I hope this first article helps you to get to know me better. So enjoy reading some stuff while I work on tutorials.
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What does it mean to be an artist?
Does it mean self-expression?
Does it mean bringing happiness to others?
Does it mean making an impact?
Does it mean bringing life to something dull and drab?
If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to those four questions, then you
possess the qualities of an artist.
Artistry starts at a young age. As far back as I can remember, using vivid
colors for school coloring pages was the norm.
Whereas other kids used “normal” colors when given illustrated Bible
scenes, my pages were lit up with purple, orange, blue, silver, and whatever
color was within my grasp at the time.
My teachers said I showed signs of being an artist.
Throughout the years, my tastes grew and changed as I
touched my pencil to blank pages and brought them to life. From Finding
Nemo to raccoons to horses and nature, you name it, I drew it. I once painted an entire pod of orcas on my
bedroom walls, complete with glow-in-the-dark paint (and interspersed a
glow-in-the-dark solar system through the pod).
Of course, the art has been painted over because, as mom predicted, my
tastes changed. Now if I want to see
something interesting on my wall, I just pick a different calendar theme every
year – this year, it’s kittens!
Being an artist really is great – especially if you don’t
like what you see on TV, you can just make it yourself. But there’s more to being an artist than
simply drawing. If you’re like me, you
probably play a musical instrument or two; maybe you also knit and crochet;
write stories; the list goes on. Yes, I
do all those things. I’m not only a wiz
with a pencil; I create soulful music on both the piano and violin; I make baby
blankets, shawls, dishcloths, wraps, etc; and I enjoy writing stories. I could
make more jewelry too, but time, circumstances, and money don’t permit.
But out of all those things I listed, my true strengths lie
in music and drawing. When I was in the
homeschool co-op, I was heavy into the orchestra, band, and vocal
ensemble. I sang in Handel’s Messiah as
a pre-teen and teenager with my mom. I
played organ in my former church and now play piano for my current church. Recently, I had the privilege of joining a
local bluegrass band as a fiddler. So
far, the band leader and other musicians really enjoy the fresh style I bring
into the music. (Seriously, I love
bluegrass!) And being classically
trained helps a ton; because if you can play classical, you can play anything –
and that’s a fact!
Drawing (for me, at least) has its ups and downs. There are people who appreciate it, and those
who do not; those who think it’s just okay, and they move on with life. Former friends weren’t really into my
preferences; but I didn’t really care. I
like what I like, and telling me to ditch it is like telling me to forget my
entire artistic life, and that’s a no-can-do.
Finding people with similar interests is not easy by any means. But I just keep plugging away. The only place I’ve found artists with similar
tastes is on Deviant Art – if you’re not on this site, stop what you’re doing
and sign up for a free account (you can upgrade at any time). It’s honestly one of the best places to share
art. Not only can you build a gallery,
you can post status updates, sell art by means of commissions and prints, and
join groups with like-minded people. I
will warn you about the down side: there is the potential for art thieves, but
it doesn’t happen a lot. If users
suspect an art thief, they’ll let everyone else know.
Enough of the sales pitch.
If you’re an artist, you are not alone. Many times, I have felt alone simply because
of people who thought that drawing was dumb.
What some don’t realize is that drawing is one of the many outlets of
creative people. It’s not immature. And who are people to decide how you should
express yourself? If you have a good thing going, hone that skill! I can tell
you that’s what I’ve done, and I regret nothing. The only time I object to art is when it’s
gory. For example, a classmate from
college had created an undead Easter rabbit for her presentation in the final
semester. The final product was ugly and
cringe-worthy. Now that kind of thing is
not art. Creating something that stirs
emotions within people is art. Do you
honestly want someone cringing over something you’ve created? ……Didn’t think
so.
Art is beautiful, and if you treat is as such, you will make
things that will evoke a positive response from people. On the flip side, I can be a bit dark with my
stories and comics – but I take it deeper.
My sister once explained it like this: “You reach into the deepest,
darkest, blackest parts of people’s hearts.” And she is right. And part of it is being influenced by what I
watch – namely, anime. (No, I’m not
talking Attack on Titan. That should never have been made!) The anime
genre goes way deeper than most American cartoons. My particular favorite animes are the Gundam
series, and most recently Black Jack. The stories are intense, the characters are
amazing, and the execution of the plots is golden.
Now I’d say about 50% of my art is “dark.” The other 50% is fairly light-hearted and
comical. This is also the essence of
being an artist – being able to understand the vast range of emotions hidden
within people, and how to bring those emotions out. It’s not an easy way of life, but it’s not
mundane like studying to be a nurse or mathematician.
Are you an artist? If so, what kind of art do you like to
create?
