amazing how time gets away from you..

I guess I feel older today. It's always interesting to think of the aging face. What a tiny crease I may have now could turn into a laugh line one day. These are the things that mark age. You see a statue or a painting with wrinkles and you automatically read age. I guess vaguely it reminds me of this: the same girl with or without wrinkles who seems to be older or younger. It's also how "myspace" angles make someone look younger and thinner, often.

Wrinkles are something you learn early to photoshop onto a face to add age (and it's fun to photoshop makeup on to people too, or is that just me?) They kind of seem to fit a little formula. you've got the two slants beside the lip /o\ , the forehead creases .=. , the crows eyes >. .<.. other entirely normal things. things you learn to appreciate with time. and it makes this cute little emoticon:

>.=.<
_/o\_

yeah.. i dunno what to write and i'm tired. but hey, emoticons are art, yeah? :(

better yet "i'm never done with thinking"

Every now and again, I get real involved in Political events and opinions. Probably something better kept to myself. (I get real passionate and some people dislike what i have to say). But I think political views are tied strongly into art. And, with so much going on, there is so much to inspiration to be had. ((in this way, sometimes it's easier to let the art stand for itself, and stand safely back behind the fallout of it...))

Here are just a few of the many things to be inspiration: other art, political spheres, economic downturns, historical events, modern interpretations of history (touchy at times), social changes, social differences, historical moments, inspirational surroundings, amazing "once in a lifetime" events, births, deaths, etc.

I feel as though it is extremely important to have a good understanding of the world around you, the world in which you live, in order to make good art. I feel as though having consideration for the world around you is also important. I feel as though art does not need to be limited to a certain medium. I think we all need to adapt to the evolving time. We may not always be able to afford the luxuries some artists are used to using.

The price of making art is increasing, while the profit of selling art is decreasing.
public funding is slowing down:
http://brandonnews2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/24/storms-funding-public-art-low-priority-tough-times/
art dealers are discounting art for quicker sales:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=ao4INJG2Yo9o&refer=home

Although not everyone is left high and dry (http://en.wordpress.com/tag/art-recession/) there are a lot of changes that need to be made in this modern world to allow for adaptation economically. For one, it is a good idea to experiment with a variety of mediums. "Necessity is the mother of invention". It is probably a good idea to try and dream up unique ways to create your art.

At times like this, it is in an artist's best interest to stand out creatively. It is a competitive field and if artists are increasingly gaining the "starving artist" title, chances are there is bound to be a major change of the art society structure. so, although this is the most negative question to have to ask people: are you willing to be a starving artist? If not, I'd say it may not be in your best interest. Want to be an art teacher? go for it. but, again, it will be competitive. Especially with art funding an ever present issue. I don't, by any means, want to crush anyone's dreams. My point is that you have to be passionate about art to make a life out of it (same for any major for that fact). I've accepted the fact that i may be surviving on Ramen and canned food for a good deal of my career. but that's okay! i can handle it. at least i'll be making art. you okay with this? more power to ya.

so, as a random end note: there is a formula to making art, but there is no formula for making great art.

imagery.

I wanted to show a variety of pictures I have taken over the course of the last several years. My photos are generally devoid of people (something I wish to improve upon in the future.) So here is a catalog of a few subjects that interest me:

1) taking pictures at night or in the dark. Infinity difficult at times! (but sometimes you can get that pretty cool lighting techniques that is so popular now-a-days: light trails)

2) taking pictures in moving vehicles ( the pink one above as well)

3) Thinks that are interesting shapes (in these cases circular):

4) kitty cats. some of them just love to pose and model. heh.

Of course this is not all that i take pictures off. Nor are these my best works. They all just seem to fit together in some way.

I suppose if I had more patience, these are the subjects I would probably draw. Cats would probably be the most difficult subject to draw. Also, generally, I find photography to be helpful in developing a better sense of composition. I often, as many other people do I'm sure, take many many pictures of the same subject: different angles, etc. trying to find what works. (this is why I love digital cameras! instant feedback.)

photographs vs. drawing

So I've been the active participant in several discussions about the use of cameras and photographs in the realms of drawing. Some people say they are useless or distracting; that there is no need to use a camera that, instead, you should interpret what you see, not what the camera sees, to make a drawing. Others say they like to use photographs and replicate them to make really intricate drawings. I'm partial to cameras.

My admiration for photography came fairly recent. I bought my first digital camera from target for about 200$. I dabbled around previously with very low quality digital cameras, web cams, and a second hand camera I permanently borrowed from my sister (and later accidentally broke). I had always enjoyed taking photos, but found it to be a hassle to upload from some of the more archaic cameras of my past. And the quality was almost atrocious...

But it wasn't until I found myself walking almost everywhere, that a real admiration seemed to develop. It's almost amazing what details you can see when you go under 5 miles per hour. I often find myself wandering, with camera in hand, trying to find a part of the city I have neglected to see. Being a "big city" girl, there is a kind of peaceful feeling to being able to do that! Walking gives you almost an infinite amount of time to look. And photography, I have found, makes you even more aware of it. You often find yourself looking for an "interesting shot" or angle that you've never thought to try before. You start to notice small things like the way the cracks on the sidewalk bend, and how the grass seems to creep into the crevices. Shadows seem all the more interesting. You start to look at and understand the shapes of things you may often neglect. This is almost paramount in drawing.

It's kind of like making a visual catalog of all that you see. Lamps, walls, trees, grass, plants, ivy, anything really. Even people if you so wish. Something to draw from, literally. And, as an added benefit, you start to improve your photography, too.

I wouldn't give up photography for all the money in the world. But, as I said, I'm partial to it.