Friday, June 17, 2011

Paint Party Friday: Week 14 - Challenges and Prompts


Welcome to Week 14 of Paint Party Friday!  We had such a great time last week with your wonderfully insightful comments!! It's great to have you back or joining us for the first time!

Last week we were musing about Muses. And it was very interesting and fun! A slight majority felt they had a muse or many muses - whether invisible, the invocation of family members' spirits, pets, your children or some muses who are currently AWOL. Some of you were unsure or even scoffed at the idea of a "muse"  but there was little doubt of your OWN creative force shining through in your painting.

We were also thrilled and impressed with how many people actually read the comments as we went off on a tangent that will continue here this week. We, and even muses, sometimes need prompts and challenges to boost or jump start our creativity and painting efforts. That's what we'd like to explore further in this week's poll and we hope, in all your comments.

We (Kristin and Eva) met because of prompts and challenges, and through them came up with the idea for Paint Party Friday. Last year we both participated in:
and probably a few others. These are great fun! But none of them was about painting. Thus Paint Party Friday was born. From the comments we had last week the feedback was overwhelming to keep PPF as is - no themes or prompts. "It's like a great virtual Open Studio Day here, and I love it." was one of the comments - Thank you! What a lovely description!

Prompts, themes and challenges can be amazingly important to keep many of us inspired and productive - so we want to know about your favourites! And we especially want to know if you host one!* Tell us what you love, what's fun and what really works for you. We will create a page that anyone can visit as needed if their creative fuel starts running low.




And here's the check-in! If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2 check-ins. Please make sure to use your post URL address versus your blog URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website.

 * = PPF players who have challenges or prompts. Here are a few more to check out:
Do you host one we haven't mentioned yet? Please tell us more!

Have a great time at the party!

43 comments:

  1. Great idea to have a link to these challenges. I am always looking for something to encourage me to keep up with my blog...hehe..I mean keep me creative.

    Have a great weekend!

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  2. PPF is all the challenge I need. I get so excited when I realize it's almost time to see all the new posts.

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  3. I agree. PPF is all the challenge I need as well! Having some place to post my paintings is what forces me to do it! So thanks!

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  4. PPF is a great challenge for me. It keeps me on task to create something each week. :) Thank you for the link to these other great sites!

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  5. I like to use challenges and prompts for new inspirations and to meet other people. There's nothing wrong with using a theme or challenge to create art. It's the end result that counts, not how you you got there. Being an artist is often a solitary act and it's nice to join in a community of like minded people and to stretch one's imagination. In my opinion, Paint Party Friday should be open to all art, no matter how it was inspired. Art is Art. :-) Artists should support one another.

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  6. Eva and I are so thankful for all of you and we enjoy seeing your paintings and finding out more about what inspires you!

    @ Rhonda: We completely agree - challenges are a great way to inspire and motivate... We're so happy to have so many artists sharing their work and coming together to support each other :) Yay!

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  7. I think that challenges and prompts are useful for Some things but, in *my* case, they are not helpful in painting. But, i'm only speaking for me :)
    xx,
    amy

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  8. oh, god, and i just read nelly's comment which made me laugh. who the hell *doesn't* feel like, 'oh god, gotta feed my blog'
    i love,
    Love my blog, but i feel like it overtakes me sometimes.

    okay that made about 4% sense. i give up.
    no more attempts at honesty tonight.

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  9. I too feel like my blog overtakes me sometimes but I love that I really feel inspired when PPF rolls around. I've worked hard all week so I'm off to bed and I'll get to your blogs tomorrow for sure. Happy PPF!

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  10. I've been having fun painting various things for the 30 Days of Creativity challenge. I'm off to see what the first ten linkys have been up to and I'll be back to check out the rest! :D

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  11. I have fun with challenges, too. I love that PPF doesn't have any themes but it still challenges me to paint every week. :) Summer of color just started and I'm having a great time with it.

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  12. There have been so many challenges and prompts I've come across (a lot actually since joining PPF!) but I have found that I simply don't have time to join in with as many as I would like. That's why I love PPF because it motivates me and so many others to keep on working on something - anything - artistic and the wonderfully encouraging comments from such a great group of folk add to that motivation. I get mentally blocked at themes sometimes because I overthink them so I like that this is about showing the work that we created for any number of reasons and that each person adds something so different to the mix.

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  13. I have to agree with others. Even though I like the idea of prompts, I often find them stifling. Of the many things I love about PPF is that it doesn't have prompts or themes. The challenge for me, like others, is to not only paint each week but actually POST what I've done. So thank you, THANK YOU for continuing to host PPF. AND, I get tons of inspiration from blog hopping from PPF and seeing what others are doing.

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  14. Okay - I'm not sure my last sentence about blog hopping made sense. I think my head cold momentarily took over my brain. I meant to say that visiting my fellow PPF'ers blogs and seeing their work inspires me the most.

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  15. Paint Party Friday has got me painting regularly again, I have always painted, as far back as I can remember, but now it is really on the timetable. I join in Sophie's Sketch Sunday and just now, the summer of colour, too, so I am really getting my fill. A great idea to party every Friday! We just need more Fridays in the week! Hugs to all, Valerie

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  16. This is great that PPF does not stipulate a specific theme...as repeated above...we all show what we have been working on and that is one of the few challenges that does this. I also started showing sketches at Blue Chair which I found out about by coming here. A really goooood challenge which just has to be included on your list...which by the way ,,I think is a great idea if you would make a list with other paint challenges as there are PLENTY for cards and stamping and it helps get to know like minded artists...well one that should be included is by Carol Marine and her husband.
    dailypaintworks.com/Challenges ....some great art and always a real challenge. Thanks for a nother Friday of Paint Partying you two...

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  17. Some times a challenge just calls me I have a few up on my blog I would recommend. However, I will be starting my very own challenge in JULY for journalling I am so excited about this I can't tell you. (but I am sure you have an idea ;0)

    I am really glad I found this challenge because it has encouraged me to paint more and through the week I feel I am improving and thus so much of my work has also improved. I hope to inspire others to take up journalling as you have inspire me to paint more ;0)

    Love Dawn xx

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  18. PPF has helped me to get painting again. Sometimes I need a push. I have also used The Artists Way when I have been stuck and the book 365 Days of Creativity. Once I get my push however I go full speed ahead. Well,until I need another push!!

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  19. I'll be participating in The Artist's Way check-ins on Sundays (starting next month). It may be every other Sunday, not quite sure, but I'm OK with it either way because the important thing is working through the book and being encouraged and inspired with the others.

    I love that you posted these links. I had thought of themes in the past but I do enjoy the freedom allowed each week...and agree with the comment about the "a great virtual open studio day." Thanks for continuing to host it. Both of you are doing a wonderful thing for the art world!!

    ♥ Hugs and Happy Painting!! ♥

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  20. I participate in Creative Tuesdays, Sunday Sketches and Sweet Saturdays as well as PPF and I feel I've grown from them all, artistically and socially. Kristin and Eva are wonderful welcoming hosts.

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  21. I'm back, miss all the great works! Life was busy and computer crashed for a few days...omg! I was having dt's!
    cheers, dana

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  22. I love a challenge but I hardly follow them as I have way too many ideas in my head already and not enough time to finish it all. Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm too full of paintings I want to do!
    -Andrea

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  23. Last Friday was my first PPF and although the muse theme was wonderful since it fit for my paintings, I think it would stifle me to have to adhere to a theme every time. I would probably only participate when I happened to have a painting that fit the theme. I work a regular job Mon through Friday and only have the weekends to paint( and only a few hours at that!)so I am actually going to be painting the Sunday before the Friday PPF so I wouldn't even know what the theme was till it was too late, LOL! This way of having no theme, I can submit whatever I came up with!I do like the idea though of also having a separate theme page where we can go anytime for ideas and inspiration! Deb
    PS Boy Howdy I do agree with you all that say the blogging can be overwelming!!! My boyfriend hardly sees me after work now cuz I'm always on the computer, lol!!!!!

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  24. I love that PPF welcomes all mediums and forms of creativity. It is because of this wonderful discovery that I am back at least trying to produce one work a week.
    As far as other challenge/prompt groups...I have been very intrigued with the Sweet Saturday Challenge.

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  25. While I sometimes welcome prompts, I have a tendency to feel stifled by them, making me unable to come up with any ideas at all. I have been known to be stopped dead in my tracks by a challenge word.

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  26. mmmm I voted never but after I clicked I realized that isn't quite right. Sometimes over at wetcanvas.com I've participated in challenges in the floral category; the host posts photos, everyone does their thing in whatever media they do and on the 25th day of the month everyone posts their completed work. It's fun, tho I haven't done one in awhile because I've been so busy with other things.

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  28. i love a challenge! Whenever I am asked to come up with something that is when I am at my best. PPF is a challenge in that fact that we have to come up with something, the only difference is we are the ones who are creating the theme! PPF is like Christmas opening presents and not knowing what is inside! Thanks again for hosting I can't wait to see what everyone has come up with this week!

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  29. I love PPF and I am so happy, I am involved with it now ;o) I loved going through all the art last week! There is so many different wonderful artists! I was amazed and truly happy! They all inspired me!!!

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  30. I think my big deep dark dirty secret is that while I love reading prompts, thinking one will set me on track, I never follow through. I will probably always read them because I like to see what other people have come up with .
    But for myself except in extreme circumstances when I can't come up with a thing...prompts make me feel like I'm back in 10th grade English class and I've got a paper due on the theme of Man's Inhumanity To Man or something.
    Several months ago I signed up for a month of online prompts. And I didn't use one. Apparently, paying the money was enough to get my a#$ in motion. LOL

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  31. I am loving this PPF so much!! it is making me paint and create and i am having a blast!!! and every friday it is so much fun to sit and read about what other artists are up to :)

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  32. Woo-hoo I got mine up before evening came. I am having so much fun with PPF and I can't wait to check out everyone's paintings. Happy PPF!

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  33. Well I posted to last weeks update and I am now here!
    I appreciate you letting me know!!!!
    Off to see more art!!!

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  34. I like themes and prompts but only when I have nothing on my easel. PPF has become my personal weekly challange.

    I belong to two other artist forums and did the themes for awhile but it started taking time away from painting, which is my true love. If only there were 90 hours in a day!

    I love PPF because it has the feel of a gallery. I can visit and exhibit here!

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  35. Like the idea of this blog...sort of a weekly check in...with other artists and with myself...great information...I have a new piece done, but need to take some pics...

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  36. Hi :)I'm new to your Paint Party Friday. I love seeing what people post at the end of the week and I enjoyed joining this time.
    Cheers :)

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  37. was going to skip this week (I need a time management class - too much time @ my day job) ... but it's Saturday and I miss you guys too much! My post link is from 6/13 ... haven't posted since, but had to share my 'garden art'. I LOVE the flexibility of PPF forum! Have a great rest-of-your-weekend! I'm going to pick up a paint brush today ... BEFORE I have to go to work! xo

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  38. i'm joining in for the first time, with, surprisingly, some journal pages for Michelle Ward's Crusade 51 challenge! Looking forward to visiting your links :)

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  39. This was so much fun and I can't believe I read through each and every post already! I love seeing everyone's creativity! We have a monthly challenge on the dawg blog that is open to everyone. Would love to see some of you there. http://dawgteamonetsy.blogspot.com

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  40. have just discovered you and while I won't be posting art I had to let you know about several challenges I do each week:
    Shadow Shot Sunday (photo)
    ABC Wednesday (Photo)
    SkyWatch Friday (Photo)
    Wishcasting Wednesday
    as well as:
    Full Moon Dreamboard
    Creative Every Day

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  41. I couldn't join the party this week - but I just had to check in and see what the theme was. So glad you are keeping this prompt free! I participate in quite a few challenges when they call to me. I love the community that we create through these challenges as much as the creativity that goes into them. I co-host Inspiration Avenue's challenge and when it's my turn I do try and pick something different - I think my most challenging one was the theme 'Roald Dahl'. I have yet to set a challenge when I already had a picture done... I really should try and make my life easier!!

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  42. Challenges are a great way of pushing through procrastination. My post is about playing with mediums.I think of weekly challenges as artistic stretches :)

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