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Zine update – Sketchcrawl theme
After considering various topics for my first/continuing zine issue, I’ve decided to make it about sketchcrawls. (If you’re not sure what a “sketchcrawl” is, visit Sketchcrawl.com or see my examples at this website.)
So, I’m looking for articles and sketch samples — in b&w, or color images that also look good in b&w — for this [...]
Recent Posts
Our most recent articles about the business of being an artist.
Featured articles
Writing and the Creative Process
When I checked my email this morning, there had been a follow-up to a post that I'd made in a ...
The Return of the Zine
The zines are returning in 2010. They'll be in three versions: 1. Paper copies ("old school" b&w) for previous subscribers. 2. B&w digital ...
Previous subscriber?
A long time ago -- between 1977 and about 2001 -- did you subscribe to my zines or to my ...
Evergreen freebies
In the past, I've placed a steady stream of freebies online. Many of them are still available, and "evergreen" ...
Aisling's diary
The Art of Making ArtRecently, someone asked if the art of making art is putting it together.
That’s a good question… with two different answers.
Oh, I could say, “Art is what you make it,” or “Art is where you find it.” That’d be the flippant reply.
However, the genus — the germ of the inspiration — of the art isn’t quite [...]
How-to
Painting realistically when you can’t drawA dear friend asked me about creating a work of art that includes a figure of a child. It’s going to be very emotion-rich art. She was musing about the best approach — drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, etc.
Here’s part of my reply, with extra details and links:
I suggest working with either oils or acrylics. If [...]
Artists Journals
Sketchcrawl notes (1) – 11 July 09My sketchcrawl day started at about 8:30 a.m. when I arrived at Alewife MBTA station. I’d been on the road for nearly two hours, so it was a relief to park the car and begin the day’s adventures.
My first sketch was on the train. I decided to take photos at each sketch location — when [...]
Art shrines
Breakthrough Shrines – NotesMy Artfest 2004 workshop, Breakthrough Shrines, was very controversial. The class had been designed as a process-based experiment to push students towards artistic expressions that were new and different… and perhaps uncomfortable.
There was nothing “safe” about this class. Students either loved it or hated it. Some caught the spirit of the exercise and produced amazing [...]
Fiber art
Fresh Designs – free design bookIn the early 1980s, I assembled a book of quilting designs. That is, they’re guides for stitching on completed quilts.
However, you could use these same designs for many other kinds of art, especially fabric art. And, I included some suggestions on a couple of pages in this book.
For example: For a [...]
Business of Art
Cheap Art ManifestoMany years ago during the hippie era, we dreamed of a free society where everyone had access to what’s important in life… including art.
The following flyer, distributed by the Bread & Puppet Theater, is a classic example of our dreams. The date on this flyer is (ironically?) 1984 — when the hippie movement was reacting [...]