What Should I Draw?

I’m still working at filling up my book for the Sketchbook Project, but some days, when I sit down to draw, I draw (pun intended) a complete blank. It can get a little tiresome to always draw my shoes, or my hands, and even though there is plenty to choose from, I can’t seem to pick. So what to do? Luckily, other folks out there in the land of the internets have come up with some ideas!

Many months ago, I noticed that a tweet that said @AyersMan had the idea of drawing his Twitter followers. I thought this was such a cool idea that I started following him right away. He eventually got around to doing the drawings, and because I was so quick to respond to his Tweet, he decided to draw me first! You can see the result here. I love how he incorporated bits of my artwork into this portrait: rainbows, circles, even my font! Awesome, eh?! I love this idea, and might try doing this as inchies, since the profile pics are so small.

One of my favorite people in the world, Jenny Doh, came up with the cool idea of doing blind-contour drawings of her Instagram photos. There’s endless inspiration right there – I mean after all, if it was good enough to photograph, surely it’s good enough to draw, too, right?!

Finally, Danny Gregory, the master of drawing things from everyday life, has a list of “Everyday Matters Challenges” on his blog, ranging from drawing your bed (#5) to drawing something forbidden (#321). I love the idea of these challenges, and fully intend to try them out soon.

Illustration Friday is another site that posts weekly challenges with one word, and participants can post their drawings.

Well, hopefully that has given you a bit of inspiration. I’m going to go draw now!

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Art Secrets Revealed!

Last year I posted a tutorial showing how to make a striped painting. I thought it would be a captivating way to show my art, and I never thought anyone would actually try it. Then people started pinning my painting on Pinterest, and re-pinning, and it is still getting pinned. It’s my most viewed painting on craftgawker, too. I was really taken aback by how much exposure it was getting.

Last week, I received a comment about that painting. Part of the comment was, “I can’t believe you gave away your secret!” I’m a pretty firm believer in artists sharing information about techniques. Why should there be any secrets? Artists are “copying” each other by using the same techniques all the time.

I am curious to see what happens to my painting style when I take “Bloom True” with Flora Bowley (whose paintings I adore) at the Makerie in April. I have noticed that paintings by Flora’s workshop participants look a lot like Flora’s own paintings. I am realizing that this is to be expected when an artist is teaching their techniques. I wonder whether my paintings will start looking more like hers, or if I will be able to maintain my authentic look while still using her techniques.

Painted Apparel

New for me today: I was inspired by my clothing. I am usually inspired by my cousins, the Beckermans – the clothes they wear are gorgeous, the combinations are wonderful, and the creativity they show is mind-blowing. But me, I’m a stay-at-home mom, no need for heels and Gucci. So for me to be inspired by my own clothes is pretty rare!

I love this holey kensie top – it’s so retro 80’s! I still have a tank with holes from the early 80’s that my Grandma bought me in Paris. The cowl is a gift from my mega-talented mother.

Anyway, I took this wardrobe and turned it into a watercolor painting. Let me know what you think!

Feeling the Love

I just found this under “Photos of You” on flickr. I can’t believe it took me so long to see it. Can’t you just feel the love?

My Dance Medicine

Need to take my own advice!

So, after whole summer of doing nothing, that is, no PAINTING (ok, ok, I did, like, TWO pages of my sketchbook), I am sick and tired of bitching to myself about how I should be doing more. Tired of hearing myself think. My friend Sonia is so encouraging. She said, “Your time is coming, baby!” and she is right. School starts in another week (YIPPEE!) and I get free time once again. It’s amazing how much I accomplished in the past year with just 7 1/2 hours a week. I went from thinking about making art, to actually making it and selling it, and now I have a show coming up.  I am starting to think this sounds like I am bragging. But really, it’s me trying to convince myself to keep going. As Mike said at dance last night, “Your past is there to support you. Without it, you wouldn’t be here now” (I’m paraphrasing a bit).

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about nitty-gritty things, like to how to market my art more, how to get better exposure on etsy, etc. I am forgetting one of the main things I learned in my reading (most recently, “Letters to a Young Artist” by Julia Cameron)  – that I won’t get anywhere without MAKING ART. Making more art. And then, making some more. The other stuff will happen alongside that, but they aren’t my focus.

So now it’s time for me to take my own advice. Well, it’s really Thomas Edison’s advice, but it’s my art.