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There’s so much opportunity to learn out there. I spend time on Stumble, YouTube, and Facebook connecting about art and creativity. It’s great! I’ve learned some important things. Good advice about how to promote my art – how to write a blog for example. Terrific advice about how to be more creative. And you would be shocked to know how many invites I get every week to promote my art through various online venues. I finally quit looking at those a couple of weeks ago. Here’s the thing – for today, the sponge is full. Do you know that feeling – still reading but not absorbing anything at all? It does occur to me that someone could spend so much time learning about being creative that they have no time left to be creative. Or learning how to promote their art that they have no time to promote (or make!) their art. Wow. That would be a waste. Finding a balance between learning, since there’s always more to learn, and practicing what you’ve learned is hard. So my creativity tip today, to myself and to you, is – just go do it. Paint, sing, dance, bake, whatever is the creative you and wherever you are at in your personal learning curve, you absolutely can’t go wrong by just doing it. I’m off to paint now 🙂 

I did get over wondering if there were monsters under my bed. Actually, it was skinny scary wolves that I thought were under mine. (Thanks, Walt, for that one.) Anyway, they are gone. Phew! I have a strong dislike for spiders, and heights make me uncomfortable, but none of these things are what I find truly scary. I think if I’m afraid of anything, it’s a fear of not being all I was meant to be. Some days it’s like I feel that sand slipping through the hour glass, and I’m slipping down with it. To use a common expression, I don’t want to die without singing my song. And I also hope that in some way, I can encourage you to sing your song too. This world will be glad if you do. And it’s worthwhile to note, your song may be in the creative, and more importantly, it will also be found in the way you show love for those around you in big and small ways. /  What fears have you conquered? I hope there’s nothing still under your bed – except maybe some fluffy dust bunnies. 

The connection may not be obvious, until you think about it. A good still life set up has a lot in common with a good landscape composition. They each have a foreground, mid ground, and background. In the still life though, it’s most often the mid ground that has the starring role, while in a landscape it can be any of the three depths. Both types of paintings are enhanced by variety in shapes and size throughout the composition. The painting posted here is one by Cezanne. You can sense how he set up the table cloth like foreground foothills leading up to the mid ground of fruit and the final backcloth like a mountain behind it all. We are exploring this concept in the current Fruit Flowers and Crystal class. This type of creative thinking can make arranging a still life set up lots of fun. 

 

Artpromotivate has done a great article about images found on the web that can be used by artists. If you are looking for photo reference, it will be worthwhile to read it. Here’s the link…“Photo Reference Sites for Artists – Artpromotivate” (Find link at cherylo.ca  if you are reading this on Facebook or Twitter.) 

Painting by: Cheryl O /  Photo reference by: W. Noordermeer 

There are 2 basic types of watercolour paper: hot-press and cold press. It’s easy to remember the difference. Hot-press is smooth with no texture – essentially it has been ‘ironed’ flat by the hot press machine. Cold press has some texture in the surface. The amount of texture and pattern of it will vary with brand. Hot press is great for those who love little details. Cold press is more popular because a lot of painters like the added texture feeling that cold press give. Cold press will also accentuate the granular effect of sedimentary pigments. Take time to experience both in order to see which suits your painting style the best. 

  A fascinating sculpture made from 2 step ladders, discarded wood, and projected light. Gee, I thought it was good when I could make a duck shadow with my fingers 🙂