Prompt #72 - 1+1 = New Magic

Combining two interests to create a new idea

Hi, I‘m Lorena and welcome to The Stress Less Pencil. Together, we create art to make us feel good, not to make it look good. All weekly prompts are designed for total beginners and experienced artists alike, so come join us.

Photo by Bilal O. on Unsplash

They say there's nothing new under the sun. Of course, it doesn't mean that nothing new ever gets invented. Of course it does. But it means that everything new comes out of something that already existed. It's the evolution of an older idea, a different theme on an existing story, a new spin on an old trope.

Or, as is the case for some of the best innovations, it's the combination of two existing things into something new: music + streaming = Spotify, photography + adventure sports = GoPro, modern art + traditional perspectives = Cubism, popular culture references + fine art = pop art.

Today, we'll do our very own combo of awesome to see if we can get the creative juices flowing.

The Activity: Fuse two of your interests in your art

Step 1 - List your interests

First, we want two identify two of your interests two combine. You can write down a list of the things that you find interesting. The list should (hopefully) look extremely random. We are not two dimensional Christmas movie characters. We all have varied likes and interests, that can be completely unrelated, and sometimes even seem to oppose each other. Vietnamese cuisine, crochet, American football, and 17th century poetry? Playing the cello, listening to thrash metal, rainbow coloured clothes, and watching rom-coms? Write it all down.

Photo by Luuk Wouters on Unsplash

When you're done, choose two items from the list. Again, they don't have to be related in any shape or form. If you're unsure what to pick, number them and throw a dice.

Step 2 - Pinterest it

We now want to create a little visual mood board for your subjects. Go over to Pinterest, and search each of your interests in turn. Take screenshots of as many results as you like, or create a new dedicated board.

Step 3 - Fusion Art

Now look at your two different mood boards, and create a drawing or painting that combines elements of both. Play around with the different shapes, forms, colours of both boards. Use the colour style from one and the forms and shapes of the other. Or fuse certain elements into something new. Keep it as simple or elaborate as you feel like. What new thing emerged on your paper?

As you go about your days this week, keep your eyes and mind open. What other interests could you combine into something new?

For funnsies, here's what AI came up with for a crossover between thrash metal and rainbow clothes. I would definitely go see this show!

Image generated with DallE

My Example

First, a disclaimer: I normally try and keep my own examples relatively quick and simple, so that the resulting prompts won't take you too much time. You can still keep this exercise simple, but I just couldn't help but go all out in this one.

There are two art forms (and corresponding Pinterest boards), I have been obsessing about for a while.

Traditional European folk art:

DIY Punk Zines / Flyers:

Even though the two styles couldn't be more different, both have that "fuck it, I'll make it myself” philosophy at heart that I love so much.

Here is the result of my fusion:

Making this made my heart sing, so there'll definitely be more fusions of this style in my future.

I hope you'll have an inspired week my friends.

Love, Lorena