The Good, Bad and the Ugly

I feel like I have either written about this topic, or I have wanted to in the past, but never got around to it. But I believe there is a lot of value in creating bad art.  I feel I learn more from a piece that went wrong than one that turned out well. And part of us having the desire to create is usually in search of discovery... a new technique, a new style, enlightenment on problems we are trying to deal with, or discovering a new passion that engulfs us in the need to be creative.

Lately, it seems I have been having this conversation more and more with my students. Being a high school art teacher has it benefits.  It makes me reflect on my own personal beliefs in my own art and what I am teaching my students.  Sometimes they are not exactly the same thing.  I have noticed my teaching style and beliefs have changed since my journey has begun.  I believed that it was only about create great pieces of work, or building up to that.  Within the last few years, I have begun to transition on the importance of play, experimenting with materials, and just drawing no matter what it looks like. 

Today, one of my AP studio art students asked me about my education background and how did I end up teaching.  She began telling me that she doesn't think she is a good artist and that she can't see herself drawing her whole like.  I explained to her that her feelings are of a true artist.  I don't think any of us ever think we are good enough.  It really takes a lot of effort for us to stand back, look at our work, and notice what we have done right.  I told her that I feel as though she has found that medium, or technique, or subject matter that lights that fire of creativity within her and drives her to mass produce.  I don't think she'll never draw her whole life.  She has lots of talent.  This might not become a career for her, but I think she will continue with it as a hobby.  I shared with her how at one point in my life I felt unbelievably lost in life, where I didn't even recognize myself in the mirror.  I told her it didn't feel sad. It felt empty.  Art saved me from that feeling.  I began creating and creating more.  I explained to her that I have many pieces of work that are never finished, or turn out really bad.  I just keep producing work.  I have an openness to ideas and trying new techniques, which allows me to just play with my work.  If I stop creating for 2 weeks that empty feeling comes back and I begin to feel lost again.  But now that I've been creating more and more work, I have fewer pieces that turn out absolutely horrible. 

I know she doubts herself and as we get closer to the AP portfolio due date I continually try to get her motivated.  I told her that she needs to just keep producing work, collecting images of animals, or things she likes, and to just trust her and create.  And in that mass production of work, there will be art work that is horrible, ugly, okay, and absolutely beautiful!  But it takes making a lot of work before the beautiful begins to show up more than the ugly work. 

Here are a few unfinished or unhappy artwork that now occupy parts of my home until I decide to finish them or throw them out.

Zombie Mizzles- Part 2

Instead of my original sketch, I went with this idea instead.  It was just too disturbing to illustrate my Mizzles as dead cannibals.  But I did keep the dark and ghoulish look to them.  My Advanced Art students are enjoying the opportunity to watch my progress and my process.  They ask lots of questions about my techniques and my process.  Originally, I was only going to use watercolor.  But I decided since I am requiring my students to use watercolor and pen for their finals that I would do the same.

I used Grumbacher Miskit liquid frisket to mask my characters.  Then I painted a variety of washes of blues, greys, greens, and violets to create my background.  Honestly, I've never used a liquid frisket before.  I love the freedom to experiment with my background without ruining the main areas of my painting, but I did run into the problem of it ripping my paper as I removed it.  The paper was completely dry when I removed it.  Does anyone have any suggestions on a liquid frisket they love?  Or perhaps there is a technique I could use in removing it?

 

As for the zombie mizzle dolls, I am still trying to decide how to go about making them.  I have a visual in my mind as to how I think they should look, but am not sure how to go about it.  I need to go get some muted colored socks, or maybe bleach bright colorful ones I have to dull them out.  And then I need to just jump in and begin making it.  Until then, I did finish these guys today!  :)  They just need some eyes, names, and a small background story.

This is what they look like before stuffing!

Their cute back sides!

I'm including a photo of just their shells.  I had posted this image on my Facebook page and was a bit surprised how shocked people were by what they look like before being stuffed. It never occurred to me to show the process of one of the actual Mizzles.

It has been raining off and on today, so I'm feeling inspired to make more Mizzles or to get some more paintings started.

Monday, October 15th is the last day to vote for Mizzle Adventures at www.rawartists.org!  I hope you get a chance to vote!  And a big THANK YOU to those who did!

Part of the Art Journey

During my own personal journey of art, I have created paintings and drawings focused on a subject.  It seemed to be my safety net.  My first subject was the wolf.  I began drawing them in high school and found some comfort getting lost in drawing their fur.  I admired their strength, dedication to family, and their ability to maintain their individualism all while working together in a group.  In the start of college, I continued to paint them. 

While I began making my Mizzles, I fell in love with the Rapidograph technical pen.  It is my favorite drawing tool.  I discovered the book The Technical Pen by Gary Simmons, which inspired me to create my Randomness Series.  They began just as an exercise to practice with and pen and get over my fear of making mistakes. 

 

Then I began creating paintings of my Mizzles, which led to drawing trees and squirrels.  It is here where I've stayed in a safety net.  My entire illustrator's portfolio is strictly Mizzles.

I tried drawing kids, but it never felt quite right creating kid characters.  Perhaps it is because I was afraid to branch out of my comfort zone.  I began taking the Hero's Art Journey online course with Mira Reisberg at the beginning of June.  I had been feeling stuck with my illustrations and story.  This course came at the right time and it has been amazing.  Mira has developed a great online course that is simple for any person of any skill to follow and enjoy.  Each day is planned out with short articles to guide and inspire.  The other thing I love about the course is that we are encouraged to show our work, especially if it is still in progress. 

I wasn't completely sure what to expect from this course.  I figured if anything were to come from taking this course I would leave with new ideas and techniques to share with my students.  But I have received so much more.  Somehow and somewhere a little girl appeared in my artwork.  I'm not sure where she came from, but I have enjoyed seeing her appear and grow.

This is still in progress, but it's coming along.

There are 2 more weeks in the course.  I'm not sure if she will continue to show up in the next two paintings, but I'm happy she has appeared in these.

Mixed Media

I know it may sound a bit odd that during my breaks I'm excited to spend a few days making art.  You are probably asking, "Don't you do that already?" The answer is yes, I do.  But there is a big difference from being an Art Teacher during the day and making time during my prep, or at home to work on my personal illustrations to being able to stay home and be an artist all day.  I love being an Art Teacher, but sometimes I wish I could just be an artist all day.  Note: I said "sometimes."  I know myself and I would get bored being home all of the time, or in a studio all day.  I, also, know that a lot of my inspiration comes from being around my students. So, time away from work and the projects I take on there is appreciated.  Here is what I did:

This is my latest watercolor pencil piece.
  I have fallen in love with some of my daily ink drawings and have decided they would be better in color.  I'm thinking of using this on my business card.

I really love look and feel of mixed media pieces and I never thought I could be very successful with it.  But I have decided it is important for me to play with because of the nature of how they are created.  You start out with your materials.  Sometimes you start with a plan of where to begin and where it might end.  But when you actually begin piecing it together, it morphs on its own; choices are constantly being made; and if you completely give in to the experience, your mind becomes quiet. Then you come back to reality and there is a piece of artwork before you.  With the collage, sometime the work looks bad; sometimes it is alright; and many times it surprises you with its perfect balance and harmony. For me, it is not about the end result when I create them.  For me, it is about quieting my mind and allowing it to escape from the to-do lists, dreams, wants and worries.

I'll end today with a few of my favorite quotes, which are posted next to my computer:

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." 
-Scott Adams

"Creativity is not rearranging; it is transformation."
-Viola Spolin



365 Daily Creativity Journal Results

I blogged last week about this book I bought as a way to inspire my students and develop their creativity.  It always amazes me how challenging it is for many of my students to use their imagination and creativity.  They seem to freeze in place when I ask them to come up with ideas and thumbnails because drawing is involved.  Mostly, I am talking about my beginning students, but this affects some of my advanced students as well.  The only difference is that even though they struggle with creativity they have a passion to keep trying trusting that I won't allow them to fail.  So, you can only imagine the whining that occurred when I informed them of spring break homework.  For my beginning students, it was an extra credit opportunity.  Unfortunately, the students who needed the extra credit didn't do...I'm not surprised.  A little sad because I gave all of the students the full 20 points for just completing this assignment, regardless of what it looked like.  But I was impressed with what was turned in.  Some of the pieces were as I expected they would be...very literal translations of the prompt.  But some did manage to surprise me with their inventiveness.   I wanted to share my favorites with you.

Beginning Drawing 
His prompt was to create something under water.  This was kind of gross, but also one of those "happy accidents."  He had a nose bleed and began poking the drops to create flowers in the water.

Intermediate Drawing
His prompt was to create something using tea leaves or tea bags. A very literal translation, but I like that he didn't just draw the tea bag.

Intermediate Drawing
 Her prompt was to create something using a stapler or staples.  She made a porcupine.  I thought it was interesting that she thought it was cheating to use other materials.

Intermediate Drawing
Her prompt was to create using only red.

Intermediate Drawing
 His prompt was to use or be inspired by eggshells.

Beginning Art
Her prompt was to be inspired by internal organs. 

Intermediate Drawing-
His prompt was to place a door where one normally wouldn't be.

Intermediate Drawing-
He had to reinvent the birthday song or tradition.

Beginning drawing
She had to create an image using only fingerprints.

Intermediate Drawing
She had to use her feet as hands.  This is a portrait of one of her classmates.

Intermediate Drawing
He had to create something with his before he ate it. A tree, always a favorite in my book.

Advanced Drawing
She had to create something inspired by the first fruit or vegetable she saw in her refrigerator.  She admitted she just did a literal translation of it, but wasn't feeling very creative when she did it. 

Beginning Drawing
He had to take a 5 minute walk and create something with the materials that were where he ended up.  I love the personality of it. 

Advanced Drawing
First I have to admit, this student is like my right hand.  She is my art club president, my T.A, and my drawing student.  I see her for majority of the day and we spend it talking in a very creative and imaginative banter.  My beginning students probably think we are both insane when we begin brainstorming ideas for projects, either hers or mine. 
Her prompt was to make something out of junk mail.  She made a dinosaur with an elaborate story of why he was deformed on one side. :)

 I consider this "experiment" to be a success and am looking forward to implementing it as an actual assignment in the classroom. I'm thinking of using different prompts for the last few weeks of the school year and have the students end with a product at the end of each week. It will be a nice creative way to wind down the school year. Plus, I'll get to play with the prompts, too!