Let out the ARTIST in you!!!!

[Maximilianus]

Why don't you start one, Max? I think it might prove interesting; good idea. It could involve artistic or experimental photos, as well or even animations they post on Youtube or other sites. I would like to see what people come up with. I have something I produced quickly a few years back on my old Photo Deluxe program, of a sunset and page curl with flowers. If you start it I will post it; although mind you, I was just playing around with the program to see what it would do; so it's nothing that great...but it's kind of neat, I think.

Okay, I'll be thinking about a catchy thread title. I just hope it hasn't been done already.

I have no brothers, except ryan who i was raised with. but no I should have covered that up, but didnt think about it.

Sorry if my comment upset you, dear. I didn't mean to meddle

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

* bump *

I wonder if only drawings/paintings can participate on this thread. Specifically, would this thread be suitable for posting retouched images, animated pictures or any other computer-generated art, or should there be another thread for that? Is there a thread already, for computer art, that anyone knows of?

Max,

I don't believe it really matters what form of "art" is presented here. In fact, I believe Higley (I hope that's right) had some computer generated pieces submitted a few pages back, but that is entirely up to you. Either way, we would love to see your handy work!

In the meantime, here is a little humorous piece I scratched up for my Thanksgiving thread:



Gilliatt

[Nyu001]

That is a great piece! Love how you inverted things, haha.

[Maximilianus]

Wonderful sketch Gilliat, thanks for your reply!

I've always wondered how life would be if it were the opposite to what it is

[skib]

That is in fact a wonderful sketch, Gilliatt! All the more pleasing thanks to my recent infatuation with Wild Turkey . . .

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

That is a great piece! Love how you inverted things, haha.

Wonderful sketch Gilliat, thanks for your reply!

I've always wondered how life would be if it were the opposite to what it is

That is in fact a wonderful sketch, Gilliatt! All the more pleasing thanks to my recent infatuation with Wild Turkey . . .

Thanks all !.
I'm happy you enjoyed it. Who know's maybe there will be a little surprise for Christmas.
It has been too long since I had last drawn or painted. This Forum has given me a shot of inspiration to get the rust out.

[Janine]

Gilliatt, this is very good and quite clever/humorous....a bit of "Animal Farm" here (?)...I like the way the turkeys are eating the drumsticks (human legs)....very well executed and loads of fun. Is the dog eating the arm?

It's good to see this forum has inspired you. I wish something would light a fire under me and get me drawing again. I really miss it. Keep up the good work and keep drawing. You are really good.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Gilliatt, ...a bit of "Animal Farm" here (?)...I like the way the turkeys are eating the drumsticks (human legs).... Is the dog eating the arm?

It's good to see this forum has inspired you. I wish something would light a fire under me and get me drawing again. I really miss it...

Thank you so much Janine.
You got it, “Drumsticks” and “Wings” (the arm)
Disclaimer: I would never actually give a pet fowl bones due to potential for choking.

A spontaneous hankering for anthropomorphism mixed with a dash of sad tire, a pinch of Orwell’s “Animal Farm” and a passing mental image of C.M. Coolidge’s series of “Dogs Playing Poker”, each played a part in developing the concept.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_Playing_Poker

The rest just bubbled up from the depths of my disturbed synapses. I had to chuckle after realizing the leg on the platter is a combination left leg with a right foot and ankle. The American Gothics look like a pair of vultures and the excessive length of the Turkey’s snoods would indicate that these birds are quite old, but I’ll defer to the master, Roger Tory Peterson, for the accuracy of such details.

Thanks again and please find that inspiration!

[JuniperWoolf]

Are those turkeys drinking wild turkey? That's just great.

[lalalauren]

So it hit me the other day that I really really want to learn how to paint. I really like watercolor painting and would love to learn how to do that but I have zero artistic experience and don't know if I can just jump right into it. Where's a good place to start? Do I need to learn to draw first before I learn how to paint?

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

lalalauren,

First to answer your question; there are several members who are quite talented with the brush, drawing, sketching, sculpting, etc. There is one member here who makes "art" their life passion, though I'm not sure that he specializes in watercolor. There are at least three people I can think of, who are talented in watercolor.
They may not appreciate me dropping their names willy nilly, but you may find them in the "Let Out the Artist in you" thread. Buried several pages down by now under 'General Chat" (I believe) you can do a search.

I have dabbled in watercolor myself and would be happy to offer you some tips, though I am a bit rusty.

Gilliatt

[loe]

In my opinion it doesn't really matter what medium you choose for painting, drawing, etc. (although oil might be a little bit more challenging to handle). The first and most important thing is practising, practising, practising...

Watercolours aren't really expensive, so you can just try it first, it's never too late to look up technical tips in the internet or read a book when you realize that you are in need of some help.

If you would like to paint anatomy or "realistic" objects it will be very helpful to learn drawing first, but when you just want to enjoy painting I don't think it's absolutely necessary.

I wish you a lot of fun!

Best regards

[lalalauren]

Thanks Loe! I have a feeling that I'll be having a lot of fun...I have an artistic side of me that's been dying to get out for a loooong time and now that I'm not in school I actually have the time to cultivate it. I'm pretty sure I'll fail at realistic objects since I have no formal training so I'm just going to try for abstract stuff/let whatever is in my head come out and see how it goes haha.

I have dabbled in watercolor myself and would be happy to offer you some tips, though I am a bit rusty.

Thanks! I'm sure I'll probably be posting back on this thread once I get started. Still have yet to go to the store and buy supplies...any recommendations for what I should get?

[stlukesguild]

I am a working artist... albeit not in watercolor. I am far more experienced in acrylic, oils, pastel, print, and drawing. Nevertheless, I do have more than a passing knowledge and exposure to watercolor including a few courses at art school. With this in mind, I would suggest that if you are inexperienced with most artistic media I'd be somewhat wary of watercolor. It is quite an unforgiving medium and contrary to what has been suggested, it is not inexpensive... unless you plan on using crappy grade school watercolors (the kind that come as dried cakes in a tray) and painting on crappy paper. Good paper is a necessity when painting in watercolor and good watercolor paper is VERY expensive. Good watercolors in tubes are probably not far less expensive than oil paints by the ounce. Watercolor, unlike oils or acrylics, tend to be approached in a more spontaneous manner that doesn't allow for mistakes and as such good watercolor paintings demand some real skills and a clear notion of what you are doing and where you are headed from the very start.

Having said that... I wouldn't wish to dissuade anyone truly interested. I will offer up a few suggestions, however. First of all drawing is the central skill to nearly any artistic medium. I would definitely start with some efforts in that direction. You might especially think of employing ink or watercolor washes in drawings as a way to get a feel for the fluid medium that watercolor is. I would also suggest that you check out a good book on watercolor techniques or painting with watercolors. Beyond that I would suggest you look at some exemplar watercolor works. You can probably find a good deal of examples of the watercolor paintings of J.M.W. Turner, John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Paul Cezanne, Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth, and Emil Nolde online by Googling their names and the term "watercolor". I would also take a good look at the Chinese and Japanese painters.

[Perscors]

@stlukesguild-- I think you have some really good advice but since lalalalauren has "zero" artistic experience I really don't think she needs to buy top of the line products. I do quite a bit of watercolors that I am personally happy with on so called "crappy dried cakes." These were the same cakes that I used while painting in Russia with watercolorists that I thought were rather talented. A good artist can make much out of little. I personally find it important to be comfortable with sketching and drawing before attempting to paint but to each his own. It is rather cliche but practicing drawing still lifes to get comfortable with proportions and shadow ect can really take you a long way fast. Good luck and I hope this helps.