Advent Challenge 2014 Showcase

I've been so blown away with everyone's responses to Advent Challenge 2014, I just had to do a post showcasing some of the amazing talent taking part...

For the last few years I've run an Advent Challenge, starting with Advent Doodle in 2012. This year I wanted to go bigger and better suggesting anyone could enter from artists, musicians, poets, dancers and film makers... To be fair, it's mostly been artists - but the level of artistry and creativity is pretty astounding. 

Here's a selection of some awesome people taking part and their work... Sit back, put on the Christmas music and enjoy this feast for your eyes!

I love Mary's (aka Groovity) bright folky style - check out more of her work here. I also need to thank Mary for asking me to do another challenge this year!

Rebecca Stoner's illustrations are just lovely, love the colour palette too!

I love seeing what Meg (May I Design) comes up with each day - her embroidery is amazing!

Melissa Iwai is an illustrator and children's book author. I'm so in love with her magical illustrations - I'd hang most of them on my wall!

The best thing about running something like this is meeting new designers and illustrators mostly on Instagram using the hashtag #adventchallenge2014 

Katherine Lenius is one of those people! Her style is so fun and fresh

I also saw Kayleen West was taking part via Instagram, she's a children's book author and illustrator from Australia. I'm loving her cute illustrations, especially the penguin!

Lindsay Buck (aka Slumbermonkey) is an Advent Challenge veteran, having taken part since the start! She's used the prompts to create a series of awesome patterns and illustrations. Lindsay also set up a pinterest board collating some of the designs from people taking part. 

It's great to see the challenge go global, Jessica Phillips is an illustrator from Canada. I love her characters and the colour palette gives her illustrations a really fresh festive feel. 

Christine Gardner has used the prompts to create a collection of patterns and illustrations that all look amazing together - I can imagine a whole range of greeting cards, wrapping paper and tags!

Bley Hack has also used the prompts to create a series of fabulous patterns. It's hard to choose but I think my favourite is the Nutcracker top right.

Other artists have picked a couple of prompts to illustrate. Suzanne Washington (Suzy Spellbound) illustrated this beautifully intricate tree decoration for Day 3. 

Anne Bomio from Switzerland created this striking pattern, I really love the cute illustrations and colours. 

Julie Hamilton (Artistically Afflicted) created this stunning illustration for Day 7 - Winter Wonderland. Julie was brilliant at spreading the word about the Advent Challenge, helping it to go truly global! Thanks so much Julie, it's been a massive success!

I can't wait to see what everyone ends of doing with all their new artwork. I'm hoping to see some on the shelves next year. Make sure you check out #adventchallenge on Instagram to view all the amazing work, by many artists. And if you have taken part and would like to be included in this or a future blogpost please email me one jpg. 

I'd like to thank all the artists who have taken part. It's honestly a joy to open up instagram each morning and see the new illustrations, just like opening an advent calendar each day! 

Summer of Design - Project #1 - 50 things

Firstly, a quick introduction to the Summer of Design! Over the next 6 weeks I'll be posting a design related project each week which will keep your big kids and little kids nice and busy and get their creative juices flowing... so even on a rainy day they can't complain about being bored!
At the end of the 6 weeks your kids will have worked on a range of fun projects that will have hopefully ignited a passion for design... whatever their age!

Project #1 - 50 THINGS

You will need - mixed media... whatever you can get your hands on!

Intro

This is a great project to get those creative juices flowing and to open your mind. I was set a similar project to this over a summer before starting an Art Foundation course and I really enjoyed it. I was 18, you are never too old for these projects!

I had to illustrate the sun in 100 different ways using any materials I wanted – pencils, paint, plasticine, photography, computer programmes – there were no limitations.

This is a great project to start at the beginning of the holidays and keep coming back to, some of the other projects might even make up some of the solutions.

The project

Pick one of the subjects on the image below and find 50 different ways to illustrate it – using whatever materials you like. If none of the words grab you, decide on something else. Or if you can't decide, print out all the words and pick one out of a hat. (double click on the image to see it bigger to print)

There are no right or wrong solutions – just have lots of fun with it and try to use as many different materials as you can. You could record all your ideas on a big A2 board or maybe photograph each solution instead.

What are we learning here...
Whilst the projects are all set to be fun there is also an element of learning and how this would help in the real world of designing. This is more relevant for older kids and teenagers who are really thinking about pursuing a career in design. What this project reveals it that in design there is hardly ever one correct solution to a brief. Let's say there was a brief to design a company logo but it must include a reference to a fish... this project helps you realise there are so many ways to draw or represent a fish (for example!) You will also find that the further down the 50 you get, the more and more you are thinking creatively... you are forced to start thinking of what new ways you could illustrate an apple or a sun. This boosts the thought processes and creative thinking.

Liked this project?

Why not pick another subject and try doing 50 more?!

(At the end of each project I'll make a suggestion for how you can carry on creating if you really enjoyed it)


Modifications for younger children
Occasionally some projects might need to be modified for younger children - see how you get on. My suggestion for children under 6 or 7 would be work with them and help them come up with 10 different ideas for say 5 of the subjects. Encourage them to use a mix of materials - you could even make a robot out of cardboard boxes! Or maybe bake heart shaped biscuits!

Keep updated

If you would like to be kept updated with the projects please like my facebook page and I'll be posting reminders there. I will also let you know what materials might be needed for the following weeks project (next week - a camera is needed - any camera!)
Also if you would like to send me any of your projects to feature on my blog please email them to me hello@fayebrowndesigns.co.uk with the subject SUMMER OF DESIGN

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