Welcome!
I’ve enjoyed providing each week a “Wednesday Warm Up,”— a day of usually quick drawing, inking, brushing as warm up to our serious art. I’ve been sharing a strategy to try each Wednesday using the iPad app ProCreate. I’ve decided to change it up a bit for a few Wednesday Wrap Up— a wrap up of my project tips for the past week or something I’ve learned that may also help others with the same #warmup4art hashtag.
This Month: NaNoWriMo
My CLmooc friends doodle every day. During November, my doodles will usually be from the writing for National Novel Writing Month: NaNoWriMo. My personal goal is for 2000 words a day until I reach the 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo. A goal of 1667 a day gets you to the magic 50,000 by November 30th. And it’s important to understand that his is just to write — not edit– just get the idea down so a story is written in thirty days. It’s quite exciting. I’ve written about my first experience years ago here, where I encourage teachers to let their students write: Let Them Write.
Last year, my story So Says the River ended in the middle of the story, so this year I continue the story as the characters search for the dragons that help keep the balance among the many worlds. A new sighting and event had occurred, but what does it mean?
As I draft and write up this new story and create my world, I’ll be drawing / illustrating some prop, character, or event from my novel as I write each day. I’m a “pantser,” meaning I write from the seat of my pants, just going with the world my characters create, act, and react in. I don’t know the ending or the next scene: it all flows from what went before, the moment that is now, and the character’s motivations and personality that forms his/her decisions.
Drawing helps me visualize my story and prepares me for the next day session of writing. While I draw, I consider the character personality, relationships, struggles, and motivations. I look for the little things that bring the world into reality for the reader — the quirks, the interactions, the important things in the created world. It helps the ideas flow when the writing session begins. It’s quite a wondrous feeling.
Hashtags for my participation are: #NaNoWriMo #NaNoWriMo21 #NovDoodle #CLmooc and for my stories: #SoSaysTheRiver #SoSaysTheDragon as well as the #warmup4art.
Some Prompts
To help me — and you– consider what to write and draw, I’ve created a list of prompts from which ideas may be inspired. I hope these encourage you to participate and engage in writing and drawing for the world created for NaNoWriMo:
So Says the Dragon
Today is Day 3. I’ve written 4,055 words in the first two days. I’ve a session to start today, this afternoon. Last night I drew the images for today, so enjoy my first three days of NaNoWriMo art. Day Three includes two pictures because I zoomed in on the dragons– which is an illustration found by a character that is an artifact of their ancient history.
Each image includes an excerpt, which can be seen in my Flickr album or the link therein.
Two Excerpts
Excerpt from “Glen:”
At one point, a person rushed towards the Archive building and Sandra pressed herself behind a maple tree, holding her breath and covering anything that might give out light, including her earrings. She pulled the collar of her vest up and buttoned the top button. “I’m taking no chances with pixie dust.”
Suddenly, the person stopped. She froze as still as the village totem pole in the center of the park. When she heard the foot steps again, she peeked out and recognized her Uncle Glen, who also seemed to be keeping to the shadows.
Sandra thought, “Another story in the making, no doubt. He’s also a keeper of our stories and artifacts. He’s probably been watching the Booths.”
“So many pieces,” she thought…
Excerpt From
So Says the River E2 /So Says the Dragon
Sheri Edwards
This material is protected by copyright.
11.01.21
Excerpt from “Dragons Nests:”
The screen displayed a mostly brown and sepia sketch with some coloration. The concave structures were etched like sticks in an eagle’s nest. But in two of the structures were lightly colored dragons: one red and one black. The screen went blank.
Glen fell back onto his behind.
“Exactly,” Rose stated.
“The hum and the light you see were created by Montrol for just such a situation — to scan for—“
Glen interrupted Arthur, “dragon’s nests.”
Excerpt From
So Says the River E2 /So Says the Dragon
Sheri Edwards
This material is protected by copyright.
11.03.21
Try It
So, that wraps up this Wednesday Wrap Up. This journey is one I’ve taken for ten years, so its a part of my life, and I hope these weekly posts will inspire you to join in– or start your own goal of writing and art, perhaps a storybook or poetry book with illustrations. It’s another way to share your beautiful work.
I hope this inspires you to join in NaNoWriMo — we can connect and inspire one another, sharing our illustrations and wondering about our twists and turns to hook our readers.
I look forward to your sharing, and please continue to be a part of the #warmup4art series to learn and enjoy our work together! See my sharing at IG @42Sheri and Twitter @42Sheri.
I wonder, if I draw a line... 