crystalcookart
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Changes
3 min read
So it's been a really long time (about 2 months) since I did any painting. Two months is a really, really long time for me, considering I used to do a small painting nearly every day.
But then we moved, and I don't know how many of you have actually had to sell your house to move, not just move from a rental, but it is a HUGE deal. It took up pretty much my whole life for about 6 months! There was so much organizing, purging, fixing, cleaning, painting, etc. to get ready for people to walk through our house so we could sell it. And then there was the hunting for a new house. Ugh. Well that part was fun, but the rest was pretty much a nightmare!
I told my husband the only way I am every moving again is if we are able to get some land so I can have a horse at home.
And luckily with our new house we have all the space we need for our family and could even add to our little clan if we want to now. So that's a good thing.
In any case, the point of this journal was to say that with all these changes, and the recent and surprising success of my clay creatures, I've decided to cut way back on paintings. I was so burned out on commissions that I just could not even stand the sight of a brush anymore. It literally made me shudder. All my life I've been an artist, drawing and painting, and for the last 11 years or so I've been a professional artist, making a modest living with my paintings. And for the last four of those years I've been a daily painter. And while painting a small painting every day was very good for both increasing my skill level, and my business, it also burned me out A LOT.
Now I'm in my new home, the Christmas rush is over, and I have no painting commissions waiting so I'm free to paint when and if I want to. So that's exactly what I'm going to do.
In the meantime I am of course going to be sculpting little animals a lot. That has really been a joyful reprieve from the stresses of portrait commissions and something that I look forward to every day. So I'll be sure to be posting those a lot, and occasionally a painting here and there.
That's actually the whole reason I wrote this post, to lament about my inability to change my user name from crystalcookart to tumblecreatures. Apparently you have to have a fancy premium membership for such foolishness.
But then we moved, and I don't know how many of you have actually had to sell your house to move, not just move from a rental, but it is a HUGE deal. It took up pretty much my whole life for about 6 months! There was so much organizing, purging, fixing, cleaning, painting, etc. to get ready for people to walk through our house so we could sell it. And then there was the hunting for a new house. Ugh. Well that part was fun, but the rest was pretty much a nightmare!
I told my husband the only way I am every moving again is if we are able to get some land so I can have a horse at home.
And luckily with our new house we have all the space we need for our family and could even add to our little clan if we want to now. So that's a good thing. In any case, the point of this journal was to say that with all these changes, and the recent and surprising success of my clay creatures, I've decided to cut way back on paintings. I was so burned out on commissions that I just could not even stand the sight of a brush anymore. It literally made me shudder. All my life I've been an artist, drawing and painting, and for the last 11 years or so I've been a professional artist, making a modest living with my paintings. And for the last four of those years I've been a daily painter. And while painting a small painting every day was very good for both increasing my skill level, and my business, it also burned me out A LOT.
Now I'm in my new home, the Christmas rush is over, and I have no painting commissions waiting so I'm free to paint when and if I want to. So that's exactly what I'm going to do.
In the meantime I am of course going to be sculpting little animals a lot. That has really been a joyful reprieve from the stresses of portrait commissions and something that I look forward to every day. So I'll be sure to be posting those a lot, and occasionally a painting here and there.
That's actually the whole reason I wrote this post, to lament about my inability to change my user name from crystalcookart to tumblecreatures. Apparently you have to have a fancy premium membership for such foolishness.
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Got an art marketing question?
3 min read
I've been a bad painter lately. I'm working on a very large series of paintings for a corporate commission, which is awesome and exciting but also stressful and . . . stressful. I haven't been doing my daily paintings for about a month, partly because of this commission project, partly because we just barely put our house up for sale and there has been a load of home improvements and house beautifying projects that have taken up a big chunk of my time, and partly because I've been having lots of fun and some decent success with my new clay endeavor. But mostly because I just haven't felt like painting. At all. Which is so not like me.
I think there is always something good to be said for pushing through artistic blocks (I strongly believe that genius doesn't happen for those who sit around and wait for it) but there is also a point when you can push too hard and burn yourself out. I think that's where I've been at lately. But I've got to get back to it soon, and I plan too, and even as of today I am starting to really miss painting and wanting to get back to it.
Which brings me to this other thing I thought I'd mention. I'll be co-hosting a blog talk radio show this month with Leslie Saeta (artist and art marketing expert) every Thursday at 9 am Pacific time (I believe that's what it's called, it's USA California time). The show is called Artists Helping Artists www.blogtalkradio.com/artistsh… and it's all about taking charge of your own art career and marketing your work, with a special emphasis on online selling. It's an awesome show for all self representing artists, not just painters. Leslie has a lot of good information that has helped me feel in control of my business. You can download the podcasts on iTunes, and I usually listen to them while I'm painting. I actually was a guest on a show they did last year about watercolor artists. It was slightly terrifying so I don't know what came over me to think co-hosting for a whole month would be a good idea!
So my question is do those of you who sell your work, or have that as your goal, have any questions or topics you'd like to see addressed in a future show? I'm trying to come up with a list of show ideas and I could use some input.
I think there is always something good to be said for pushing through artistic blocks (I strongly believe that genius doesn't happen for those who sit around and wait for it) but there is also a point when you can push too hard and burn yourself out. I think that's where I've been at lately. But I've got to get back to it soon, and I plan too, and even as of today I am starting to really miss painting and wanting to get back to it.
Which brings me to this other thing I thought I'd mention. I'll be co-hosting a blog talk radio show this month with Leslie Saeta (artist and art marketing expert) every Thursday at 9 am Pacific time (I believe that's what it's called, it's USA California time). The show is called Artists Helping Artists www.blogtalkradio.com/artistsh… and it's all about taking charge of your own art career and marketing your work, with a special emphasis on online selling. It's an awesome show for all self representing artists, not just painters. Leslie has a lot of good information that has helped me feel in control of my business. You can download the podcasts on iTunes, and I usually listen to them while I'm painting. I actually was a guest on a show they did last year about watercolor artists. It was slightly terrifying so I don't know what came over me to think co-hosting for a whole month would be a good idea!
So my question is do those of you who sell your work, or have that as your goal, have any questions or topics you'd like to see addressed in a future show? I'm trying to come up with a list of show ideas and I could use some input.
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The subject of originality
3 min read
I hope I am not opening a giant can of worms by posting this, but this has been on my mind a lot lately.
A fellow creative posted this on facebook the other day: "I'm about 99.9% certain there is no such thing as a TRULY original idea. We all take inspiration from something else. We see something that touches us - and if we have the desire, we use that first look to make it something unique, something our own. It happens with books, it happens with products. It's not stealing, in most cases. If someone were to create an exact replica of something - fine. Fume all you want. However, I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that the person complaining that their idea was stolen saw something someplace else, and used it as a springboard to create something unique and, eventually, 'theirs.'"
And then a different fellow creative posted this on Tumblr:
"Hey look its the difference between original quality work and stuff that's just out to make a quick buck in the wake of successful original work. Would you rather be the much cherished classic or the laughed at, sad bootleg? If you have the ability to create something make it your own, make it yours and don't try to be someone you are not." This last statement was quoted by missmonster then reblogged by Beastlies.
I admit that the first statement sort of makes me uncomfortable. Because it gives the impression that it's okay to take another person's work, change the bare minimum of things (the color of the genie perhaps? and say it's yours.
I personally feel that most artists learn by studying the works of other artists, and copying to some degree, at least at first. That's how I learned to paint in watercolors, by studying paintings of artist's that I absolutely loved and trying to replicate them. That's also how I learned how to sculpt in polymer clay, by studying Becca Gollins of dragonsandbeasties dragonsandbeasties.deviantart.… video tutorial. That's why master cast drawings are still so popular at Atelier's. A friend of mine just got accepted to a museum program that allows her to go in and paint a copy of an old, master work, like some of John Singer Sargeant's paintings. But that's what these are, they are studies, meant for practice and learning, not for profit.
But, BUT I never, ever thought of selling my watercolor studies, or my dragonsandbeasties studies. And I think this is where the conflict comes in. You should only ever be selling original work made by you. Undoubtedly some of the techniques that you learn through your study will shine through in your own work, but it's what you do with it in your own hands that makes it YOUR art. Unique and impossible to truly duplicate.
What do you guys think?? Friendly discussion please. No hate allowed here.
A fellow creative posted this on facebook the other day: "I'm about 99.9% certain there is no such thing as a TRULY original idea. We all take inspiration from something else. We see something that touches us - and if we have the desire, we use that first look to make it something unique, something our own. It happens with books, it happens with products. It's not stealing, in most cases. If someone were to create an exact replica of something - fine. Fume all you want. However, I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that the person complaining that their idea was stolen saw something someplace else, and used it as a springboard to create something unique and, eventually, 'theirs.'"
And then a different fellow creative posted this on Tumblr:
"Hey look its the difference between original quality work and stuff that's just out to make a quick buck in the wake of successful original work. Would you rather be the much cherished classic or the laughed at, sad bootleg? If you have the ability to create something make it your own, make it yours and don't try to be someone you are not." This last statement was quoted by missmonster then reblogged by Beastlies.
I admit that the first statement sort of makes me uncomfortable. Because it gives the impression that it's okay to take another person's work, change the bare minimum of things (the color of the genie perhaps?
and say it's yours. I personally feel that most artists learn by studying the works of other artists, and copying to some degree, at least at first. That's how I learned to paint in watercolors, by studying paintings of artist's that I absolutely loved and trying to replicate them. That's also how I learned how to sculpt in polymer clay, by studying Becca Gollins of dragonsandbeasties dragonsandbeasties.deviantart.… video tutorial. That's why master cast drawings are still so popular at Atelier's. A friend of mine just got accepted to a museum program that allows her to go in and paint a copy of an old, master work, like some of John Singer Sargeant's paintings. But that's what these are, they are studies, meant for practice and learning, not for profit.
But, BUT I never, ever thought of selling my watercolor studies, or my dragonsandbeasties studies. And I think this is where the conflict comes in. You should only ever be selling original work made by you. Undoubtedly some of the techniques that you learn through your study will shine through in your own work, but it's what you do with it in your own hands that makes it YOUR art. Unique and impossible to truly duplicate.
What do you guys think?? Friendly discussion please. No hate allowed here.
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Well it's nearly over. 30 paintings in 30 days. When I started out on this challenge I knew it would be, well, um. . . a 'challenge.' For two years in a row I did NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, where you write an entire 50,000 word novel in 30 days). So I knew that any kind of creative commitment that involves producing work every single day is tough.
In fact, since the last NaNo I did (2011), I haven't written consistently since. Why? Because I got severely burned out. It is wicked hard to maintain serious creative energy without a break for that length of time and maintain your passion for creating at the same time.
But I feel more passionate about painting than I ever have about writing. Painting is woven into every single piece of who I am, while writing is just for fun, a 'hobby', not a life sustaining endeavor (which is what painting is to me, sometimes I feel like I can't breathe if I go too long without painting). With my passion for painting so strong I hoped I wouldn't feel burned out by doing this 30x30 challenge.
But I was wrong. I did feel burn out at times. But I didn't let it stop me from painting, I didn't let it kill that passion that I have for creating art. Because I need to paint, and so I have always found a way to work around whatever road block is in my way so that I can.
So, here are ten things that 30 paintings in 30 days has taught me:
1. Don't ever run out of chocolate. Seriously. Keep a secret stash somewhere or something. Trust me, you'll need it in those moments when the last three paintings you've attempted have resulted in nothing but a big pile of suckage reminiscent of the world's largest dung heap.
2. Don't expect every single painting to be a masterpiece. This was a hard one for me, and something that a few of my good online painting buddies had to knock into my head a few times (you know who you are, ahem, Carrie, Sandra, Teresa, and Bren. Really all of you. All of you helped pull me out of my self pity mire). It is highly unrealistic, and stressful, to think that every single thing you produce needs to be a huge success. And to stand before a blank piece of paper or panel with that thought at the front of your mind is just setting yourself up for disaster.
3. Don't think you have to paint like anyone other than yourself. In order to produce a finished painting every day I sometimes thought that I needed to paint like someone else, so I could paint faster, not like my detail oriented, accuracy driven self. And so some of the work I produced this month didn't satisfy me completely. It took me a while to realize that this is what was bothering me when I started to feel burned out, but when I finally did I embraced the fact that I should only ever paint like myself, detailitis and all. Because painting any other way, forcing myself to be 'loose' when it doesn't come naturally to me at all, is being dishonest. And I believe that in order to paint with feeling and emotion you have to be completely honest with yourself first.
4. Everyone needs a dragon day. In the middle of my burned out period this month I started sculpting little dragons out of clay, just for fun. I did this on Sundays, which is my permanent day off from painting (30 x 30 challenge or not I still wasn't planning to paint on Sunday). When I was talking to my sister about how I was feeling so uninspired about painting, but so excited about making cute little dragons she started calling Sundays my 'dragon day.' And I liked that idea so much that I now call Sundays my dragon day, whether I'm sculpting a little dragon, or putting together a photo album, or baking a new yummy treat. A dragon day is a day where you refill your creative well, it's a day to do anything creative that you want, just for fun, with no expectations that anything will come of it other than the joy you get from the act of creating.
5. Don't try to paint a portrait (or any other difficult, complex subject) every single day for 30 days. Just don't. Trust me on this. Portraits are my favorite thing to paint, but they are also very draining for me. I feel like I put more of myself into one of my portraits than I do any other subject, so to paint them for 30 days straight would leave me nothing but a blibbering idiot by the end of the month.
6. Don't doubt yourself. Love thyself fellow artist! Repeat after me: You is kind. You is smart. You is important. And you is a good artist. Don't ever forget it.
7. Streamline your housework and meal planning. Or whatever other work you do. Now is not the time to volunteer to bake your son's class personalized cupcakes with each child's name iced in calligraphy. Now is not the time to deep clean your basement and closets. Now is the time to do the basics of housework and cook reliable, family favorite meals.
8. Keep yourself surrounded with things that inspire you. Visit other artist's blogs and websites that leave you breathless with their beautiful work! Read books or magazine articles, or listen to podcasts (like this one) that talk about the life of an artist, their thought process, and what they do to stay inspired. Pin an inspiring quote, favorite photos that you want to paint, or pictures of paintings you love above your workspace to motivate you. Keep a journal of the things you see in your daily life that make you pause and see how beautiful your life really is. In other words, enjoy the journey that is your life.
9. Forgive yourself. So you didn't do 30 paintings in 30 days, you only did 17. So what?? You tried, you painted your heart out, and you accomplished great things anyway. If you need further reassurance go back and read #6 of this list.
10. Recognize that this challenge is more about the journey than the destination. Trite perhaps, but so true. It's not a race, there's no need to compare yourself to anyone else. This challenge is about you and your art and what it means to you and no one else. It's not about the end result, it's about the process of painting and the joy it brings you.
For two years in a row I did NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, where you write an entire 50,000 word novel in 30 days). So I knew that any kind of creative commitment that involves producing work every single day is tough.In fact, since the last NaNo I did (2011), I haven't written consistently since. Why? Because I got severely burned out. It is wicked hard to maintain serious creative energy without a break for that length of time and maintain your passion for creating at the same time.
But I feel more passionate about painting than I ever have about writing. Painting is woven into every single piece of who I am, while writing is just for fun, a 'hobby', not a life sustaining endeavor (which is what painting is to me, sometimes I feel like I can't breathe if I go too long without painting). With my passion for painting so strong I hoped I wouldn't feel burned out by doing this 30x30 challenge.
But I was wrong. I did feel burn out at times. But I didn't let it stop me from painting, I didn't let it kill that passion that I have for creating art. Because I need to paint, and so I have always found a way to work around whatever road block is in my way so that I can.
So, here are ten things that 30 paintings in 30 days has taught me:
1. Don't ever run out of chocolate. Seriously. Keep a secret stash somewhere or something. Trust me, you'll need it in those moments when the last three paintings you've attempted have resulted in nothing but a big pile of suckage reminiscent of the world's largest dung heap.
2. Don't expect every single painting to be a masterpiece. This was a hard one for me, and something that a few of my good online painting buddies had to knock into my head a few times (you know who you are, ahem, Carrie, Sandra, Teresa, and Bren. Really all of you. All of you helped pull me out of my self pity mire). It is highly unrealistic, and stressful, to think that every single thing you produce needs to be a huge success. And to stand before a blank piece of paper or panel with that thought at the front of your mind is just setting yourself up for disaster.
3. Don't think you have to paint like anyone other than yourself. In order to produce a finished painting every day I sometimes thought that I needed to paint like someone else, so I could paint faster, not like my detail oriented, accuracy driven self. And so some of the work I produced this month didn't satisfy me completely. It took me a while to realize that this is what was bothering me when I started to feel burned out, but when I finally did I embraced the fact that I should only ever paint like myself, detailitis and all. Because painting any other way, forcing myself to be 'loose' when it doesn't come naturally to me at all, is being dishonest. And I believe that in order to paint with feeling and emotion you have to be completely honest with yourself first.
4. Everyone needs a dragon day. In the middle of my burned out period this month I started sculpting little dragons out of clay, just for fun. I did this on Sundays, which is my permanent day off from painting (30 x 30 challenge or not I still wasn't planning to paint on Sunday). When I was talking to my sister about how I was feeling so uninspired about painting, but so excited about making cute little dragons she started calling Sundays my 'dragon day.' And I liked that idea so much that I now call Sundays my dragon day, whether I'm sculpting a little dragon, or putting together a photo album, or baking a new yummy treat. A dragon day is a day where you refill your creative well, it's a day to do anything creative that you want, just for fun, with no expectations that anything will come of it other than the joy you get from the act of creating.
5. Don't try to paint a portrait (or any other difficult, complex subject) every single day for 30 days. Just don't. Trust me on this. Portraits are my favorite thing to paint, but they are also very draining for me. I feel like I put more of myself into one of my portraits than I do any other subject, so to paint them for 30 days straight would leave me nothing but a blibbering idiot by the end of the month.
6. Don't doubt yourself. Love thyself fellow artist! Repeat after me: You is kind. You is smart. You is important. And you is a good artist. Don't ever forget it.
7. Streamline your housework and meal planning. Or whatever other work you do. Now is not the time to volunteer to bake your son's class personalized cupcakes with each child's name iced in calligraphy. Now is not the time to deep clean your basement and closets. Now is the time to do the basics of housework and cook reliable, family favorite meals.
8. Keep yourself surrounded with things that inspire you. Visit other artist's blogs and websites that leave you breathless with their beautiful work! Read books or magazine articles, or listen to podcasts (like this one) that talk about the life of an artist, their thought process, and what they do to stay inspired. Pin an inspiring quote, favorite photos that you want to paint, or pictures of paintings you love above your workspace to motivate you. Keep a journal of the things you see in your daily life that make you pause and see how beautiful your life really is. In other words, enjoy the journey that is your life.
9. Forgive yourself. So you didn't do 30 paintings in 30 days, you only did 17. So what?? You tried, you painted your heart out, and you accomplished great things anyway. If you need further reassurance go back and read #6 of this list.
10. Recognize that this challenge is more about the journey than the destination. Trite perhaps, but so true. It's not a race, there's no need to compare yourself to anyone else. This challenge is about you and your art and what it means to you and no one else. It's not about the end result, it's about the process of painting and the joy it brings you.
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A new year, and a contest
2 min read
Hi everyone,
Last year, on a whim, I decided to join deviantART. I had no idea at the time what it was really about, and I also had no idea how welcoming and friendly everyone would be. AND I was amazed at all of the amazingly talented artists on this site! So many who are 'undiscovered'. I am very happy to be here and I look forward to getting to know more of you and following your work.
I also wanted to mention that to start out the new year I'm holding a contest for an 8" x 10" custom watercolor painting at my facebook page: www.facebook.com/crystalcookar…
I have an ongoing series of paintings that I call my 'Smitten series' that depicts love in all its forms. So if you have a great photo that shows your interpretation of love you'd like to see me paint then submit it. I'd love to see it. Here's the link with the entry details: www.facebook.com/crystalcookar…
Thanks everyone, for all the kindness you've shown me, I'm looking forward to this year and getting to know you guys better!
blog: www.crystalcookart.blogspot.co…
etsy shop: www.crystalcookart.etsy.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/crystalcookar…
Last year, on a whim, I decided to join deviantART. I had no idea at the time what it was really about, and I also had no idea how welcoming and friendly everyone would be. AND I was amazed at all of the amazingly talented artists on this site! So many who are 'undiscovered'. I am very happy to be here and I look forward to getting to know more of you and following your work.
I also wanted to mention that to start out the new year I'm holding a contest for an 8" x 10" custom watercolor painting at my facebook page: www.facebook.com/crystalcookar…
I have an ongoing series of paintings that I call my 'Smitten series' that depicts love in all its forms. So if you have a great photo that shows your interpretation of love you'd like to see me paint then submit it. I'd love to see it.
Here's the link with the entry details: www.facebook.com/crystalcookar…Thanks everyone, for all the kindness you've shown me, I'm looking forward to this year and getting to know you guys better!
blog: www.crystalcookart.blogspot.co…
etsy shop: www.crystalcookart.etsy.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/crystalcookar…
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