Transcripts
1. Ink Challenge Introduction: Does it happen to you that
when you are painting, you have those expectations to create some kind
of masterpiece to make that you mentioned that you will
get a perfect painting, or it's going to be just
ruined piece, waste of time, waste of very expensive
art materials and lots of frustration. Have you noticed this kind of really extreme mindset that everything you see as
black or as white. And if it's not white,
then you refuse. You reject that black. So if you have
noticed at least once that you have this
kind of salts, like this kind of extreme
judgments towards yourself, I invite you to join this
very special ink challenge, where we aren't going to create those perfect study
illustrations. We are going actually to make
mess and have fun to play. Just allow yourself this
10 minutes a day when you don't need to be perfect and don't need to be
good girl or boy, good parent, good artist, good person, good, I don't know. Just like What
else could be good whatever you are doing
so that allow yourself, do not try to be the best version of
yourself in that moment. And I invite you to explore
how it would be if you will allow yourself just
to be and to be bad. It's sometimes even to imagine that we could
be bad in something. It's so painful and it really hurts us that sometimes we even do not make
that first step, like, to try, no, and then to make that
second try and third try. We are afraid so
much to fail you and that this fear
actually blocks you and you yourself cut off that kind of
different decisions, actions, activities where
you are just afraid to fail. Oh, I invite you exactly
to this challenge where we are going to
explore our bed side, our dark side, through Inca
and through creative play. Hello, I'm Nina.
I'm Wakala artist and certified art therapist. I'm especially
interested in that part, how to get loose playful, to let go your expectations. And actually to
live to be alive, except in your different parts. And I find that creative
process and art is the way towards your true self and also the way to discover
that your true self. So I invite you to this
really exciting journey. I myself, I am going to
participate in this challenge. And I also at this moment, I don't know how we'll be there. The process and how
the journey will be. But for sure, it's going to be really exciting and
full of insight. So, prepare your materials,
and let's start.
2. Materials: Welcome to Saturdays
of Ink Challenge. And let's prepare the materials. Here we are going to need quite, let's say, basic materials, but check what you have. That would be fine. Just start. You will need to
find some kind of black pen, and it could be just
like this kind of ordinary this kind of pen. Different sizes
could be up to you. It could be nip. It could be glass pen. It could be brush pen. This kind of black
ink, normal one. This is like a Chinese ink. It's like I have checked
everything which I have had and have taken, like, my supplies, but I haven't bought
anything specially. So this is a brown
ink, and for sure, if you are in this class that
you have had at some point some interest in purchasing some materials
related with inks, for sure, you have something. This is walnut ink. But if you have, that's fine. If not, that's also fine. Later, I will give you other
options which you can have. If you have colored inks,
also, prepare them. And we will need also brushes. It could be just
ordinary round one, or it could be some kind
of calligraphy brushes, which could be different
types of hairs. So any take any. Here, we are going to play. So we aren't looking for
something really perfect, something fancy or expensive. Also, I will use at
some lessons closer to the first week,
some watercolors. If you have, that's fine. If not, don't worry,
I will give you also another option which
you can use like colored pencils or some
other colors which you have. It's not so important. Ceramic plate, where
you can dilute inks. Or to mix with water
water we will need and some kitchen paper towels to absorb some extra moisture
and about the paper. I don't want to use some
really special sketchbook, fancy paper or whatever, normal ordinary paper,
which you can play, ruin it, throw it away. Just don't worry about it. Any paper which you
will find so that you won't feel that pressure to be perfect while
you're painting. And one more thing that you
will find in the sources section this PDF which I will ask you in one of
the lessons to fill it in. So you can find it in
the resources section. Actually, that's all. The only thing I'm asking you
to be yourself and to have that open mind to
consider that for the next 30 days you are
just give that permission. To play. To play
and to have fun. And that's all. Just
check what you have. If you need something like
buy some cheap option so that you could use those materials without
having that feeling that, Oh, what will happen if I will
waste those art materials? Get prepared and see
you in the next lesson.
3. The Perfectionist - Ink Challenge Day 1: Welcome to the first day and the first week
of our challenge. It's going to be this
week black and white. So the only thing what you
will need is some kind of kip pen or glass
pen and black ink. If you don't have,
no worries at all. You can use some kind of
black pen or this kind of the same Any band
which you have. The only thing that it
should be black that first, we'll start with creating our characters because we are going to have some
really exciting story. And today we are going to meet our first character that
is the perfectionist. This is the part that wants
to get everything right. It likes straight lines, clear decisions,
symmetry, rules. So today we are going to give
it exactly what it wants. Your task for today is
going to be to create a character made from controlled precise
repetitive marks. It could be actually
people, creatures, plants, objects, some
kind of imaginary beings. So yourself go that
it could be an apple, really precise, perfect
apple over there. It's important. Don't try to
make it cute or beautiful. Just give your
perfectionist personality. Uh, the only rule is going
to be that it must have something where this
perfectionist is good at, y? So let's start.
While I was talking, I have imagined also think
about what you like, subject or which you
like so that it will give you a bit of a bit of idea. Like, what would be your main struggle of your
characters, let's say. And my one, I'm thinking that also a bit like
about black and white. And now I'm learning
to play piano. So my main topic is
going to be piano. And because it's also really old my story from my
childhood, early childhood, that I was going to music
school playing piano, but I had really
strong frustration that every time when I was practicing and any tiny mistake, I was starting to play
again from the beginning, and I have never managed
to finish the piece because I wanted that
from the first moment, it's going to it was
going to be perfect. And then after two years, my mom has told that she has
suffered really a lot with my frustration and all those
tears, which I was crying. So she withdrawn me
from that school. And many, many, many,
many years later. Just this year, I have
gifted myself Vienna. And now that I'm a pro from the different um, just differently. But still, there is
a question like, what is what will win? No. What what prevails, whether it's having fun and enjoying what I'm
doing now or it's actually that frustration from making mistakes or from not progressing as
fast as I would like. So here is my character who
is going to be perfectionist. For me, it came the
idea of cactus. I don't know what. Yep. So just it shouldn't be perfect. Have fun while you are doing it. And it shouldn't be
something bad, by the way. It's not negative, so just
make the way it appears. And I think that I will make
it in some kind of slippers. Yeah, why not? Musical ones. I will make some notes. And here there are slippers
of my perfectionist. Here would be the ones. It looks perfect. Exactly. A bit more of this. Needles. And Oh, he's
missing the mouse. And that is strange. It's smiling. So interesting. Okay, so this is
my perfectionist. And let me think that he's really good in playing piano. Because it's also
quite symbolic for me that the kiss piano keys, that they are black and white. And, uh Okay. So here I have my character
as a perfectionist. And I also would ask
you to give it a name. Like I think my one, I don't know why it comes. This name is going to be Kirk. So here is my perfectionist. And one more question
for you to reflect. What does your
perfectionist believe would happen if something
wasn't done correctly? Just think about it. It's for you to reflect and also observe
during the process. Like, for example,
here, I can see that the legs, they
aren't symmetrical. Hands also aren't
really symmetrical. And I think that I feel like
here to add him some kind of this funny hair. Yeah. What will would happen if something wasn't
done correctly? I think that it's not the end of the world once
you are thinking like this. But I think what will
affect, actually, it affects his own perception about the image of the
good perfect person, and that the other people also would recognize
Kirk as a good person, as a good, positive person. So that's why, if something goes wrong and he shows
his imperfections, then he feels like people don't
consider him good enough. Okay, let me know in
your observations, your reflections, how
it has been for you. And also, remember to
fill in that worksheet in the resources section
where you can indicate the details of your
work. And see you next day.
4. The Mess-Maker - Ink Challenge Day 2: Welcome to New Day, and today we are going to experiment with
a new character. That is the Messmer. So today, we're going to
make lots of mess a bit. For this, we'll
need some black ink and also we'll need any brush. It could be a round brush
or it could be some kind of this calligraphy brush. Yesterday, everything had
to be controlled and today, someone else is
entering the story. Need a mess maker, and I have a feeling that our perfectionist is not
going to like them very much. Okay. It has been
that's fine, you know, I was thinking that
it's actually the mess because I haven't opened
this ink for a while. And you see that we have
already one part of the mess, natural one. That's fine. I think that I have
already half job done. And the challenge would be that using your brush make bold, messy, unpredictable
marks, and like this, create another
character as the same. It could be a person,
creator, plant, any object, any kind of imaginary being, which will look like
messy that if you haven't tried to paint with
ink before, don't worry. So that is perfect
moment to make that mess while you're
exploring this new material. And I feel that my mess
maker is going to be a goal. Quite messy. She doesn't like to compare. She likes, where the things are just in a bit of chaos. Remember that your character
shouldn't be perfect. So you make it quickly
without thinking so much. And my character likes
unpredictabiliti, surprises, some things
which life offers. And really playful. So here I think that maybe that is going to be quite mess
because I don't know. I don't really like
to make hands. They aren't going to be
really perfect ones, but it's someone who is joyful and enjoying life. And I will make
her like dancing. Yeah. So okay, it's not perfect. Size. She's bigger than I have. Oh, I want here to add some
more mess with this kind of u with this kind of dry ink, I want to splitters, now I have real
mess on my table. Okay, that I'm doing
it quite Oh, yeah. This one is great. I think
that's what I wanted. Yeah, to make these kind of splitters to add to her dress, and that it's like flying. Yeah, I like Yeah. Oh. Okay. I need
to clean my table. So more lines. It's not perfect, and
I really like it. I really like the
wipe of this girl. She's just dancing
and enjoying life. And I think one first, let's give a name
to your character. My one, I think
it is going to be called Olivia. I know why. Just I feel like that my messy girl is going
to be called Olivia. And she loves to dance, and she enjoys life. And I think among her rules
is going to be here and now. I think that is the point
that here and now when she's enjoying and that what else I can find joyful in the
moment of here and now? Yeah, that could be the rule. And what I find also
is really curious is this dot that it looks really natural and it has
landed quite naturally, and I really like this tiny dot. And I want to offer you
also to do something which will make to lose
control your perfectionist. Let's make some one mark. That your perfectionist
would absolutely hate. And I will give you one
idea because for me, that kind of marks when you're holding your
pen while you are thinking, and you're trying to
be so, so, so precise. Close your eyes,
please. And then just drop drop your brush. Yeah, and usually it
lends in that area when it can spoil your painting if it
would happen while you're painting some
beautiful portrait, and then you got this kind of marks and
you start to feel like, Okay, Adios that you have
ruined your painting. But I want to find
something how I can convert this mark by adding
more splitter so it. But I want also
to make this way, and let's see if I
will manage that me. These drops, these platters they transmit this kind of
dancing under the rain. Let me know if for
you this transmits that kind of vibe of
dancing under the rain. I will show you so that
you can see the whole, how it is this mess maker, and I find just marvelous. I love my mess. That's what I really feel like that love I
love this feeling, that kind of inner joy. From something which goes
not according to your plan, and you keep on dancing
the dance of life. And I would like to ask
you also one question for reflection that have you observed what has happened in
your body or when you have made that mark that
you cannot take back? And you know that quite
often, also in life, things happen and you
cannot erase that mark. So how does your body
react on those things? Just observe and if you feel like that you
would like to share, I want you also to share. And thank you for painting with mess Mesmaker and
hope you have enjoyed today's prompta and
looking forward to your impressions from
today's art practice. See you. Next day.
5. Success & Failure - Ink Challenge Day 3: Welcome to new day
of Ink challenge, and let's keep on exploring
the world of our characters. So this time, we
are going to paint two characters using
ink, black ink, and any actually instruments or any materials
which you wanted, could be pen or ball pen, it could be dip pen, whatever brush, how you feel. The thing that take
a moment and think about what kind of topic
is relevant for you. For example, in my case, I will keep on with piano. And here we need to draw something which would be that there would
be two characters, and they have some
kind of problem. I was thinking what it could be the problem of my
characters and so that they have decided to participate in some
kind of piano competition. Most of them, they are going to prepare the best way they can because they both want to prove that they are
the one who is better. So let's see what happens. But I do encourage you to take a moment and to
think about some topic which is relevant for you
so that for sure you would be able to relate and so that it won't be
so abstract for you. And again, you can use
any lines which you want. And it should be quick. Okay, I see already this
was my idea to make piano. And you may notice that my piano is already
doesn't look like piano. Anyway, so it's not
really straightforward. Let's see. I think that it
should be quite interesting. So this is my imaginary piano. And think about your situation so that it would be
really relevant for you. It could be that even it could be that
you're applying for a new job or you are preparing for some exam
or some scholarship. So let me add these
details and we'll see. Don't think a lot. Just start. And that is
something like the best way to choose something which actually you are working on now. You know, better just
think what you have been thinking about this week, what you need to do and something which
you feel like, Oh, not really sure that you will manage to get what you
are what you want. And let's see how we'll
evolve this story. So here I have my
those two characters. One is going to be that Mr.
Kirk, who is perfectionist, and that follows all the rules and that he is preparing
for that competition. And here Clay, I think we'll make some of those drops that he's sweating, not crying, still, not yet. But, yeah. Yeah, that was my slippers. And, uh, Yeah. So here is going to be
I'm missing one hand. Yeah, like this. And here is going to be
my Mr. Perfectionist, Kirk preparing for that
competition, piano competition. And from this side, I will
create another my character, the messy Maker, Olivia. So let's see. Not perfect, and it should be quite quickly. So just don't spend lots of
time thinking. Just start. And here is Olivia. Also, preparing for
piano competition. And there are also some notes. Let's generally think about how usually do we prepare
when we have something very important for us
that we can do our best following all
possible rules, practicing every
day, starting again, having many checks whether
you have covered this or that and worrying about that you haven't
covered everything, or still you are liking that material or still you
can improve something. And another way how you can prepare for that competition is just to choose some
pieces, you know, what you enjoy and to enjoy that practice to
enjoy and to make it time when you are
doing something which you love and to find
that curiosity. So that both of them, they actually love
playing piano, but that Kirk is
suffering because he wants to play really smoothly
without any mistakes, but he doesn't manage to make it completely 100%
ideal and perfect. And he suffers. Meanwhile,
Olivia is just let herself play because
she just loves to play and u mistakes. Okay. But those mistakes they do not stop her from playing. So that both of them, they are sharing
their experiences, and Kirk feels like that Olivia doesn't prepare
really well for her playing, and for sure that he's going
to be better because he has he has put so
much effort, time, energy in preparing for this competition that for sure that he's going
to get the reward, you, and to win. And then something happens
that the announcement that the competition has
been competition. Let me write. I haven't chosen the best brush for this probably rush kern
is going to be better. Competition. Yeah. So both of them, they have
been preparing. And what happens that
competition canceled? That they have spent so
much time preparing, and finally, it
has been canceled, and probably you also have participated in such
something, or you know, you have applied for some job, and then at the end, it was that any of
them have been chosen. So any of them has won. No, there is no
winner and there is no loser because that
competition has been canceled. What I actually
success and failure, they aren't enemies, so that they haven't won
that competition. But they have carried
that experience, and that experience
was some parts which they have succeeded
to improve their skills, enjoyed the process, have got inspired,
has got frustrated. But in spite of
that frustration, they still keep on doing
because they love what they are doing, different
approaches, whatever. But in fact, if there is no
competition that you do not consider yourself like
you are competing with other people
for being better. And even more interesting
that you do not compete with yourself to be your perfect
version of yourself, that you are the way you are quite messy with
your imperfections. So then there is, in fact, no success or failure. There is that experience
when something you evolve and you make your imperfections
evolve into some skills, and you gain that strength. And in other moments
you just have failed, but you know that there, there is a area where
you can actually grow. Let me know about your
today's experience, your practice, what kind
of insights have you had? Take a moment to stay with yourself and to explore
to explore whether you really compete
with others or even with yourself and let your painting and dark
practice tell you. See you in the next day.
6. Confident & Insecure - Ink Challenge Day 4: Welcome to New Daya, and let's see what
will appear today. The topic today, we will hear two more voices that is
confident and insecure. And you can use those
characters which you have created during
the previous days, or you can start
from scratch and just to create new characters. Up to you, you have
complete freedom. The only thing I would ask you to think about some situation, what they are going
not to solve, but they like one
character feels like that the confident character
wants to move forward. And to do some action. Think about some
situation which could be interesting also for
you to play with. And the insecure character
keeps warning them so that, are you sure that you're
going to do this? Are you sure that this
is the right decision? Maybe ask someone what they will think about
this situation and so on. In my case, I think that
I will keep on with piano story and with
Kurt and Olivia. Let's see what
will appear today. I feel like that Olivia is the one who wants to make
a TikTok to film, know how she's playing piano and to share
in her social media. Shouldn't be perfect,
just the way it is. And that You see, it could be so strange that it shouldn't
be really perfect. So don't worry if your
characters they very schematic. That's fine. So
here is my Olivia, and she's really enjoying. Ah, and for here, I will make the piano. I think I will
make it like this. Something quickly,
don't think so much. Don't judge yourself
when you're Okay, so here is going to
be a bit shaky lines. But that's fine. That's
what we are looking for. So it should be full
of energy, messy. Okay, I will take another
today will take this brush, and I will create another character Kirk that he is going to be
for here, shaking. And I think that also pay
attention that it could be interesting how it will be this character
because he's trembling. He's really insecure
because his thoughts like, and what will happen
if you will share your video and will
see someone who knows you and and they will tell that you're playing really bad and
how can you share this? Or imagine if there will be some professional
piano players, pianists, and they will see
your video and will say, like, Wow, that she
just started to play. She even, like, doesn't
know how to play some basic this is nos, some basic
compositions, melodies, and already starts to share
this in social media. So it's really like
What a shame? No. Yeah, that could be.
This one is telling, like, What a shame. Kirk is like this. Imagine if someone will
command something like this, and how will you feel? And Olivia is plain. And I feel like here
to play some lights. I know, but just let your drawing just evolve and listen to yourself that what kind of details
would you like that? I'm more limiting my
time to 10 minutes, but if I would have more, it would be half
an hour, for sure. So just allow
yourself this time. And I think that let's
place somewhere here, that kind of stand? Just where it would be camera. Or phone. So like this and that. Just enjoy. It
shouldn't be perfect. And you know that
sometimes in this kind of not really controlled lines, there is much more life
and they are more vivid. Here is the situation. And that is sometimes quite often when we start to feel that we want
to do something, and we stop ourselves from doing it because of the kind
of different doubts. And I think that's fine
that our perfectionist is helping us and actually
helps us to improve, to prepare better, to
practice more, you know, so that also to notice that
evolution in the skills. But from another point, there is also it's also really important to make those steps. For me, I even would
say that the balance could be maybe like 70% and 30. It's more like I'm
checking this image, and it's really noticeable
in the composition, now that this part
is the core of this drawing and that this one transmits
so much happiness. When you are just enjoying
what you are doing and you are making
those steps forward. However, you feel
these insecurities. And that would be my question
for you to reflect that, how do you feel from
your today's painting? That can confidence
and uncertainty exist in the same picture
that from my experience, and I think that's fine. It's normal that we
can feel insecure. But anyway, that the
prevailing feeling should be the joy. And if you're enjoying
what you are doing, what you want to do
or what you want to share with other
people to inspire them, probably, you know, that this is my drawings as they
aren't perfect. And someone also
could say, like, how it could be, but
I know that others, they will feel inspired. And they also this will
help them to accept their own doodles and those kind of blobs and to
accept this stage, and most important, you
can see it visually, that kind of voices which
quite often we have, like in our head, you know, but they are like invisible. And here you can see them
and to feel like that no, it's not so scary
to be confident having some insecurities and
to acta and to move forward. Thank you for painting with me today, and see you next day.
Nina Nyusikart Watercolor, Artist| Art Therapist | Loose Watercolor
