Folktale Week 2024

I don’t know if it’s just me, but life seems to fly by these days. Fall is often a blur of falling leaves, school runs, activities, sweaters, and lots of art challenges. There is #Inktober and #Peachtober and many smaller challenges for picture book illustrators, graphic novel illustrators, foodies, and more. I almost didn’t do #FolktaleWeek2024 but I did.

Once I read The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen (read it here) I knew it was the tale I wanted to tell. There is sweetness and perseverance throughout, and I love the ending! Some of the prompts didn’t quite fit exactly, but were close enough for me to make it work overall.

The prompts go out about two weeks in advance so you can get to work, and everyone posts their work on Instagram the week before Thanksgiving (American Holiday which falls on the last Thursday in November).

This year’s prompts were as follows:

#1 Mist
#2 Gate
#3 Blight
#4 Trail
#5 Depth
#6 Bone
#7 Blossom
I really enjoyed working on these illustrations, but afterwords I realized that my drawing style isn’t for little kids - these illustrations are all of “old people.” I think I finally learned this and will take it to heart!

I’m so happy to have completed all the prompts as some were difficult for me - namely drawing all the characters and faces. I prefer drawing objects like food, animals, furniture, and castles, but it’s good to challenge myself to draw what doesn’t come easy so I can grow as an artist. What do you find difficult to draw? Do you avoid that thing or take it on?

Now that Thanksgiving is over (LOVE family time together, all the yummy food, and the Christmas decorations that come afterwords, don’t you?) my phone is tuned to Christmas music. I love that the lyrics are so uplifting and speak of our dear savior Jesus Christ, and there is a lot of creativity around arrangements and instrumentals. Sadly, I feel that one month of Christmas music isn’t long enough before it’s time to change the playlist.

What art will you be doing this December? There is a wonderful art challenge that I love to do by Jehane, but I am stepping away from it this year because I need time to refresh and replenish, AND I want to be fully present with my family instead of sitting at my desk all day and night. It was so hard for me to say no.

To recap, this year I have created soooo much art at a breakneck speed, and I want to learn to slow down and create meaningful art that comes from deep within. Art that speaks to what really matters to me. This takes time to nourish and reflect upon.

I’ve completed umpteen sketches, paintings, and drawings for the Milan Art course, 40 fine art portfolio paintings, went to Tokyo, worked on client work, did 5 weeks of bird illustrations for Jehane’s Golden Thread art challenge, then Folktale Week, plus I submitted 4 double page spreads to a mentorship program (didn't get chosen), wrote several drafts for some picture books, signed up for a surface pattern class with Mel Armstrong and am working my way through that, and started a large project that I will be working on through next year. Whew! It’s time to stop running after every art things that passes before my eyes and find my focus.

On another note, I want to thank all of you for shopping my Etsy shop - it means so much to me!! Together we have passed 100 sales. I hope you caught my Black Friday sale… it only comes once a year.

Since Christmas is just around the corner I want to highlight a few Christmasy things in my shop. Also, a few years ago I put together a Christmas idea guide for focusing on Christ and the Nativity story during this season. If you would like it - it’s free- and can be found here.