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Elizabeth Bennion's avatar

Amazing! I love your illustrated stories and the ideas you share. And, WOW, over 50 pounds of art!

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Thanks, Elizabeth! It was...a LOT! :)

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Jay Bremyer's avatar

I was just barely into graphic storytelling until I read your _The Bitter Life of Bozena Nemcova_ and then _ The Keeper: Soccer, Me, and the Law that Changed Women's Lives_ -- amazing and beautiful books. Your practice, disciple, and creative talent are a gift to the rest of us. Thanks. Jay Bremyer

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Aww thank you, Jay! I appreciate your kind words. xo

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B.A. Lampman's avatar

That process video was very pleasing to watch 🙂, and I love the idea of 50 pounds of art. I, too, was bitten by the bug to produce (in my case) a graphic memoir. I'm an artist but I'd never done anything like that, and it was an exhilarating voyage of discovery. It ended up being an exhibit (here where I live in Victoria, BC, Canada) about my mother's Lewy Body dementia that incorporated graphic memoir (some large scale), paintings, and an installation. The actual graphic memoir in book form is yet to come.

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Oh wow, how amazing that you created it and got to exhibit it! My love of graphic storytelling comes in part from an appreciation of artists who incorporate words into their paintings: Basquiat, Twombly, Klee...I also love Jacob Lawrence's Great Migration Series. Good luck with the book version of your project!

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Jennifer K Nichols's avatar

I love everything about this post! It is hopeful and shows how to begin. Thank you.

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Yay! Glad to hear it! Good luck!

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Chris Guillebeau's avatar

I love this story and art so much! I'm currently on a plane so I can't watch the process video just yet, but I'm coming back to it later. 📌

50 pounds of art, so legit.

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Thank you! I love to think of this post floating high above in a plane! ✈️❤️

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Amy Makechnie's avatar

Thanks for sharing - so inspirational (I’m trying to make more art this year)!Did you take photos and then upload here? Or are the pics here digital? It looks so professional!

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Thanks! I created the post on Procreate on my iPad (that what the process video is from too). The Art & Fear book was made with gouache in an art journal, and the portrait of my daughter and ink drawing of the stack of journals at the end were photos of analog art imported into Procreate. Good luck with your art this year!

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Amy Makechnie's avatar

thanks so much, Kelcey!

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Matthew Murray's avatar

It's amazing that you said 50 pounds and then you did it! I can't commit to art every day but I believe I do it every other day.

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Yes it was wild! And it wouldn't have occurred to me to weigh it all if my daughter hadn't said something! It's good to know your limits--like you saying you can't do it every day. There are lots of options you could try: every other day, every day for a week, every weekend for a month, etc. Small goals!

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Shinjini's avatar

Art everyday? Wow! I have an almost daily art practice, but I rarely manage to paint each & every day. I have a few weekly streaks, but I may just try for 39 consecutive days this year & see how it goes!

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Yes, I was pretty hardcore about it! I've had to scale back but I've been going strong again the last four months. I've been taking it one month at a time and allowing just 10 minutes to be enough. Good luck!

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Carolyn Yoo's avatar

I am so impressed by the 50+ pounds of art here! What a monumental goal. Getting inspired to do a daily art project (perhaps for the 100 day project starting in February!)

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How to Make a Graphic Novel's avatar

that's how to do it!

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Teresa Wong's avatar

I love how you weighed it all. So good.

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

It wouldn't have even occurred to me if my daughter hadn't said something!

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Hakan Gökbayrak's avatar

I love everything you do and it is a pleasure to read your newsletter. Can you share more videos about the process? Is procreate the program you use?

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Thank you so much! It's good to get feedback on the video too. Yes I use Procreate (though I import some items done on paper) and finally turned on the Video Record option.

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Jess Stride's avatar

Love this idea! I was beginning to get a bit bogged down with my 50,000 pounds of art. ;) I shall keep on going. Thanks for the inspiration.😊❤️

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Whoa, 50,000 pounds?! The good news is that even a little a day adds up! ❤️

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Margreet de Heer's avatar

Love the video! Which program do you use?

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Thanks! I use Procreate and there's an option to record. I've never really used it but thought it might be fun.

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Lisa Burda's avatar

Thanks for the inspiration!! That's awesome! I have a similar goal for 2024, hopefully it will work out.

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Best of luck! One day at a time!

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kgypsonwrites's avatar

Love this! I’m new to a daily art habit after years of creativity in other fields - writing, cooking - and it’s amazing how quickly I forgot that daily practice is everything!

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Shan's avatar

It's so easy to forget but so true! Whenever I'm feeling off, it's often because I haven't been in the studio for a while. It always helps!

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Right, sometimes I don't want to make something because I'm feeling off, but more often I'm feeling off because I haven't made anything!

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Kelcey Ervick's avatar

Thank you, and how exciting to make a shift in your creative practice! (Also, sorry, I thought I replied to this, but maybe I didn't?)

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