Day 31: Show Off Time, Your 30 in 30 Review!

To all of the 2015 Fused Glass Sgraffito Drawing 30 in 30 Challenge Artists who have completed all 30 days of the challenge...

You have done what seemed impossible,

and your hard work has paid off!  

As Nelson Mandela said, "it always seems impossible until it's done". 

Mr. Mandela was speaking of peace, of course, but for those of you who have completed this seemingly impossible challenge will certainly relate to his wise words.  

 Your work is beautiful and you've improved so much during this normally dismal January.  

I applaud you in your efforts to learn a new skill and start the year off with lots of creativity and fearlessness about the unknown.

Now is the time to post your collage of the pieces you did this month so we can all see your progress!  

If you have trouble creating your collage, please look at yesterday's post for instructions on how to create one.

Although this is the 'official end' of this challenge, I think there are more plans in the works... It is going to be hard for me to just 'quit' when so many of you have given so much of yourselves to participate in this first time endeavor.

If you didn't get a chance to begin the challenge, now is YOUR  time for you to 'get busy'.  You can start at the very beginning and complete the challenges as you go.   To get the most from your efforts, start at the beginning and take each challenge in sequence.  Please post your efforts on the blog page by following the link at the end of each post.  If you would like to join the challenge you can sign up any time through Facebook by clicking the link.

Those of you who have participated, please keep working!  This is not the end, your journey in fused glass powder drawing is only just beginning.  I am sure of it.

I would like to thank this January's participants for your gifts of encouragement towards one another and for

'Playing nice in the sandbox'. 

It is absolutely COMMENDABLE that I did not have to intervene even one time to break up snarky posts and fix hurt feelings.   Hurray to all of you who have been SO AWESOME in participating while encouraging and helping one another without any BS.  I love that. 

You have all made this a project worth doing, and I can't thank you enough for being kind and encouraging  friends toward one another throughout this entire month. 

 That in itself makes it worth it to me to have begun this challenge.

Love to all of you!  ~Kelly

Add your 30 Day Collage Here!

Day 27: Words of Wisdom and a New Inspiration

'I am the artist's model."  ~Albert Einstein

We are almost to the end of the 30 in 30 Challenge, only four more drawings to do... 

It's a little sad, isn't it?

Looking back at the photos of drawings you all did in the first week, I can hardly believe the difference in what you've been able to accomplish.  I hope you're seeing it too!

Today's challenge is going to feel impossible at first.

They all start out that way, but I have faith that you can do it!

The daily challenges leading up to this day have prepared you.  You're ready!

The challenge for Day 27 & 28  (I think you know what it is).....

Create a fused glass powder sgraffito drawing of our model, Albert.

(here is the space where I'll let you have that mini-panic attack and then catch your breath)

^)(#*&%_)@(*#_%()*_#*(&Y*(&^_(*@&!#^@&$%&*)(#*%&!+_)^*()!#&%&*#(^_@(*&^^

deep breaths, deep breaths

Here are some hints that will help you in your approach:

Begin your drawing upside-down.  Squint your eyes and look for the areas that are the darkest darks and the lightest lights.  Get the rough shapes of those areas in first.    Next, think about the tools you've created and the textures you've been able to make with them.

As you work, take photos of your portrait in progress.  This will help you figure out where problem areas are.  You will have two days to complete this project, so post an 'in progress' photo for today, and a photo of your completed piece for tomorrow.  

You have everything you need, use everything in your arsenal!

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm behind on my painting challenge... I'll have to bust them out at the last minute (as usual!)

Here is one for today.  Alcohol ink on Yupo.