1. Draw #365

I’m not sure when this drawing everyday, documenting it via blog and then posting to twitter started, but it’s a great idea. You can only make art, by well, making art. Documentation and sharing gives you a certain accountability and allows you to see your progress.  Here are two daily drawing blogs that might inspire you.

Ester Wilson

Patti Agapi

2. Take a class

Dancing Art, by Gakiku

Of course, this doesn’t apply to those of you who are already students. But for those of you who aren’t, even if you’ve taken a class years ago, take another one.  Get your hands dirty, get frustrated, make things that you hate and learn and grow along the way. Most cities have an Art Center. Find out if they offer classes. Become a member and you can exhibit your work and participate in juried art shows.

3. Finish 

Finish Direction, By Cobrasoft

Once ideas start brewing, it seems there’s no end to creativity. But the down side is that many things get started only to be abandoned for something shinier and newer. Give your ideas the respect and room they deserve and see them to the finish. But, be careful not to waste your valuable time on ideas that are flat.

4. Journal

Journal by, PPreacher

This may sound like another version of number one, but the difference here is not to share this journal with anyone else. This is where you will jot down your ideas, dreams and inspirations and doodles. All art starts with a thought.  Document these thoughts in your journal and have a never-ending source of inspiration and ideas.

5. Exhibit

Paintings, by HBerends

The key is to get your art in a public space where there’s opportunity for conversation and even criticism.  Approach coffee shops, small galleries, boutiques, high-end salons and even real estate agents who would know about open houses that need a decorative piece for staging.  Seeing your work on display outside of your studio space helps you to see what works what might need to go back to the proverbial drawing board.

As Simon de Pury from Bravo’s Work of Art would say, “Be bold, be daring”. And I would also add, never doubt your passion for art. If you want to make art then you are an artist. Practice, practice, practice your craft and never stop learning.

]]> http://idratherbemakingart.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/10-things-you-should-do-for-your-art-in-2012/feed/ 0 idratherbemakingart Ester Wilson finish http://idratherbemakingart.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/6-ridiculously-rich-contemporary-artists/ http://idratherbemakingart.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/6-ridiculously-rich-contemporary-artists/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:10:52 +0000 Spring Flowerchild http://idratherbemakingart.wordpress.com/?p=509 ]]> These artists not only make a living, they defy all that your parents and guidance counselors might have told you about a career in fine art. Damien Hirst

Photograph for TIME, by Pal Hansen

When you think of Damien Hirst, the first thing that might come to mind is Formaldehyde. The leading member of the Young British Artists  is famous for his piece, The impossibility of death in the mind of someone living, A shark carcass, suspended in a glass tank of formaldehyde. The work was commissioned by Saatchi gallery for $95,000,  in 1991.  It was then sold in 2004 for a reported $12 million. Hirst works with a team of assistants to bring his artistic vision to life.

"The impossibility of death in the mind of someone living"

Later works include a human skull encrusted with  8,601 diamonds entitled For the love of God. The work costed  between $10-15 million to produce and sold to an investor group that included Hirst for $100 million.

Hirst posting with his work, "For the love of God".Courstesy dailymail.co.uk

Recently, Hirst has focused his attention on sculptures of mythical creatures, such as winged-horses and unicorns.

Damien Hirsts' latest work, mythical creatures

Hirst might just be the highest paid artist in history. His net worth is now over $500 million dollars. He’s controversial, but he owns a huge chunk of the contemporary art world and he’s here to stay. Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons, courtesy http://slamxhype.com

Jeff Koons is a larger than life art star, in the vein of Any Warhol. Much like Warhol did, he employs over a 120 artists who work in a meticulously run production studio. Koons is most famous for his gigantic stainless steel sculptures of balloon animals. In 1988, Koons put out four life-sized sculptures painted in gold leaf of Michael Jackson and his chimp, Bubbles. In 2001, one of them sold for 5.6 millon. In 2007, his work, Hanging Heart,  sold for $23.6 million at Sotheby’s and set a record for the most expensive piece of art sold at auction by a living artist. Koons is an avid student of art history and sees his work in the pantheon of great artists before him.  Kitsch or not, Koons has made an indelible imprint on our modern culture.

Jeff Koons Ballon Dog, c/o enfocado.com

Jeff Koons, Michael Jackson and Bubbles

Jeff Koons, Hanging Heart

Takashi Murakami

Takashi Murakami

Arguably, the most well-branded artist in the world. He coined the term Superflat  to describe his work which is inspired by Japanese Anime and Manga. Murakami also employs a team of artists with studios in Toyko, Long Island City and Queens.  More than likely, you’ve seen his work. He designed the Kanye West bear, his work has been featured on Louis Vuitton bags and he collaborated with hip hop mogul, Pharell Williams, to create The Simple Things that sold for $2 million dollars. No wonder Murakami was named Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2008. In 2010,  he was the 3rd contemporary artist to exhibit at Versailles. His work filled 15 rooms and the park. He’s a merchandiser extraordinaire, with his work on a variety of paraphenelia, including T-shirts, skate boards, lamps and even wallpaper. Anish Kapoor A turner prize winning minimalist sculptor who is known for his reflective sculptures that seem to distort the space around them. In 2008, Kapoor made  $27 million, boosting his total net profit from his art to $62.7 million. One of his most famous sculptures, Cloud Gate  also nicknamed The Bean, is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed from 2004 to 2006 and cost $23 million Anish Kapoor has had solo exhibitions of his work at Guggenheim Museum in New York, The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, Kunsthalle Basel, Reina Sofia in Madrid and CAPC in Bordeaux. His latest work, Moumenta 2011: Leviathan, is a giant 115 foot, red balloon made of three linked spheres. It took two years to engineer and fills more than half of the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Visitors can enter the monochrome red structure through revolving doors. Kapoor hopes they will have a poetic experience.The work was dedicated to imprisoned  Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei. When you see the scale of his work and how it brings people together, it’s no wonder he is as successful as he’s become. Anish Kapoor’s majestic sculptures are social objects that bring people together to see the world in a different lense. Jasper Johns Widely known for his paitings of  popular iconography such as targets, flags, maps and numbers, the 81 year old painter has maintained a successful career since the 1950s. In 1998, the Museum of Modern art paid an estimated $20 million for his White Flag painting. In 2006, Johns sold False Startto private collectors for $80 million dollars, making it the most expensive painting sold by any living artist.

Jasper Johns, False Start

Johns’ work is largely experimental and process-oriented. He explains,  ”My experience of life is that it’s very fragmented; certain kinds of things happen, and in another place, a different kind of thing occurs,” he has explained. “I would like my work to have some vivid indication of those differences.” In early 2011, Jasper Johns was the first studio artist in 34 years to receive the presidential medal of freedom. Brice Marden

Brice Marden

A graduate of the Yale School of Art and Architecture, Brice Marden has been described as  ”the most profound abstract painter of the past four decades”, by The New  Yorker. He first exhibited his work in 1966 and has been steadily selling work since then. Known for his minimalist style early on, Marden later  graduated to gestural abstraction in the 1980s. The paintings start out as drawings made with sticks. In 2008, Marden’s painting, Cold Mountain 1(Path), one of a series of paintings inspired by a Chinese Chinese Tang Dynasty Poet, sold for $9,602,500  at a Sotheby’s auction.

Brice Marden, Cold Mountain 1

He had a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art of paintings and drawings that ran from October 2006 to January 2007. Marden visited China in 2006 and from that trip, emerged new inspiration for his latest works on paper that were exhibited at the Matthew Marks Gallery in 2010. Brice Marden is an evolving artist who’s not afraid to explore and and change his signature. Perhaps, this is why his work is still selling after four decades.

To celebrate the invention of the chronograph 190 years ago, Montblanc is holding a one-of-a-kind contest presented by famed film maker, Wilm Wenders The challenge? Create a one second video of a beautiful moment. Anyone can participate, from cell phone camera enthusiasts to professional film makers. Upload your video to the site, for a chance to win a Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph. The deadline is December 13th.

MarziaS, Etsy.com.

Have you always wanted to develop your artistic skills or pick up an old art hobby, but felt like you didn’t have the time or resources? Just go small. In the past few years, many people have started making time for art. Making it, trading it and collecting it in the form of  artists trading cards (or ATCs). ATCs are miniature works of art 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches in size, small enough to fit inside standard collector sleeves.  Outside of size, there are no rules to producing an ATC. The base can be traditional art paper or anything else from wood to metal. Media can be anything from pencils to to clay.

Valentineartstudios, Etsy.com

RadiantJasmin, Etsy.com

ATCs were orginally meant for trading between artists. Then a few years ago, artists began offering their cards for sale. This spawned the ACEO movement which stands for Art Cards, edition or original. Artists sell limited edition prints of larger artwork or create an original, miniature work of art.

JoyHanna, Etsy.com

ArtfulRevisions, Etsy.com

It’s fun to work small and it allows you to really stretch your creativity. I’m constantly amazed by what many artists come up with.  If you’re looking to build an art collection ,making and trading Art Cards is a good way to do it and accumulate  a variety of work from different artists. You also have an opportunity to share your own work. Feel inspired? Here are some resources to get you started

http://www.art-cards.org//

http://www.atcsforall.com///

http://www.illustratedatcs.com//

http://www.etsy.com/category/art/aceon

In 2007, I decided to sell some of my artwork online.  I checked out ebay to see what people were buying. I didn’t see anything like the kind of stuff I made, but I did see something that I wanted to make.  It was something called Altered art.  It reminded me of dreams and memories manifested in our 3 dimensional world.

What is altered art?

Altered art is about being resourceful. Taking everyday objects and ephemera from the past and present and creating something inspiring. Here are some common things used in altered art:

Antique Images and photographs, usually from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Ephemera from those times, which include advertising, newspaper clips and text from books.

Found objects. Antique keys are quite popular. Broken jewelry, buttons, washers, miniature picture frames and watch interiors are also common.

Glitter and swarovski crystals add to the ethereal dream-like feel of altered art.

Bases can be old books, pieces of wood, altoid boxes, shelves, or anything else that is freestanding and has openings for decoration. There are also charm bracelets, necklaces, artist trading cards and dolls.

I love this form of art because it makes you look at common objects in a new light and  see potential art when you open your junk drawer. Feel inspired?

Here are some resources to get you started

http://www.mixed-media-artist.com/

http://www.oldbookillustrations.com/

http://www.historypicks.com/shop2/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=596&cat=Victorian+Women

http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/46226460@N00/

Gmpurseanalities on Etsy

TickleMePinkBoutique

RobinsMixedMedia

Lululovestocreate

Chris Jordan.com Depicts one million plastic cups, the number used on airline flights in the US every six hours.

In our digital age, we can spot when something has been photoshoped and talk about movies with sub par CGI. We’re not easily impressed anymore. But the work of  Chris Jordan, a photographer and digital artist could deservedly be described as impressive. At first glance,  you see a beautiful work of art, but  look closer and thousands of  common objects such as barbie dolls, credit cards or plastic bottles emerge. In his series, Running the numbers, Jordan explores the plight of  modern consumerism.

ChrisJordan.com Gyre 11 (Starry Night) made of millions of plastic lighters

ChrisJordan.com

Chrisjordan.com

ChrisJordan.com

Chris Jordan’s Artist Statement:

“There is no Mount Everest of waste we can make a pilgrimage to and behold the sobering aggregate of our discarded stuff, seeing and feeling it viscerally with our senses. Employing themes such as the near versus the far, and the one versus the many, I hope to raise some questions about the roles and responsibilities we each play as individuals in a collective that is increasingly enormous, incomprehensible and overwhelming.”

If you can’t draw to save your life, you can still make something as awesome as the above picture. All you need is patience, the ability to copy patterns, and a little bit of imagination.

This method of drawing one stroke at a time is called Zentangle™.  It involves combining patterns of tangles. The end result, is a beautiful, intricate drawing.  The method is patented by the creators, Rick and Maria of Zentangle.com . You can purchase a kit with instructions and or even become a certified Zentangle™ Instructor, yourself. Zentangle™ is a great way to relieve tension and stress or just focus your mind. You get the feeling  a lot of artist discover, of being lost in the moment.

But you don’t have to take the classes to try your hand at copying patterns. Just tap into your inner child. Remember doodling? There are tons of videos on youtube that show you how to start various patterns and of course, you can just make up your own as you go along. Check out the Zentangle™ group on Flickr for some inspiring doodles.

Do you often come across beautiful things online? With photo sharing sites you can save the things that inspire you and even curate them in an attractive way

Pinterest

Get their pin it button and make it easy to add images to your boards. You can also repin someone else’s pin or just like it and add it to your favorites list.  Your boards each have their own url, so you can share your collections.

Pinterest

Etsy

Not really a social photo sharing site, but the handmade and vintage items on Etsy are so beautifully photographed, it’s easy to spend hours exploring their site. You can make Etsy treasuries or themed collections of items you find.

Etsy Treasury

We heart it

You can install We Heart It’s app for your browser.  Once, it’s installed, just click on the heart to add inspirational and beautiful images to your heart(collection)
.

We heart it

These tools are great for wedding planning, decorating, assembling a wardrobe or  just gathering inspiration

If you did, you might come up with something pretty amazing. These artists are proof that limits  on creativity, however large they may seem, are mostly self-imposed.

Mary Ellen Croteau

Self-portrait made from recycled bottle caps

juxtapoz.com

juxtapoz.com

juxtapoz.com

juxtapoz.com

Seaton Brown

Portrait of Micheal Jackson made from 1,680 empty soda cans

Micheal Jackson Portrait, seatonbrownfineart.com

Eye Candy. A portrait of Pamela Anderson made from candy wrappers.

Pamela Anderson Portrait, seatonbrownfineart.com