My Artistic/Creative Style???

OK, so far I'm learning about creative style, which in my mind is the heart of art. I can draw, to me its almost a technical skill. But now I want to learn how to create. I'm starting to understand what the flow of art looks like, as I talked about with whimsical art and zentangling, and now even some experiments with spilling paint and free form collage. I've dabbled in a lot of different media, liking each one for different reasons. But I'm still having a hard time pulling it all together.

I know this all sounds like basic stuff to experienced artists, and those that have always been drawn to create and have done so. I've been drawn to create with no real outlet. Like I said, I can draw, but where is the heart?

Anyway, here are a couple of pieces I'm happy with, but they kind of prove my point. There is some value in being able to, for instance, recreate flowers, but where is the movement and flow. This is my current quest!

Whimsical art and drawing in general

I had the opportunity to try out whimsical art during the Draw-a-Thon this weekend at AFA. As with zentangle, this has been a major addition to freeing myself of worries about how things should look in my drawings, and just do something visual. I loved using bold and fun colors and trying out things that I was sure I'd hate before it hit the page, yet turned out ok.

It has been great to break out my pencils and ink pens and draw again. Drawing is where I began doing art when I was twelve, and I have struggled with trying to make things look "just right" for years. I can do it pretty well, but it has always been time consuming and often frustrating, with only the very best pieces surviving the "tear it up or crush it into a ball and throw it in the trash" process.

The method of zentangle has given me patience, confidence, and has allowed me to see where a piece takes me, rather than having it all mapped out ahead of time. Whimsical art has given me permission to try out new color combos and design elements, and to simply have fun with my creations! I'm doing a workshop on artistic expression, finding my own style, through Art Trader magazine, and I'm hoping these few revelations in the last couple of days will help with discovering my own creative style.

Here are some whimsical pieces, and some flower pieces that are both part of the draw-a-thon and for the Spring Equinox/Ostara swap at AFA. Thanks for checking in!

Crocus

Dogwood

Irises

Violets

First journal page(s)

Page 1 Personal Journal

Yes, I actually put paint and marker and paper and glue and stamp to paper and started my own art journal. I am using prompts from a few art journalling books that I found and liked, but I must credit the book Journal Spilling: Mixed - Media Techniques for Free Expression by Diana Trout for getting me started at all. Her opening exercise is called Flash Flood Journaling/Collage Spilling, and it is the best thing I've found yet for getting past all restrictions and insecurities and getting started. I'm not going to spoil it for the author, I highly recommend you get it, no matter who you are or where you are on your artistic journey. It is published by Northlight Books, copyright 2009.

I also started Art Trader Mag's workshop on artistic style by Andrea Melione and Dana Driscoll.

Right now I want MORE MORE MORE when it comes to art, and I know that I could easily overwhelm myself, but I want to get better at art and keep meeting the awesome folks I've been meeting on the way. I suffer from depression and isolation, so this is important. I hope that it doesn't get in the way of my plans: more pagan swaps at AFA, more Rolos to keep in touch, a 365 project on portraits which is directly influence by "tascarini" at AFA (you must chech out Sandra's blog here), journals to spill into, tarot cards to create to grow into a deck, and hosting my own swap on Astrology. Keeping up with the 365 project at Naked Heart, and taking an online workshop. I pray that I can trek through the emotional sludge to accomplish these tasks.

Thanks for reading everyone and stop by again!

Creating even though...

Flowers - Available ATC

Thank you, Rhonda, for your supportive words. That is a lot of my issue right now, comparing myself to others. But I have to give myself credit for a major thing: after almost 30 years of being able to draw and yearning to create art, I'm finally doing it. Thanks to AFA and those addictive little trading cards, I actually show my art now, and have done more in the last 7 months than in my whole life previously. So now, to get out of that comparison mindset...I need to focus on what will make me feel like I am learning, growing, progressing, and expressing. And this is hard too.

I saw a workshop offered through Art Trader Magazine that explores creative expression, and helps one find his/her own style. I'm waiting for some money and then I think I'll take it. I'm also going to sit down tonight, get messy, and prep some journal pages.

The 365 project is great for me. I was working ahead for a while, but now I'm just caught up. Which means I have to do something to post everyday. I have so many reasons why its not a good day to create. But I did something even though (fill in the blank). I don't care if its my best, but I did it. Hopefully I'll have some art journal pages to share soon.