Cruising my favorite internet comics can be quite insightful. Like this on at http://joegp.blogspot.com/2009/07/navigating-coffee-shops.html Joe writes the Comic featuring Talking Guinea Pigs. Internet comics are great inspiration for me but the deep thoughts are even better. Joe wrote and experimented with working on his comic in public. Working in public, such a simple subject, but for artist this is a leap. We go out into the work, most of us…LOL! and gather our inspirations, photos, and sketches and boogie back to our little art spaces and build. Its very “Mad Scientist sometimes…
I wonder myself about working on computer in public. Joe’s article got me thinking about it more and more.
Before I married I painted in public, it was always a social spark. Lots of talking to people while painting. It was wonderful. I learned so much about people and about myself. It shaped the art. Sure I fed off the crowd, but that added to the experience, but it was the planning that helped the most. I had to think about what I needed ahead of time so I had about 10 themes to paint in my head by the time the supplies were packed.
Painting at home I would diddle around more because I had everything at my disposal to use and the ideas of what to create came slower without the push to pack. I produced different art too. There is a truth and a burden to being exposed as an artist in public. I naturally simplified, didn’t try to get fancy, just painted clean and quick.
Where at home I would get inside my own head more. In public, I couldn’t hide my techniques and I often saw them from the public’s point of view, it helped refine them. Also I found people ask great questions, ( Okay and not so great ones too, but it wasn’t illegal to be a stalker in the 80’s…unless you were stalking someone famous) I couldn’t hide away and let the art speak for me, I was forced to hear and take into account the publics opinion of a piece before it was done. ( or work faster! LOL!) and all mistakes are public too. Sometimes I would get into a groove where everything was falling into place and have to stop to sell something or answer a question and I would lose my mojo. My negativity of it would tie me knots and sometimes end painting for the day.
All that said, I found it to be the best for my art and my soul. I think I sold less art for art sake than for the experiences that were shared. I mean, more people bought what I painted for a memento than because they LOVED the art. For some artists that could be a sticky point. It was for me sometimes, but for the most part I didn’t take it too seriously. Working through interruptions helped me conquer my artist temperament. Eventually, interruptions or a creepy person hanging around didn’t bother me at all so much! LOL!
Now I create in the middle of our noisy, fur filled house. Practically in the front doorway. I like being able to just crane my head around the monitor and see the kids in the kitchen, the dogs sleeping in the living room or running upstairs right in front of me. I can hear Jack picking out a tune on his guitar upstairs at night. I am perfectly positioned so when Harvey Dane launches himself into a run for the door I can grab it open as he goes by. I feel like I am a part of this crazy household even though I am carving out some time of my own. I have learned that 5 minutes without an interruption only happens between 3-5 am and even then the pets acclimate to my awakeness so it the kerfluffle just starts earlier. I get pretty used to the interruptions, its becoming a vital part of the process. I now save more and walk away. It gives me perspective. All this makes me wonder if I would again enjoy working in public?
Its a lot tougher to paint in public, now than in the 80’s. Permits, forms, requirements, its daunting, so I probably will not go that route.
Logistically I could see blogging in a public coffee house or cafe. Easy. My laptop is powerful enough to handle a few more programs to make that happen. It would need an upgrade to hold Photoshop and I have no clue how it would hold all the goodies I need to store to be flexible enough to design in public. So that is out. The thought of setting off with the laptop loaded with a few scrapkits, camera, and basic Photoshop and just start taking pictures of people and scrapping them sounds pretty inviting. It could be part public experiment part, quick draw scrapping. I only started learning Photoshop in January of this year so refining my skills could be good. As with painting all those years ago, I dawdled at home quite a bit! * smile *
I like this idea, I am going to give it a go!
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Some Changes.
Originally with this blog I just started writing and posting, then discovered what I wanted to do with it and named certain days to cover what I wanted to share in a week. I started working with Kim B Designs as a Creative Team Member in June. Finding my feet with her group and schedules means changing a few things.
My Thursday Freebies will now be on Friday, since that is the day most of her goodies come out. Most of these Friday Freebies will tie into goodies of Kim’s and who she is working with at the time.
Check out Posting Days Page to see all the other changes.
Thanks for hanging in here with me while I find the right combination of days.
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Grab Bag Collab
Kim B. Designs and Bunny Cates are at it again! They have come together for another HUGE grab bag. Of course I can’t SHOW you what is in it, that is the whole point of the thing, but of course I got a peek at it. You can too if you travel to their blogs ( linked above) Here is a small peek made by Kim as a preview. Its linked to the store for easy buying.
This bag is $8 and has 52 items separated into 9 distinct product groups. You can see there are flowers, more flowers, strings, doodles, splatters, more strings, and some overlays, but there is so much more. What you can’t see is every little detail that makes these items KILLER MUST HAVES! You will have to trust me on that! All items are Commercial Use and will be sold individually in Bunny’s and Kim’s Stores for much more when time runs out on this bag and you get to see all. I am learning why these are called GRAB BAGS! LOL! Snatch it up while you can or be sorry!!
This is what I built with it,
I know its a little blah, but trust me I was waiting for a HUGE punch that never came. Remember me talking about the Painted Bunting? Well I am bound and determined to get a picture of this little fella! I even built this layout to house his picture. He keeps showing up but my pictures do not have him in it. He is SO onto me!
I have my set up fixed with the tripod, camera with settings focused on the seed plants he likes to eat but he sees me going for the camera and flies off. Little Monster!!
I could build a blind in the yard and get this picture but I am too lazy to do that. In my pre-flylady days I would have taken an entire day to do just that, but then there wouldn’t be dinner, the dogs would not get food, my children wouldn’t…hey, my boys would learn how to build a blind to watch wildlife from…hmmm. Tempting…very tempting…
*putting this on the procrastination list* I am moving on.
SO the layout is a missing something and its a bird photo. I bet I can will get a good picture of that little guy the moment this GRAB BAG is revealed! LOL! Either way, when I get the pictures I am re-making this layout with the captured soul of that bird! LOL!
Its ON birdie!
I turned around to check the camera and Man! There he is! Speak of the Devil!
Be back…
Jodiann
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Edited: July 24th, 2009
