more experiments.
graphite line, color and texture in Photoshop CS3.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Walk in Iran. See more Pola Burrs.
more experiments.
graphite line, color and texture in Photoshop CS3.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Pola Burr
My Polar Bear.
Pencil lines, colored in Photoshop CS3.
yousayyouwannaREVOLUTION!wellyouknowweallwannachangetheworld
Monday, January 19, 2009
lightening striking.
I never thought that I would want to do an entirely text-based entry on this blog, but this morning I feel compelled.
I have been doing a lot of pondering about my art in general, and I have come to the conclusion that I am most directly inspired, not by other illustrations necessarily, but by none-visual art i.e. music, poetry, plays, and novels. Among the most influential to me are E.E. Cummings, William Shakespeare, John Keats, Dave Eggers, Ray Bradbury, and Garth Nix. (My musical influences are too numerous to list). Now, I suppose text is a visual art, but the words which are printed on the page are not simply portraying the beauty of Times New Roman, they are inspiring the reader to visualize something entirely new. Be it non-fiction, fiction, high fantasy, or simply ridiculous, words force your brain to create a scene for everything to happen in and characters (with or without specific voices) to play the parts of the different people.
And, in a different way, I am subconsciously inspired by my friends who are both artists and not skilled in any specific art at all. Their art does not compel me to copy them, outright, but I feel a kind of energy come up off of them as they talk about new projects or work furiously at a new idea.
Mixed-in with all of those inspirations are also films. Films such as The Darjeeling Limited, The Fall, The Iron Giant, Marie Antoinette, Master and Commander, and Vanity Fair inspire me by their cinematography and color palettes; not to mention their character development and story.
Finding the root of ones inspirations, I think, is one of the harder things to achieve. Until about three years ago I had never really questioned the source of my art. It is something that just happens, I supposed.
There were obvious subjects which I gravitated to and other subjects I either flailed-about with frantically or simply resisted.
When left to my own devices I have a degree of fear that I will become a stagnant talent. That one day my abilities will simply stop transforming and I will go adrift.
When I graduate from art school in May it will my first complete immersion in the so-called "real world". This is something I have wanted for a very long time, but I have also seen many of my friends who have either dropped-out of college or simply never went, along with many graduates, get stuck in office jobs and never finish an art project again.
It is this idea which terrifies me.
This is getting long-winded and little off track, but I am simply curious about how to keep the inspirations alive and interesting enough to drive ones self past the office jobs and onto being a professional artist to some degree.
Right now I have lists and lists of future projects I can only hope to finish, but after school, when their are no teachers, no weekly critiques, and only a handful of fellow artists to turn to, can I make it? Will I survive?
Even if I never make a big name for myself, I still have this intense desire to be involved with art to make my living. It feels like a strong enough need now, but I am second-guessing myself. A dangerous mind-set, I imagine, but a question which needs answering. Hopefully, before I am cut loose from this wonderfully inspiring school I have found myself in, i will find (at least) the beginning of an answer.
I cut pictures out of magazines like a 13 year old girl would, and I am still caught breathless at the sight of a lush forest or a lovely flower, so for now I think I'm OK. I will do my thesis and kick the proverbial ass of my final college semester and then I will see where I stand.
I still hope to have a shared studio with 3 to 5 others. And I have a few friends whose artistic opinions I greatly value. I will also never stop discovering brilliant films, good books, and fantastic poets.
I'm not so afraid anymore. Now that I've laid out my thoughts, be they a little chaotic, I feel a degree of reassurance. When I woke up this morning I was attacked by these fears and doubts, but I am calmer and braver now. I will just have to keep moving forward.
Thanks for reading,
Nathalie
I have been doing a lot of pondering about my art in general, and I have come to the conclusion that I am most directly inspired, not by other illustrations necessarily, but by none-visual art i.e. music, poetry, plays, and novels. Among the most influential to me are E.E. Cummings, William Shakespeare, John Keats, Dave Eggers, Ray Bradbury, and Garth Nix. (My musical influences are too numerous to list). Now, I suppose text is a visual art, but the words which are printed on the page are not simply portraying the beauty of Times New Roman, they are inspiring the reader to visualize something entirely new. Be it non-fiction, fiction, high fantasy, or simply ridiculous, words force your brain to create a scene for everything to happen in and characters (with or without specific voices) to play the parts of the different people.
And, in a different way, I am subconsciously inspired by my friends who are both artists and not skilled in any specific art at all. Their art does not compel me to copy them, outright, but I feel a kind of energy come up off of them as they talk about new projects or work furiously at a new idea.
Mixed-in with all of those inspirations are also films. Films such as The Darjeeling Limited, The Fall, The Iron Giant, Marie Antoinette, Master and Commander, and Vanity Fair inspire me by their cinematography and color palettes; not to mention their character development and story.
Finding the root of ones inspirations, I think, is one of the harder things to achieve. Until about three years ago I had never really questioned the source of my art. It is something that just happens, I supposed.
There were obvious subjects which I gravitated to and other subjects I either flailed-about with frantically or simply resisted.
When left to my own devices I have a degree of fear that I will become a stagnant talent. That one day my abilities will simply stop transforming and I will go adrift.
When I graduate from art school in May it will my first complete immersion in the so-called "real world". This is something I have wanted for a very long time, but I have also seen many of my friends who have either dropped-out of college or simply never went, along with many graduates, get stuck in office jobs and never finish an art project again.
It is this idea which terrifies me.
This is getting long-winded and little off track, but I am simply curious about how to keep the inspirations alive and interesting enough to drive ones self past the office jobs and onto being a professional artist to some degree.
Right now I have lists and lists of future projects I can only hope to finish, but after school, when their are no teachers, no weekly critiques, and only a handful of fellow artists to turn to, can I make it? Will I survive?
Even if I never make a big name for myself, I still have this intense desire to be involved with art to make my living. It feels like a strong enough need now, but I am second-guessing myself. A dangerous mind-set, I imagine, but a question which needs answering. Hopefully, before I am cut loose from this wonderfully inspiring school I have found myself in, i will find (at least) the beginning of an answer.
I cut pictures out of magazines like a 13 year old girl would, and I am still caught breathless at the sight of a lush forest or a lovely flower, so for now I think I'm OK. I will do my thesis and kick the proverbial ass of my final college semester and then I will see where I stand.
I still hope to have a shared studio with 3 to 5 others. And I have a few friends whose artistic opinions I greatly value. I will also never stop discovering brilliant films, good books, and fantastic poets.
I'm not so afraid anymore. Now that I've laid out my thoughts, be they a little chaotic, I feel a degree of reassurance. When I woke up this morning I was attacked by these fears and doubts, but I am calmer and braver now. I will just have to keep moving forward.
Thanks for reading,
Nathalie
Saturday, January 17, 2009
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