Naty Rosado

Colored pencil drawing.

2009-08-15T10:56:00.001-07:00

This colored pencil drawing won an award and I am highly pleased with it. The title is Carpintero done with Prismacolor Pencils.

Bananas & Oranges

2009-08-01T10:54:00.001-07:00

I am sure that this drawing would look better if I had taken a photo of it instead of scanning it. However, my camera needs batteries and I wanted to post it right away. It is colored pencils on paper and the size is 9 inches by 12 inches. I will eventually find, on line, the drawing paper I want but for the time being I am using recycled paper from Dick Blick Art Store.

Scanning colored pencil drawings

2009-07-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

I am having problems learning how to scan correctly the drawings I have done with colored pencils. This drawing is one that I scanned about 5 times before I could get the colors to stand out.

Mixed Media

2009-07-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been working with colored pencils, watercolor pencils, crayons and ink during the last week to do my paintings. I still have a lot to learn in using watercolor pencils. Usually I work with acrylics or colored pencils only. In this painting I first used colored pencils, then went over it with watercolor pencils. The result is pleasing but I need to learn how to control the wet brush.

Jean Schiff

2009-07-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jean Schiff (1929–2009)The Denver Post reports that Jean Schiff, artist and long-time art professor, has passed away. “She gave [students] a very solid foundation and influenced them to go and pursue their art,” said Leona Lazar, executive director of the Art Students League, where Schiff had taught. “She had this wonderful humor in her art as well as intelligence. It really impacted a lot of students who not only saw her work but studied with her.” Schiff taught at Metropolitan State College of Denver from 1971 until 1997 and taught for more than twelve years at the Art Students League. She was also a visiting professor at the University of London, as well as in Caracas, Venezuela; Chicago; Alberta; and other colleges in Colorado.
May 26, 2009

Jean was a fantastica teacher and she taught me everything I know about art. My condolences to her family!

Celtic Designs are Timeless by Tim Lazaro

2009-05-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Celtic designs stem from ancient times and continue to fascinate and enthrall modern artists and art lovers. The art forms are often used as a base for modern art. As Celts once loosely ruled Europe their artwork has played an influential role in many cultures across the continent. Celtic designs are made up of spirals, knot work, animal forms and zoomorphic illustrations.

Favorite Celtic designs in modern times Celtic designs are very symbolic and those wanting to use these designs in their artwork would like to use it in the same context as the artists of old. There are however very few accepted meanings of Celtic art. The symbolism depicted in Celtic knot work is seen to be the crossing of the spiritual with the physical paths in our lives. This is a condition that affects every life on earth and many art critics believe that the art work should depict the same meaning in the ancient as well as in the modern art.

Designs There are others that claim that Celtic design symbols are timeless and can be used by artists in a variety of ways and manners, regardless of the traditional symbolic meaning designs. A true symbolic meaning for the various Celtic knot designs has ended up as one huge debatable issue and many designers simply use the beautiful and intricate designs for their own purpose. The many artists and designers that make use of the Celtic knots and interlace designs do so merely for decorative purposes only.

Threefold Knot
The triquetrous or threefold knot is considered a very sacred number and is referred to as the Holy Trinity. There is no evidence however that there are other knots that specifically represent any other biblical figure or symbol. The threefold knot has also been criticized for being purely ornamental and has absolutely no connection to the Holy Trinity. Celtic interlace has been widely used since the 7th century and mostly for decorative purposes on crosses etc.

Eternity Knot A knot that has a closed path is called an eternity knot. As there is no beginning or end it may symbolize continuum. Many art scholars debate the fact that this is what was intended by the original artists. Knot work is depicted as a heritage emblem and anything that will reinforce the standing of the tradition is very welcome to use.

Lover's Knot
The lover's knot is the most common knot as it merely links two paths that have crossed. They are also known as the 'Josephine knot" or the 'granny knot'. The lover's knot can be considered as a very romantic and intimate knot as the physical and spiritual paths of the lovers have linked. Heart knots are as ancient as Celtic art itself but artists have found new ways in expressing the symbol. The knots represent a symbol of love and are widely used in jewelry and other designs.

The Celtic Cross Of all the designs made by Celts over the centuries the Celtic cross is probably the most powerful design of them all. The cross was adopted by the Christian church and used for centuries as an artifact. It was recently discovered and proved by a Scottish navigator that the cross was in existence long before the Christian religion took effect in Europe. The cross was also discovered on ancient Scandinavian rock art - long before the existence of the Christian religion. The navigator, EM Miller, made the awesome discovery that the cross was used for navigational purposes. He went on to prove that the instrument was also used in surveying and was sure that that was how the pyramids were built. Mr. Miller was convinced that the cross was developed by the Druids and that they had access to a higher knowledge.

Celtic design patterns have been calculated to go as far back as 2500 years and have given the world a whole new perspective of the spiritual and cultural values of these ancient people. They are no longer perceived as bloodthirsty and warmongering tribal bands that often fought each other just for the sake of fighting. Their artistic designs suggest intelligent, wealthy and strong cultural societies that have very intimate relationships with nature. The Celtic influence on European art and culture has been tremendous.

About the Author:Tim Lazaro is a Celtic Symbol enthusiast and like many others is a descendant of these ancient people. He owns and maintains All About Celtic Symbols, a resource for Celtic hobbyists.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Lazaro

Martin Ramirez

2009-04-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

I was googling art and the mentally ill when I discovered Martin Ramirez (1895 - 1963) who created nearly 300 drawings withing the confines of DeWitt State Hospital in northern California. Ramirez was in a mental institution since he was 30 years
of age and diagnosed as having schizophrenia. You can view him on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2ttSl1eM_s

Advantages of Using Digital Photograpy by Deniece Mize

2009-04-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Although this is the age of digital photography, one can still purchase cameras that use film. The key question is to ask why it is advantageous to use digital photography. What are the advantages of digital photography over the ordinary film camera? You will still many people that prefer using film not because they don’t know any better but because they just haven’t taken the time to weigh the advantages or are unfamiliar with modern technology much as the person who is afraid of computers. Anything new and different is scary for some people but to make things easier for those people it is important to look at the advantages of one over the other.

Before the era of digital photography many people lost beautiful pictures because they failed to take the film to be developed or lost the film until it was too old to guarantee quality processing. Keep in mind that film is only good for a limited period of time so if you misplace the used film or don’t take it for processing within a specific time, you will lose some of the quality of the photographs. With digital photography there is never a concern about the film expiring because there is no film. There is no need to worry about processing the photographs in a certain period because you can take the memory card at any time to get printed pictures or you can download the memory card to your computer and print your own photographs at any time you so desire.

Another advantage of digital photography is being able to see the photograph before you print it. Many times with film cameras the lighting was not right or we failed to focus correctly and the picture was blurry or otherwise distorted. With digital photography you can see the picture right then and if it is not perfect, you can delete that pose and begin again. This avoids the disappointment of losing a perfectly good pose because of focusing or exposure errors. You also do not have to take additional shots just to make sure one of them comes out the way you are hoping.

Digital photography has made picture taking for both amateurs and professionals easier. Even professional photographs can be delivered quicker because of digital photography and allow the customer to view and choose the pictures almost immediately instead of having to wait days for proofs and then another week or two for the pictures themselves.
About The Author
Deniece Mize wrote the Article “Advantages of Using Digital Photography” and recommends you visit http://www.freeinformation4you.com/ for more information Digital Photography

The Effects of Depression by Kevin Kielty

2009-04-16T11:34:00.000-07:00

This is an article I found on depression and wanted for you to read as many artists in the past and present suffer from depression:

Many people will experience some form of depression in their lifetime. Depression can range anywhere from mild and short-term to very severe and debilitating. If you feel yourself suffering from any type of depression, the most important thing you can do is to seek help.
There are several different types of depression. Major depression is the most severe type. The symptoms are debilitating and the sufferer will often deal with it throughout their lifetime. Another type of depression is called dysthymia. Its symptoms are not as severe as with major depression, but it can last for years. Manic-depression or bipolar disorder is another type of depression. The person with manic-depression swings from highs or manic states to lows or depressive states.

Major depression
Major depression affects all facets of the person's life. It can be the result of a stressful experience or it can be an accumulation of many stressful events and can last for many years. It is more common among women than men. Symptoms can include a constant sad mood, feelings of hopelessness, problems with sleeping, and loss of interest in food. Feelings of worthlessness are pervasive. Treatment often includes talk therapy, medications, and in some cases, electric shock therapy.

Dysthymia
Dysthymia is a chronic type of depression but the symptoms are less severe than with major depression. A person suffering from dysthymia will still be able to function, and hold down a job, but may not feel quite right. It is a type of a low level, constant depression. It affects more women than men. The causes are not known, but may be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Symptoms include a loss of interest in activities that one used to find enjoyable, and a negative outlook. Treatment is usually in the form of talk therapy and medications only if needed.

Bipolar disorder
With bipolar disorder or manic depression, the person swings between excessively high emotions and excessively low emotions. During the low periods, the person may experience loss of interest in food, difficulty sleeping and low self-esteem. During the high periods they will experience a high level of energy, a short attention span and sleep very little. It affects as many men as it does women. The cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. It may be a chemical imbalance in the brain, genetics or environment. Medication is often used in treatment of bipolar disorder.
Seek help

Depression in one form or another is a very common illness. It can keep people from leading normal healthy lives. It can destroy families, careers and self-esteem. It is more than just feeling "blue" every once in a while. If you feel you are suffering from depression and it is interrupting your family life or your work life, you need to seek the help of a qualified mental health professional.

To find a qualified therapist, you can start by consulting your health insurance company for a list of providers. You can also ask your clergy person, or family doctor for a referral. If you are employed, check to see if your employer has some type of referral network. If you feel you are suffering from some type of depression, the best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to seek help.

Kevin Kielty lives in North Carolina and writes articles on health insurance. If you are looking for rate quotes on health insurance in North Carolina, visit BCBSNC, also known as Blue Cross NC.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Kielty

How to Purchase Fine Art by Rachel Spohn

2009-01-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

You are finally at the stage in life where you can move from merely appreciating art to being able to purchase it for your home. But if you don't have much experience buying this luxury item, it can be a daunting task to find where, when, and how to buy. Here are a few guidelines for purchasing fine art that will have you soon on your way to buying like an expert.

When you are first considering a purchase, it is important to be as objective as possible. Make sure you get what you pay for by learning as much as you can about how the artistic market works and by gathering as much information as possible about the particular style, period, or artist you are interested in. Luckily, you have two ways of going about this pre-buying research. One method is to research the artist's significance and output in exhibition catalogues, books, and reviews by national and local critics. The second research method involves looking through available sale records in major public libraries and art galleries to determine how much the artist's work has gone for in the past.

Buying comes in all shapes and sizes; for instance you can choose to buy online, at an auction, or through a dealer. If it is your first time, your best bet is to find a gallery dealer. When buying through a gallery dealer, there are some key elements to consider before making a purchase.
The first is quality. A piece's quality is half subjective and half based on the artist's track record and his or her area within the artists' body of work that the piece is from. Another important element, rarity, can have an effect on quality. The rarity of a particular work is judged by the artist's output and availability.

A second consideration is condition. When it comes to determining value, a work's condition is a central factor, yet is often overlooked when a purchase is considered. To what extent has the work been cleaned, lined, and restored? A good dealer should be able to answer these questions and convey, in clear and understandable terms, the work's condition.

Third, authenticity. All qualified dealers will guarantee the authenticity of his or her merchandise in writing. One way of going about establishing authenticity is a work's exhibition history and provenance. (Provenance is a record of known ownership of a piece, in a lot of cases going back to the artist.) It is important to remember that authentic works can come with little or no provenance.

A final piece to the purchasing puzzle is the difference between dealer guarantees and auction "guarantees." A reputable dealer backs up your purchase, whereas an auction house is limited by "buyer beware" guidelines. It is important to understand that your protection is limited when buying at an auction.

Ferrell's Gallery (http://ferrellsartgallery.com/) brings Louisiana fine art within your reach with exquisite, guaranteed offerings. Rachel Spohn is a freelance writer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Spohn

Digital Art Galleries by Richard Romando

2009-01-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Digital art is a new breed of fine art. Digital artists have forged new ways to express their creativity with their computer-aided tools. Digital art galleries exhibit of artwork created with the help of computers.

There are a number of categories available in digital art such as computer-drawn art, digital painting, enhanced photography, digital photo painting, 2D and 3D digital art, techno, and algorithmic art. In addition to artwork, digital art galleries usually provide a wide selection of digital art CDs, books, periodicals, and journals.

The availability of photograph-manipulation software has increased the popularity of digital art. Mainly, there are two types of artwork: 2D and 3D graphics. The collections in digital art galleries generally include specially designed 2D and 3D graphics, motifs, drawings, digital photos, animated artworks, and specially taken photos. Digital paintings, prints, digital imaging, and mixed-media works are the other items commonly found in digital art galleries. You can view different versions of the same photos. For the creation of these different types artwork, image-editing software, various scanners, and desktop printers are used.

Digital art galleries mostly come online. They allow individuals to post their own artwork in different categories. Many online digital art galleries provide for sharing and learning art experience. Some of them offer low-cost education for individuals who are interested in learning digital art and design software. Digital art galleries also conduct exhibitions and competitions.
As the commercial illustration industry is growing with digital art technology, digital art galleries have become very popular all over the world. They assist artists and graphic designers in expressing their creativity in a short film, art piece, or photograph.

Art Galleries provides detailed information on Art Galleries, Art Gallery Dealers, Fine Art Galleries, Online Art Galleries and more. Art Galleries is affiliated with Framed Art Prints.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Romando

What You Need To Know To Price Your Artwork by Aaron Guldberg

2008-12-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

Attempting to put a price on your work is one of the hardest tasks there is. To do it properly, you have to remove your emotions about your creation and view it solely as a commercial product. You must then assess objectively how it compares with other similar art, consider why they should cost more than some and less than others along with what your clients can afford, and ultimately come up with a pricing structure.

Before you settle on a number, you need to understand all of the costs you will incur so that you ultimately profit from the sale. It's possible that some artists in the market have their own reproduction equipment, or have supplier agreements that allow them to sell work at a price that you not be able to.

Understanding your costs:

This may be obvious, but you need to know the cost to create or reproduce your work. Don't underestimate your time for the time you spend doing this you are taking time away from other important processes. If you are doing the reproduction yourself, it's simply the cost of the materials and your time, which you should base on an humble per hourly rate, in order to create the artwork.

If you decide to subcontract the reproduction of your work; use the cost they are charging you to do this. It's important that you ensure that their quality is up to your standard as it will be a reflection of your work. While you should price around to get the best deal, cost is not always the most important factor as the partnering company should to be responsive to your needs.

Also, don't forget about shipping costs, sales tax, and credit card processing fees. If you do not understand the cost structure around these fees in your transactions, your total margin will be significantly cut.

Recapturing Operational Expenses:

Try to build in some amount to recapture expenses for the initial creation of the artwork, and help cover other operational expenses (i.e. advertising, web site hosting, photography equipment, film). Coming up with this number will be a best guess that will evolve over time as you get a better handle of your expenses.

Profit Margin:

This is what you'll ultimately make on each sale. Each person needs to decide for themselves what their price strategy should be. You may want to consider, for example, setting lower price points thus making more money by moving more of your product. The alternative is to price your work higher and make more per unit. It is somewhat of a fine line, as you do not want to instill in the mind of collectors that your work is not of great value. However you want to keep your prices high enough so that you reinforce the value of your work to the collector base.

About The Author
Aaron Guldberg is the owner of http://criticalexposure.com/ and his company specializes in designing, developing and promoting artist web site for his clients. To learn more about the artist website design and marketing solutions that we offer, or to check out our artist web site readiness guide, please visit our website.

Abstract Art of Indian Artists by Amar Deep

2008-12-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

"Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and for colours, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential." - Wassily Kandinsky Contemporary abstract art work is becoming popular and this is happening not only in India, but also abroad. The market for this field of abstract art has been picking up in a more concerted way over the last couple of years. Here again, the buyers of abstract have not only increased in India, but internationally too including in the US, Europe, Australia, Singapore, China, Japan and Mauritius. Though the number of abstract artists in India is still very limited, they have enjoyed exclusivity, both in India and internationally.

According to a report in the Economics Times, the abstract work of artists like Manish Pushkale, Harshvardana, Kishor Shinde and Sujata Bajaj have achieved price ranges of between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. With Gaitonde, Raza and Swaminathan leading from the front, next in line of abstract artists are names like Prabhakar Kolte, Laxman Shrestha, Ambadas, Rajendra Dhawan and Ganesh Haloi. The third generation includes painters such as Akhilesh, Seema Ghurayya, Sujata Bajaj, Vanita Gupta, Sheetal Gattani and Manish Pushkale.

Abstract art is completely non-objective or non-representational. Abstract art is one without a recognisable subject, one which doesn't relate to anything external or try to "look like" something. Instead the colour and form (and often the materials and support) are the subject of the abstract painting.

The most common understanding of abstract art is as a phenomenon of 20th century. Abstract painting appeared at virtually the same time (1911) across the borders and continents of the cultures actively participating in Western culture. Therfore, it can not be pin pointed that who the first Modernist abstract painter was. It could have been Robert Delaunay in Paris; or the American Arthur Dove; the Russians Wassily Kandinsky or Kasimir Malevich; the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian; Franz Kupka, Balla in Italy or many others. Rather than an invention of an individual, abstraction in Modernist painting appeared as a cultural phenomenon.
With the prices of the master abstractionists having reached exorbitant levels, the middle and younger generation are being noticed world over and pushing forward on the price front.

Amardeep YadavArticle Writer athttp://www.techmagnate.com/
Writing for http://www.mysticstrokes.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amar_Deep

Our Lady of Guadalupe

2008-12-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Our Lady of Guadalupe has a beautiful place in my heart. When I moved to California 27 years ago I was introduced to Our Lady of Guadalupe by some friends. She is a beautiful Virgin that Mexicans adore. I would see her painted on tire covers, on blankets, and pillows. Whenever I visited my Mexican clients I would see her portrait in their homes. Mexicans pray for her and she is famous in the Mexican Community. Today many people celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe’s day and observe the importance of this day by going to Mass and having processions. Today Our Lady of Guadalupe is honored in many households all over the world. What I like about Our Lady of Guadalupe are the beautiful paintings that have been done about her. They are outstanding and unfortunately I cannot reproduce them here. But if you google Our Lady of Guadalupe and click on images you will see the outstanding artwork done on her.

The Economy and Art

2008-12-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

The economy is very bad. I have been losing sales in my greeting card business because people don’t have the money to buy anything. So I looked at the statistics for my greeting cards and noticed I sell more greeting cards in Spanish than in English. It appears that the Latino population is still buying greeting cards or that the competition isn’t that great with the Spanish cards. I noticed that cards that are very vibrant are selling well while the ones that have traditional colors and subject matters are not even been looked at. Hopefully the economy will get better in the future for people like me to have a chance to survive with our creations. When the economy goes down people, will not purchase pieces of art as they have to use their money for the essentials.

Wassily Kandinsky - The Color Fanatic, Abstract Art Innovator by: Annette Labedzki

2008-12-05T07:49:00.000-08:00

Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter, print maker, and art theorist, who has made significant contributions to the Modern Abstract Art. He was born on December 4, 1866, in Moscow, Russia. He grew in Odessa. As his parents played piano and zither, he also learnt to play the musical instruments. The influence of music is obvious in his works too. In his youth, Kandinsky chose to study law and economics. He subsequently enrolled in the University of Moscow. In 1896, however, prior to leaving Moscow, Wassily Kandinsky saw the exhibition of Monet's works. He was fascinated by the color techniques and the symbolization in those paintings, particularly in "Haystacks," depicting the light effects during different seasons. Inspired Kandinsky enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, Germany, at the age of 30.

During his tenure in the art school from 1896-1911, Wassily started emerging as an art theorist and a painter with music, psychology, and color playing significant roles in his work. He said, "Color is the key. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano with its many chords." Wassily Kandinsky was also inclined to 'Pointilism' & 'Fauvism.' On these lines, he created a masterpiece in 1903 called "The Blue Rider." The painting depicted a blue-cloaked rider traveling through a hilly meadow. The shadows of the trees and the rider are depicted in the deep shades of blue. Soon, clash of colors became a trademark of Wassily Kandinsky. During 1906-08, the artist was mostly travelling Europe. He created a series of landscape abstract paintings, "The Blue Mountain." By this time, Theosophy had also started to influence Wassily spiritually and he wrote a couple of books, "Concerning the Spiritual in Art (1910)" and "Point and Line to Plane (1926)".

In 1911, Kandinsky, along with his German friend, Franz Marc, founded the society "Der Blaue Reiter" (Blue Rider). The aim of the society was to bridge the gap between the different art forms. This was also the period, when Wassily's paintings grew more abstract. He used more colors, which when superimposed, provided intriguing appearances. This society held many exhibits. Due to the outbreak of World War I in 1914, however, Kandinsky was unceremoniously sent back to Russia. In 1916, he met Nina Andreievskaia and married her in 1917. During 1918-21, Kandinsky painted little.

In Russia, politicians and critics, both criticized his Expressionist works alike. Disappointed, Kandinsky returned to Germany in 1921. Since 1922, he started teaching at the Bauhaus of Weimar. The Bauhaus was an art school, which focused on innovations like 'plastic Arts Synthesis.' During this time, Kandinsky's style of painting matured with the usage of distinctive geometric figures. In 1923, he painted "On White II," a mix of different geometric shapes infused with several colors. His other paintings include "Yellow - Red - Blue (1925)."

Due to a sudden vilification by the Nazis in 1933, the Bauhaus were closed and Kandinsky had to move to Paris. During 1934-1944, he found himself quite isolated, as abstract painting was not widely recognized there. His key paintings of this phase include, "Composition IX," in which the powerful geometric shapes give the impression of the human embryo in the womb. Another painting "Composition X," depicts some mysterious objects, placed in the front of a black background.

Wassily Kandinsky is definitely an integral contributor to Abstract Art. The 20th century artists consider him with high regard. He died on December 13, 1944, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. He said, "Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition & for colors, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Labedzki

Kazimir Malevich

2008-12-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

The originator of Suprematism - a Russian art movement was Kazimir Malevich. This movement was characterized by the use of a small number of colors and a few fundamental geometric shapes, in particular the square and the circle, which was formed in Russia in 1915-1916. Kazimir was also a pioneer of geometric abstract art.

Kazimir was the eldest of 14 children and was born near Kiev in Russia on February 23, 1879. He died of cancer in Leningrad on May 15, 1935.

Handmade Christmas Cards

2008-12-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost here and the best way to show your love for someone is to make that special Christmas card. Instead of purchasing just another card think about making your very own personal card for a loved one. You can buy blank cards and envelopes on line or at Staples, or Office Max. You can decorate it anyway you want, and put a special verse in the inside. There are many free poems and verses on line that you can copy onto the card. You can draw on the blank cards or paste a variety of items on it. The best way to gather ideas is to go to a hobby shop and look at what they have to offer. Some people glue a photo of the family on the front of the Christmas card and then put a poem on the inside. Others that are more imaginative will actually draw or paint the front of the card with colored pencils and ink or with magic markers. You can also take some construction colored paper and make shapes to glue on the front. Some people use ribbons and dried flowers to decorate the front of the card. You can also use some computer software to make your cards.

It doesn’t matter if you are not a great artist. You can be assured that your loved one will appreciate a handmade Christmas card over one purchased.

Get Over It...or...no More Self Doubt by: Agora Gallery Author: Lynda Pogue

2008-11-30T09:01:00.000-08:00

You are an artist.
You are in a slump.
You have lost confidence.
Nothing looks like you want it to look.
Your inner juices have dried up.

As an artist, a professor of Integrated Arts at York University in Canada, a teacher of Expressive Arts, and as a consultant who works with other artists who feel like they’ve lost their edge, I have years of experience in facing the demons that are sometimes referred to as “artist blocks”. The following is tried-and-true advice for those artists who are questioning their own abilities and internal strengths.

I feel like I’ve lost my edge.

For this statement to have any real meaning it suggests that you know what it was like when you had your edge, and, this is what you’re trying to recover. Don’t go there. Going back is impossible except in movies, novels, or Freudian psychoanalysis. Today you are not the artist that you were yesterday let alone days/weeks/months ago. You grew.

The sheer passion of an artist is the dynamic force behind his/her professional expertise. Pay attention to your gut and not your head. It is not about your art… it is about you. Your job
is not to recover but to uncover the power of the moment right now. Today.

How? This is as individual as you are however I’m going to give a few examples of what has worked for others who have experienced the same negativity as you.

My ideas depend upon your appreciating how I perceive learning… that both the cognitive and affective domains drive each of us.

When talking about the cognitive domain I like to simply describe this as the thinking component of learning… of “being in your head”. When we’re discussing the affective domain I describe this as the emotiona/feeling part of learning…when the whole self is responding to an idea/thought/image/dream/inspiration.

When we are in “the slump” we’re in our heads. So one of the obvious solutions is to get out of our heads to get out of our slump. Activate your affective domain.
I know of one person who, I kid you not, took up scuba diving (She did it in a swimming pool!) in order to move herself into a totally new space in her body and mind. The results in her art were staggering.

Another artist decided, as he began to sculpt, to begin the process by putting on a Bob Seger CD and turn it up as loud as he could while belting out “Old Time Rock & Roll”. This man was a classically trained musician as well as a sculptor and when he sang and moved to rock ‘n roll he placed himself in unfamiliar territory. He purposefully took himself out of his head and his sculptures took on new dimensionality.

When involving the whole self in something novel, it can be as simple as going for a walk to somewhere you’ve never been, putting yourself outside the four walls of a studio and into ‘nature’, yelling at the moon, dancing the salsa, singing your guts out while driving in traffic, gently touching the petals of flowers, walking a dog from the dog pound… anything that you (because after all, if you are an artist, you have the predisposition to be creative!) dream up to get yourself into the affective and out of the cognitive domain.

When consulting with artists who feel trapped I often encourage them to leave their own environment/studio and view their newest work (or an image of their work, if it’s too large to transport) in some place different. It could be that those familiar surroundings were a part of the reason for the ‘block’. And, it’s good for artists to see their work out of the context of the studio. This engenders a totally different perspective.

While out of the studio (or in it if they cannot leave the studio) I ask artists to concentrate only upon current works of art…especially those that are troubling.
They examine three of the most recent pieces and place them in order from the piece with which they are most happy to the least. (We are building on what is positive instead of dwelling upon what is negative about the work.)

The artist quickly goes to each piece and immediately identifies the one small spot/ the kernel that is most pleasing. It’s important to do this rapidly because we are after a gut-response/spontaneous reaction rather than a prolonged turgid critique.

After being in a responsive, non-thinking mode, the artist now goes into the contemplative mode. Affective to cognitive. He/she spends time delving into what it was about each of these three small pieces of excellence that brought about a personal visceral response. This often leads to incredible insight and a real need to get back to work and the block has disappeared.
Learn from this positivity and build upon it.

Discover the essence of your work that most pleases you. You can remove your own seeds of self-doubt.

You have a choice. Stay in your head or involve your whole self in your art.
As my best friend says to me when I become pessimistic about my work, “GET OVER IT!” So I do.

http://www.articlesbase.com/art-articles/get-over-itorno-more-self-doubt-664532.html

On Becoming An Artist

2008-11-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

I am going through a period of experimentation with fractal programs. I downloaded the Ultra Fractal evaluation program and found it to be an excellent program but one that I cannot afford. So I decided to try freeware and I am now using Fractal Explorer. It is an easy program to use and I am delighted with the results. After doing a fractal image on Fractal Explorer I save it in a .bmp format and upload it to Photoshop. In Photoshop I can work with the image some more and then save it so in whatever format I desire. The results have been outstanding and I am learning much more than expected. I will eventually try other freeware and make some images in different programs to see exactly which program I like best.

It is important for artists to try different things as that is the way they learn how to create with different materials. I started with crayons, and pencils, then went to conte crayons, and oils. I developed an allergy to oils and switched to acrylics. I have experimented with watercolor but find it difficult to use. Photography was included with my paintings at a later stage of my life and eventually, I experimented with ceramics, pottery, and wood. Now most of my work is done on the PC which I find very exciting and new.

The Evolution of Abstract Art and the Abstract Expressionism Movement - by George Baxter

2008-11-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Abstract Expressionism Movement, also called the New York School was exclusively an American abstract art movement that mainstreamed in New York City in the period following the Second World War. This movement was significant in the sense that it was the earliest American movement to declare non-dependence on European styles and to get a sway all over the globe. It also enabled New York City to replace Paris as the art hub. Prior to its reference to American art, “abstract expressionism” was a term used in the Berlin periodical named ‘Der Sturm’, in 1919.

Arshile Gorky played an important role in inducing The Abstract Expressionism Movement. The abstract art works produced during the period of this movement are considered to be a combination of certain visual aspects of abstract European schools like Futurism, Synthetic Cubism and Bauhaus with the self-expression and emotional strength of German Expressionism. Though this abstract art was a mixture of a number of styles, its basic philosophy was to search and seek out answers for questions relating to human existence.

There are many similarities of style between abstract expressionism art and the work of Russian artists of the early 1900’s, the most prominent being Wassily Kandinsky. The abstract art from this period of the movement is often characterised by giving the impression of being produced in an act of artistic spontaneity. The work of pioneers of the movement such as Kandinsky, Kunz and later Rothko dealt with the expression of subjects including spirituality and the subconscious. However, meticulous planning and conscious thought was often involved in creating the many of the well known works of art which define this period of the expressionist movement.

In the 1930’s in North America, prior to the mainstream acceptance of abstract art, social realism art had been the prominent genre of art. Mexican social realists such as Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros together with the Great Depression strongly influenced the acceptance and widespread popularity of this relatively short lived movement. Preceding the Second World War in the United States there arose a time of political sensitivity. Due this change in the political climate social protest made through art would no longer be tolerated. In American society an artistic vacuum had opened and the abstract expressionism movement arose into the mainstream, showcasing at major galleries in New York such as The Art of This Century Gallery. The abstract expressionist movement spread rapidly thorough the elite art community of the United States through its major artistic communities such including the San Francisco Bay area and California.

During the period of The Abstract Expressionism Movement, several artists started experimenting with shapes and colour. They broke away from what was considered to be artistic, conventional painting and painted complete canvases in blue, orange or other colours. Dripping, splattering and big brush strokes were characteristic features of Abstract Expressionist Art. The artists of this period preferred larger canvases positioned on the floor over canvases that were easel bound and moderate. The focus of abstract art within the expressionism movement was not the portrayal of objects but the portrayal of emotions.

In the broad sense, Abstract Expressionism was of two streams – Colour Field Painting and Action Painting. Colour field painting came up in the beginning of the 1960’s and involved using shape and colour to create religious serene paintings that were devoid of representative subject substance. The composition of colour field works were huge coloured areas with no forms or signs. Helen Frankenthaler, Mark Rothko and Ellsworth Kelly were some painters associated with this type of painting. Action Painting was a painting stream that arose prior to Colour Field Painting (between the 1940s and 1950s) and practiced by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline. The driving force for the works of these painters was often considered to be the painters’ soul and life energy.

Abstract Expressionist Art appeared to be defiant, idiosyncratic and radical, and to some, nihilistic. The movement weakened in the 1960s while other movements such as minimalism and pop art arose in opposition to it. Despite the movement losing importance, a good number of abstract expressionist painters continued following its characteristic painting fashion for many more years. In addition, The Abstract Expressionism Movement profoundly influenced how some American artists of later generations used materials and colour in their Abstract Art.

About the author:Contemporary Abstract Art which has its roots in The Abstract Impressionism Movement is commonly used by contemporary interior design companies in the production of Decor Design Scheme or part of a House Remodelling project. Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com/

On Making Art

2008-11-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

Art is anything that you decide is art. Many times people will look at your work and not understand it. So art must be understood by the majority of people if you want to sell your art. However, sometimes people will not like or understand your art and you have to decide for yourself if the need to make art is more important than other people’s opinion. Look at many famous painters that died broke and after several years they were recognized as great artists. I personally don’t think it matters that the general population like my art or not. I make art because I need to make art. It is something that I must do even if I don’t become famous. It releases stress, it is relaxing and improves my outlook on life. Many times my work has been criticized by a few but then someone will like it and buy it. There are so many people out there that will like your work that the few that don’t like it don’t matter. My advice is to keep producing work without thinking if people will like it or not. Do art for yourself!

Creative Ways to Display Your Photos by: Suzanne VanDeGrift

2008-11-19T15:58:00.000-08:00

You have a terrific digital camera that you use to take awesome pictures. A great quality camera case that holds that camera, plus all the accessories you need on your photo shoots. You have the memory cards and the equipment to transfer the images to your computer once you get home with your treasured photographs. And you have boxes and boxes of those wonderful photographs that, occasionally, you sit down and look through and then put back in the closet.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to enjoy some of those beautiful shots of that skiing trip you took to Colorado every day? Or those great shots of the kids at the beach last summer? And, how about those wonderful tintypes of your ancestors who came into this country through Ellis Island years ago. Wouldn't it be special to see them proudly displayed, rather than stuck away, forgotten, except for those rare occasions when you drag them out to show the kids? There are so many ways to display photographs today, the possibilities are almost endless.

The traditional way to display photographs is to frame them, or put them in a frame, and either hang them on a wall or place them on some surface. The best way to see how a group of pictures is going to look on a wall is to lay them out on the floor. Move them around, work with them. After you get the placement that is right, then start putting them up on the wall. Remember the general rule for hanging any art, hang it at eye level. And, as with most things, odd numbers are more eye appealing than even.

If you have a staircase, it's the perfect area to display your photographs. It removes the need to hang the pictures in a perfectly straight line, and the effect of the photos traveling up, following the stairs, can make a dramatic statement. It can be made into a theme wall, such as a wedding wall, hanging wedding pictures dating back as far in your family as you can find them. Pictures can be set on anything, a fireplace mantel, piano, dressers, coffee tables and end tables, the television, basically, anything that has a flat top surface can have a picture placed on it. But, you want to place them with purpose. Group a few like pictures together and combine them with a couple quality accessories to make a beautiful table arrangement.

When hanging your photos, there are many options, the most traditional is the picture hanger and wire on the back of the picture. But, there are some other, more creative ways to hang pictures. Using ribbon, for example. There are many techniques for hanging photos with ribbon. You can take two lengths of ribbon and attach them to the back of the picture frame at the top corners. Then bring them together, tie them in a bow, and hang the picture on the wall. A couple pictures hung like this along with a few complimentary pieces, makes a lovely grouping.

Armed with these creative ideas for displaying those photographs you're going to be taking, you'll want to be sure to keep your camera and camera bag close by. Because once you have your photographs arranged, you can cycle the photos with new photographs in some of the frames.

8 year-old kills father

2008-11-19T06:07:00.000-08:00

I was watching Anderson Cooper last night and they had the so called confession of the 8 year old that allegedly killed his father and a tenant. I couldn’t believe my ears hearing the two officers interrogate a child without a relative or an Attorney present. I don’t think that confession is any good as they interrogated the child for four hours straight without legal representation. The Officers did not read him his rights and even if they had he would not understand them. I just don’t understand how the Officers would take the chance on interrogating the child without an Attorney or relative present. Are the Officers stupid? Then the video is released proving that they were negligent and incompetent. Just imagine if your 8 year old is taken to the Police Station and questioned about a criminal matter without you being present. Wouldn’t you be livid? I know I would. I imagine they will say he had no relatives in town, however, they should have provided the child with an Attorney.

Filling In The Pores To Create A "Piano Finish" by: Megan Cherry

2008-11-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

Since ultimately all woodworking projects are judged by their finish, you may want to consider adding a touch of elegance to your own project by filling the pores of the wood. Filling the pores creates a finish that is as smooth as glass. No matter what you are making, if you are serious about woodworking, you will want to learn how to fill pores to create this lovely finish. Some species of wood have more pores of larger size than others. An example would be to compare Maple, which has very few and very small pores with Oak, which has larger pores in greater quantity. While Maple may not need to have the pores filled to create a nice finish, if you want that smooth finish with Oak, pore filling is a necessity.

Today, there are two basic types of fillers on the market: oil-based and water-based. Oil-based fillers have been used for generations, and over the years they have been refined and are now easier to apply than they used to be. Oil-based fillers come in two types: a true oil-based filler, or one mixed with varnish. The real difference between the two lies in the time required for drying before a protective surface coat can be applied. True oil-based fillers may need several days to dry between applications, while a varnish filler has the possibility of being ready for its topcoat in only a few hours. You can apply your oil-based filler directly onto the bare wood. You can choose either a natural color that will match the wood, or one that contains a stain or a color. Using this technique, the filler becomes both a filler and a stain. Japan colors can be applied this way. The other method would be to apply the stain to the wood first. When it is dry, you seal it with a finish, and then apply the filler. Using this method, the filler only fills the pores that were not fully covered by the top coat.

The look you get is controlled by your method of application. If you apply the filler to bare wood, the filler will color both the wood and the pores, while application after sealing only colors the pores. A thin sealing coat will let a little bit of color from the filler affect the wood surface, while a thicker coat will protect the wood completely, allowing the filler to only affect the pores. Be sure to sand the area well before applying the filler. Use a 320 grit sandpaper. Before you apply filler to your woodworking project, make sure it is clean. Don't leave any dirt or dust behind. You can apply the filler by hand or spray it on. If you choose to apply it by hand, be sure to use a brush with very stiff bristles so the filler is forced into the pores. When you have finished applying the filler to an area of your project, be sure to squeegee off the excess immediately. If you don't have a commercially made squeegee, and old credit card or other item with a firm flat edge will work just as well. When the filler is dry, use cheesecloth or a wadded piece of burlap to wipe off any excess that remains.