Practice Makes Perfect...or Not.
Spring Break! Woooohooo!
Home at my parents now, thankfully. I haven't seen them since Christmas, so it's nice to visit. I got here yesterday just as it started snowing (around 3 in the afternoon) and that wasn't a moment too soon. It only stopped snowing around 11am today, and we have about a foot on the ground. The roads weren't bad--and now they've been plowed--but I wouldn't have wanted to be out around careless drivers. Now we can just sit around the house and be comfy.
So I'm an artist, supposedly. Since I graduated, I've been a bit burnt out on art, which is understandable considering how hard I worked my tail off that last semester. But it's been almost a year since I graduated, and while I've been teaching art, I haven't exactly been making any of my own. And now I feel like my abilities as an artist are beginning to stagnate.
I have begun a diptych (in oil paint, so a bit slow going), but it is because I needed some wall art for my bedroom. It's nothing that required much thought beyond the drawing of a sketch and making sure that it was visually balanced, aesthetic, et cetera. To that end, I decided that I needed to do something to jump-start the creative juices. I Googled art prompts and found www.magatsu.net/art/ an automatic art prompter. I have a blank sketchbook which has now been dedicated to (hopefully) daily art prompts. I'll get a prompt (no changing allowed), look up the definition of the word if I need a bit more of a jump-start and write that definition down in the sketchbook, and then create a sketch for the prompt. Nothing fancy, just pencil sketches. If I really find a prompt to my liking, I'll develop the idea and create some real artwork for once.
Today's prompt was "dignity" which, according to dictionary.com means:
(n.)
1. bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.
2. nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments.
3. elevated rank, office, station, etc.
4. relative standing; rank.
5. a sign or token of respect: an impertinent question unworthy of the dignity of an answer.
6. Archaic.
a. person of high rank or title.
b. such persons collectively.
I rather liked this prompt. The sketch I made was a bit strange I guess, but who am I to argue with the muse? It's main focus is a skeleton sitting at the base of a small, spindly tree (probably flowering), with a shield on its lap and a sheathed sword to the side. the skeleton is kind of staring placidly into the distance (you know, if a skeleton can stare placidly). Behind the tree is the suggestion of an old battle field with a tattered standard, an abandoned sword, and a pike sticking up from the ground.
I'll see about uploading it to my DeviantArt account later.
On another note, I really need a good anatomy book. But hey, the internet is pretty awesome; go Google!
Home at my parents now, thankfully. I haven't seen them since Christmas, so it's nice to visit. I got here yesterday just as it started snowing (around 3 in the afternoon) and that wasn't a moment too soon. It only stopped snowing around 11am today, and we have about a foot on the ground. The roads weren't bad--and now they've been plowed--but I wouldn't have wanted to be out around careless drivers. Now we can just sit around the house and be comfy.
So I'm an artist, supposedly. Since I graduated, I've been a bit burnt out on art, which is understandable considering how hard I worked my tail off that last semester. But it's been almost a year since I graduated, and while I've been teaching art, I haven't exactly been making any of my own. And now I feel like my abilities as an artist are beginning to stagnate.
I have begun a diptych (in oil paint, so a bit slow going), but it is because I needed some wall art for my bedroom. It's nothing that required much thought beyond the drawing of a sketch and making sure that it was visually balanced, aesthetic, et cetera. To that end, I decided that I needed to do something to jump-start the creative juices. I Googled art prompts and found www.magatsu.net/art/ an automatic art prompter. I have a blank sketchbook which has now been dedicated to (hopefully) daily art prompts. I'll get a prompt (no changing allowed), look up the definition of the word if I need a bit more of a jump-start and write that definition down in the sketchbook, and then create a sketch for the prompt. Nothing fancy, just pencil sketches. If I really find a prompt to my liking, I'll develop the idea and create some real artwork for once.
Today's prompt was "dignity" which, according to dictionary.com means:
(n.)
1. bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.
2. nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments.
3. elevated rank, office, station, etc.
4. relative standing; rank.
5. a sign or token of respect: an impertinent question unworthy of the dignity of an answer.
6. Archaic.
a. person of high rank or title.
b. such persons collectively.
I rather liked this prompt. The sketch I made was a bit strange I guess, but who am I to argue with the muse? It's main focus is a skeleton sitting at the base of a small, spindly tree (probably flowering), with a shield on its lap and a sheathed sword to the side. the skeleton is kind of staring placidly into the distance (you know, if a skeleton can stare placidly). Behind the tree is the suggestion of an old battle field with a tattered standard, an abandoned sword, and a pike sticking up from the ground.
I'll see about uploading it to my DeviantArt account later.
On another note, I really need a good anatomy book. But hey, the internet is pretty awesome; go Google!