun dated 12/31/23. Let’s see how close I get :)
I recently finished reading a book called “Wishes Fulfilled” and loved that I found a very similar phrase—it perfectly encompasses the idea of these pages! I also found “creative sparks” which of course I had to add too✨
I also used embroidery thread, paint, dried flowers, stickers, and washi tape on the pages.
This was my first time making a vision board and I’m excited to revisit it at the end of the year!
Watch a short process video on IG or TT
Here's a look at some of the sketchbook pages made by artists from the Creative Spark Newsletter community: Week 1 Recap
WEEK 2: MESSY
When I saw the image of the recreation of Francis Bacon’s studio, it stopped me dead in my tracks!
I haven’t had such a strong reaction to a photo in awhile so I really wanted to explore this some more within the #creativesparknl community!
As someone who is drawn towards minimalism, I was pretty horrified lol 😅🙈 But it got me asking a lot of questions about the artist, their life, their method, the meaning behind their work, etc. and ultimately I was inspired to re-create messy scenes in a messier way than how I would normally approach it.
It allowed me to try layering different mediums, not worry about perfect lines, and focus on the big picture vs little details.
Above is the studio and below is one of those junk drawers I think most of us have in our homes! (And if you don’t have one, who are you and how)
By having a messy point of reference, it took the pressure off of getting it “right”. I’m curious to try this method with a tidier scene!
It was SO fun to just create and make a mess! I grabbed anything and everything and at times even closed my eyes. Just enjoying the process and letting things unfold. And I actually really love how this turned out—maybe because I enjoyed the process a lot or like Danny said, I’m finding beauty in the chaos :) @mrpotatohands
Here’s everything I used and you can watch bits of the process 🎨🖌️🖍️
Hibiscus tea, acrylic paint, gouache, crayons, ink stick and stone, water, calligraphy ink, paper towels, my fingers, dry brush, paper towel roll, and markers. (I’m loving how the paper towel looks! Taking some inspiration from Claudia and saving it to use on a future collage or mixed media piece! Also, I did wrap the rest of my sketchbook in plastic lol)
If you'd like to make a mess too, here's your permission slip! There’s no restrictions, age requirements, and no experience is necessary :) Freely create, let go, experiment, get messy, and most of all have fun with it!
Watch a short process video on IG or TT
Here's a look at some of the sketchbook pages made by artists from the Creative Spark Newsletter community: Week 2 Recap
WEEK 3: CONNECT
It’s been 20 years since I began my creative journey as an adult and there have been so many experiences and adventures, ups and downs. I used to wonder why I couldn’t stick to one thing, that maybe something was wrong with my approach or attitude or (lack of) focus. But looking back I’m so glad I tried different things, to understand what works for me and what doesn’t. And just because I might’ve moved on from something doesn’t mean it’s gone. All these bits and pieces I’ve collected along the way are still a part of me and influence what I create today. It’s all connected, each one leading me to the next. And nowadays, I embrace all my different interests and accept that’s who I am. It feels like it’s come full circle.
This week's piece documents the journey described above:
➡️ Starting with college where I majored in fashion design. Loved drawing (used markers from those classes in this piece! & fabric), loved my classes! Quickly realized it wasn’t the creative career I had thought it would be.
➡️ But through work I met @ahpatel.28 and we created a kids clothing line—can’t believe we did a few trade shows in NY, seems so hard now lol—and a life long friendship 💗 Fabrics from our line was used on this page 🌼
➡️ Made custom cakes—using a palette knife reminds of frosting cakes! Stressful deliveries and becoming vegan changed some things…
➡️So I picked up hand carving stamps and getting into paper goods
➡️ Which led me to brush lettering because there had to be an easier way than carving words lol
➡️ As much as I still love brush lettering, I realized what was truly calling me was my first love of making art.
➡️ My black & white 100 day project gave me the courage to try creating with paint
➡️ Then I added color to the mix
➡️ And here we are today 😊
Watch a short process video on IG or TT
Here's a look at some of the sketchbook pages made by artists from the Creative Spark Newsletter community: Week 3 Recap
WEEK 4: CRUSH
I wanted to have fun with this one and interpreted the prompt 2 ways:
🎨 Crushing paint onto paper for future color inspo (I love seeing how they mix!)
⛏️ Crushing some things with a hammer to see what happens! Also tried crushing different papers as well. This page is more of a test page and I hope to continue crushing other things that look interesting to crush on there! So far the blueberries were my favorite! 
Watch a short process video on IG or TT
Here's a look at some of the sketchbook pages made by artists from the Creative Spark Newsletter community: Week 4 Recap
WEEK 5: UNEXPECTED
I had an idea to make flaps that opened up which reminded me of a flower and how many fun and unexpected reveals happen throughout the entire planting process 🌱🌼
This was a little tricky to map out (I had to pencil in a bunch of notes!) and took way more time than I thought (as per usual 😅) but I tried to make each layer a different stage of the planting and growth process.
While making this piece, it reminded me of how similar our creative journeys are to the life of a plant: starting with nothing—a blank canvas, trying different things to see what we want to cultivate, creating opportunities to grow, and eventually blooming into our full potential. 💛🌻
This mixed media piece was created with acrylic paint, gouache, paper, markers, hand carved stamps and ink.
Watch a short process video to see all the reveals! IG or TT
Here's a look at some of the sketchbook pages made by artists from the Creative Spark Newsletter community: Week 5 Recap
And that's a wrap for the Creative Kickstart series! We are taking a little break before we get into our March prompts--I can't wait!
The Creative Kickstart is a 5 week series from The Creative Spark Newsletter! If you'd like thoughtfully curated prompts and inspiration for your sketchbook and creative practice, learn more here.