Crafting your way through Corona

CRAFTING YOUR WAY THROUGH CORONA Fifteen ways to have fun and spread positivity during Lockdown Written and Illustrated by Bryony Wood

INTRODUCTION Being creative is one of the most unique parts of being human.

It keeps us connected. It helps us to reflect and express our emotions. It means we have fun.

I made this ‘guide’ as a tool to help you use your inner creativity to stay positive during this time of global uncertainty. There are fifteen different activities designed to be entertaining and accessible for completion in your unique isolation location. It is suitable for people of any age, personality and ability.

CONTENTS Aims 1. Make your friend from a toilet roll tube 2. Design yourself as a stamp and send a letter to a loved one 3. Re-enact an Album cover 4. Create a catwalk outfit fit for isolation 5. Hold a group drawing session online 6. Paint a picture using food 7. Build a tower out of items around your home 8. Cook a self portrait 9. Draw the view from your window 10. Give an old item a new purpose 11. Make some pets to keep you company 12. Model a diorama of your home 13. Create an outrageous new hairstyle 14. Try learning a new skill 15. Set someone else a creative task Thanks

1. Crochet by Hien Xa Van

AIMS 1. The aim of this guide is NOT to become a professional artist, just to enjoy your own imagination.

2. You can be as silly or as serious as you like.

3. I encourage you to challenge your friends and family to get involved. We will get past this difficult period, but it’s important to stay united and spread positivity in the meantime.

1. MAKE YOUR FRIEND FROM A TOILET ROLL TUBE Bored at home? Run out of loo roll? Missing your loved ones? The solution is simple - create a ‘Bog Buddy’! Transform an empty toilet roll tube into one of your friends using anything from coloured paper to left-over cereal boxes.

2. Bog Buddy by Bryony

3. Bog Buddy by Robert 4. Bog Buddy by Sarah 5. Bog Buddies by Bryony

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Make your isolation buddies Send a relative their doppelganger Model a key worker to say thank you Create a celebrity

Cut slits in paper to create a

Unsure where to start? Use

If you don’t have any

funky hairstyle

the guidelines above to

coloured paper, use old

structure your buddy

packaging

2. DESIGN A STAMP AND SEND A LETTER TO A LOVED ONE Whilst everyone is social distancing, communication has never been so important. Although social media, telephone calls and instant messaging are increasingly more popular, they will never capture emotions like the old-fashioned pen and paper. Brighten someone’s day to let them know you are thinking of them (don’t forget to add a normal stamp as well).

6. Postbox

7. Self portrait stamp by Megan 8. Self portrait stamp by Tom 9. Letter by Megan

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Draw the person you are sending the letter to as a stamp Send a letter to someone you haven’t spoken to yet during lockdown Send a letter of thanks to someone you are grateful for

Practise drawing stamps on

Use coloured paper and one

Make your favourite food

scrap paper beforehand

type of pen to give a striking

into a stamp

effect

10. The Artic Monkeys, AM in mayonnaise by Alex

3. RE-ENACT AN ALBUM COVER If you could only pick one album to listen to during lockdown, what would it be? Choose your favourite and try to replicate the cover design (it doesn’t have to be perfect)! You could make it 2D, use your isolation buddies or objects around your home - the possibilities are endless...

STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Recreate your most listened to lockdown album Pick the most distinctive feature of the album cover and focus on that

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11. Brockhampton, Saturation II from Immy 12. The Clash, London Calling from Immy 13. The Script, Science and Faith

by Meagan 14. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon from Immy 15. George Michael, Freedom by Morgan 16. The Rolling Stones Complete Collection

by Amy 17. MC Pooh, Funky as I Wanna Be

by Amber 13

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18. Tablecloth wedding dress by Fiona

4. CREATE A CATWALK OUTFIT FIT FOR ISOLATION Get dressed up for a night on the sofa. Create an outfit where glamour meets comfort, using anything you like from quilts to tea towels. The more outrageous the costume, the more of a pro you will be at relaxing in style.

STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Choose a runway outfit to recreate Pick a single area of the home to source the outfit from - it could be the kitchen, the cupboards, the bedroom, the bathroom etc.

Pick an era to inspire your costume

Bedding creates a dramatic

Try using vegetables to

If you are aiming for Space

effect

make a hat

Age, then tin foil is ideal

19. Garlic pot, cork, gherkin and olive hat by Bryony 20. Pillow Challenge by Asanda Mali 21. Swiss chard and garden netting skirt by Fiona

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5. HOST A GROUP ONLINE DRAWING SESSION We are all relying on group video calls, from work meetings to staying in touch with loved ones. Why not try some silly online drawing challenges, they are brilliant way to have fun and forget all about physical seperation.

22. Remote family drawing session by Dave

23. Sassy, Walrus, Mermaid by Shani 24. Life drawing class by Emily 25. Guess the image from Shani 26. Guess the image by Dana 27. Guess the image by Laura 23

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Practise drawing the same objects together Try to draw eachother

Create a single line drawing

Play a game - randomly

Draw eachother without

generate different heads,

looking at the paper

bodies and legs to draw

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6. PAINT A PICTURE USING FOOD Get your creative juices flowing by gathering those unused sauces sat at the back of the cupboard and throwing them at a piece of paper. Food art can be messy but satisfying, and there is no right or wrong way about it!

28. Fig jam, hot sauce and soap by Emily

29. Square Meal by Adam Hillman 30. British flag cakes by Jonah 31. Food owl by Jackie

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Draw in one tupe of food Imitate a photo or painting Use seven different colours on one plate

Make a food butterfly

Draw in different coloured

Try creating art on plates

sauces

before using paper

32. Board game tower by Louise

7. BUILD A TOWER FROM ITEMS AROUND YOUR HOME Inspired by Pascal Anson, this challenge is aimed to get you practising your balancing skills. It might also test your patience, but when lockdown is over at least you can say you built a tower taller than yourself out of socks and cutlery?

STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Use only one object type Challenge your chums to a tower building race Use one item of every colour Build a tower taller than you are

Use an item of every colour

For height, use bigger items

Create a tower from a single

in one tower

at the base of your tower

item

33. Bedroom tower by Robbie 34. Cleaning tower by Fiona 35. Stone tower by Dave

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36. Family portrait in bread by the Woods

8. COOK A SELF PORTRAIT There is no denying that edible art is the best kind. If it goes well then you have a brilliant Instagram post, and if it doesn’t then hiding the evidence is really easy (and hopefully enjoyable).

STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Bake versions of your friends and family Gift someone their portrait Create an entire meal made of portraits

Bake a cake to let someone

Make your face using this

Use different ingredients to

know you are thinking of

simple structure

create distinctive features

them

37. Buttercream cake portrait by Danielle Holsby 38. Barbeque portrait by Dave 39. Family portrait in shortbread by The Dennys

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9. DRAW THE VIEW FROM YOUR WINDOW Take some time to appreciate the outside world from the inside. Listen to it go by, focus on the birdsong - this will probably be the clearest we will ever hear it. Try capturing the view to help you reflect on what you are feeling now when normality returns.

40. Window view in blue fineliner by Bronwen

41. View in tea, coffee and cocoa by Louise 42. Handsketched view by Alex 43. View on Tate Paint by Trish

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Focus on drawing one part of the view Try creating it from different materials Draw the view at different times of the day

Abstract your view into

Try drawing in different

Make lots of rough sketches,

three basic shapes

materials

don’t try to sketch perfect pictures!

10. GIVE AN OLD ITEM A NEW PURPOSE One ‘silver linings’ of this crisis is how resourceful people are being when things are restricted. Many people are also taking this opportunity to organise their belongings. Try turning something you no longer need into something you want, whether it is decorational or practical.

44. Old clothes into Pompoms by Bryony

45. Reused wood offcuts by Alex 46. Old oil drum into a bar by Ian 47. Old bamboo canes into an art easel

by Bryony 48. Old bottle into planters by Magdalena 49. Garden gnome into a bird bath

by Lynne

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Increase the green space in your home by making a planter Sort through your wardrobe and reuse your unwanted clothes

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50. Origami animals by Emily

11. MAKE SOME PETS TO KEEP YOU COMPANY Pets can be brilliant companions. Try creating your own pets or even imaginary ones to help you get through this period of isolation. You could use anything from fruit to old cardboard boxes.

STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Recreate a real pet or invent an imaginary one Try learning to make an origami animal (see one example below)

51. Chocolate penguin by Lucy 52. Toilet tube animals by Nikki and Fin 53. String snakes by Jennifer and Alex

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12. MODEL A DIORAMA OF YOUR HOME Everyone is struggling with the lack of freedom we are currently experiencing, but remember - your isolation environment is unique. Try to model it out of whatever you can find in your home. You can include as much or as little detail as you like.

54. Miniature house from Bryony

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55. Driftwood house by Ian 56. Bluetack house by Fiona 57. Sim’s house by Bryony 58. Painted rock house from Meagan

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Create a virtual home online Use old cardboard boxes Make your home as a small ornament

Create a simple outline of

Paint versions of your home

Fashion a den - a home

your home from cardboard

on household objects

inside a home

59. Hairstyle by Bethany

13. CREATE AN OUTRAGEOUS NEW HAIRSTYLE With limited access to the hairdresser’s and no where to go out there isn’t a better time to experiment with your hair! Try to create a new wacky style for yourself that you can show off to your friends when you reunite.

STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Create a wacky hat Wear a wig to a work meeting Let your isolation buddies loose on your hair...

Add decoration to your hair

Use hair bobbles to create

Have fun in the shower

with random household

interesting shapes in long

fashioning yourself a

items

hair

mohican with shampoo

60. Hairstyle by Olivia 61. Hairstyle by Bronwen 62. Hairstyle by Lucy

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14. TRY LEARNING A NEW SKILL With extra time on your hands and endless information at your disposal, why not try out a new hobby? You can do anything you want, from picking up a few words in another language to learning a dance routine.

63. Plant cuttings by Jamie

64. Crochet by Hien 65. Baking cakes by Jonah 66. Homemade tortillas by Jamie 67. Paper marbling by Bryony

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Try an online drawing course Have a go at making your own bread Learn a sentence in another language

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15. SET SOMEONE ELSE A CREATIVE TASK Enjoyed being creative? Spread the fun by challenging your friends, family and neighbours to arty activities. Your always enjoy things more when other people take part as well!

68. Neighbours’ contribution from Kath

69. Artwork by Nikki and Fin 70. Applique cushion from Jackie 71. Watercolours by Nikki

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STUCK FOR IDEAS?

You could...

Pick an activity from this book Play alongside other households Try inventing a your own silly task

‘If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.’ - Martin Luther King Jr.

A WORD OF THANKS Thank you to all of the wonderful people who have contributed their creativity towards this ‘guide’. There have been a brilliant range of outcomes, all of which are perfect in their own unique way. I hope you enjoyed the projects as much as I have.

Keep on making!

72. Watercolour view by Louise

THANK YOU! Hien Xa Van Robert Wood Sarah Smith Megan Parsons Tom Fagg Alex Smith Immy Croad & Co. Meagan Thornton Morgan Foster Amy Moore Amber Thompson Fiona Wood Shani Parminter & Co. Emily Fearne Emily Vaias Kate Stone-Fewings & Co. Louise Johnson Robbie Nichols Dave Wood Rachel Denny & Co. Bronwen Rees Trish Gough Alex Hellum Ian Johnson Lynne Lloyd Emily Bather Lucy Gough Bryony Hancock Bethany Free Olivia Tittley-West Jamie Gough

REFERENCES Note. Front Cover, Back Cover and Instructions illustrated by Bryony Wood.

1. Xa Van, H., 2020. Crochet [Photograph]. Vietnam.

2.Wood, B., 2020. Bog Buddy [Photograph]. England.

3. Wood, R., 2020. Bod Buddy [Photograph]. England.

4. Smith, S., 2020. Bod Buddy [Photograph]. England.

5. Wood, B., 2020. Bog Buddies [Photograph]. England.

6. Ural, K., 2020. Unsplash [online]. Available via: https://unsplash.com/photos/yCxBGq7nuA8 [Accessed 14 May 2020]. [Photograph]. https://unsplash.com/photos/yCxBGq7nuA8 7. Parsons, M., 2020. Hand-drawn stamp [Photograph]. England.

8. Fagg, T., 2020. Hand-drawn stamp [Photograph]. England.

9. Parsons, M., 2020. Hand-made letter [Photograph]. England.

10. Smith, A., 2020. AM album cover [Photograph]. England.

11. Croad, I., 2020. Saturation album cover [Photograph]. England.

12. Croad, I., 2020. London Calling album cover [Photograph]. England.

13. Thornton, M., 2020. Saturation album cover [Photograph]. England.

14. Croad, I., 2020. Dark Side of the Moon album cover [Photograph]. England.

15. Foster, M., 2020. Freedom album cover [Photograph]. England.

16. Moore, A., 2020. The Rolling Stones album cover [Photograph]. England.

17. Thompson, A., 2020. Funky as I Wanna Be album cover [Photograph]. England.

18. Wood, B., 2020. Tablecloth wedding dress [Photograph]. England.

19. Wood, B., 2020. Garlic pot hat [Photograph]. England.

20. Asanda Mali, 2020. Mal’stones [online]. Available via: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ppBxjQaw/?utm_source=ig_embed [Accessed 14 May 2020]. [Photograph].

21. Wood, F., 2020. Swiss chard skirt [Photograph]. England.

22. Wood, D., 2020. Remote family drawing session [Photograph]. England.

23. Parminter, S., 2020. Word drawing game [Photograph]. New Zealand.

24. Fearne, E., 2020. Life drawing sketch [Photograph]. England.

25. Parminter, S., 2020. Guess the image sketch [Photograph]. New Zealand.

26. Parminter, S., 2020. Guess the image sketch [Photograph]. New Zealand.

27. Parminter, S., 2020. Guess the image sketch [Photograph]. New Zealand.

28. Vaias, E., 2020. Food Art [Photograph]. United States.

29. Hillman, A., 2020. Witenry [online]. Available via: https://www.instagram.com/p/BXs4ivbBDMi/ [Accessed 14 May 2020]. [Photograph].

30. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. British flag cakes [Photograph]. England.

31. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Food Owl [Photograph]. England.

32. Johnson, L., 2020. Board game tower [Photograph]. France.

33. Nichols, R., 2020. Bedroom Tower [Photograph]. England.

34. Wood, F., 2020. Cleaning tower [Photograph]. England.

35. Wood, D., 2020. Stone tower [Photograph]. England.

REFERENCES 36. Wood, B., 2020. Bread family portrait [Photograph]. England.

37. Holsby, D., 2020. Keeping up with the Holsbys [online]. Available via: http://www. keepingupwiththeholsbys.com/2013/03/24/self-portrait-birthday-cake-cos-im-weird-like-that/ [Accessed 14 May 2020]. [Photograph].

38. Wood, D., 2020. Barbeque portrait [Photograph]. England.

39. Denny, R., 2020. Shortbread family portrait [Photograph]. England.

40. Rees, B., 2020. Blue fineliner sketch [Photograph]. Wales.

41. Johnson, L., 2020. Hot drink sketch [Photograph]. France.

42. Hellum, A., 2020. Handsketched view [Photograph]. England.

43. Gough, T., 2020. Tate Paint sketch [Photograph]. England.

44. Wood, B., 2020. Upcycled clothing [Photograph]. England.

45. Hellum, A., 2020. Reused wood offcuts [Photograph]. England.

46. Johnson, I., 2020. Upcycled oil drum [Photograph]. England.

47. Wood, B., 2020. Reused bamboo canes [Photograph]. England.

48. Anon, 2020. Hometalk [online]. Available via: https://www.hometalk.com/16043186/upcycledbottle-planters [Accessed 14 May 2020]. [Photograph].

49. Lloyd, L., 2020. Reused garden gnome [Photograph]. England.

50. Bather, E., 2020. Origami animals [Photograph]. England.

51. Gough, L., 2020. Chocolate penguin [Photograph]. England.

52. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Toilet tube animals [Photograph]. England. 53. Blake, J., 2020. String snakes [Photograph]. England.

54. Hancock, B., 2020. Minature house [Photograph]. England.

55. Russell, I., 2020. Driftwood house [Photograph]. England.

56. Wood, F., 2020. Blue tack house [Photograph]. England.

57. Hancock, B., 2020. Sim’s virtual house [Photograph]. England.

58. Thornton, M., 2020. Painted rock house [Photograph]. England.

59. Free, B., 2020. Hairstyle [Photograph]. England.

60. Tittley-West, O., 2020. Hairstyle [Photograph]. England.

61. Rees, B., 2020. Hairstyle [Photograph]. Wales.

62. Gough, L., 2020. Hairstyle [Photograph]. England.

63. Gough, J., 2020. Plant cuttings [Photograph]. England.

64. Xa Van, H., 2020. Crochet [Photograph]. Vietnam.

65. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Baking [Photograph]. England.

66. Gough, J., 2020. Homemade tortillas [Photograph]. England.

67. Wood, B., 2020. Paper marbling [Photograph]. England.

68. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Neighbour’s contribution [Photograph]. England.

69. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Friend’s artwork [Photograph]. England.

70. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Neighbour’s applique cushion [Photograph]. England.

71. Stone-Fewings, K., 2020. Friend’s artwork [Photograph]. England.

72. Johnson, L., 2020. Watercolour sketch [Photograph]. France.