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Hi John!

Looking for a playful way to stretch my creativity, I looked around my workspace for inspiration.

My eyes landed on a little box that one of my kids stores mini sculptures in.

Hmmm, perhaps I could trace it, then fill the shapes with a mini masterpiece.

I placed in on the page but the shape was wrong, and it felt too big.

My eyes darted around the table for something else: I considered a cup for a circle, a ceramic box for a rectangle...

...and then I spotted the box of mints!

I present this idea to you if you'd like to give it a try, too...

The steps are simple:

• Trace shapes (squares, rectangles, circles, etc.)
• Choose a color palette -- I used yellows, greens, and blues
• Pick a few supplies -- Mine were pencil, paint, and diy spirulina paint​
• Fill the shapes with iterations on a theme: the elements will be a little different from the rest, but similar enough to create a sense of unity -- For the series shown here, each one has some sort of horizon line and some elements like polka dots or leaves are repeated in a number of squares.

Iteration will free you up to experiment without such a nagging feeling of perfectionism creeping in.

With so many shapes to play around with, each one can feel less precious than it would if I were working on a single large sheet of paper.

At least that is my experience.

Does this look like fun to you?

I'm considering offering some workshops or classes and wondering if or how this could be helpful.

Would you be interested in a video or live tutorial to walk you through all the steps?

If you have a chance, let me know where you're getting stuck.

Playing off the grid,

Rachelle

PS: Here are 3 more resources you might enjoy:

1. Make Art with Kids, read my book: TinkerLab: A Hands-on Guide for Little Inventors​
2. Get started with Art Journaling: Art Journaling 101: Ideas and Prompts to Get Started
3. Try this fun prompt: Art Journaling: Collage and Painting with a Magazine Background