[i] LoveLife

Paint away...

Five different people yesterday wrote in with different questions about the brands of supplies I use (one of them was the very, very talented Claudine Hellmuth getting some details for her upcoming book!). I think it's really cool when things line up like that so I wanted to address it. Nicole had an excellent question... she asked if cheap paint from dollar-rama would be good enough for her to play around with and I CANNOT SAY THIS ENOUGH (this is my own personal opinion so don't send me paint hate mail):

USE ANYTHING. USE EVERYTHING. JUST. MAKE. SOMETHING. Go on. Go ahead. Really. Use whatever it is that makes you comfortable enough to crack it open, get messy, and get making things. If you have expensive paints, but you're afraid to use them - then they have NO value... but, if you have cheap paints that make you feel loose and free enough to whip them out and use them up - THEN THEY ARE OF GREAT VALUE TO THIS WORLD.

To me, art is about the moment we are in. It's about using what's handy and using the energy that moves you before it's gone. I have many, many different brands of paints and brushes. But, the ones I prefer are the ones I know I can use up and not feel like I didn't USE THEM UP GOOD ENOUGH (which is not proper English, but I don't know how else to say it). If I have RELEARNED anything with Tiny Art - it is that CREATING SOMETHING - is much more fun than NOT CREATING AT ALL.

So do what works. Try all kinds of paints and see what you're comfortable with. Try different brushes and supplies and find a balance between what you can afford and what AFFORDS YOU the opportunity to dig in and spend time with your inner artist.

I am not afraid to admit that I:

• use student grade acrylic and a variety of types and brands
• use the same kind of paint brushes I used in kindergarten
• use the yellow HB pencils
• use a black rollerball ink pen that Dan brings home from the office and leaves around the house
• don't give a rip about acid-free archival crap.
• wipe my brushes on my pants and my fingers on the back of my painting shirt
• use margarine lids as palettes
• only buy and use BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, BLUE, and MAGENTA and mix every colour I need from those primaries
• will not hesitate to paint on cardboard, garbage, coffee cups, boxes, etc, etc.
• DO NOT CARE if people think this is HACK. Get over it.

And this is why I will never be given a contract with a paint company. GO.

Two to display today.

I couldn't help but post another one of these little paintings I did yesterday. Yes. They are for something specific and I got a lot of email questions about the pieces yesterday so here's some information...

What exactly is your process? Do you throw down some white paint on the wood before you use the pencil crayons? The process for creating these images was uber simple. I grabbed some compressed cardboard (or chip board) because I knew there was some sitting behind the chair in our kitchen. I knew I needed 6 pieces for this submission so I cut the big piece into six smaller pieces with kitchen shears (final sizes approximately 9 x 12 inches). They aren't straight or perfect. I work fast so that I can get stuff done before the inspiration leaves me. I worked on all six at the same time. Whiz and bang. I grabbed my paints and brushes and threw paint directly onto the cardboard. I mixed and formed these loose and totally imperfect squares right on the cardboard itself. I like brushstokes. I like to see the substrate through the paint. When that was dry - I used my pencil crayons to tailor the colours to exactly what I wanted and to add accents and texture. REALLY FAST. I like the lines and marks of speed. Then I quickly painted some kind of  really basic random subject (based on what the submission guidelines were that I can't tell you about yet - sorry). I used pencils. I used some rubber stamps. I used a fine black ink pen to add text - whatever came to my mind. When I write - I let the words skim off the top of my brain and don't get too serious about them. This shouldn't be stressful - this is art. Art is fun. I used a paint pen in white to add some white details and dots (I'm into dots right now). I signed them. I scanned them. I mailed them away to ORLANDO. Done. Nothing complicated - nothing scary. Pencil crayon works VERY WELL on cardboard - or illustration board or masonite. So does paint. I love a good cardboard/pencil crayon combo. Oooooooh, delicious.

Were these commissioned by a client or done just for yourself? These pieces are for a client, but you will find them in her new (and totally kick-ass) book due out in the spring. And it's not Donna Downey. I wish I could tell you more than that. The book's concept is cool and I do solemnly swear that the practice she talks about - totally works. It was really fun.

What is this thing you call your bulletproof positive attitude? Well. It's a feeling you create inside yourself. Or rather - it's a feeling I create inside myself to just shut out the elements on the outside of my head so I can just get dirty and make stuff. I turn off the Negative-Nancy's and the little picky pants that say that's-not-straight or that's-not-perfect or you-can't-do-this or you-suck or whatever... I just chuck those voices out. Kick 'em in the can. A bulletproof positive attitude is about carving your own style and path and not worrying about other artists or people. It's about not worrying about what you don't know or what materials scare you. Just MAKE STUFF. The more stuff you create - the more comfortable you are at creating things... and what you create - well, that just represents the feeling in your head and heart RIGHT THIS MOMENT. And you've got lots of moments. So GO. So totally GO and do it. We all make and create for different reasons. Don't worry about anybody else. Chin up and GO.

Yeah, there were a couple more questions - but, I'm tired of answering questions this morning. I'm off to have a cup of coffee, organize my TO-DO list and then jump on getting things done.

Today: We're getting a house guest! He's registered here at the cool hotel for 6 nights and we're looking forward to having a super star around. I'm going to pretend I'm a courier and get some things delivered around town. I have a magical piece of OSB (Oriented Strand Board) sitting on my easel BEGGING TO BE PAINTED (and I happen to be wearing my painting pants already so that's a good foot in the right direction!!). Hey, after yesterday - I totally feel a bit of inspiration bubbling up.

Which is good. SO good. Let's GO.

Pencil question.

Good weekend. We didn't get too terribly much accomplished - but, we did manage to spend some quality time together. That's pretty important to me. Last week was busy - maybe even busier than normal and it was extra sweet to ground out with some good us time.

The question: Donna Downey sent me a question about the difference between an HB and a 4B pencil... Good question. I have an HB and a 4B pencil on my  bring-to-class list for the Inspired. Artists Workshops. So, I figured it might be something cool to touch on. I grabbed a handful of the pencils from my desk and here's my best go at it:

The short - totally untechnical run down is this: the standard "yellow" pencil is what's called HB lead. (Okay - it's NOT actually lead anymore - it's graphite - but roll with me). It's a good general-purpose pencil with a centre hard enough to do a lot of writing with, medium darkness, and light-to-medium smudging (as all the left-handers out there will know). There are pretty much two categories of pencils - H and B. H is a harder 'lead' with more technical precision - GREAT for drafting and light technical sketching and drawing. Because the lead is so hard - it will leave pretty harsh indents in the paper (you don't want to be doing figure studies and loose arm drawing with this unless it's ALL YOU'VE GOT) so if you erase your lines and draw over what you've erased - you will find the ghost images. PAIN IN THE BUTT. The B pencils - are a softer, thicker ''lead' typically used for drawing and sketching. An HB is right in the middle - multipurpose - but, not really IDEAL for either technical drawing or sketching. The B 'leads' starts with 2B gets progressively more soft. 4B and 6B (very soft!) are what I use for graphite transfers, figure drawings, and over-sized sketching. When I say SOFT - what I mean is less dense... the centres are generally much rounder and bigger and the writing has a smoother feel that leaves much more dust MESS (and thus a better transfer). They are darker and richer than the H and HB series and THEY SMUDGE. Actually - they smudge beautifully and if you are not careful - you will smudge your drawing up completely.

OK. That's a pretty GENERIC and vague explanation - I am not a technical pencil scientist-expert - but, it's close enough. OR YOU CAN WATCH THIS PENCIL MAKING MOVIE. I CAN tell you that Pencils are GREAT. I grew up working a lot in pencil... wildlife drawings and portraits were my specialty. Pencil drawings are great ways to develop your drawing skills without over complicating things with colour. The pencils photographed above are my standard GO-TO tools, but there are lots of other brands and 'accessories' that artists use. And - there is a BIG difference between the cheapies and a pricier models. I usually go with a middle-priced line to avoid too many imperfections.

IN THE PHOTO ABOVE (From left to right): 6B pencil, small sharpener (SO important for delicate and controlled sharpening), 4B, 4B, 4B, 3B, B, HB, then a graphite stick called a Super Ferby, another HB, a 2H (a little blurry), a lead holder or mechanical pencil, a smudge stick (for detailed blending). OH - and my favourite eraser on earth - the Mars Plastic by Staedtler. I buy all of my art supplies at Artists Emporium. Ooooooh, maybe a Pencil Drawing Tiplet is in order???

Today: I have a morning meeting and a lunch. Photos to edit. Post office. Photo shoot. ALL KINDS OF THINGS to do and see. But, that's what makes it a Monday - right?. I'll post again later on. Right now - I'm OFF.

Let's GO.