Wonder Wednesday 142: Polaroid Painting
Summer Vacation
Summer vacation is a treasured time the world over. We all need a break! The long days and warm sunshine are perfect for delighting in and relishing nostalgic memories, while creating new memories we'll enjoy reminiscing about in summers to come.
I bet if we were actually gathered around a campfire together we'd all conjure up the most amazing memories and stories to share. It would be cozy and sentimental, nature immersed and just so wonderfully human. Human - in that telling stories around the fire is literally what we evolved to do.
In a time when humanity seems to have a major fracture, savoring and building empathy & kindness, which are quintessential human traits, is more important than ever.
These experiences and conversation sharing are the types of connecting and memory making, 20 years from now, we'll want to reflect back on - and what we want younger humans' nostalgia to be full of too.
I've yet to meet a human who didn't value time spent on laughs, hugs, campfires, crickets, sunset swims, afternoon thunderstorms, beach reads, shared meals, and sandcastles. So let's make sure each summer has plenty!
Savoring
Do you remember, from a while back, the post on savoring?
How little tokens kept from special times and places bring our minds back, rekindling the feelings and relaxation we experienced in the actual moments? And how that savoring is beneficial because those good feelings prompt a mind and body stress release?
Research shows that if we feel stressed or upset that taking time out to savor a special memory, or look at a photo or token from a special memory, actually increases our daily happiness! Win!
(Check the Seeds to Sprout if you missed that awesome post!)
The Ultimate Nostalgia
This Wonder Wednesday 142 we're doing some front end savoring work!
We're painting this summer's fun into watercolor "polaroid" style pictures!
Polaroid pictures are the ultimate in nostalgia and spontaneous memory making, so what better vehicle to paint our summer memories for later savoring?
I chose to paint my summer garden, but you can literally choose any subject you like. You can paint from photo, life, or memory.
These little paintings make amazing little snapshots from your summer travels and adventures. & If you paint from life, you get a phone break too!
Later on, paste them into your travel journal, or include them in your photo album. Send one to a friend, or leave one for a stranger!
Let's go!
Wonder Wednesday 142:
Polaroid Painting
Materials
Watercolor paper (a great use for scraps)
Tape (masking or washi)
A piece of cardboard, thin plywood, drawing board, or other moveable surface to tape onto
Watercolor paint
Brushes
Ruler or straight edge
Pencil
Pen
Water & Paper towel
Photos, tokens, or mental pictures of your memories to savor
Preparation
Measure out the perimeter sizes of your polaroid painting papers.
(This is the size you will cut from the paper, not the interior size of the actual photo.)
*The modern smaller rectangles are 2.25 inches wide x 3.5 inches tall. (shown below)
*The classic squares are 5.25 inches wide x 6.35 inches tall.
I chose to make the small polaroid size, but you may want to do the classic square size or mix it up!
Now, cut out your "photos".
Procedure
Lightly sketch out the square/rectangle of the photo portion of the paper. Remembering that polaroids have more space at the bottom of the photo's border
Tape your "photos" down onto your moveable surface around the edges of the actual image so you'll get nice sharp edges on your borders.
Make a nice summer snack, set up a painting scenario that you enjoy, and savor the painting of your polaroids - and the memories or memories in the making!
Paint representationally, stylized, abstracted, or even make palette of place paintings!
As long as you are having fun, anything goes!
Once you finish painting, let them completely dry.
Then, carefully peel off the tape.
Erase and stray pencil lines in the borders.
If you like, use a pen to write a little date or detail in the border, add frame lines, or any other details.
Hang them up by your workspace when you return from vacation, tape them to the fridge, paste them into your nature/travel journal, or stick them in the photo album with the other old photos and actual polaroids!
Seeds to Sprout
Nature, Happiness, & Savoring
Explore the work of Yale Professor & happiness research Laurie Santos!
Discover how to bring more opportunities for the idea and practice of savoring into our everyday, and bank them for short and long term life benefits!
Palettes of Place
In this Wonder Wednesday 58: Palettes of Place live video, learn how to paint abstract colorfield paintings of the places and things you love and explore - Your color palettes of place connection!
Paint a Flickering Firefly
There's not much more summer nostalgic than lightening bugs or fireflies! Whatever you call them, in this Wonder Wednesday 123 project you can paint your own - and discover how to make it even flicker inside your nature journal!