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...I have something to share: a whisper, a song, a memory to dance across time. |
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With this blog, I hope to write about a variety of creative things: • Creativity • Artist process • Poetry • and who knows what other bits of inspiration may strike... Stay tuned and see. |
This post continues the previous at "Want to be an artist?"  Consider your message, the emotions you wish to express, and discover the possibilities offered by your limited resources. For example, if you have only a flat paintbrush, move the paint around with the brush held flat. Tap the brush on its edge and see the shapes emerge from the paint. Fill it with watery paint and fling splatters. Experiment with the materials at your disposal to discover the variety of marks you can create. For this practice, an art journal, or even plain printer paper, works well. Save them and make notes so you can remember how you made the marks. Once you’ve started experimenting, you see many things that you can use as an art supply: - paper: printer paper, book pages, flyers, paper bags - paint: watercolor, acrylic paint sets from dollar store, pastels - painting tools: brushes from the hardware store, toothbrushes, sponges, kitchen towels, credit cards to scrape paint - drawing supplies: charcoal, colored pencils, graphite pencils, pens, markers - surfaces: cereal boxes, cardboard boxes, scraps of wood, cheap canvases - palettes: tops of large yogurt containers, disposable plates, foil, Styrofoam food trays - collage: magazine pages, book pages, packaging material (tissue paper, brown packing paper), fabric - mark making: bubble wrap, bottle caps, stamps, stencils, sticks When you find the tools and surfaces that you enjoy, gradually invest in higher-quality materials. If you’re on a tight budget, think before you spend. Remember that using low-cost materials keeps you from worrying about wasting supplies as you start your creative adventures. When you are able, add to your art supplies. Although you pay large amounts (watch for sales and discounts at the stores where you shop), most materials quite a while, so you won't need to replace them anytime soon. Create beauty with whatever you can find. Before long, you’ll see that art is less about the tools and more about your curiosity and courage. Every mark you make teaches you something new. Keep going and let your imagination lead the way. If you think about it, this post could apply to writing too. Write with what you have: any piece of paper and your favorite fountain pen, your computer, or the back of a napkin and a ballpoint pen. Write a little as often as you can. Even a few words can spark ideas for future work. Write little 100-word stories, short poem verses, journal entries, or simple ideas that come to mind when you least expect them. Keep all your writing and review it occasionally to find "the gems," those little sparks that only you can recognize on any given day. Whatever your creative journey, find the joy in it! -Jo  |
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