Day 89: Day and Night

Last night I woke up and just could not get back to sleep. You know when you've had just enough sleep for your brain to start working again, but it's definitely NOT time to get up? Well, that is exactly what happened!

So, naturally I started thinking about my blog and this came to me; why haven't I spoken about Pixar's new short, Day and Night yet? It was shown with Toy Story 3 and in my opinion, it's the best one so far.

In case you haven't seen it, here's a quick overview, the whole screen is black, except for a little character. His body is made up of a sunny landscape. As he walks along, he comes across another character whose body is made up of a nighttime scene. Throughout the short, the two characters compete to see which is better, day or night. It's clever, funny and really imaginative. Here's a clip for you to enjoy:



It's so inventive and uses lots of elements of day and night, like fireworks verses rainbows. I think the way it's gone with an idea and turned it into an animation takes Pixar's short further than they've ever gone before. It truly is inspirational! If you want to see it in full, you can download it from itunes.

Check out the Pixar website too. It's got loads of info on all their shorts. If you're into animation, story telling, films...shorts are a great way to get into the industry.

So, see what's going on, put your own twist on it and get it out there. That's the great thing about the Internet! All of the greats started somewhere. What are you waiting for?

Day 88: The Arts Council

Today I thought it right to bring your attention to The Arts Council. Basically, every tax payer in the country pays 17p a day to The Arts Council and they give the money to companies and charities all over the country who give the money back to society through the arts. Things like the Tate Galleries get money through The Arts Council, but small local things do too.

It could be anything creative; art, drama, dance, music...Take a look at their website to see what inspiring things they are involved with at the moment. A lot of what they support is up and coming stuff. It may look small at he moment, but it is doing big things for the community. Pretty exciting!

Be inspired by what your money is doing for the country! What a great way to spend tax, eh!

What could you ask for sponsorship for from The Arts Council...?

Day 87: It starts with a girl...

Here is a picture. I found it on the Internet and I know nothing about this girl. She is like an empty canvas for you to work on.

Today I am simply asking you to create her. What's her name, how old is she, etc? But more than that, I want you to give her a future. Where is she from? What is she like? Who does she live with? Does she like her life? What does she want to be?

All of these questions are fun to play with. What I want you not to do is give her a future. Don't write her a new story, just give her a character. It's a lot easier to think about what's going to happen to her (ie, a plot line for a story), but if you stop and give someone a character first, that's when she'll begin to write her own story, which is a lot more exciting!

Characters can appear in all art forms, not just writing. What about drama, music, dance, animations, film...I challenge you all to do this exercise and see where it takes your creativity.

What will this girl become? Well, see what she's like first and then you'll find out...

Try it for yourself. Who knows what she will inspire!

Day 86: Where is right for our creativity?

Wood has long been a material people have used to be creative. Nowadays, you see sculptures in public spaces like parks and forests. You know, the kind of places where you would naturally find wood anyway, even if the sculptor wasn't there.

But the other day, I found myself surprised to see a wooden sculpted plaque by the sea. It was overlooking the sea, next to a road. Carved on it was fish and other creatures of the sea. When I looked at it I thought how beautiful it was and you know why? It wasn't because it was more beautiful than any other carving I'd seen, but simply because there was no other wood around. It wasn't where you would naturally find wood.

All of this got me thinking about creativity and where we expect to see it. Sometimes, I go to an art gallery and think, well, there's nothing here to shout about. Is that because I'm in a gallery? Do I expect to much? I wander if I had stumbled upon one of those painting in a office waiting room, would my reaction be different?

One of the first times I went to Bath I saw a poem which had been carved into the pavement on the high street. It was beautiful and brilliantly creative. Who would have thought the paving slab outside 'Gap' would be the perfect place for poetry!

I encourage you to think about your art, music, dance, animation...where would you, could you, shouldn't you, put it? Is that where it would be the most beautiful, where it would appear the most creative? How could YOU get it out there, get it noticed?

Something to think about...

Day 85: Wonderings

Today I was walking alone the Plymouth coast line looking out across the sea. The sun was shining with a light breeze coming in from the water. Perfect.

Sam asked me, if I had to describe this scene for a piece of writing, what would I write. So, as we walked I looked at the bobbing specks of sunlight covering its surface, ever changing and twinkling. I wondered whether the number sun spots matched the amount of stars in the night sky.
Sam had this to say; the inlet of the sea to the land was like the tail of an animal or a ancient dragon, arching, trailing, ready...

Wonderful stories and ideas can come out of the simplest of moments. We were only walking back from town. Creativity can come from the most menial tasks...if you let it!

This is your challenge. What are you doing today? Where are you walking, traveling, driving? Journeys are a great time to think, to wonder, to create in your mind. So use it. Create with it. (A note pad is advisable in such moments.)

Nothing is wasted when you're creative.

Day 84: What's the difference?

This weekend, I found myself being entertained by musicians, performing poets and comedians at a small festival called Aeon in the middle of Devon. Although I was really excited about all the creative potential this festival had to offer, I must admit, nerves definitely filled my tummy as I rolled up on my bike. The were loads of people with wicked looking dreadlocks, hippy cloths and face paint. I felt really out of place in my ordinary jeans and blue t-shirt. I thought putting pig-tails in my hair was making a considerable amount of effort but apparently not! I didn't fit in here. This wasn't my creative 'area'.

But, you know what? I had the best time. All of the poets I heard were fantastic. There were tones of bands, a mixture of ska, jazz, gypsy, reggae, hip hop...you name it, it was there. I was dancing, singing, skipping and quite frankly, jumping around like I just don't care!

I think the thing I was most worried about was the thing that made it so amazing. It was different to what I'm 'used' to. As I listened to those bands, musicians and poets, I found myself being memorised by all this creativity I knew very little about. It caught me, got my hips moving and I was away...

What do you listen to? Perhaps, more importantly, what don't you listen to? Today I encourage you to listen to something you wouldn't normally. Go to a local gig you wouldn't normally go to. Check out that last summer festival...

The best inspiration often comes from those things you're not used to. So push yourself, push your creativity...I dare you!

Day 83: Calling all makers...

If you are into creating out of ceramics, textiles, wood, synthetics, metal or even recycled materials then I have found the exhibition for you.


Salisbury Arts Centre is calling all artists/makers over the age of 16 to submit their creations by Friday 1st October. Then ALL entries will be exhibited together in November and December. You are even in with a chance of winning £200!


So, what do you make? Don't think it's not good enough. Do you think Michelangelo thought he was good enough to paint the Sistine Chapel? You have to be in it to win it. Leona Lewis would not be doing what she loves if she hadn't started somewhere. Maybe this is your somewhere! Who knows where it will lead...? (Check out Day 69 to see how it worked for me.)

To find out more about it, check out the website and download the submission form.

Start small...think big!

Day 82: Fun House!

This morning I got up (pretty early), made some breakfast, turned on the T.V. and guess what I found? Yep you guessed it, Fun House!

When I was little it used to be on every Friday, but I had swimming then (gutted!) so my mum used to video it (yep, none of this Sky Plus malarkey!) We used to get home from swimming and watch it whilst mum was preparing a yummy tea.

This morning I literally felt myself morphing into a small child and wanting more than anything to be covered in gunge, ride the go carts and, better yet, go in the fun house! The sound of that cockerel crowing when they got the best prize...yes!!! Brilliant, they just don't make gold like that anymore.

I know what you're thinking, are we just taking a trip down your memory lane? I assure you, as always, there is a creative layer to my reminiscent thinking.

Just in case you have had a deprived fun house life, here's a clip...



All the shows were filled with wacky and wonderful games like this one. So my challenge to you is to come up with your own crazy game! Be as creative as you can...

Together we will bring Fun House back! Woop!

I couldn't help it, here's a clip of the actual fun house! Thanks Pat.

Day 81: The mystery...

The other day I went to have a 'coffee' with my mum and sister (none of us actually had coffee, but that's just what people say!). After we'd finished having a natter (and a cake) natured called and I had to pop to the loo. As it always is at coffee shops, there was only one toilet, so I found myself waiting.

At this particular coffee shop, the toilets were in a separate corridor which had a fire escape in it. On this door in big red capital letters read the words:

DO NOT OPEN AFTER DUSK

Why, o, why would a fire escape have such words on it? What if there's a fire 'after dusk'? Who even uses the word 'dusk' anymore?

As you can imagine, my mind wondered into all kinds of explanations...perhaps it leads to a twilight zone, where many people have been lost forever...maybe it's the only entrance to the lair of the most vicious vampires ever to appear in recorded history...or, once night falls, opening the door would cause the world to turn upside down, reaping havoc all across the world...

What story could you make out of such a strange sign...let your imagination go!

Day 80: 'My name is Mina'

Today I finished this wonderful book (check out Day 75 for more details). There are soooo many inspirational things in there I want to share with you, but if I did, I might as well call this blog, 'David Almond's blog.' So, for today I will just share one nugget of creativity that it gave me. If I had my way everyone would read it!

Throughout the book, Mina, whose diary it is, gives the reader 'Exterordiary Activities' to do. You must understand that it was REALLY hard for me to chose only one to share with you today, as they were all bursting with creative potential. This, however, is the one I have chosen:

"EXTRAORDINARY ACTIVITY
Take a line for a walk.
Find out what you're drawing when you've drawn it.
Take some words for a walk.
Find out what you're writing when you've written it.
Tke yourself for a walk.
Find out where you're going when you get there.''

So, there you have it, the inspirational thought of the day. Do it, draw it, write it, walk it.

Where will you and your creativity go today...?

Day 79: Face Food

As you all know, I'm always looking for new and exciting creative ideas to fill your heads with. Today I'd like to inspire you with this:

Yep you got it, lunchboxes filled with shaped food! This art form is called caraben. Basically, it's sculpting food into stuff (other than food.) It's a Japanese creation and I think it's really exciting. Check out this blog for more inventive creations. It's an accompaniment to the book 'Facefood: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes'.

Are you into food? Are you into cooking, or maybe just eating? I definitely think this is worth a go whatever you're into. It certainly looks like a lot of fun so get creating!

PS, best not to try it at the dinner table. I don't think your mum or dad would appreciate their roast being turned into a sculpted butterfly!

Day 78: Any ideas...?

I've found another exciting competition that needs ideas from creative people like you!

Tetra Pak is a company that make cardboard packaging for things like orange juice. The great thing about them is they can be recycled so it's better for the planet. The difficult thing about them is getting people to chose them over other (cheaper) products!

So, they have teamed up with WWF (World Wide Fund for nature) to get you guys to send in ideas of how to get people buying environmentally friendly products. If they like your idea, they'll give you £1000 and spend £25,000 on making it happen! There are loads of other prizes to be woon too. Now that's an affective idea!

So it's time to put your creativity to the test. What ideas can you come up with? How can you change the way people chose things when they're walking down the aisle in Sainsburys? Why is your idea the best?

Check out the website to enter and vote on people's ideas.

My advise? See what ideas are there, gage the competition and blow them out of the water with your amazing idea! There's even a page to help inspire you with ideas.

What are you waiting for? Use your creativity to change the world!

Day 77: Waiting thoughts...

Since I was young I have had this constant thought which comes back into my head from time to time. It's all to do with the idea of waiting. The way I see it, we are always waiting for something. Waiting for a bus, for the end of term, for dinner, for a friend, for a T.V. program, for the end of a T.V. program...Even when we are asleep are we not just waiting to wake up?

I remember being about ten when I first mentioned my thoughts to my mum on a car journey. I casually dropped into the conversation how we're always waiting and she told me how pessimistic (well, she probably used the word negative) it all was. Since then I've kept my 'waiting' thoughts to myself.

Today these thoughts don't have to wait any longer. Here they are in my blog! But, is there a positive slant I could give my (apparently) negative thoughts?

What if everything waits? Each day this blog is waiting to be written and each day I come back and fill it up...Isn't a blank sheet of paper waiting to be written on, drawn on, painted on, made into something? Isn't a instrument waiting to be played? Isn't a stage waiting to be used?

I guess the bigger question is, what are you waiting for? What is in the way of you and your creative ideas? Perhaps there's too much waiting and not enough doing?

I encourage you not to see my waiting thoughts as negative, but something inspirational. What is waiting for YOU? Perhaps there really is no time like the present...

Day 76: Where in the world?

Look at this picture. Where is it? I don't know and that's the point. It can be wherever you want it to be. Make it up...

Who lives there? When was this picture taken? Who took it? Do they live there? Has it changed since then? What's it like there...?

I love using picture to tell stories and/or to get creative with. What could YOU do with this picture...?