Four Quarters

Time quarters refer to the four quarters found by dividing the year directly into four. Each quarter contains three months. The four quarters are:

• Q1 contains January, February and March.
• Q2 contains April, May and June.
• Q3 contains June, July and August.
• Q4 contains October November December.

These are the usual time quarters that are used for business.

The seasons are different and start at specific dates in the year.

They begin are around the 21st of March, June, September and December.

Natural Rhythms

I like the idea of aligning myself with the natural rhythms of the Sun much like phenology.

I thought it would be a good idea to create the Seasons of Art challenge which will happen four times a year during each season.

It’s up to you whether you do the full Four Seasons in any given year.

Season of Art – Winter 2022

The first Season of Art kicked off on December 21st, 2022.

Use the hashtag of #seasonsofartchallenge asthis avoids the winter is north and summer is south issue completely.

The start of December 21st, 2022, will align to the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere and for those of you living South of the equator, it will be the beginning of summer.

Northern Hemisphere Centric

Because I am writing this from Vancouver, Canada in the northern hemisphere, I will refer to northern hemisphere seasons although I do respect the southern hemisphere folk as I did live in South Africa south of the equator, for most of my life.

If this all sounds complicated, then I apologise.

The point is to work with the natural seasons created by the Sun.

Wheel of The Year

The Wheel of the Year is a diagram that divides the year up in a natural way.

Solar Quarter Days

The division start with the two solstices and the two equinox divides the wheel of the year into four solar quarters.

The four quarters are the Four Seasons.

Each season begins as the Sun transits the equinox or solstice points.

Pagan Quarter Days

The pagan quarter days have special names.

• March the 21st is known as Ostara.
• June the 21st is known as Litha.
• September the 21st is known as Mabon.
• December 21st is known as Yule.

Cross Quarter Days

The cross-quarter days are the midpoints of each of the four quarters.

Each of the solar quarters can again be divided by the midpoint day which is typically the first of the month’s February, May, August and November.

In the Pagan world the cross-quarter days have special names some of which may be more familiar to you than others.

Pagan Cross Quarter Day Names

• The first of February is Imbolc.
• The first of May is Beltane.
• The first of August is Lammas.
• The first of November is Samhain, and this time is better known and celebrated on October 31st as Halloween.

Seasons of Art – 13 Weeks

Each quarter contains 13 weeks. The idea of Seasons of Art is to draw thirteen artworks in each season.

Below are the thirteen prompts for each season upcominging.

Even though each quarter may start at a different day in the week, I’m counting the weeks from Sundays.

Weeks

Week one would be from the Sunday to the Saturday and then week two would start on the next Sunday.

The reason I choose Sundays is because I believe it’s the first day of the week.

How to Win the Seasons of Art Challenge

What

Every Sunday draw a picture using the Seasons of Art prompt for that week.

Seasonal Prompts

You may start by just completing one season’s worth of artworks.

Perhaps you will do the Winter or Summer season.

How

You can use your favorite medium like markers, pen and ink, colored, pencil watercolor, acrylics or oils etc.

It’s up to you.

Timeline

You have one week to complete each drawing, so there is no rush.

Once you have completed the first season you can continue on and create 52 artworks for the year.

Winner

You win when you have completed the whole challenge and you have 52 artworks to be proud of.

Good luck.

Winter Prompts Page

Below is the Winter prompts page in my Seasons of Art Journal for 2023.

I’ve written the prompts in the first quarter (or season) of the book.

This will act as a reminder of what I was doing when I look at the journal in years to come.

Seasons of Art Challenge – Silver

In this image I imagined the Moon to be silver and to have a silvery glow to the top side of the tree’s branches.

I may still have to get out my actual silver inks to bring this one more to life.

Seasons of Art Challenge – Hibernate

Here I drew a grizzly bear hibernating in a cave through the cold winter months.

I noted the proper name of Ursus Arctos as well. Who knew?

Seasons of Art Challenge Artworks

Below are some more of the artworks from the Seasons of Art Winter Challenge. 

Some are not quite finished yet but I though I’d add them anyway so you can see how far I’ve got.

The Inktober Challenge

Inktober is a challenge you take with yourself.

The task to create one ink drawing every day for the month of October.

To win Inktober is to complete thirty-one drawings in the tenth month.

Many people start Inktober, but not everybody completes it, and I can attest to this.

Inktober is not a competition against other people, but rather it is a contest with yourself.

The question is, “Are you able to create one new ink drawing every day for thirty-one days?”

That is the challenge of Inktober.

When you complete all thirty-one drawings before the month has ended you win Inktober.

Inktober Winner

See how one artists won Inktober.

I was fortunate to interview an artist who did AHAtober for the first time and completed all the artworks.

Check out her story here.

Previous Inktober Years

I’ve started Inktober before, but I’ve never completed.

I believe that this year I will get there.

I’m more of an artist than ever before so I am up for the challenge.

AHAtober Prompts

If you want to be traditional you can find this year’s official Inktober prompts here.

As an aspiring artist, I have created my own Inktober prompts this year and they are all related to self-care.

I plan to use my Inktober drawings as the basis of a coloring book which I plan to publish next year.

This year my personal Alison Hazel Art Inktober theme is around supporting mental health, mindfulness and neurographic topics like rest, reflection and the work/life balance.

I feel these are the topics I mainly focus on in my art practice and I want to share them with you.

Inktober Journal

I have a new journal dedicated to Inktober this year it is a Stillman and Birn Nova Series sketchbook with toned paper.

The size is 3 ½ by 5 ½ inches or 9cm by 14cm.

Note that this is a pocket sized notebook.

I believe this will help me complete Inktober because I only have to draw a small artwork.

It has over 60 pages which is more than the 31 pages I need for one page per day.

I usually only draw on the right-hand page and leave the left side empty as it is the back of the previous artwork.

Cover Page

Below is my inside cover page. It is clearly written AHAtober, Inktober for Self-care, 2022.

So now when I look back at this journal in years to come I will immediately be reminded what it was all about.

Prompts Two-Page Spread

On the next full two-page spread I’ve written the full list of AHAtober prompts.

I have the 1st to the 16th or October on the left-hand page column and the 17th to the 31st on the right-hand page column.

This way when I’m out and about with my AHAtober journal I can see the day’s prompts and get right on drawing the artwork.

I plan to start these sketches early in the day. I may be at a coffee shop or on my lunch break and I have no reason not to at least draft the outlines.

Drawing Inks and Supplies

I recently started working with colored inks and I plan to use this medium in my Inktober challenge this year.

The art supplies I’ll be using are:

• Faber Castell Pitt Artist pens in sizes 0.3mm, 0.5mm and 0.7mm.
• White Gelly Roll pen by Sakura.
• Pigma Micron pens in black, grey and sepia in various sizes.
• Windsor and Newton colored drawing inks.
• Paintbrushs in assorted sizes.
• Journal by Stillman and Birn.

My Art Style and Process

As with most of my pen and ink drawings, I plan to start with a pencil sketch.

I’ll also have a border typically 1cm or half an inch wide.

Then I’ll do the black pen outline.

Next, I’ll add colored inks either with a pen or with a paintbrush.

Inktober Strategy

My strategy for Inktober for this year is as follows:

• I hope to win at Inktober22.
• I plan to only compete with myself.
• I will draw every day.
• I propose to learn more about how to work with inks.

Thank you for making me a part of your day.

Alison

Aspiring Artist Activity

Gather your Inktober sketchbook, pens and ink and please do the following:

Inktober Prompts

• Decide whether to use the official Inktober prompts, my Inktober prompts or create your own Inktober prompts.

Inktober Journal Setup

• On the first page write your name.
• Write the year.
• On the second page write the prompts list. This may flow over to two pages.
• On October 1st, start your first drawing perhaps on the right-hand page.
• Keep going inking every day and complete the challenge.

Share

• If you are comfortable, share your artworks with the hashtags #inktober or with my hashtag #AHAtober.

AHAtober Artworks

Below are some of the AHAtober artworks from you and me.

Tag me on your drawings and I’ll add them below.

AHAtober Diary

October 11th

I managed to get the first 9 drawings done on time, but since day 10, I’m now officially running behind.

I hope to catch up three days worth of artwork later on today.

To do a daily art challenge is exactly that – a challenge.

Alison

Author Bio

Alison Hazel is a mature woman who shares her ongoing journey about becoming an artist later in life. She creates simple art that anyone can make. She hopes to inspire you to reach your creative potential in the area that suits you.

Go here to read more about Alison’s story.

If you want to send Alison a quick message go here.

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