Challenge 36 : Speak Up

[digitalMindy]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/speakup-ch.jpg
Art. It speaks to us. It speaks to our hearts and to our minds. If it's really good it will speak to our very souls. Art should say something, not just be pretty. Recently I got a lot of flack for a wall I did that portrayed an actress as I see her. I don't care that people don't like it. What I wanted to say about that actress, I expressed in my art.

So for this challenge I want you to say something. You could tell me that you hate the color pink, tell me that you yearn for Joaquin Phoenix, hell you could even tell me that I suck. But what I'm really looking for is something deeper. Tell me what drives you. Tell me what causes you stand behind and what issues drive you mad. Tell me that you want to end the killing in Iraq, tell me that the very skinny women in Hollywood make you scared for our young women, tell me what you feel passionately about.

Speak up. Make a statement.

You can do this by making a public service announcement poster, blending a scene or you could just make an artistic statement using stock imagery. I don't care how it's done. But if you are unsure about what you have in mind, just ask me. No harm in that.

Rules
Fandoms: Completely open. Anything goes. An explanation is only necessary if you feel it is.
Sizes: Any. I'll even accept a batch of at least 20 icons as one entry for those that express themselves in a smaller format.
Entries: Unlimited. Go crazy if you need to. Art everything that you feel passionate about.
Deadline: September 11

EDIT:
Please do NOT edit your entries in, I want to see what you come up with as you come up with it. :)

[~M@rie~]

Okay, I just gotta say that I loooove this challenge! :heart: Expect many entries from me (or I'll at least try. Damn school!)

First Entry: Pink Canine Love
http://left-unspoken.net/starryskies/walls/misc/th_bobo_pink_love.jpg
800x600 (http://left-unspoken.net/starryskies/walls/misc/bobo_pink_love.jpg)

Picture: Mine (taken by my step-dad)
Brushes: More Adventurous, Hybrid Genesis
Tutorial & Tips: J.j.'s text tutorial (posted here)
Text: Mine

You want us to stand up for something through art, so I decided to express my love for my dog. She's a female blond lab named Bohème and we have a very close relationship (she's a working dog and she helps lots because I'm in a wheelchair). This is the first time that I've made a piece about someone in my family but it was a lot of fun; it made me discover that we can express anything with art and I think that this is the goal of your challenge. So, thank you! :hug:

[EndersWrath]

Okay so this is just the first of my entries, I'm working on a much more serious one at the moment so that's to come soon ... in the mean time ...

Pretty self explanitory... I hate Piz... and his stupid goofy smile.

I Hate Piz
http://u-mockers.obsessionofthemoment.com/thumbnails/ihatepizthumb.jpg
1024 (http://u-mockers.obsessionofthemoment.com/wallpapers/veronicamars/charactersandcouples/ihatepiz.jpg)

credits:
image: do you like marshmallows
texture: blacklagoon and tokyo.disparue.org

[Jenni Lou]

I've spent literally the past 9 hours working on this thing and frankly, I am relieved to be done with it. :p I know a lot of people don't like a lot of images on fanarts but it's something I have enjoyed doing lately so...yeah. :D

So basically I wanted to proclaim "BE YOURSELF" and I used Sydney Bristow in all her various guises to showcase that. I hope it makes sense but then again, art doesn't always have to make sense. Anyway...great challenge! It really made me stretch my imagination. :)

http://fractured-simplicity.net/daydreaming/fanart/albums/alias/syd/normal_beyourself.jpg (http://fractured-simplicity.net/daydreaming/fanart/displayimage.php?pos=-1769)

credits.
images/caps: spy-caps.com, alias media
brushes: mines, appendix squared
stocks: carton, sxc
gradients: mine

[Firecracker]

Fantastic idea for a challenge!!!

Entry One: Obsession.

There is something about the character of Locke that has bugged me from day one, and the obsession he has with the island and protecting it ect... people have died, and he has killed people for this... he is always ranting one thing or another about the island, and his connection to it... he claims to have ''seen into the eye of the island'' and yet we haven't, we the viewers still have so many unanswered questions, all we know is Locke's beliefe/faith in the island and how this drives his actions. I wanted to use the space beside Locke to show the island as we the viewers see it... a mystery.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/78654/2007%20art/OBSESSION_SM.jpg
1024 (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/78654/2007%20art/OBSESSION.jpg)

Caps: Lost Media. Textures: Immortal Kiss, Obsession of the moment. Text: Locke.

[Sebina]

Entry One: Beautiful Nature

This entry is besically my statement about nature and how beautiful it really is. Even a simple picture of the mountains in Austria can be breath taking. So I just used Stock Images to make this wallpaper.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t50/Binec2/th_NatureWallpaper.jpg (http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t50/Binec2/NatureWallpaper.jpg)

Credits.
Images- SXC.hu
Gradients- Misplaced, Blacklagoon

[Jenni Lou]

Another one. From Weeds. Basically the same message as before. This is a quote from the character. A really great scene I will have to fanart one day.


http://fractured-simplicity.net/daydreaming/fanart/albums/weeds/normal_celia.jpg (http://fractured-simplicity.net/daydreaming/fanart/displayimage.php?pos=-1771)

credits.
everything is mine on this one except for a couple stocks from sxc. :p

[Peace]

My entry:
Pink
http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/touched_bangel2/pink_sm.jpg
1024x768 (http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/touched_bangel2/pink.jpg)
(SMG manip)

I love pink. I adore it. It makes me crazy. :lol: :heart:

[colour_me_troll]

Ruby Tuesday

I've probably misinterpreted the song lyrics completely... but its the point that matters, right?

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/1729/rubytuesdaygy6.th.jpg (http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rubytuesdaygy6.jpg)

I just wanted to say that what matters in life is who you are, where youre going, and how well you roll with the flow... it think.
And I wanted to express that through Willow because her purity and how she was only ever herself was inspiring... and also she has red hair, thus "ruby".
The lyrics can be found here (http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rolling+stones/ruby+tuesday_20117876.html):

[DigitalLeonardo]

Guns & Sex
I was really inspired by the stock image and I just went with it. I used a SMG head and maniped it, rather then using the model I thought having a celeb would be more... well better.
The original text said "A World Run By Sex and Guns, but please... lets worry about the enviorment" and there was an american flag in the background, but I thought it was too much and dropped the flag, but I liked the background so I kept it.
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/2937/sexandgunsprewn3.jpg (http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/4678/sexandgunsbj3.jpg)
stock/sarah image: http://linzstock.deviantart.com/, http://dana.thedudes.nu/gallery/index.php/
texture: http://moments.misplaced.co.uk
brushs: http://jennssanity.blogspot.com/

[debbiefm]

Great idea for a challenge. Spent ages trying to narrow it down as there are a LOT of things I love and a LOT that annoy me.

First up War....any sort. I know that sometimes you can't let tyrants do whatever they want to their people but too many innocent lives are lost purely to satisfy greedy governments. Children end up orphaned, soldiers lose their lives because of "friendly fire". Anyway that's the brief version of how I feel. This wall is about what I hate (war) and something I love (My Chemical Romance) I just LOVE Gerard in his military style clothes and I decided to incorporate him inot this as his clothes have a civil war type thing going on.


War
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7242/wargw6.th.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wargw6.jpg)
Credits:
Images: the immortality project
Textures: misplaced, wreck of the day
For Lyrics : War by Bruce Springsteen

Next up is Woody Allen. The guy just gives me the utter heebie jeebies and basically I think he's a dirty old man. He may be a good actor/writer (don't know as I can't stand to watch anything of his) but for someone to marry their "adopted daughter" (they both claim he didn't adopt her..she was Mia Farrows adopted daughter from a previous relationship) who was 35 YEARS younger than him makes me want to puke. Mia also claimed during divorce proceedings that Woody had been sexually molesting their 7 year old adopted daughter..the judge ruled that this was inconclusive (I'll leave it up to you all to decide on that one).

Wanted
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8242/wantedjl7.th.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wantedjl7.jpg)

Credits:
Images: googled it
Texture: obsession of the moment

[LRae12]

Well, for my entry I decided to do a peice about Dean from Supernatural....he is such a rebel, and rebels have always been close to my heart....cough*I am one*cough. :p And it's all right to be a rebel...some of the greatest people in history were deemed 'rebels'. In fact our country wouldn't even exist had we not rebelled against Britain before the Revolutionary War. So, yeah, Rebellion is an ok topic that needs to be proclaimed :D


Credits:

Pic: Not sure, I think it was a google image search quite a while back
Texture: Infinite Illusions
Brushes: My own


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/LRae12/rebel2small.jpg



1024 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/LRae12/rebel2.jpg)

[Ehlwyen]

Entry One - A Song for the Optimists
http://www.quicksand.ohstatic.net/thumb/songforoptimiststiny.jpg
1024 (http://www.quicksand.ohstatic.net/musicart/songforoptimists.jpg)
www.sxc.hu, www.moments.misplaced.co.uk
Lyrics: Atreyu - A Song for the the Optimists


Entry Two - A Shot of Clarity
http://www.quicksand.ohstatic.net/thumb/shotofclaritytiny.jpg
1024 (http://www.quicksand.ohstatic.net/musicart/shotofclarity.jpg)
www.sxc.hu, www.moments.misplaced.co.uk
Lyrics: Atreyu - Five Vicodin Chased with a Shot of Clarity


Neither of mine are really intuitive. They are more about me having courage to speak about something within myself rather than to say a public statement on something. But if I was to sum them up into succinct life lessons, they are both about good people choosing to wrongly deal with the pressures of life.

The first one is about the person who always plays it fair yet never getting ahead. Finally one day the person decides that being nice doesn't pay and that they should do like others and do whatever it takes to get ahead regardless of who gets hurt. Ultimately, the person's life and dreams end in ruin because they betrayed their own personal beliefs.

The second one is about getting caught up in all the bad things, believing the glass is half empty, and then giving up. Only then to immediately realize the mistake of it's better to have half a glass than no glass at all.

Don't worry, I'm still me, but even the best of us have our times of doubt. And I'm pretty pleased with the different pieces of art that came out of it. :D These lyrics were too dark and personal to ever use with fanart so I was glad to have a reason to put them to something else. I think I've had "watching aspirations" as my location for six weeks wanting to use it as something. Glad to finally get that out there.

Lol, also these pieces are to say how much I love the band Atreyu. :D

[Sebina]

Entry Two - Wonderful World

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t50/Binec2/th_WonderfulWorldWallpaper.jpg (http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t50/Binec2/WonderfulWorldWallpaper.jpg)

This wallpaper was inspired by Louis Armstrong's song called Wonderful World. The reason why I choose the places which are featured in the wallpaper is because of the diversity and the fact that all of these places are a part of the worlds 7 wonders.

Credit
Images - SXC. hu
Gadients - Misplaced
Textures - Misplaced

[wenj]

Entry One

http://blacklagoon.ohstatic.net/updates/besexybig.jpg
1024 (http://blacklagoon.ohstatic.net/art/sexandthecity/besexy.jpg)

Credits:
Textures: Mine, Daydreamig, More Adventurous, Ugly Business
Gredients: Daydreaming
Stocks: More Adventurous
Images: Daydreaming

Okay, so I know this is a little...obtuse, but I hope it works. Basically this piece was inspired by the show Sex and the City. I love how the characters are flawed, the relationships are not perfect and the over all feel of the show is just learning to be comfortable in your skin and your environment (no matter how impossible). This piece is pretty much a culmination of all of that. Live your life your way, love yourself, your friends and don't be afraid to get out there and meet Mr. Right...or Right Now in some of their cases...Laugh, after all 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' and above all be SEXY! Have fun!

[Zugma]

In my first entry, I tried to express the idea of true freedom: that you always can find it inside of you, and that you only can be free if your mind is free. I used Prison Break theme and a few lines from Richard Lovelace's poem, To Altea, from Prison (http://search.able2know.com/About/3019.html):

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/zugma/aprison-sm.jpg
1280 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/zugma/aprison1280.jpg) || 1024 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/zugma/aprison1024.jpg) || 800 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/zugma/aprison800.jpg)

I hope this fits with the challenge criteria :)

[digitalMindy]

Great entries so far everyone. Remember, passion. Let your entries speak for your passion. Whatever that may be.

Also, I will be closing this challenge at 9:38 am Eastern (6:38 am my time) on September 11. This is a significant time for me and something that I feel passionately about.

[Bre]

Entry One: Addiction

http://infiniteillusion.primordialsouls.com/other/other/music_addiction_mini.jpg
1024 (http://infiniteillusion.primordialsouls.com/other/other/music_addiction.jpg)

It took me a long while to think of something for this challenge. I had ideas, but nothing that I actually felt passionate about, would argue about and just love to kibbles and bits, and then it hit me: Music. I. Love. Music. I know there are so many people who feel as strongly as me for music, it's been one of the few that have been a constant all my life. I know that I can always turn to music to give me company, to make me laugh, make me sing (badly, :p ), make me dance, just give me such a fantastic happines when you hear that one song that you just can't get enough of. The songs that I listened to while making this (my current obsessions) were: "Icky Thump" - The White Stripes, "Beautiful Girls" - Sean Kingston, "Umbrella" and "Shut Up and Drive" - Rihanna. I've had a busy day with iTunes. :D

As for the piece itself, I wanted to make music the main element, so I only used stocks. I wanted a music note in there because a lot of the music I listen to doesn't have lyrics, just notes, classical or aggressive, as well as an iPod because it's like the fifth limb I never knew I was missing. I added in the smaller lines of a few of the artists that I have on said iPod and the quote I got from http://www.quoteland.com/ and it just... works very nicely, because music is my addiction.

Texture: Black Lagoon
Gradients: Mine
Images: stock.xchnge
Text: Allan Bloom, my iPod

Fantastic challenge, hun. :hug:

[amy1234]

It took me a while to think of one for this challenge, and before i saw Bre's i was going to do music too, but i didnt want to copy, so i focused on my other passions too, music i absulutly love!, make up i love doing my make-up and hair in a morning and throughout the day, and i love painting and drawing, so i added that to the piece too, And for the words i used music. makeup. and i figured all the things i love has somithing do with some sort of art so i added that too, I hope that made sense:)
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/338/musicmakeupartrw4.th.jpg (http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=musicmakeupartrw4.jpg)
credits:
stock: sxc;google
brushes:misplaced

[little albatross]

Yay, I've actually gotten a piece done for a challenge :xd

Smart Chicks
I wanted to make something out of Xander's "Smart chicks are so hot" exclamation from the gift. And then I got to thinking of the Ravenclaw house in the Harry Potter world ("Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure!"), and decided to combine those a bit. I made a piece, featuring one of my favorite "smart chicks" and added some Ravenclaw elements (colors, eagle symbol)...to show my love for smart, female characters (or smart females in general) because they're usually the ones I admire most :D

http://adventurous.all-thats-left.net/ats/tn-smartchicks.gif
1024 (http://adventurous.all-thats-left.net/ats/smartchicks.jpg)

image: paap
pattern: mine
textures: tokyo
brushes: headlock, liminal state

[colour_me_troll]

Slightly mundane, this entry, but I just needed to get this out:
Flowers in the hair was not a general characteristic of Punk.
I dont know what that song was about, whether she wanted to be a punk, but wanted to keep her girlyness also, or whether she just got confused between hippies and punks, but all I know, is I HATED that stupid song!
http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/2909/witflowrsinmahhairho3.th.jpg (http://img398.imageshack.us/my.php?image=witflowrsinmahhairho3.jpg)
Pics: PYMCA (http://www.pymca.com/index2.pgi)
texture: Alone with my pride
Quote: I wish I was a punk rocker (with flowers in my hair) - Sandi Thom

[Pandora's_Box]

First Entry
Life

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f93/panbox002/panbox_buffywall_01/life2.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f93/panbox002/panbox_buffywall_01/Life.jpg

I have this thing with religion, some have already figured it out on another thread, and I'm not gonna open a discussion here about that, well not completely. I saw Jesus Camp the other day and take my word for it, every minute I was at an inch to go in a plane for that camp and kick some arse, because this challenge is about speaking up and one thing I'll always speak up for is free will an that's exactly what have been taken to these childs. So I choose this picture of the movie because it has strong meanings, it represents a child gagged and I like the irony of that picture choose for a Speak Up challenge because that child doesn't speak and still give a message, a message of life, that's why I didn't add text or lyrics, the picture speak by itself, and I made the upper part black to represent the absence of who-you-know, not to make a particular statement or critizise people with faith, I do respect them, it's the exact opposite, it's a way to show that if God exist, he's not responsible for this Jesus Camp, men are.
I apologize in case I hurted anybody's feelings it's not my attempt and say again that I respect everyone's faith, beliefs or point of views...except those from Jesus Camp fundators...some could find me quite harsh, well the challenge was about speaking up...I spoke.


Ressources: Soar Above The Sky, OOTM, Misplaced, Daydreaming

[digitalMindy]

Challenge Is Now Closed

[digitalMindy]

I just want to say thank you to all the participants of this challenge. There were a lot of really great entries and I had a difficult time deciding the places.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/9852f7b6.jpg


Encouragement and Honour awards ...

debbiefm - I chose this entry for an encouragement award because I really love the lightheartedness of the subject. I coincidentally will never watch a Woody Allen joint because he creeps me out. But back to the art, I think this would've worked better as a poster without the stuff behind it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/fa9e986a.jpg (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wantedjl7.jpg)

Pandora's_Box - I chose this entry for an encouragement award because I like how passionate you are regarding the subject. I think the wall is missing some key design elements but I feel the raw and gritty feel behind it does set it apart and gets that point across that you were trying to convey.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/58a97953.jpg (http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f93/panbox002/panbox_buffywall_01/Life.jpg)

little albatross - I chose your entry for an honour award because I like the statement behind the art. I like the design and the way you outlined Amy/Fred. However, I do not like the text/font. I think it distracts from the beauty of the wall and I personally would have used another font.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/ba01ec4b.jpg (http://adventurous.all-thats-left.net/ats/smartchicks.jpg)

~M@rie~ - I chose your entry for an honour award because I really love the sentiment. I think it could have used a few more details, like brush work and some textures. But I really love that you arted your beloved pet.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/4dc6c709.jpg (http://left-unspoken.net/starryskies/walls/misc/bobo_pink_love.jpg)



And for the place awards ...

I chose these particular entries for their supreme style and excellent design.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/3b4312dd.jpg (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/78654/2007%20art/OBSESSION.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/9fa86d3c.jpg (http://fractured-simplicity.net/daydreaming/fanart/albums/alias/syd/beyourself.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/2e60fe5e.jpg (http://blacklagoon.ohstatic.net/art/sexandthecity/besexy.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/06cda4fe.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v56/zugma/aprison1280.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/84252630.jpg
(http://infiniteillusion.primordialsouls.com/other/other/music_addiction.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/mindylynn/a97d4b79.jpg (http://www.quicksand.ohstatic.net/musicart/shotofclarity.jpg)

[Pandora's_Box]

That award will have a special place for me because I wasn't sure people really get it and I have the feeling I kinda fought for that challenge, fought for what I thing is right, so even if you don't share my point of view, thanks for understanding what I tried to tell.

[~M@rie~]

Thanks for the award, Mindy! :hug: It's goregous and this challenge was really amazing. I wish I could've submitted more entries. Congrats to all the winners and participants!

[little albatross]

WOO! You work fast ;) Thanks for the award, and the feedback :D Awesome challenge, I enjoyed it and I could tell it was really special to you.

[Jenni Lou]

Thanks so much! It was a truly spectacular challenge idea with tons of neat and inspiring entries! Congrats all! And thanks for my super pretty award!! :heart:

[Bre]

Oooh!!! Yay! Thank you, sweets, for the gorgeous award! Completely unexpected! Lovely awards, and in such short time! :p Also, I like the bronze-silver-gold idea, very different. Congratulations to the other winners, thank you! :xd:

[omri]

Awesome awards! congrats to all the winners!

[debbiefm]

Thanks soo much for the encouragment award..it's beautiful.:hf2: Take on board what you said about the poster bit..I agree..but I didn't know how to do a poster. Anyways congrats to all the winners. There was some stunning art and I thought it was a great idea for a challenge:heart:

[LRae12]

Fun challenge...interesting to see a bit of personality from each of the artists. Congratulations to all of the winners....:)

[Zugma]

Yay, thank you for the great challenge and the pretty award Mindy :D

And congrats to other winners, especially Ehlwyen and Bre - your entries were brilliant!

[wenj]

Wow! :thud: I wasn't really expecting that!! Thanks for the lovely award Mindy!!! :heart: And for the great challenge!!

Congrats to all winners, the pieces were fabulous!!

[Peace]

Thank you for this amazing challenge and congratulations to the winners!

[Ehlwyen]

Such a challenging challenge Mindy!! I actually feel like a better fanartist for it! It opened my eyes to trying new things! :hugs:

:thud: Gorgeous awards and omg at how speedy you were at posting! :2party: Amazing entries by everyone!! :heart:

[Obsessed]

Congrats to all of the winners and lovely awards!

[Firecracker]

Thank you so much for the beautiful award, I thought this was a great idea for a challenge, only wish I could have made more entries for it... :hug:

Congrats to all the winners :)