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Thank!

Design 101 revisited

As I reread Molly Bang's Picture This, I couldn't help but think that I was in my freshman design class learning about Albers and the basics of design. Succintly and wonderfully created into this small book,  Bang let's us peer into her thought process. I can see the reflection of my own acts of creativity, editing and elaborating on the design process, not merely settling on an initial idea. So frequently, artists settle for their first solution. Dig a bit deeper and longer and the impact of the composition improves.

I've owned this book since it was first published. Yet, after all this time, it remains timeless and valuable. Key learning - How can you distill your work down to it's crucial elements and color relationships?

I Hate My Artwork

Ever feel like this? Ever feel frustrated that what you create doesn't match what you envision? I know I'm being harsh on myself, but frankly 99% of what I create isn't what I would buy for myself. It's not what I personally like in terms of style, technique, and other aesthetic qualities. I once told another artist that I met during a plein air event, that I did not like my artwork and was disappointed at what I created during the week. At first, she said I was being hard on myself, but when she understood my reasoning she responded, "Then change your style."

Changing one's style is a tricky thing. First you need to figure out what you do like and where you would like to be.  How do you see yourself creating art? What excites you? What aspect of art do you want to make a stand towards? What mode of expression do you see being the form or outlet for your creativity? painting? design? a certain technique? or something else? Then, you need to figure out where you current are by taking a personal inventory of yourself, your time, your skills, and any potential gaps in your abilities, training... It also means finding your areas of strength and knowing what comes easily and naturally.  What it will take to get to your desired end? Do you know, or do you need another set of skilled eyes giving you an honest opinion? I kind of know where I want to be creatively, but not exactly. That's OK, I don't need to figure it all out today. It's good to have some structure, but also some freedom to explore and change directions.

I've decided to become more focused on pursuing this path by doing some studying on my own, over the next year. I've listed 13 areas in which I will do some sort of practice or study. Several great books, or so I was told, sit on my shelf waiting for me to open the cover. Perhaps, it's time the pages get a bit ruffled.  If this sound interesting to you, stop by each Monday to see what catches my interest for the week.

This upcoming week, I will be reading Picture This, by Molly Bang. I read it long ago and keep it on my shelf, but I'm hoping it will spark me towards one of my goals, simplification.

Tea time - 30 day challenge

This quick little sketch was my experiment with painting areas that extend beyond the main subject. Instead of painting within the form, strokes extend into the surrounding area.

Day 2 - 30 day challenge

This tiny painting was a quick half hour sketch from a California photo. I fudged the mountains,but like some of the dry brushed areas.

Day 1 - 30 day challenge

I decided to challenge myself with Leslie Saeta's 30 day painting challenge during the month of September. Each day, I will commit to sitting down for one hour to focus on making some sort of creative mark, drawing, or assignment for myself.

I'm working a day ahead. I generally like oil paints, but I'm finding water-based mediums to be convenient and lend themselves to capturing quick impressions and ideas.

Flying with oil paints

When flying with oil colors, it is important to follow all the regulations to avoid arriving at your destination to find out that they were thrown out by the TSA. 

If you have the option of buying your paints at your destination or shipping them FedEx, UPS, or US postage, that is always an option. I personally wonder if I could find all the colors I need.

Firstly, never refer to your art materials as "paints". This sends up a red flag. what you are carrying are " oil colors" which are vegetable oil based with a flashpoint that is higher than what the US Department of Transportation requires. 

Most of my paints are Gamblin which have a 620 degree F flashpoint, plus they are considered to be non-flammable and contain no harardous materials. I downloaded and printed all of the individual colors' safety data sheets from the manufacturer's website - in this case Gamblin. Windsor Newton, Shiva, Holbein.... They all have this information available. I then fold up each sheet highlighting important information and ziplock the information with the tube of paint. Inside my checked luggage,  I include a sign:

Notice regarding enclosed Artist materials:

The US Department of Transportation defines "flammable liquids" as those with a flashpoint of 140 degrees F or below. Artist grade oil colors are based on vegetable oil with a flash point at or above 450 degrees F.

THEY ARE NOT HAZARDOUS

If you need to confirm this please contact TSA at 886-289-9673

Or their Hazardous Materials Research Center at 800-467-4922

If you have any further concerns, please contact me on my cell phone at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

I place my zip lock bags in an easy to open cardboard box with this sign taped to the flap. Do not place them inside a closed easel or something difficult to open. You want to spell everything out to the person inspecting your checked luggage. Make it easy for them to understand that these materials are safe. Under no circumstances should you bring oil colors in your carry on luggage. Nor should you bring turpentine, mineral spirits, odorless spirits or similar. You will need to ship this item or buy it when you arrive at your destination. I have shipped this ground because I usually like to have a box on hand ship my wet paintings home. No way do I want someone opening a RayMar box with a wet 

paintings inside my checked luggage.

I also ship my oil mediums. I have heard that some artists have flown with Liquin. I would not advise doing so since it states "flammable" on the box. If you are in question over any material, you need to go to the manufacturer and download their materials/ safety sheet. The product needs to be within the standard