Creativity takes courage

Quote by the French* artist Henri Matisse, whose work I studied during my days of GCSE Art & Design! The title of this post is relevant to 3 things;

a) The above image is my first shaped set ever! I've never made anything like it on Polyvore, and I really like the fact that it isn't square and that the pieces don't quite fit perfectly, I think it adds something. Trying something new or different requires creative courage.

b) Today I watched my sister's performance (at my town's theatre) which was written for the Olympic culture festival, and so my sister and her friends are the original cast! Standing up on stage, reciting lines and acting, in front of the actual playwright and associated press (tonight was the first time that the play has been performed) takes massive courage.

c) I've been watching the London 2012 Olympics (well, I love watching sport on TV, and I am mildly patriotic, I watched the Diamond Jubilee, Royal Wedding etc.) since the Opening ceremony** and the amount of creativity and courage involved in the Olympics is really inspirational. It's not just Danny Boyle's opening ceremony which was creative - every dive, gymnastics/trampolining routine, dressage performance, every athlete's requires artist design. It's not just the competitors who need courage either, the organisers, and so that decided to make the 2012 Olympics so eccentric and so different to any really seen before must have had courage too.

Therefore these two things, as illustrated by the above examples, go hand in hand.


*Speaking of the French - what a good night for their swimmers! Well done for winning against some pretty tight odds and even fiercer competition!

**I absolutely loved the Opening ceremony, seeing as some reviews have been mixed about it. It wasn't a complete spectacle, like Beijing, but it wasn't supposed to be, it represented the people of Britain, all people, and the crazy British sense of humour. It focused on some of the darkest parts of our recent social history (mistreatment of workers during the industrial revolution, Suffragettes, World Wars) but then reminded the world what Britain has given to everyone, the internet being the most incredible and appropriate example, considering that you are reading this online! Sure, some of it was confusing and chaotic, but so is life - even athletes are not machines, we're all human, and that's what binds us all, regardless of nation, country, language. Isn't that what the Olympics is really about?

Regardless, GO TEAM GB!

and......I'm 18! :D

And......I'M 18! :D by nikigirl featuring louis vuitton bags

So yesterday was my 18th and I feel so much more positive about life right now, which is kind of crazy considering everyone expects the day after a birthday to be depressing, but I always enjoy things more in retrospect! Seriously though, I had a great day, we're talking, family, friends, presents, champagne, cocktails, clubs, Nandos, a whole load of snow (resulting in some serious snow ball fights/ half-sober snow angels) and to top it all everyone else seemed to be having a great time too, which means a lot to me - my friends are so generous! <3

Oh yeah, and photo day was awkward, but it wasn't terrible - I guess some things really aren't as bad as they seem. ANYWAY, back to my 18th, I got a lovely new laptop which I'm typing this on now! I think it just became real to me that this is the year my adult life begins, and hopefully in less than 8 months time this very same laptop will be sitting in my university room with my somewhere! Exciting times ahead!

I'm literally sitting here surrounded by birthday cards/ balloons whilst typing in bed (for me, this is new - I've never had a laptop)....feels surreal, but good, especially with all of the snow still outside!


I love this image, I made it weeks ago in preparation for my 18th, I just thought it looked so chic and outgoing, it suited 18 as the age when you really start to live your own life (even though I don't normally like red) so this image, as well as being on my Polyvore, is also my desktop for my new laptop <3 !

Everyone reading this - have a great day!

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. by nikigirl

Feeling a bit down this week :( I hate uncertainty......

In a week I'll be rapidly approaching my birthday!

This doesn't cheer me up at all, I have nothing arranged whatsoever :/

Even worse, we have school photos next week! As if it wasn't bad enough, we have to dress up. I don't like fancy dress, and I don't own anything suitable either...
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Drawing a line under all of that; this image is all about having your own style, and not being afraid to be yourself, even if you aren't bold or sassy or even particularly fashionable. It's supposed to be about the art behind the fashion, not the money, not the culture or the marketing. About the ideas people used to have and the way that they expressed them.


Things can't always be as bad as we imagine they are, can they?

Simplicity

Sometimes the basics are the best.

Only 2 more days in school, 2 more exams, then it's Christmas!

The wait is hard, but it will be worth it, just a few more hours of revision, a few more cards to write, presents to wrap, decorations to display, and time will pass before I know it!

But I do love black & white photographs, and Paris, and pink things, and of course, the beautiful Emma Watson to set it all off :) this image is a reminder of why I should persevere - once it gets to the Christmas holidays I'll have loads more time for image editing!

Simplicity by nikigirl on polyvore.com

This is a new idea, I wanted to do something with the shadows, and the whole "love" theme just worked really well with the pink background I found :) and it wasn't based on a tutorial!

GIMP again! This time I want to show the progression of an image (built up from a tutorial) which contrasts the lighted foreground with a black background; the top 1st stage, the middle is the 2nd stage, and the finished image is beneath them, the end product, a beautiful pink glowing orb! (Notice the brightening of the highlights and tones between image stages)