Working Active Projects When the Goal Seems Far Away

I enjoy working active projects with real expectations and having time constraints. I am ready for the process of making something.  This is part of my life. 

An opposite situation exists too. I get no pleasure being without an idea to guide my work. Dry periods I call them. In the same way, three ideas going nowhere is worse than zero concepts.

I have a habit of productive enterprises. Those are jobs with some a clear beginning, a recognisable middle,  and an end.  

We all know how goals can get derailed.

I work my problems out in 3-D, like on paper or in the required medium. These act as experiments.  It’s hands-on problem solving. Usually that technique works. 

When more effort is needed I go to an alternative action, still positive, just a little change-up.

So, I choose some options to accomplish my goal. For instance take a short break (re-group), or do something fresh (finger-paint) , or use a new / different approach (Sharpies (™) haiku on big cardboard sheets). As such it’s improvising, exploring, and testing some boundaries — innovation through baby-steps.

I can get to my goal, but I must work for it. I like when things seem to fall into place. I don’t fall apart when they don’t.

Q: How do I know when a painting is ‘finished’?

..

Q: How do I know when a painting is ‘finished’?

.

A: When I run out of paint.

A: The buyer pays in cash.

A: When I have to start a new painting. I have a rain slicker-like small work area.

A: When the rats eat it.

A: When someone steals my easel.

A: When someone pinches my easel and leaves the canvas in the alley with tire tread.

A:When my studio mates use my canvas to cover a broken window pane.

A: The Post-It ™ read, “Sorry, I was so cold. “ My easel, paints, brushes, and canvas are fuel.

c. Lemuel

07 November 2018

Making, the Art

My ability to learn is up or it is down, but sometimes it is “just right”.

Learning to Make anything takes practice. I get experience from practice.

If I try maybe I will have success.

Practice is the travel companion to Art (and anything really).

A finished work, price tagged and “re-homed”, gives at least two people, maybe the gallery too, pleasure.

No one sees my practice.

But it pays.

c. Lemuel

01 November 2018

Making Art

Energy

I hear more than a few references to Art and Artists in words like passion, creativity, muses, inspiration and the like.

I add fun. Do Art for the fun of it. Be happy.

Remember when some pleasant activity was just for the experience, like skipping and playing hop-scotch was.

That energy translates into Art and into Artwork.

Lemuel

Do the Work, Perfection

I do the work. I signed it. Clever perfection stayed home today.

Lemuel

11 August 2018

Do the Work, Intangibles

I do the work. Then, “passion”, and “inspiration” show up to help out.

c. Lemuel

11 August 2018

No Fear Art

I am letting you see my notes to myself.

Art, I mean real involved work has no place for the dross of fear. Fear destroys. You create.

Show your Art. If you hide not many will acknowledge your work. Do not be Invisible.

Set yourself free. You can if you set your mind, body, and soul into your liberation.

Be courageous. Put you into your Art. That is what people want. Your vitals and soul and brains and sinew. It is your story — make it the best story.

You are not a laser printer. You make the Art. You are the only you the world has right now.

Also do not work for free. Take the money. If you value your work so will others.

Set yourself free.

Be courageous.

Do the work.

Show your work.

Be fearless.

Go get ’em.

Lemuel

2018

Take the Path, Art

I enjoy taking materials and making something. My intention is to be original and to avoid being derivative. There is only so much I can do with a still life of fruit.

I am reminded of this advice:  “Take the path.” Go on with what inspires you. Make your Art.

I have learned every attempt brings new insight. Especially be gentle with other Artists, we are all our way to self-discovery. Remember, be gentle with my own work. I cannot always see my path, always reaching.

That’s the fun part.

Color pencil on card stock ~ 15 cm x 20 cm, ~6 in x 8 in, 

Character Design Using Narrative

 

Sketches are an idea for a drawing or painting made to provide a view for a finished Artwork. The sketch is full of potential.

A sketch is also a short performance, a skit, maybe one scene. Make a sketch memorable make it funny. An imaginary skit has power in character development.

I  like to make a sketch of a character that I have created its back-story. The story helps carry the development of the Art forward. I am story-making with multiple goals but mainly visual. 

Sketches begin with perhaps no idea at all, only a few marker strokes on some paper. Insert some fun, work around the mistakes, but use some mistakes. Show the character’s, well, character. It’s all non-verbal, the front end of the business is “showing”. The back-room is explaining the character a bit to myself.

Another use of narrative is when a sketch isn’t making it. Then, I invent an imaginary scene to get the ball rolling, I need some extra “juice” to mix with “inspiration” to get my graphical ideas across on paper.

Alright, now it’s show time.

 

 

This is protected intellectual property. It is solely mine. Karma is fierce. Do not take what is not yours. If you see my protected intellectual property and would like to talk contact me. c 2018, c 2017

Being ready by Design

Whenever I am in the notion to work I do not want to have to struggle with tools, find things I need, clear off messy work surfaces and do double work type work to make something. I am a one person shop-studio- en plein air Artist. It is up to me to give myself every advantage I am able.

Containers on a shelf. Like things with like things. 

On the bus I have my tools in a neat vintage Lands End™. One zipper and a snap I am ready to read or sketch. The other places I create are fairly organized, but just. I can wander between projects and return to the easel over many days. Tools line the drawers and parts and pieces fill bins, containers, and the occasional peanut butter jar.

I make it a rule to finish projects– they may not be perfect, that doesn’t matter, I complete my work. Work I’ve promised by a deadline gets to the person before the deadline. If something is needed by Thursday and I get it Monday the piece is ready on Wednesday before 5 p.m.

Because I’m cool? Nope. Because I don’t like things hanging over my head. Besides it’s my word that is worth more than the project I’m working on. If I lose my good name, even if it’s not my fault, then I cannot buy it back.

A process of brush care at the end of a session.

So I keep tools, materials, and work spaces ready for work. I won’t win any awards from minimalist decor folks. I can find anything and I can usually remember where I have filed most of my stuff. That’s my test. Keep like things with like things; label the drawers; use clear containers with labels; put up things as I go and simple processes like that. This keeps something like a mess from hanging over my head.

As I typed before, I admit I won’t win at perfection, zero mess, just a bit of wisdom in the seeming madness. I have a shop-vac, several brooms and dust pants, even a magnet on a rope when needed.

Note I didn’t say “rules”. When things are ‘supposed to be’ done a certain way, or controlled this way, or filled with judgment I usually baulk, or “buck-up” as the Aunties used to say.

Rules are fine but if I make a process that functions well, it will not be perfect. I might leave my acrylic paints all out, in trays that go into a cabinet when I’m finished, but I want to see my materials. It’s like when I get new color pencils–that excites me. I can’t wait to use the new pencil. I’ll even start a new page just to incorporate it into the composition or just go crazy mono-chrome.

Leaving an organized neat area dedicated to acrylics, or oils, or wood-block, or just my easels helps me organize my day-week-month. It’s like my “visual-control” for my project management. I can manage what I see and I “go-and-see” continuously as “walk-around-management” of myself. Big job.

Selected items ready for  a project.

I know by working with materials on a daily basis, seeing them regularly, and monitoring my progress what I need to replenish. I don’t have duplicated materials, nor do I run out of 20% gray pencils at 3:00 am Sunday morning. I don’t waste time looking for materials and resources; I don’t have waste in duplicated items–6 pounds of “sinker” nails is more than I need for this project–and I keep a re-order list and make a time to order as needed. I also keep a list of items to trade, give away, or sell.

These concepts help me keep my spaces ready to work. Organized for production is what I like to call it. It’s also a fun way to engage with the materials, to bring an idea or inspiration to the front and spring-board into the work.

I have to make the most of every opportunity I make or every time I get the chance to make something that I think is cool. When I’m ready to get busy I am more motivated to do just that.

Going to the shop or to the studio not a struggle, it’s a pleasure.  By design.