This one is for me, place to muse, share ideas and interesting images.
Well I’ve made a start using my new Intuos Graphic tablet. As I said in the last post I want to use it for doing some book illustrations but first I have to master at the least the basics. Here are a few of the first things I’ve done. Permission given to fall about laughing!
The other day I took the plunge and bought myself a small grapic tablet and pen. I wondered if this was a foolish move as it will be another lot of 21st century (ish) tech. that I have to get my very 2oth century mind around. It’s the very basic model as I thought it was best to start small to see if the thing was any use to me. I have been pleasantly surprised how easy it has been for me to adapt to using this tool. Though this gadget will never replace getting my hands dirty with paint and other messy stuff I am delighted to have a back button when trying to produce illustrations. My motive is to illustrate my husbands diary about the winter we spent on the Greek Island of Symi some 20 years ago and you never know, I might decide to blog it!
I think, like me, every artist has a corner of their studio where dubious works they thought were a good idea at the time skulk leeringly demanding some sort of action. Now the sensible thing would be to acknowledge when one is beaten and bin them, but somehow I can’t bring myself to throw them away so last week I took this small abstract experiment and collaged it with random cuttings. Here is the result, a work entitled ‘Random’.
At the start of the year in a fit of resolutionitis I decided to do some sort of artwork every day for 2016. I have done this before and found it rather productive acting as a seed bed for more sustained works. I’ve been posting this on my Facebook page, putting up whatever I have managed to do each day. The crunch comes when at 11pm I realise I have not done anything for the day. This has resulted in me venturing into the digital wilderness. I have nothing against digital art, just mine, which is very basic. By chance, and most of what I do digitally is by chance, I discovered Mandala and kaleidoscope tools in the effects kit of my editing programme. So late at night in desperation I have used this on some of my paintings to fulfil my resolve to do something each day. The results are rather beautiful.
Until recently I had not travelled in France apart from the airport and a brief visit to Paris But recently I was in Charente visiting my daughter. Their rented house is right on the river on an estate with a number of buildings falling into attractive decay. The avenue of trees which was at one time the grand entrance caught my artist’s eye and I couldn’t resist going back agin and again to take photos.
Years ago, when there was a special offer, I went halves with another artist and bought some powder pigments which I use now and then but have mostly looked decorative on my work bench. Recently there was another promotion bizarrely of just greens on St Patricks day. As I’m using a lot of greens I decided to indulge in some of the more unusual ones but of course now I have to get to grips with using them. Today’s effort is a glorious mess but sometimes you have to make them to learn even if that sometimes produces questionable results . I tell myself that I should NEVER be afraid of making a mess.
Well, the 2016 Chichester Art Trial is over. I had 56 visitors and sold 6 paintings and some small mounted works and cards. I am now shattered from packing my paintings back up again and storing them in my studio. Now I can think about new projects. I wonder where my lovely paints, pigments and pastels will take me next. I have a few ideas.
Artists need to stay fresh and this requires taking risks, leaving the familiar and the willingness to make one dickens of a mess.
It was a very quiet day one here with only 9 visitors, but the first one did buy a small painting. After the rush of getting ready the slower pace had its benefits. Its now day 2 and the cold wind of yesterday has gone, the sun is shining and I am looking forward to some old friends coming to look round.
Spent yesterday cleaning the house and tidying my studio ready for the Chichester Art Trail which starts tomorrow. Its wonderful how the thought of dozens (hopefully) of people traipsing through the house focuses ones mind on spring cleaning. Spring may not have sprung yet but at least it has been thoroughly cleaned!
One week to go to the Chichester Art trail, and I have so much to do: making my studio respectable enough for people to get into without falling over something, tidying away all our personal stuff and turning the house into a temporary art gallery, getting posters and trail guides outside, mounting prints and last, but not least, cleaning my house which has been a sort of art widow, while I’ve stayed painting in my Studio. My Venue number is 63.
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