Art Is A Foretaste

At my weekly Bible Study we like to have frequent parties. They tend to be banquet sized potlucks.

Last night I prepared some yummy herb-flavored potatoes. I was a half-hour late. When I arrived the hostess said, "Thank you for bringing snack." I looked around and there were no other dishes on the table.

Much to my surprise our potluck is scheduled for next week. Typically I would have let this failure bother me because I looked like a fool. But God reminded me that this dish that I had brought in was a foretaste of what is to come next week.

Is Higher Learning Enough?

You know as well as I do that we are confronted with many contradictory circumstances throughout our lives. Many of which we have no prior experience in. 

Our struggles handling these circumstances after we graduate from formal education merit this question almost always: Is higher learning enough?

Is higher learning enough?

I started my college education my junior year of high school through a credits-in-escrow program through my college, which was 15 minutes away from home.

I envied those who got ahead in life. 

Truly college education should be desired.  It meant a thorough career in your area of study. It meant that my creative dreams would come true. But I did not see the danger in this way of thinking until later. I simply bought what society sold without questions. Now I am learning the other side.

My dreams of accomplishment in art had little to do with a college education, but some of the experiences could not have happened anywhere else.

Within the academic system

Here you will see some brief observations of the best of what academia has to offer. Most of my examples come from college, but could also come from primary and secondary education. There is often little difference in format these days.

1. Teachers who are knowledgeable about the subject/topic that they teach
2. Students from a variety of backgrounds
3. Potential for one-on-one tutoring as a part of the system
4. Liberal arts help you have a broader scope of learning
5. Isolated learning experience
6. Great social melting pot
7. Higher potential for achievement
8. Ability to work with other students and be exposed to their learning styles and experiences

Workforce training

Post graduation from high school or college you have to learn a lot of things. 

Most of which you cannot learn under your parents or even independently in a college experience. A majority of these can be learned inside of the academic system, but I would argue that it is neither encouraged nor ideal to do so during that time. Some people get both worlds at once, but many still do not.

1. Interviewing skills
2. Money management
3. Networking
4. How to adjust to demands of different jobs
5. Empowerment to pursue your great dreams
6. How to quit in the right context
7. How to plan for the future
8. Change and growth is inevitable
9. Personal habits can cause conflicts
10. Quality of life matters more than quantity of experiences
11. Relationships are often the difference between success or failure
12. Control over certain variables in life makes life easier
13. You cannot control everything

By following these links: Quitter by Jon Acuff and The Dip by Seth Godin, you will learn about alternative ways of thinking about your career. Both of these books provide a framework for personal challenges in pursuing a different careers. 

The Art Blog For Non-Artists

There are many non-artists out there who have probably read my blog. I want you to know that first I understand your frustration with us, the artists. We are generally unconventional, a little crazy, and nonconformists. Second, that you may apply a lot of the same principles as artists only in different venues.

The Non-Artists Unanswered Questions.
So, what is in my blog for the non-artist? Why should you care if you do not ever want to be a serious artist?

Applicable Skills.
When job searching I have learned that what an employer wants to see is not so much that I worked for XYZ Company, but that I learned some applicable skills at XYZ Company that they can use. Consider Exempla Vitae as the Art Blog For Non-Artists. You can use what you learned about creativity here in your day to day life or your job. With exception to the most specific information on creating art, there is very little that you will not eventually apply. In the list below I have created brief descriptions of the gathered seed and how you might apply it in less artistic ways. In doing so I have contributed an experimental piece called Bowl And Cylinder In Color to make an example of.

Creative Indifference.

Inspiration

Every time you see a piece of art or art process you may see a color, form, image, story, concept or approach that when applied to a life situation you can think about things differently.
Example: In the piece above you that the yellow and magenta go well together, so you decide that you can use this combination in the colors of your child's toy room.

Imagination

When observing a piece of art you may realize that the colors, forms, images, stories, or concepts don't quite match reality. Determine why that works and you will be able to apply the same unconventional thinking to a life situation.

Example: You see that the color of the bowl and cylinder have a slight silver tint to them. You reason that if the unconventional use of values work in that situation than you do not have to get stuck in a traffic jam. You can find odd side streets to get around it.

New Perspectives

Art is not created in a box. Even if someone claims that they were not influenced by anyone or anything. It is not true. Artists more than anything know how to communicate their point of view through imagery. We all need to see another person's point of view from time to time. It makes us human.
Example: I used what I had on hand, an old bowl and an empty Cheetos cylinder. If I used those to create my art, then you decide that you can use cinder blocks around your house to put your car up to look under it instead of buying lifts.

New Processes

The craft with which a project was completed helped communicate that message. Seeing that there is a different way to do something may translate into a new approach in your personal goals.

Example: In experimenting with this piece I used a slick computer paper to print on. Acrylic paint is water based and could quickly erode the paper. You discover that even though books are not ideal for weights in your home workout routine they stretch different muscles, so you find new ways to use them.

Spiritual Encouragement

Art is also not scientific. Science may play a role in executing the art, but it has it's roots in the spiritual. Consider that what the artist saw from their perspective revealed something about reality that had not been opened up since long before the modern world. It charged you with a new understanding of God and His goodness.
Example: I was having a bad day when I painted this. Instead of getting frustrated with myself and doing nothing I painted. It was therapeutic and put me in better spirits. Because I let the painting take a less restricted path it shows a dimension of immediacy and dependency on God to create. You are encouraged by this transparency and go try a sewing class for the first time in your life, because you saw that even artists doubt in themselves and your doubts should not get in the way of your fulfillment spiritually.

Resources

Websites, blogs, podcasts, books, names, materials, other people's art, and training will always come up when someone talks about their art. Not only should you consider buying what is recommended but by tracing it to the source you can apply that knowledge to problems you have to solve.
Example: In the process of my struggle this week I was looking at one of my favorite illustration blogs: Gurney Journey. You go to his blog to see how he creates and find that he is good at creating dinosaur related art. You love dinosaurs and follow his recommendations to more studies on dinosaurs.

History

When perspective, processes, and resources come together they tell the story of the art. The art that you see from that creative did not start with that creative. Rather, it had its roots in some event in the past. That is why they created it. When you find out "how" then you can apply the knowledge to something you are going through. Empathy is a very strong connection.
Example: This piece was not created this week, but no less than 12 years ago. My art training started full force with a book by Nicolaides. Though you do not see the underdrawing you can imagine that the form was loosely rendered in a process called blind drawing. I painted over it to create solidarity. You research Nicolaides and find out how he came up with his creative theories. At that time you apply this new understanding to solving problems in your biology career.

Conclusion.
As you can see these aspects of creativity do apply across the board. If you read about something that you do not understand, I encourage you to follow up with a question. I pared down my language in the realms of Christianese (words used specifically in the Christian community) and Artese (words used specifically by artists and those like-minded) as much as possible, but some words don't always translate. Let me know what your questions are on the Comment board and I will answer them to the best of my ability. So what do you want to know about art?

Your Infinite Database On The Moon

Each day when I sit down to do art I have a specific structure in place to keep me on task. It goes something like this: 1. 15 minutes of sketching 2. Draw the comic page 3. Ink the comic page 4. Composite page on the computer. This daily regimen keeps me on task so long as I do not lose focus.

But alas, my mind does not quit working 100% of the time. Narrowing in is not always easy. Here are some factors that are prone to intrude: tiredness, curiosity about something, my bad day at work, other life problems, ministry work, relationships, and other creative ideas brewing in the back of my mind. In a prior post I tackled how I deal with distractions. Click here to read it: Road Work Ahead. Today I want to take a jab at explaining what can be done with those creative ideas that pop up.

Before I finish a piece of art, story, or project I usually begin to see new opportunities. What does a creative person do with these opportunities while other projects take priority?

I wish the easy answer was always to store it in an infinitely secure database on the moon, but it doesn't work that way. Creative ideas are often untamed beasts that like to appear like the Loch Ness Monster. They are ever elusive and prone to disappear as quickly and suddenly as they appear. Unlike people who do not value creativity, the artistic person considers these as precious as gold. Even if we find them to be fools gold in the near future, we don't know how much they are worth until some future time when we can invest in exploring it.

The potential locked away in these ideas come and go. They often do so in the midst of mundane tasks. Some are even prone to pop up during normal work times. This precious commodity often disappears because we are occupied with something that has to take priority in the name of responsibility. Artists generally hate this, but we find ways to manage.

Taking down these ideas come in a number of forms some are not great, but necessary others are ideal so I made a short list of each and you can determine if they are valid for your purposes. Ideal methods are generally more secure and not easily disposed. Less than ideal methods are easily disposable or can be mistaken for something unimportant.

Ideal Idea Capturing Methods:

1. Laptop, PC, or Phone app

2. Sketchbook/journal on hand

3. Filing system

4. Dry erase/Chalk board

5. An e-mail

Less Than Ideal Idea Capturing Methods:

1. Napkin from a restaurant

2. Receipt or random piece of paper on your person

3. Back of a bill or envelope around the house

4. Text message to yourself

5. Digital photo on your phone or camera

6. On the back of a project you are selling or being paid to do

7. Any method from the other 11 listed on someonelse's property

These lists are not a hard and fast rules. What do you think? Do you agree with my categories? What do you do with your ideas in a pinch? Let me know, I would like to do a post about your feedback.

Destinations Unlimited

On the path to discovery I have found that questions accumulate more than answers. With God in charge there is rarely a dull moment. There is frequently a new adventure around the next corner. There will always be mysteries and growth that come with the territory.

I wish I could say that after 4 years studying illustration plus 9 more of life experience, that I have it figured out. I wish I could say that everything in my life is perfectly in sync and that the answers are just ahead. Rarely does one door lead to a comfortable room, but rather a big room with many other doors. Some are eternally locked, thank God, and some are for opening. Knowing which ones I should pass through always give me a difficult time.


When it comes to creativity I have learned that every little limitation has its perks. Every eventual problem has an insightful unique answer. The more that I accept it and use it, the more of an advantage I find. So the next step is always being willing to try the next door. 


Our destinations are unlimited. The best way to see the opportunities is to trust an immeasurably wise God who knows where each door leads and which ones lead to a places that are better left untouched. And beyond that limitation know that every other choice is a mystery worth adventuring in to. So, our mission is always to trust God or succumb to stagnation? Which one would you choose?

Resetting The Trajectory

Over 2 months ago my roommates and I had a dispute with our landlords about their new surprise policy which was presented at the time wished to consider renewing our lease. A red flag rose when they were unwilling or unable to explain this policy, which had very severe consequences for us if we complied. We were dumbfounded as five year renters. In a sudden trump of our bargaining ability they decided that they should kick us out. They gave us the month of May.

This was the studio space set-up at the townhouse.

On the very same day that their surprise decision to kick us out happened, God vindicated us. He provided another residence to rent. Surprising me that it was through someone I know and had built a friendship with. God also worked out all of the moving logistics almost as quickly. Needless to say we are still unpacking and adjusting.

I had goals and plans and thought that the transition would be much easier. The thing is about moving, whether its 2 miles away or 200 miles away you still have to adjust. You have to relearn how to move about in your new space. You may have to formulate new ways to get things done. If you are closer to work or further away, you have to reset travel time, food arrangements and so on. Your life is one big reset and it is exciting. But it is also hard.

My new creative space is in our basement. Suprising, we have more space and will set up library soon.

The one lesson that I have learned is that moving is an opportunity. It simplifies life for a while. It also makes you think and act differently. New behaviors can be good. The new behaviors can be directed and serve a purpose. I learned a lot about forethought and clutter reduction. All things necessary to being a more productive and profitable artist.

For the time, while I'm resetting the trajectory of my life blog posts may be sparse. My new posting schedule will be unhatched soon, but for now I have got to shake out my priorities and prepare for the next big shift in my life...Business!

A Big Forest

To reinforce my last post about detours and distractions I have story to tell about being lost in the forest, click here if you missed it: Road Work Ahead. Enjoy!

The Path To Uncertainty.

I am not sure of my reasoning. It was obviously flawed at that point. In  the summer of 2005, I had been navigating the camp's property  as a counselor and teacher for several months. Though, navigating and knowing your way true are two different things. I had been a poor navigator even up to then. I was notorious for getting my campers lost. Familiarity with landmarks and general direction were my only working tools. When I discovered my error it was too late! My daylight was running short. So, I fumbled along an unfamiliar ridge for a period of time. The crazy thing about dark forests in Southern Ohio is the indefinite altitudes and the rocky death at the bottom. Even a survivalist familiar with the area can be caught off guard by a random drop into a gorge if they lose their way. The supposed path I thought I was on had dissipated into the ambiguous forest floor. I could be heading further toward central camp or away from it. At that time I had to make decisive choices or end up using my night time survival techniques. I feared the worst, so I kept moving. What do you do when you miss a turn? I thought back to where the bad decisions started.

Disaster Was Imminent.

The trouble started when I realized I couldn't cool off until it got real late at night, so I acquired permission from the camp director to rest in the group cabin. The trouble compounded when my mind was still racing with worry and anxiety about my duties as a camp counselor. Guilt plus shame and being sick do not work together. I chose to deliver supplies to my campers out near one of the caves in the big camp forest. I knew the trails to the spot where the campers were at. That much was clear. But I reasoned that I could take a quicker way back. Thinking that I knew where I was going,  I took a turn in the wrong direction just after I left the campers. My confidence in spite of my condition was amazing. Disaster was imminent.

Unfamiliar Territory.

Shortly after leaving the campers the forest ran out. I hit a large grassy hill. It had numerous ruts that I found as I descended the steep hill. The going was difficult. If I didn't fall down the hill altogether, I was sure to sprain my ankle. These ruts were ingeniously cloaked in shoulder high grass. The new realization of being lost hit me: Where was I? Was it familiar? Knowing the general parameters of the grounds led me to this conclusion: The property I had stumbled upon was perhaps nearer to the Eastern corner. Finishing the grassy hill, I found that it was next to a road. As I came to the road I couldn't remember passing this way for sure in past camp trips. Most of the houses along any given road in the Southern hills of  Ohio looked the same. Even so, I continued on the road and came to the conclusion that I couldn't know for sure which direction was the right direction.

Getting Back To Camp.

Obviously, I was weary. I was lost and had no means of communication. So I did what I had to do. I figured that if I could get information from one of the locals I could get home alright before the sun had set. This was problematic, because you did not know if anyone would be home or if they would trust you or worse if they would cause you harm. I chanced it, because I had no choice in the matter. I knocked on the door of what looked like a trailer displaced from its park. A child answered the door. I asked to speak with an adult. As I expected that they were stand-offish, I explained what camp I was from and that I was lost. The father did oblige in telling me the roads that might get me back. So I was on my way in said direction.  After walking in the recommended direction, dehydrated, doubts clouded my mind. I trekked up steep hills and around sharp turns, until I finally found the cross road mentioned. This road was familiar and I knew where to go from there. As I arrived back at the camp I figured that maybe others had missed me, but I was wrong. My joy was in the arrival. I was so glad to get back and be in my bed. My anxiety had done little, but get me in trouble.

Conclusion.
Anxiety is a poor guide and illness is a poor excuse. It was a miracle that I made it out of that forest alive and relatively intact. It was an adventure, but it remains as a story that reminds me of how my bad judgment can get me in trouble. We often don't want to admit when we are wrong. And we often don't want to admit that we got ourselves into our own messes. Detours created by other people are difficult, but ones set up by our own stubbornness can be deadly. So it is important that we always remember that there is a way out of the forest.

Because Of Resurrection

Growing up in the Christian church there are many words or sayings that become part of your day-to-day language early on. You say them and you move on. Everyone you talk to understands them. You often don't even understand what you are talking about, because this language of Christianity is pressed into you. I am not saying this is wrong. I am not saying that it is harmful. What I am saying is that the weight of words is often misunderstood. If you had been compartmentalized into a subculture growing up, whatever that is, you too, will understand what I am saying. Resurrection was definitely one of those words. That is what I am going to talk about.

Why would an art blogger choose to talk about resurrection? Well it has personal significance for me. As I follow Jesus, I see that there is much mystery in this faith. Much more than any other faith I know about. Resurrection is one of those mysteries. I wish for people to understand why this concept is important. I chose to speak of it specifically to you because destruction and recreation is a part the creative process. Its in nature and its part of creating art. I have used a rather non-academic form of presenting my case. Follow along and see what you can learn.

Resurrection Was Not A New Idea 2000 Years Ago.
The ancient Israelites were not the only ones to talk about the possibility of resurrection. Many ancient cultures told myths in which their gods were resurrected. This idea often referred to the seasonal cycles. The stories often included macabre deaths and fantastic resurrections. The lines blurred on the issue of reincarnation.

 "The cult of Baal celebrated annually his death and resurrection as a part of the Canaanite fertility rituals." -by Alan G. Hefner, Pantheon.org

"One of the most important myths associated with Isis was the story of Osiris's death and resurrection... Isis searched for and found the box and then brought it back to Egypt, where she concealed it. However, Set discovered the hiding place and cut Osiris's body into many pieces and scattered them throughout Egypt. After recovering the pieces, Isis used her magical powers to restore life to Osiris, who then went to live in the underworld." -Myth Encyclopedia

Where Are The Others?

Even though, other myths told of their gods or heroes coming back from the dead, none of them produced a real, certifiable case. They turned into gods or part of nature, etc... Mostly, those characters remained in the realm of myth. They did not have historical precedence. Jesus is the only one.

Coming Back From The Dead Ain't Easy. 

If you have ever had a sickness for an extended period of time or some sort of fatal accident and survived, you know what I am talking about. When our body's natural functions start to shut down, it is a miracle to have them revived, whether science or supernatural.

Death Is Not A Joke. 

In our culture we are encumbered by fictional depictions of the undead. Whether its ghosts, vampires, or zombies. When you die it is final. It is not casually, passively, or accidentally overcome.

Death Can Be Merciful.
I am not insinuating that Jack Kevorkian was right, that we should love death and promote assisted suicide and mass murder as a gift to humanity. No, this life is precious for as long as we have it. Life is a gift and a miracle. We should do nothing to undermine that fact. Passing from the difficulties and horrors of this world can take you to be with God who is love. It is better than what we often experience here. What would be the point of coming back to a worse option?

Where's The Formula?

Aside from the immediate use of the tools of science on the deathbed, no one knows how non-scientific resurrection works. There is no formula. If scientific resurrection won't work much beyond a couple of hours following proven death, how could it work after 3 days?

Hope Is A Rare Commodity, Indeed.

If you saw someone die and return to life, would that bring depression or hope? Wouldn't you believe there is more to the world than what you can see or experience in the material sense?

Your Worldview Is Important.

If you believed that resurrection was possible wouldn't it change your whole worldview? Not only would immaterial things be possible, but other amazing acts would be as well. In fact, it would make it easier to believe in the power of love, true justice, mercy, genuine people, healing of the sick, and many other common and uncommon things. If death has been overcome, then what else is possible?

Miracles Fuel Your Imagination.

If you believed in the resurrection of the body it would open up creative options that would transcend the stars. Miracles become a common part of your life. You look for the exceptional things in the midst of your day-to-day routine. Bricks become spaceships. A paper towel tube becomes a sword. You can fly when you look at the sky. There are no colors that cannot go together. You can have tea with unicorns and marry royalty. It fuels your imagination.

Conclusion.

We can take too lightly the meaning of resurrection and the ramifications of such a mistake undermine the daily activities we take for granted. Perhaps, you still disagree with the possibility of bodily resurrection after Jesus of Nazareth, but let me assure you that using this article as a starting point for research will bring about questions of your own. I encourage you to dig deeper and see where it takes you. Try it on for size and you will be surprised. God Bless your journey!

Dreads

I was pretty sure on Monday that something was wrong with me. I took a nap and I still felt tired. Even more tired than before I laid down. The next day proved it. My bones ached and I felt exhausted no matter what I did or what I ate. The dreads had begun.

Unbelievable Weather.

This year in Ohio we had a surprisingly temperate winter. We had 60 degree weather starting in December and going all the way through February. It peaked at 80 degrees by mid-March. We all thought it was going to last. We were wrong.

Over the past couple of weeks it seems as if late fall and mid-summer are duking it out. One day starts out winterish and by the end it is summerish. Ugh! What a predicament to feel sick under.


Creative Dreads.
My creativity and energy have been zapped all week. I'd rather sleep than do anything. It puts a damper on everything that helps me thrive. I thought forward in time to all of the projects that I was putting off, all the people I have to contact, and all the other things in my life that demanded my attention. I dreaded the future. I've heard of other creative people (who are paid to be creative) say they just power through illness and get the project done. I have been questioning the wisdom of this. How does it really help you in the end? All that time you continue to work you're extending your dread of being sick. We don't recover so quickly as we get older. And what good is that overall? It is easy enough to throw out discipline, but what about wellness?

What Do You Think?
So, what do you do when you are sick? Do you press in and power through or do you stop everything? Do you get help or do it on your own? How do you know when to slow down or take a break?

Let me know what you think.

Stay Young...FOREVER!

It took a second look at the shelf to understand it. My hands had actually shelved these books before without my brain connecting the fact that the titles were just stupid. Because they were so ridiculous I can't remember their titles specifically. But they all wanted to say this: "Stay Young, Forever" and they meant it.

What Are We Looking For?
Why o why, would you buy that nonsense? I don't know for sure, but it has to be a strange sickness that has made us believe this junk. Its just sad.

But maybe this thing we are looking for is what we said before, but it is good...staying young, forever. But maybe we really have it backward. Those words don't say what I want them to mean. So, I will show you what I mean. First, I will show you a simple comic. Then, I will explain it. See if you can follow...

I Thought Like A Child.
My first day of junior high I was so happy about the sports that I could soon play all that year that I carried home my duffel bag full of my text books for every class. As a preteen I was more happy about about getting in shape that this task seemed more important than even what people thought of me. I was just looking to succeed. Those heavy books were at least half my weight. Why ride the bus when I could get a work out? My creativity endured without criticism or skepticism. I was unleashed from material expectation. I had physical level of endurance I crave now, but lacked discipline and direction.

Crazy? Maybe, so.

That type of excitement lasted until college. Until I faced the big world problems. I was my own man.

Inject cynicism.

Grow Up, Already.
I hit the school of hard knocks hard. From the beginning of college to my late 20's I was cynical about authority, the system, and pretty insecure myself.Much worse than now. I was looking for a chance to show the world that I was something special, all by myself.  I was miserable because I never thought I could measure up. As one who follows Jesus, I doubted God's blessings in my life. Until, the day I started dealing with my problems. I had carried around a satchel, then as I had carried around that duffel bag before. It was full of all of my ridiculous priorities. And few of them were God's. In a sense this burden was worse than the weight I carried around in junior high and I did so for nearly 10 years. I missed it. I had lost myself. I thought I was mature. My creativity was mostly watered down. I allowed myself to waste away for some unknown reason. Until the day I got an affirmation on my calling. My only benefit was my outward endurance and ability to work hard. This rarely helped me, because I did not have the smarts to match.

Inject grace.

Start At The Beginning.
Much has changed over the last 4+ years. On the day that a friend offered me grace for my immature behavior, I started to begin again. I slowly returned. Older, yes, but my goals are much clearer. These days my fervor for creativity is much stronger. Now, I feel myself physically wasting away. My spirit is much more agile. I willfully carry a ridiculous amount of art supplies in my new satchel to be prepared for art at any moment. Where these past opportunities only built my cynicism, I now use them to build character or create art. They fuel my imagination. Essentially the benefit of returning to my youthful ways is that every second has significance. Though, I did not get here on my own. By investing more in my relationship with Jesus, the change happened to me. I did not create it. More adequately I gave up and just trusted.

Conclusion.
So, maybe we do have it backward. We are looking for physical youth and beauty that will not last. My physical condition has deteriorated, but my spirit has more endurance. The lesson I learned over the last 31 years is that growth is not about outward appearance, but an inward attitude. Youth is a condition of the heart. You can stay young if you put your trust in the right person, Jesus. And out of that ambition and creativity will flow like a mountain spring. Refusing the nonsense that society expects of you is only the first step. After that you have to be willing throw off the expectations you put on yourself and let God do His work. That is where your best creativity will come from.

What are you looking for? Remember and reach back to what drove you to be creative in the first place and reach up to the Lord and Savior of the universe. He will guide you in that. Look for ways to keep that momentum going.

Rest: The Secret Ingredient For Success

It's easy to keep going like you are the Energizer Bunny. Or at least pretend like you are one. Pretend is the key the word.

Defining The Creative Vacuum.

We (artists) can live in a vacuum of just our creativity. We can dive in and go anywhere at any time. To the rest of the world we look as if we are just staring at a wall or walking down the street. But our hearts and minds are engaged in the full creative process. However, we have limits that we must acknowledge.

Creative Rest Habits.

Artists need rest. Our bodies being the weak vessels that they are lack the infinitude of an eternal body. Our limits often show. And I believe that rest is the key to it all.

There was a professor in college who did a splendid presentation on rest for a chapel service one time. This idea has resonated with me for over 10 years. The truth is, I have not learned all of the secrets to this magnificent tool for maintaining my humanity. I believe it is a discipline that all artists have to learn and become pro's at. There are some key insights that I have learned on my own, from other artists, and in church that I would like to share, but I am still working on.

Coherent Rest Habits.

Six insights to take seriously when when considering coherent rest habits, because six is the number assigned to man and Jesus said in Mark 2:27- “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

1. Plan a daily Sabbath time.  End your creative work at a specific time every day. Turn off your computer. Clean off your art desk. Put your art supplies away. Leave your creative space for the day, if at all possible.

2. Make a point to contact friends, hang out, and spend time with family. Work is not life, it just helps propel it forward. Take time to exercise and plan.

3. Limit your nightly activities.  On the opposing end of making time for friends and family and social activities is the reality that you are limited in yourself. Do not over-promise. Guard your rest when at all possible. Because you need a daily Sabbath time you should separate it out for your own sake. Only you know what you can handle!

4. Don't sedate your creativity just because you are not in your designated art making time. It is generally better to get the idea on paper or on the computer than to let it follow you into other decision-making times.

5. Be wise about when you decide to stay up late. Unfortunately, you cannot avoid it 100% of the time, but when it is necessary, make the proper adjustments. Have a plan. If you have to lose sleep at night plan a time the next day to rest before being creative again. You will be much more productive.

6. Plan at least one Sabbath day a week. That one day dedicated to rest and worship of Jesus will put you so much farther ahead during the week. You will be astounded! You can make decisions and stick to them. Your work will be better and the time spent working will be of higher quality. It is truly a mystery why this works so well. But the truth is God created us in His image and He set the standard to rest on the last day of the week. Who is wiser than that?



Conclusion.

Protect your rest times and get good at it. All other great decisions will emanate from this choice. Don't let other people dictate what is good for you concerning what you know you can physically handle. You will get where you believe you are called much faster by limiting your activity and honoring the resting period God has put in place for all mankind.

Reference Your Imagination

Creative ideas swirl all around us every day, all day. This is true, but sometimes we do not have a reference point for a preexisting idea. Sometimes our personal experience is so limited that we have to refer to other sources to drive our picture-making or creative endeavor or even to solve one of life's wealth of problems.

Violin And Violinist Sketch click: Here

This task of conceptualizing is often time-consuming. There are many rabbit trails and often we can be so enraptured in this task that it takes away from time to solve the actual problem.


The important thing is that at the end of this time you can come to a conclusion that is based on reality and not on your mental image of it.



The hard lessons learned by understanding this result in a spirited piece of art and a growing visual vocabulary. Practicing understanding the mundane will pay off in dividends when under a deadline. This practice is grown through drawing multiple versions of a subject from multiple angles and sources. This has been my primary drive for mastering the quick-sketch and has been the foundation upon which I am building my inking skill.

Consider your discipline. Are you taking every possible measure to understand your subject? What techniques do you use to learn for the sake of the end result?

Royal Colors

The day that I started using a limited palette was the day that I started getting watercolor and color usage in general. I do not claim mastery, but the basics applied always make for a better painting or piece of art. Because I have consistently been working on my comic book, I have only been able to work with color to a minor degree. Most of them are quick studies. Still painting with color brings my heart joy.

Some day I will be combining illustration and fine art, comics and watercolor, and mix medias at will to get the look I desire. Until that day I will continue my small form experiments. It is in fact this ability that makes the most of my imagination. What is your curiosity?

In my small experiment I chose just 3 colors.  My  colors were yellow ochre, lemon yellow, and purple. The color choice was rather secondary to the internal argument as to whether I should have a cool painting or a warm one. Nonetheless, the gold sky and the purple trees seemed to be apt to describe the beauty of God's creation and identify the fact that he gave it to us as stewards. Check out the full image by clicking on this link: We Must Be Royalty.

Name Your Triumph

"When looking at any significant work of art, remember that a more significant one probably has had to be sacrificed." - Paul Klee

"The best artists make the most mistakes." -Andrew Kish, III Watercolorist

Thinking of physical failures as triumphs takes a lot of courage. It makes more sense to just call something a failure and laud it as that to everyone you meet. But, does it really help anyone? 

I am not talking about an honest acknowledgement that the pieces of art you are concerned with do not have flaws or lack the ability to communicate the message you want to get across. I am talking about a piece of art standing on its own as a piece of art. It is no less valid to laud a child's simplistic crayon drawing as art as the work created by a person with a PhD in oil painting. Communication is one thing, beauty is another. 

In my pursuit to create good art I have learned the value of sacrificing my longing for perfection for the greater good of communication. The truth is I have created some pretty amazing works that had to meet their death at the end of an eraser or a swab of a paint brush. I have to count on this to sustain me as I create. Mistakes are necessary. Mistakes, you could say are the life of art. The further I go into this process the more I see that it is vital to my growth and the easier it is to decide what to keep and what goes. 

We have to consider our "failures" as fodder for growth. We have to celebrate the whole of the process so that we can perpetuate our movement toward the creative end we pursue. It is well worth it. So, I share my triumph with you. I have accomplished 17 hours of work in the 5 day span from 1/23/12-1/27/12 in the midst of a part time job and other responsibilities, challenges, and events. Praise God! I will do much better this week. 

Granted not all of these pieces were a beginning to end process, but they are all part of the process and therefore qualify as art. In the mainstay pieces I will share with you the final products in the months to come. Hold tight to your work and consider every victory along the way.

 

 

 

The City Scene

Discovery is the best way to fuel your imagination. If you see something new or the same old things in a new light you propel yourself forward. Change happens in you and then innovation!

Daily I put this into practice in some aspect of my art. Sometimes its a process, a technique, an area of study, or a tool. 

The City Scene 3 represents a  still life practice that I use often. I need to learn perspective, so I set up a scenario that allows me to see it with my own eyes instead of guessing. When I set up these scenes I try to do something alien and unique with similar objects that  you could find around the house. I chose the China Marker because of its proximity to pastel and charcoal. It can bear some semblance to a black and white photo if used the right way. In particular, value was very important to this drawing. 

Be bold and try a different media, process, or subject matter. Be brazen and open to change. I guarantee you will see something new.

Negative Spaces

Mystery is negative space.

As an artist I thrive on mystery. I do not take for granted what I cannot see. What I can see, I understand that even at it's fundamental level I cannot perceive the substance or scene in its entirety. I am not God. The passage below reminds me of my limitations and always makes creating art into an awe-inspiring event:

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.- 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

As artists we exploit the principle of what is not seen defines what is seen as often as we possibly can. Follow the points below and you will understand how it works and how we think.

1. There is NO MYSTERY in virtual white space. A solid of any kind is not compelling. It has no weight or relevance by itself. This is something like walking through a pure whiteout after a snowstorm. Pure white, you would feel as if you were unable to go anywhere. A feeling of perpetual lack of direction.

2. There is NO MYSTERY in virtual black space. Have you ever been stuck in a dark room with no light available? It is as if you were paralyzed. You feel as if you were disconnected.Only the introduction light will move you toward mystery.

3. Two white boxes only show equality. There is NO CONFLICT. You need conflict in order create mystery. Mystery requires an unbalanced feeling. This is not possible without conflict.

4. CONFLICT alone is not enough to create mystery. Black against white definitely begins to create tension, but if it is balanced like stripes it does not finish the job.

5. SUSPENSE starts to get to mystery. Though it is clear that there is a struggle. Suspense can happen with equality still in mind. Therefore, artistically it is not that interesting. It lacks Power.

6. MYSTERY can be created in two different ways. When black dominates it is an overpowering type of mystery. Compelling like a pure dark room, but since one shard of light appears it can cause suspense and wonder. Wonder is probably the most essential ingredient in the recipe for Mystery. It captures our imaginations.

7. MYSTERY created where there is a shard of black in a sea of white causes us to think about resilience. A lone survivor or just loneliness can be derived. It is compelling with a sense of wonder that causes awe at the sight of  one lone element defying the system that surrounds it.




Now you see how we think about composition and what ramifications a sense of mystery carries. Perhaps it will cause you to view the greater picture when view art, nature, or humanity as a whole. Challenge yourself to push the limits of mystery. It will truly wrap others into the work you create.

I created these examples based on an ink piece that I did. Click on this link to see the full image: The Edge Of The Forest.