I started the Creative Spark Challenge this year as a way to share inspiration to support our creative practice year round--I can't believe we are already at the last set of prompts! I hope they've been helpful for you. I have some new things planned for 2026 and am very excited to share them with you soon--please stay tuned!

If you missed any of the past prompts or freebies or would like to refer to them again, you can find them all in the Creative Spark Challenge Library. This is a free resource for you to re-visit, any time you'd like.

If you'd like to share your work, tag me on Instagram @atiliay
or email me at hi.atiliay@gmail.com--I'd love to see what you're creating!

If you’d like a Creative Spark Deck of your own, you can find them in my shop.

If you enjoy this challenge, please share it with a friend--the more the merrier!
Here's the sign up link if you need it.

Welcome to a new month of the Creative Spark Challenge! Below you'll find the prompt card, ideas and inspiration, mood board, this month's workshop, download, and playlist!

If this is your first month joining in on the challenge (welcome & hello!)--here are answers to some FAQs that are helpful!

DECEMBER PROMPT CARD

ENVISION & EXPRESS

Here are some ideas and inspiration to help you get started! If you're having some decision fatigue, the number in the spark symbol on the prompt card can help: use the text prompt that coordinates with that number which would be 3. short.

All of the below is open to your interpretation! Feel free to adapt, change, combine a few, and adjust as needed based on how you feel and what you feel inspired to do.

Click here or on the image below for this month's mood board:

VINTAGE

• • Inspiration from your younger year. Find inspiration in toys, books, materials, that you used to enjoy. Here are some examples from a 7 day sketchbook project I did using this theme.
  • Create a print. Dive into a specific decade and look at the fabrics, wallpapers, textiles, tiles, and other items that feature patterns. Take different elements: a shape, color palette, the size of the repeated items, etc. and make a print of your own.
  • Design an outfit. Visit an antique mall or thrift shop focusing on the different clothing items (or do research online or in libraries). What fabrics, textures, shapes, and silhouettes are you drawn to? Create something you'd want to wear. Another idea is to make vintage paper dolls and a few outfits for the doll.
  • Find vintage materials to use. Scour a bookstore for old books or postcards. Tear out a random page from the book or use the photo on the postcard-- look at what's been printed and create a story around it. 

SHORT

• • 30 seconds, 5 minutes, 30 min, 1 hour Use these different time durations to sketch the exact same subject / reference photo. Go from shortest to longest. See what you capture and how the details change. (Use 4 sketchbook pages or split a page into 4 sections.)
  • Use short strokes. Instead of creating with long continuous lines, use very short strokes for the entire piece. Consider using a palette knife to create the shorter strokes with.

FUTURISTIC

• • Imagine your future self. What are you doing? Where do you live? What are you experiencing? Create a collage using images and text that represent this.
  • Message to your past/future self. Focus on using words for this one whether it's your own handwriting (consider finding stationery you like to write on and paste it into your sketchbook), trying brush lettering or calligraphy, or cutting words out to use. What would you say to your past or future self?
  • Make a paper time capsule. This can be a collage or doodles or paintings of things you'd put in a time capsule. Seal it up in an envelope and write a date on it. That's the next time you will open this up!

NEW

• • Try something new. A new paint brush, style, material you've never used, something that's still in its package that you haven't opened yet--embrace something brand new to you!
  • New vs. old. Combine and express both ideas on your sketchbook page. Consider colors and textures of new things vs. older things or try creating a collage with paper elements representing each.

CRUMPLE

• • Paint with crumpled material. Try plastic packaging, tissue paper, packing paper, etc. One of my favorite tutorials used crumpled plastic to paint trees.
  • Practice creating shapes and shadows. Crumple up a piece of paper and use it as the subject of a still life sketch. Notice the shapes, outlines, dark, and light areas.

BYZANTINE

• Learn more about this art movement.
• Make a mosaic. A lot of architectural surfaces were covered in mosaics. Try to create one of your own using paper pieces.

COLORS ON THE PROMPT CARD:

Click on each for some visual inspiration 

• • Turquoise
  • Cranberry

PATTERN ON THE PROMPT CARD:

• • Continue the pattern using geometric blocks of positive and negative space.
  • Create a motif using the shapes you see on the card. Use paper or turn it into a stamp (carve in linoleum, eraser, or a potato).

And don't forget to consider the opposites of all the prompts above as well as synonyms and see where that takes you!

VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

Due to some travel plans, I am changing up this month's virtual workshop. Instead of a regular live class, I may share a pre-recorded class or do a step-by-step written tutorial--or maybe both! The idea behind it will be the shed the old to make way for the new. I will share the video / tutorial when it's ready!

THIS MONTH'S EXTRA:
Geometric Pattern PDF

This month's PDF is the pattern on the card resized. I love how different they look depending on the scale. Print out the pattern and use them to create a piece, tear off sections to use, combine a few, or focus on a single one. 

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

CSC PLAYLIST #12

Thank you for joining me for a year of creating!