The long promised illustration prompt
a Gather•Filter•Make experimental brief!
Hello everyone!!
First of all - thank you so much for all of your comments and love for my latest post about leaving Patreon and going full-time on Substack, and WELCOME to the new subscribers!
It prompted me to get this PROMPT written and out there! It’s been floating around in my head for a while, and I’ve hinted at doing it a few times here and there, so it felt like now is the time to get it out there. Especially as it seems to be prompt season, with Inktober and Folktale Week happening over the next few months. It occurred to me that some of you might want to use this to work on either of those prompts. I am using a poem I have picked out, and then I have created a method I think will be fun for us all to use together, but you should be able to use it for any prompt.
A meander and explanation
I am beginning with a little meander, if you want to skip straight to the prompt, head down to the PROMPT section.
I’ve started going on Artist Dates1 again. Actually, I lie, the first time I read The Artists Way2 I didn’t actually go on many Artist Dates. I remember thinking what a great idea, I should do that, and then at the end of the week, I would just think, ahhh well, I’ve done lots of drawing this week, that counts. But recently, I have actually been going on actual Dates, and I totally get it now. To actually choose to do it, and plan something just for fun, is extremely nourishing!
Anyway, I was on a date, in a charity shop3 and I came across a book of Robert Louis Stevenson’s verses. One of the poems felt really rich in imagery and I found myself daydreaming about drawing it; my meandering thoughts turned, the way they do, into a wondering about how they would work as a prompt. And I found myself mentally planning it all out. So, here I am, a few weeks later, and hoping I will remember my mental planning!
So… Part of the planning that got me excited was that thought it would be a good chance for me to finally use the Gather, Filter, Make of the title of this Substack. It actually comes from my Dissertation from the MA, where I was examining my process. I wanted to understand why I worked by intuition, and if I could find a way of working more intentionally. What I discovered instead was, ultimately, an understanding of my process. It turned out to be healing as well as a useful exercise, as one of the things it did was help me see and ultimately accept, that chaos is part of my process. You see, the full title of this Substack should be Gather (Chaos), Filter, Make.
Since writing the essay I have been much more forgiving of my chaotic messy side. It doesn’t mean that it’s easy when I am in the chaos, but I can usually find a tiny part of me that says: Ahhh, Ella, you are in the chaos bit! It doesn’t help me get out of it necessarily, but it always feels a bit reassuring.
So…. am I suggesting that you work exactly like me? Not at all… Am I suggesting that you all need to get chaotic to create art and illustration? I don’t think so, although, let’s be honest, life is pretty messy, am I right?!
I guess I think it would be an interesting way for me to brief a prompt; I am curious about whether it will work. It might be a complete flop! Ha! But I think it might work, even if you aren’t as chaotic as me! And I am inviting you to come along for the ride…hop aboard!
THE PROMPT
This prompt is for paid subscribers because it takes quite a bit of work to put together. The poem and the brief are below, behind the paywall… I intend to write up a post all about Gather, Filter, Make as one of my free posts. Perhaps after this first prompt has been completed, so if you’re interested in hearing more, it is coming soon, promise.
However, for now, I am using it for this prompt. Here is a summary of what the prompt will involve, to help you decide if you want to sign up.
I have chosen a poem, as I mentioned, and I have written a brief, a little bit like a publisher, but I’ve kept it more open than a publisher would. Over the next weeks, I am going to guide you through three stages of creating a piece of work for it. Each stage will be around a week long, and each stage will have a post, like this, to guide you through. Hopefully, by the end, you will have made a piece of art or illustration.
Stage One: Gather (this week)
Stage Two: Filter (next week)
Stage Three: Make (last week in October)