Creative Explorations Vol #16: Witchy
A sketchbook/art journal prompt to support your art practice.
It’s spooky season! Autumn is here, in the Northern hemisphere, and though it isn’t as blazingly hot as it was during summer, the mercury is still rather high in my neck of the woods.
Still, ‘tis the season of the witch, of Halloween and Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is supposedly thin. So why not celebrate everything WITCHY in our art journals and sketchbooks this month? Identifying as a witch is not a requirement. ;-)
Creative Explorations are themed around a prompt that you can explore in your own art/creative practice over the coming weeks. Prompts will be sent out on the first Friday of every month. I hope this month’s prompt sparks your creativity!
Resources + ideas
Illustrated apothecary: Sketch + paint cute apothecary bottles and an apothecary cabinet filled with magical elements. Pinterest has a ton of ideas if you need some inspiration.
Magic potion: Sketch + paint all the ingredients for a magic potion. Or maybe just a potion bottle. For even more creative fun, make up your own potion. What would you put into a magical potion to enhance your creativity? Or for more self-love? You can find some herbal associations here.
Toxic blooms: First off, a disclaimer: I don’t think there’s anything evil about witchcraft; it’s a spiritual system {except for Wicca, which is a religion} that’s rooted in nature and natural cycles. That said, spooky season is the perfect time to draw some toxic plants! Take a look at the Bloomtober prompt list if you’d like a list of poisonous plants to draw.
Art ritual: What’s witchcraft without a ritual, right? Why not ritualize your next art journaling session? Light some candles and incense. Put on some soothing music. Draw an oracle or tarot card for inspiration. Make it as elaborate or simple as you like!
Tarot art: Use your tarot {or oracle} cards as a jumping off point for some art. If you do a daily tarot/oracle draw, you can illustrate the key messages from your card {see the example below}. Or you can use the colors and symbols as jumping off points to make some art. I’ve shared a glimpse into my process here.
Paint the witch: Flex your creative muscles and paint a few witches! Here’s a list of prompts to help you get your gears turning. And here’s an example of an ethereal witch {the first prompt on that list}.
I look forward to seeing your take on this prompt! You can email your finished pieces to me on shinjinim@substack.com or share them on Notes if you use the Substack app. If you share on Instagram, tag me @moderngypsy.in
Like this prompt? Share it with your friends and invite them into our virtual studio. If you’re on the Substack app, you can tap on the like button or restack to Notes to let me know you enjoyed this post.