White Wall Wednesday: A Revival

White Wall Wednesday: A Revival

“Supernova”, self-portrait, September 2018

A couple of years ago I started a video series called White Wall Wednesday.

The mission: Prove that you can create beautiful imagery with no budget.

The motivation: I started with no budget and no resources. I wanted to go back to basics.

The result: Lots of messages from people saying that they were inspired to create with what little they had.

If you know me, you know my mission in life is to inspire in any way possible, and preferably through action. By showing what is possible with a white wall, some bed sheets, and an overactive imagination, my aim was to lead the way to accessible creativity.

What is accessible creativity, and why promote it?

Artists kind of have a bad rep. And, I sort of get it. Artists are known for being mysterious and keeping a tight lock on their secrets. Why would we want creativity to be accessible if that’s how we make our money?

If that’s your opinion, you are entirely entitled to it. And I am entitled to disagree, respectfully.

I believe that, while it can be intimidating to give tools to create art for fear of copying or putting yourself out of business, I don’t think that is usually what ends up happening.

When we give more tools to more people to be more creative, we build a more interesting, inclusive, and ingenious world. What if the building blocks of our interactions and experiences was creativity, and what if more people felt they could express themselves emotionally through art? I personally think it would make for a much richer experience.

But that’s just me. And well, this blog is me. So, queue White Wall Wednesday.

If I can create a video series that promotes accessible creativity, I’m all for that.

White Wall Wednesday gives ideas and concrete tips about how to create with less, plus a big splash of joy in every episode. Because I love what I do, and I love it so much that I want to infect you with my happiness.

In a nice way, of course.

I also offer up White Wall Wednesday as a challenge. Follow along, and create your own White Wall Wednesday. If you want to show this community what you’re making, you can do so in a couple ways.

First, share a link in the comments of my blog or in the comments on YouTube.

Second, use the hashtag #WhiteWallWednesday and I’ll be sure to give that search a go once a week to check out the creations.

And finally, I’d really appreciate you sharing this video and this series. As time goes on I’ll share more and more about my process, how creating simply can be impactful, and give you weekly doses of encouragement to keep going in your craft, no matter what seems to be stacked against you.

This video is more of an introduction. The following weeks will get juicier.

Slurp.

 

21 thoughts on “White Wall Wednesday: A Revival

  1. Wonderful, I have always loved the White Wall Wednesdays!
    I doubt I will be making any photos this month though, I am very busy getting ready for this big art conference out in California on the 4th of next month. 😉 LOL
    Can’t wait for next weeks video! 🙂

  2. Brooke, thank you for bringing back WhWW. I love the concept and creativity that goes with the series. You are not only inspirational with what you create but motivational by giving others some tools and permission to follow suit. I’m a true believer that what we put out in the universe comes back to us; my hope is yours always comes back 100 fold. Oh, so will I create, yes, once I wrap my head around the how.

  3. I love this! I love how you give actual tips and examples to people so we can create with little material. You actually do it and show us it is possible, this gives me hope and reassurance.
    I’ve always felt less of a creator because I do work with white walls (pink walls too, sometimes there is no white wall available!) and no studio lights or pro material. I have my lame camera, my bedroom, and an isothermal silver cardboard I found in the basement to reflect light… I create my self-portraits with that (you can see them on my IG if you want : http://instagram.com/perrotinsusan/) and they are not very successful… but this is what I love to do so I keep going and hopefully one day more people will appreciate it.
    Thank you for your videos and other tips and stories, you are very helpful!

    1. Susan, thank you so much for sharing! I LOVE your self-portraits. They are refreshing and I really enjoy them. Happy to know you’re on the white (or pink or silver) wall train!!

  4. Yes I have almost every day I tell myself I don’t have…so I can’t possibly make a photo… thank you so much for the push and the encouragement.

  5. I love this so much Brooke! White Wall Wednesday really helped me to begin creating! Because of it, I am where I am now – working towards a portfolio of at least 20 images and working towards art being my career 🙂 I love that you share your tools and of yourself. I could never be you, but what I learn from you I can use to be a closer “me” 🙂

    Here are some of mine (White wall/bedsheet)

    The one that kickstarted it all:
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/art-reach-for-the-stars/

    The rest that followed 🙂
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/love-thyself/
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/in-fear-there-is-temptation/
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/coffee-is-life/
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/head-in-the-clouds/
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/up-in-smoke/
    http://www.adbrucephotos.com/memories-of-winter/

  6. Hi Brooke,
    I have followed your work for a while now and am very inspired by you like many others. There’s is something that I often wandered about so I decided just to ask you: why are you never nude, in images like below. Is that a shy thing? An American thing? You suggest with the plain tight clothes that you are but you can always see that you’re dressed. Never thought about leaving them out? I mean, it is nothing erotical but just an esthetic thing in my opinion. Hope you are not offended by my question.
    hug Norma

  7. Hi Brooke! I thank you so much for being so inspirational. I found your class on Creativelive about 6 months ago and have followed you ever since. I have felt.. No I wont lie I feel I will never be good enough..creative enough.. shoot even pretty enough to be successful…Wait! for every negative though I have had you have had an inspirational answer to my plight. I need to just do it to drop that fear on the ground and create it if that’s what I am right now.. So yes that is what I am going to do. I have been on this journey for about 4 years trying to find what is I am good at.. really I guess trying to find who I am I guess. If you look at my social mediahttps://instagram.com/jeweledfernphotography/ my creative journey it’s all over the place!! LOL But I think I have found home and I just need to get comfortable with it, comfortable with myself I think is my first hurdle. Without continuing to ramble.. I cant begin to tell you how much you have inspired and encouraged me and If I could just find a way to have more time to learn Photoshop skills better things might fall into place. I look forward to watching you and anticipate your words of encouragement and and hope someday to be an encouragement and creative force for others like you are to me. Thank you!

  8. When I was young I often dreamed of flying. This image is how I came down for landing. It used to be scary to land but nowadays there is no fear. I often wonder what these dreams mean for me. My last dream of flying was the first one I had of night flying so I am moved with so many feels seeing this.

    The tips are great as usual. I really like the post!

  9. Muchas felicidades eres muy talentosa me identifiqué mucho con tu trabajo, es extraordinario. saludos desde México

  10. hi Miss Shaden!i need ur help as my friend is a fine art student and is given a topic of BrookeShaden. your inspirations.. what brought you to the art and all about you… i saw your wikipedia but i couldnot find your inspirations there… i’ll be very gratefull if u’ll help me out…

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