ToDo Challenge: Art with a Toddler

Creativity with Art: Toddler-Style

Meet Fiona, from the greater Denver area

Fiona, Two Years Old

It is never too early to encourage our little ones to be creative. They are so free in their mind, and everything they do is amazing. If only, as adults, we could adopt their mindset and not worry about how good our work is. Fiona is fearless. She likes to try everything.




Here you see Fiona painting in her back yard. She is trying out the new easel that her Nonna sent to her for her birthday. She likes to dress the part (notice the artist smock),

Two Year-old Artist

Nonna loves watching her creativity and adding some of her own to it, by taking one of Fiona's early art pieces (with a little help from Mom) and turned it into a fabric using Photoshop and Spoonflower (digital printing) in the process.

Fabric designed by Fiona with Mommy's help and Nonna's translation to a repeating pattern.
Printed by Spoonflower in North Carolina

A little bit about Fiona

Fiona is an aspiring artist who lives in the greater Denver area. She likes to think about what she does which you can tell because she moves into a complete-focus state when she is busy. She loves to be read to, likes to poke and push things, and keeps busy at all times. She also likes her quiet time, flipping through story books, as if she was reading them. Fiona turned two this week. Her parents are encouraging of all her activities and were reading Harry Potter to her in her first week of life.

Fiona, always, always checking things out.

Zen in the Yard during Challenging Times
During this 'at home' world we now live in, Fiona's dad created this Zen area in their yard. A lot of brush was removed, and now the area is being used for yoga (for Mom, Dad, and Fiona), reflection, and quiet time. At present this space is now deep in snow, when three days ago, it was a lovely afternoon. Welcome to Denver spring weather.

Mesa Students at Photoshoot

A few weeks ago, I took my Photoshop class to a local photo studio DK3 Studios, here in San Diego. We shot images of the students posing, so that we could use them in Photoshop. Thanks to Dave King for his generous spirit with our students.





Below you can see a few of their poses. Needless to say, we had fun. I'll have to post a few of the Photoshop images, once the students pull the pose off of the photo.

Sadie's "Done"

I received an email from Seyedeh (Sadie) Javanmard who shared one of her Dones with me, and has given me the OK to share it here.

Sadie said

I read your blog regularly and I enjoy it. It is full of inspiration and lessons and I am learning a lot.

It's been a long time since I wanted to try to see if I can design, draw and make something in Photoshop and Illustrator in just one day? My husband & I recently moved to Irvine, so before I get my sewing stuff set up, I did designed my "Vampire Whistle" in just 4 hours!

I am so happy about it and here they are the images.

Perfect timing for the coming weekend.

Below you can see her initial sketch, the starting point of her drawing. The rest she did in the computer using Adobe Photoshop.



Sadie uses my book "Adobe Photoshop for Fashion Design". I love to see what people do!