Art Sparks: Inspiration for Your Art

I was invited to participate in a cool blog hop sponsored by artist, Karen Friedland (creator of the new Art Sparks card deck) and I'm thrilled to have a chance to share my process with you. 

The Art Sparks card deck is a project driven deck that has 31 cards with a combination of inspirational journeys and projects to spark your artistic playtime. Karen asked me and 8 other artists to pull one card from the deck then complete the project using our own style and imagination. 

I picked card number 11 (pictured above) and here's how it went: 

• I started with a blank page in my handmade art journal from the October lesson for The Journey Within
• I followed the directions on the card and drew three geometric shapes. Of course I started with a circle (my favorite shape/symbol), then a cube and then a pyramid. 

• Next, I connected them with lines to create a visual flow around the page. 

• The directions said to add color. I love that there weren't any specific instructions on how to add the color and that I could select on my own. I went with my newest sets of watercolors -- the Prima Marketing Decadent Pies and three half pans of handcrafted watercolors from Redwood Willow. For my black, I used the Art Graf Carbon Disc (my new fav). I felt pulled towards the fall colors and really wanted to stay loose with the water, so I started with a wet on wet technique.  

• Of course I had to add a sentiment in that empty space on the page, so I penciled in the words "inspiration can be lost, found, and created using color and shape" 
• I used a Sakura Pigma Micron Graphic Pen in size 1 to ink the lettering

I love how simple the page was, how quickly I was able to complete it, and the result of a two page spread that says a lot to me (each symbol holds a personal meaning for me in my life) and the quote is one I use as an affirmation from time to time when I'm feeling stuck. Easy peasy!!!

I'm curious, what sparks your art? 

Do two things to be entered:

1. Subscribe to the blog using either Bloglovin or FeedBurner.
2. Leave your response in a comment below.

Do both and you'll be entered into a giveaway for your very own Art Sparks deck + one seat in the 4th Quarter of The Journey Within where we are making handmade art journals and filling them with wonderful ideas and images. In fact, you'll get a triple treat because my blog hop partner, Tori Weyers, is teaching in TJW in December!! WIN WIN WIN!!!

Wanna increase your chances to win a deck? Go back and visit all of the blog hoppers and enter their give-a-ways: 

• Monday, October 31, 2016
  Karen Friedland
  Sadelle Wiltshire
  
  
  Tuesday, November 1
  Jeri Bellini
  Yva Lovee Barbour
  
  
  Wednesday, November 2
  Barb Owen
  Tiare Smith
  
  
  Thursday, November 3
  Gina Ahrens
  Melissa Partridge
  
  
  Friday, November 4
  Kiala Givehand <<< YOU ARE HERE
  Tori Weyers

Want to simply go buy your own deck right now? CLICK HERE to get a deck for yourself, a friend, and someone you think needs to get creative. There's a 10% off coupon good until November 30th. Use ARTSPARKSINTRO

If you decide to do the prompt from card number 11 (above), post it to Instagram and tag me @kialagives -- I'll enter your name in the drawing!!!