What now?

so how do you go on from 28 to Create?

Well, our instinct is to say keep creating. Or start refining.

If you have any pieces you feel particularly drawn to or proud of this month, pull them back out. Work on them some more. Realize you'll never be satisfied. Put it away. Bring it back out. Realize even if you'll never be satisfied, it's pretty damn good. Work on it some more. Then submit it to a magazine or a competition or a theatre or put it up for sale or paste it on your wall.

Now, if you want to keep creating as well, we suggest checking out this thing called March Mania. One of the participators in 28 to Create decided she wanted to keep going and created March Mania just for that purpose. The prompt ideas we've seen are great AND it's a little less time-restrictive than 28 to Create.

Whatever you do, keep being amazing and ART AWAY.

We love you all.

Brittany and Tynan

Continue

DAY 28

Well, it's the final day of the challenge. AHHH.

Our prompt today is "the perfect moment". We saved it so we could end on a high note. But, here's the thing, we also wanna know what you got out of the challenge so we're giving you another option. You can do the prompt today (and we'd love that) AND/OR you can tell us about your experience over the course of this challenge. What you got out of it. What it was missing. What you'd like to see next year if you want to participate next year. Any ideas to make it better. Or a critique of your own work and experience during the challenge. Whatever you want.

We love you guys so much for participating and for being awesome and ART.

Tynan's
Brittany's

Continue

DAY 27

Today's prompt is distance. We figured it was particularly fitting considered we've come so far from the beginning of the challenge.

Distance can be used in a technical sense, of course. A painting of faraway mountains, a picture of stars, the two tiny feet between my car and the car I end up running into. Whatever. But it can also be used to describe emotional distance. Or time.

Tynan's distance
Brittany's distance

Continue

DAY 26

Well, it's our last Two for Tuesday, guys, AND we only have two days until the challenge is officially over!

How does everyone feel? Any plans after this challenge is over? PLAN TO JOIN NEXT YEAR?

Our prompts today are vulnerability and strength. There're some interesting explorations of these attributes in many pieces of art and I think that's because art itself takes such a large amount of each to really affect its audience. They are two concepts that seem opposing but actually tend to run parallel in people. Let's explore a bit of each today.

Tynan's 2for2
Brittany's 2for2

Continue

Day 25

Someone somewhere came up with this brilliant idea of telling everyone that beauty was only skin deep. That everything aesthetically pleasing went only as deep as one's dermis, and underneath was something ugly and twisted.

I don't know where they got their information from, but I know plenty of people that are beautiful on the inside.

Today's challenge is "skin deep". Whether you interpret that as beauty or truth or anything else is up to you. You can also take it beyond that theme, something under the surface, counter the "skin deep" mantra.

We're looking forward to see what you come up with, guys! We're into the home stretch with just 4 days left!



Tynan's beauty
Brittany's skin

Continue

DAY 24

Alright! Today we're bringing back the idea of basing your art on someone else's.

side note, I think last time we mentioned this I called it "exquisite corpse" which is NOT true. Exquisite corpse is a form of it in a way but this idea originated as echo poems, where one person writes a stanza and the next person writes a stanza that is a reply to the previous one. Basically. (A great director named Tashina Richardson introduced me to all these surrealist techniques and they are super interesting. Go wikipedia them.)

Anyways, so what we're doing today is a type of echo art. Go find a piece (or pieces) by other people participating in the challenge. Find one that inspires you to create something else. And do it. Maybe a drawing makes you want to write dialogue or vice verse. Maybe you want to film a story or write a song using a poem as lyrics. Whatever you like, do it.

Make sure to share the original artist's work (I'd suggest linking to it in your post) to us as well!

Tynan's echo one
Brittany's echo 1  2

Continue

DAY 23

Paradise Lost may be a heavy trope in art but something it's followed by at least half of the time is salvation. After the fall, there's a rise. And this appears in all genres. Luke loses his hand, goes through a bit of soul searching and turns into a kick ass Jedi. The couple in every romantic comedy ever has a huge misunderstanding and fall out but eventually learn the truth or make things right. We have our conflict and a happy ending. Or maybe it's not exactly happy. But it's at least an ending that is a new beginning.

Today's piece doesn't have to be a follow up to yesterday's (although it can be if you'd like) but the prompt definitely is. 

Tynan's salvation

Brittany's salvation

Continue

DAY 22

Paradise Lost isn't just some crazy long poem about Adam's fall by Milton. It's a beautiful trope in almost every artistic and narrative form ever. Man falls. That's what happens. Because man isn't perfect. Chaucer had a whole tale full of tragic figures who fell from great heights and even plays about normal man falling (Death of a salesman) have prevailed the test of time.

We're asking for a story from you today. Not necessarily a written story. But in your creation today, be it a painting or typography or a photo or song or a story or what the hell ever, maybe show us someone's fall, a paradise lost.,

Tynan's paradise lost
Brittany's paradise lost

Continue

DAY 21

Our prompt for today is loneliness.

Artists have always seemed to have a special relationship with loneliness. And maybe it's not that more artists are lonely than non-artists but that artists simply express it more often.

Artists (like most humans) tend to gravitate toward communities as well. And, oddly enough, some of our artists who seemed the loneliest were surrounded by peers. I think we tend to get so wrapped up in ourselves we forget we're not actually alone sometimes. Well, I know I do at least.

Let's explore loneliness today and be honest about it without being completely bogged down by it. We might be virtual, but we have a small online community here at least. And the nice thing is we can be a nudist community without anyone ever getting awkward.

Tynan's loneliness
Brittany's nudist colony loneliness

Continue

DAY 20

Our prompt today is "stay" and we don't have much to say about it except stay with us, we're almost through, only eight days left and you guys are amazing!

Tynan's stay
Brittany's stay

Continue

DAY 19

Today's another Two for Tuesday, ladies and gents!

The prompts today aaaare "walls" and "space". Remember, you can just choose one to do, do a separate piece for each, or do one piece to incorporate both ideas. We can't wait to see what you got!

Tynan's 2for2
Brittany's 2for2

Continue

DAY 18

Ten more days to go, everyone! AHHHH. How's everyone doing?

Today's prompt is spectral. Just like the monsters under our beds, this one can carry different meanings. Maybe your piece deals with an actual specter or ghost, or maybe it considers the things that haunt people every day. Or maybe it's something we haven't even considered!

Have fun!

Tynan's specter
Brittany's specter

Continue

Day 17

Hey guys, this is going to be short today.

Today's prompt is "white out". This could refer to anything you can think of: physical white out used on office paper, so much snow that you can't see what's in front of you. Forgetting something so all it leaves is a blank memory. Explore how this can expand into other aspects of daily life.

Tynan's white out
Brittany's white out

Continue

DAY 16

Today's topic is "the monsters under your bed".

Now maybe there are literal monsters under your bed. And if so, you should get on that. Like call Ghost Busters or something because we will literally be no help to you at all. You are allowed to cry to us in fear about the monster under your bed. We're just saying we might cry back.

Or maybe the monsters you create about are more...metaphorical. Maybe they are simply the things that keep you up at night. The things you run over in your heard. Over and over. Or the things that give you those terrible realistic nightmares about exes and friends and family. Whatever you think is monsterlyesqueish.

Good luck and immense love to all of you.

Tynan's monsters
Brittany's monsters

Continue

DAY 15

Well, we're a little past halfway through! If this month were a week, today would be Wednesday night. How's everyone feel? Are we still excited about creating? Tired? A bit ready to be done or give up? WELL, DON'T. There're some great prompts coming up (and we do say so ourselves) so just stick with it!

Today's prompt is "lazy". We thought it was particularly fitting considering we're beginning the last leg of our journey. I'm sure we're all feeling a bit tired and perhaps borderline lazy. I know I am. Anyways, show us your inner lazy! That makes it sound like a little person who lives inside you. ADORABLE. And creepy.

Tynan's lazy
Brittany's lazy

Continue

DAY 14

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPY Thursday.

Your prompt today is "heartbeat". Maybe it's chance. Maybe we did that because it's Valentine's Day today and we though "Damn, if we're gonna have one called heartbeat we might as well put it on Valentine's Day" (that's exactly how it went). 

Heartbeats don't HAVE to lovey-dovey, though. I mean, real hearts are kinda gross. 

Anyways, hope you all have an amazing Valentine's Day, date or not. If you have a date, enjoy. If not, be OUR Valentines!

Tynan's heartbeat

Brittany's heartbeat

Continue

DAY 13

Well, I'm still posting from restaurants and I WILL CONTINUE UNTIL I GET INTERNET OR THE CHALLENGE ENDs. Because I am dedicated, y'all. Yeah, I said y'all. I'm a Texan. Don't say anything catty about it or I'll run you over with my horse.

Today's prompt is "catch me". We felt it was particularly fitting after yesterday's "flying/falling" duo. And although there's an obvious "catch me while I'm falling" interpretation we'd also suggest someone catching someone else doing something. You know, like, "he caught me watching I Love New York and broke up with me. The day before Valentine's." Or something like that. Whatever. Not like we've had that experience.

We've also thrown in a video down at the bottom that talks a bit about inner critics. Worth checking out. Especially near the middle of the month. 

Tynan's catch

Brittany's catch

Continue

DAY 12: Two for Tuesday

Hey, guys, I'm BACK! Well, not really, I'm still stealing Internet from restaurants, but HOPEFULLY my home internet will be up today.

Today is our second Two for Tuesday and your two prompts aaare

flying and
falling

Both of these terms have been used to describe so many things metaphorically (like falling in love), so we're very interested to see what you guys bring to the table!

Tynan's 2for2
Brittany's 2for2

Continue

Day 11

Hey guys, Tynan here!

Thank you SO much for putting up with this craziness surrounding the Interwebs situation re: me and Brittany. It's a bit of a pain, but I am CONSTANTLY checking my phone to see what everyone is posting (it's just harder to reply/post from said phone).

Today is day 11 (technically), and the prompt for today is "Don't Cry". Now, my personal experience with this phrase is varied: it ranges from words spoken in anger ("Don't cry, you're not a fucking child anymore!") to words of comfort ("Please don't cry, he's really not worth the tears."). Depending on the inflection and the situation, these two words can be used to represent different emotions. I encourage you to draw on personal experience today and express how the words have affected you in your life. (Of course, this is not a requirement, just some food for thought!)

I'm excited to see what everyone presents!


Tynan's tears
Brittany's tears

Continue

DAY 10

(posting early just in case neither Tynan or I can access the Internet tomorrow morning)
Today's prompt is simply "smoke". Cigarette smoke, warning smoke, smoke on the water (Smoke on the Water). Or, as always, some kind of smoke reference we can't even think of. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!




Tynan's smoke
Brittany's smoke

Continue

DAY 9 aka WHERE ARE BRITTANY AND TYNAN

Its 5:30 in my time zone and 6:30 in Tynan's and no prompt has been posted today. Why is that, Brittany? I'll tell you why, imaginary convenient questioner. That's because neither of us have internet service. What? No. That's not something that happens anymore. Don't be silly, Brittany. It is something that happens when you're in the middle of a blizzard and can't go anywhere (Tynan) or your modem craps out and you won't have a new one until Tuesday (Brittany). Then how are you talking to us, Brittany? You use my name a lot, imaginary convenient questioner, and it kinda weirds me out. But I am able to talk to you because of a restaurant that carries wifi in my area. In fact, one of two in my area. Because I don't live in the boondocks anymore (jk, I still live in the boondocks. They just have wifi now.) 

Okay, to shorten this, what does that mean for the project? Absolutely nothing. I'm posting the prompt and my piece now (Tynan will post her pieces when her internet comes back) and I will post the prompt for tomorrow as well, just in case I can't get to internet in the morning. I will be at this restaurant every day until my modem comes in, adding prompts and art and checking out all of yours.

And just to throw it out there, I want you guys to know how incredibly proud Tynan and I are of this project AND you guys AND all the art that's coming out of it. We all have good days and bad days, but there's been some incredible work out there and there've been many amazing artists pushing through. Thank you.

DAY 9

The prompt for today is 12:01 am. There was a point in the past when this time was used in a lot of literature. And then it shifted to 3 or 4 am. Well, we wanna shift it back and ask you what happens when the day changes. When it's still dark outside and the date on your watch has gone up but you're still in the same place you were in two minutes ago.

Tynan's new day
Brittany's new day

Continue

Day 8

si·lence [sahy-luhns] noun

1.   absence of any sound or noise; stillness.

2.   the state or fact of being silent; muteness.

3.   absence or omission of mention, comment, or expressed concern: the conspicuous silence of our newspapers on local graft.

4.   the state of being forgotten; oblivion: in the news again after years of silence.

5.   concealment; secrecy.

Today's prompt is beautiful to me: silence. The word itself can prompt many feelings from you, depending on what it means to you, what it represents.  A literal silence, the absence of sound; a stillness that surrounds you as you walk through the woods alone. 

As you create today, think about what the word means, about what feelings it invokes in you, or about the different types of silences (the break-up silence vs the easy silence, etc) that fill our lives. 

Tynan's moment of silence

Brittany's moment of silence

(yay for Tynan's first prompt writing? hope I didn't suck too bad << )

Continue

Day 7

Today's prompt is a little more broad than its description on the master list.

We want you to pick a song. Or multiple songs. Although one is probably best. And then, honestly, do whatever the hell you want. Maybe create while listening to it. Maybe incorporate the lyrics in your creation. Maybe it reminds you of that one time that one thing happened and you create based on that instead. The song is a jumping off point. You can take the prompt literally (you know, like, base your piece on a song) or not so literally.

Tally-ho!

Tynan's piece
Brittany's piece

Continue

Day 6

(Off topic note: If you are having trouble posting comments could you please let us know through our contact info or Tumblr? Apparently there's been a bit of trouble and we're trying to figure it out for you guys. Our best guess is that blogger only allows a certain number of comments from non-Google accounts a day? Also if you are insanely smart and know what the problem could be, please pass it on as well? Lovelove.)

The prompt for day 6 is "the world I know". Just in its phrasing, this prompt really gets at the heart of a creative process. You and some artist from down the road could draw the exact same house with incredibly different results. Just because our eyes see the same things doesn't mean our brains or hearts do. And that is stunning. This prompt asks for a glimpse into the world you know, not just your world, but the world you see.

Get creating.

Tynan's world (pt 1) (pt 2) (pt 3)
Brittany' world

Continue

Day 5: Two for Tuesday

Hey, everyone! At this point I'm sure you're all wondering what "Two for Tuesday" is. (Except for soulmary who has seen the concept from where we stole it: Robert Lee Brewer's August/November Poem a Day Challenges)

Does Two for Tuesday mean I have to come up with TWO things today? God, no. Basically, we provide you with two prompts or words and you can either:
a) create one piece based on the prompt you like best
b) create two pieces for each
c) create one piece exploring each

We decided to go with opposing forces on all of our Two for Tuesdays, so today our Two for Tuesday are division and unity.

Each of these concepts have been viewed as good AND bad things by many different people. Do you have a natural bias towards one? Maybe explore that OR the other in your piece today. No go get creating.

Tynan's piece
Brittany's piece

Continue

Day 4

Posting a prompt at MIDNIGHT WHAT WHAT.

Today we gave you one of the broadest prompts imaginable. Our world is built on stories. If something happens at work or home or with our friend or in a country across the world, we love to tell the story. And that's obviously been around for, I don't know, forever.

We have fairy tales and fables and religious stories and even really interesting historical events (say what? Noooo. But yes.) Today we want you to create something based off of one of those. Maybe Google and find one you've never heard before! Or pick out a good old Grimms'. Just have some fun with it. (Or don't. Brittany's is based on a story about a girl who was raped, killed, and then cut into pieces. There are some gory fairy and religious stories out there. Maybe fun isn't the right word.)

Tynan's tale

Brittany's tale

Continue

Day 3

Running a little late today from accidentally sleeping in so my apologies on that.

Today's prompt is "blurred". Blurred pictures, blurry eyes, blurred lines. Nothing in life is too clear so let's embrace that and create.

Tynan's blurred
Brittany's blurred

Don't forget to link us to your work if you have a chance! Most people on Tumblr tend to just tag "28 to Create" so if you wanna check out more work and are unsure where it is gooooo here.

Continue

Day 2

There's a quote attributed to Elizabeth Taylor that goes like this:

"The problem with people who have no vices is that you can be sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues."

And, god, isn't that true? We're no huge fans of goody-two-shoed tattle-tales. And for that matter, give me a tragic or anti hero over a perfect one any day. I can't stand Superman (this is Brittany talking so if he has any violent fans out there, please let Tynan survive.) Ever since I was a kid I had a crush on David Bowie and James Dean (and I know I'm not the only one). Vices are what make people interesting.

And we're not just talking tragic flaws. Huge immoral sins? Totally interesting. Tiny flaws in character? Just as interesting. There's something almost disturbingly ritualistic in the way some people bite their fingernails.

Anyways, today your prompt is "a vice". Yours, someone else's, a character's, vices in general. Have at it and link us to it! We had some awesome writing, lovely art and photos, and a very nostalgic jazz tune yesterday. We're loving all your work!

Tynan's vices
Brittany's vice

Continue

The Challenge Begins: Day 1

AHMAHGAH IT STARTS TODAY. (We'd post an excited gif here but we have so many things to do!)

Today’s theme is “Something Forgotten”. When we were coming up with the themes, we made two lists, compared them, and then removed things we didn’t feel fit as well. On one list, we had “abandoned”, and on the other we had “Something Forgotten”. They're pretty similar so we chose "something forgotten". 

TYNAN: For me, this is anything that’s alone, that gives the feeling of silence and abandonment. This could range from an overrun abandoned factory, to an empty marina in the winter. Or, even, a bike that’s been tipped over and left on the ground. Something that has been left behind, leaving no trace of human presence aside from that one object.

Tynan's something forgotten

BRITTANY: What I love is how differently all of these prompts can be interpreted (does that sound vain? a little? oh, well, I'm proud of our prompts). As soon as I sat down to think about the prompt I thought of people I'd forgotten, people that have "been left behind, leaving no trace of [my] presence". And because I am fairly vain, that led me to think about people who've probably forgotten me. People who left me behind. And that made me all teary. But, HEY, I made something.

Brittany's something forgotten

Now how about showing us what YOU came up with, and linking it below!

And travel to the Tumblr feed  to check out some great ones that haven't been linked here.

Continue