New Year New Ideas

With the new year already in full swing, it's time to hunker down and start putting my soul on a canvas once again. I was pleasantly surprised as I reflected on my projects for 2010 in the variety and amount of pieces finished. This year I wanted to take a new approach and expand my horizons just a bit with maybe more detail and size rather than quantity.

The holidays for me are always centered around food and 2010 wasn't any different. I did reflect a little more on the amount of food specially now that I'm trying to be slightly healthier, but the task of calculating the size of the pig to be roasted for 23 people didn't really calm this nagging reflection. The year ended and the food high wore off, so I started  thinking about 2011 and setting some new goals for my work but not without that thought still pestering my consciousness.

Since I wasn't able to shake off those feelings of gluttony, I decide that it would be very appropriate to paint an entire serious based on the 7 deadly sins through the eyes of an outsider living in the south. First because of how I feel about obesity in our culture and second because I live in the bible belt as a non-Christian.

I've always admired representational art in religion, which I will incorporate into the serious by intertwining classic religious art into every piece. My intentions is to express the gap between the religious teachings' past and their current interpretations, as I see them, but it is not intended to offend even though it will inherently accomplish it.

I haven't picked a venue, but I would like to show the collection around August or September. That should give me plenty of time to paint it and to reflect on the constantly shifting line artists sometimes cross in regards to portraying social norms, which can easily be interpreted as blasphemous or offensive.

Accepting Failure

I recently came across a quote that would have been useful during my recent bout of artistic blues, "Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success." Of course that's only true if we take the time to analyze it, accept it, and take corrective action. It's also not very helpful to constantly fear failure. Fear of failure is your number one enemy because it doesn't let you complete your current project and destroys the slightest progress towards your next painting.

My latest painting is a perfect example of my struggle with the fear of failure. This painting came to me as a random thought. Like most of my non-traditional painting ideas, I was just falling asleep when an image of a faceless man with retro patterns floating in empty space flashed in my mind. I could not forget the image, so I thought about it for a week and finally took a leap of faith.

I took this challenge because I felt stagnant at the time, I needed to stretch my imagination and improve my technique. I knew this subconsciously, but I had feared stepping outside of my comfort zone completely. I also had the feeling it could turn out to be something not well received, which has been the case. Always knowing that there was a high probability of failure was also not helpful, so why did I still push myself to paint it?

First, I love a good challenge. Being able to take a random thought or idea and place it on a canvas with even more clarity than originally perceived, allows me to prove to myself that thoughts can be made into reality.

Second, It was an extra creative challenge to add missing pieces to the mental thought and balance out the idea of the painting. For example:

• I felt the background needed to add lots of depth and decided a green field and blue sky would work well, so I ended up with a tropical plantation. 
• I felt the face outline would be too real if the skin tone was natural, so I went with blue as a tribute to Picasso's "Old Guitarist," during his blue period. 
• I wanted to add a piece of me to the painting, so I've used myself as the model and made sure to include my grandfather’s necklace to solidify it as a partial self portrait.

Finally, I needed to practice breaking away from the fear of "THEY," if only for one painting. Constantly thinking of what "THEY" think or what "THEY" say can be a big stress on any artist. It's very important to stop and paint something for yourself every once in a while. It gives me a sense of control over every part of the process, which in turn allows me to be more flexible doing commissions because I know I can always paint something for me.

I'm at peace with this painting because it's for me. I have been able to critique myself honestly because I know it has a small probability of success and praise from others. When it's finished, I will be able to explain it from my heart and will be able to laugh about it as well. As long as I own it, It will be a reminder that I intentionally planted a seed in that painting to learn something about myself.

I CAN DO THAT!

Have you ever been in a museum or a gallery and thought to yourself "I can do that" or maybe you've had the opposite thought and said something like "that seems so hard to do." I'm certain the first thought probably came from the initial sticker shock of some abstract piece. Maybe it's true, you could do such a piece but could you sell it for that much money? There is a famous Picasso legend that goes something like this:


“It’s you — Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist.” So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art. “It’s perfect!” she gushed. “You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?” “Five thousand dollars,” the artist replied. “B-b-but, what?” the woman sputtered. “How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!” To which Picasso responded, “Madame, it took me my entire life.”


The realty is that career artists are only worth the money when they've been promoted, their work is owned by collectors, and art dealers are demanding exclusivity. The subjective part of the work, its meaning, might be created by the artist and dealer, but the true value is created by the buyer. Picasso didn't mean to say, "a life time of painting," he meant "a life time of self promotion."


On the other hand, thinking you're not capable of such talent is also a fallacy. If you love art you can make art. You just need to be committed to the learning process not just being artsy. There is a difference between being artsy and being an artist. Being artsy is a fleeting trend, being an artist is a lifelong dedication. I have seen many talented and dedicated people not pursue art because of fear. I have also seen many  lazy, undedicated, artsy people consider themselves artist because it's cool. My version of a successful artist doesn't look a certain way, they think a certain way. My artist is dedicated and passionate about their work. They can admire the process not just the final product and they're relentless about self promotion.


I can teach anyone to be an artist, but I can't teach commitment nor can I erase your fears. It is up to the artist to promote themselves and work closely with the art dealers, and it's up to you to pick up a brush and truly believe YOU CAN DO THAT!

The Exaggerated Death Of An Artist: If You Lost Everything You Ever Created, Would You Still Be An Artist?

The Exaggerated Death Of An Artist: If You Lost Everything You Ever Created, Would You Still Be An Artist?

Running out of ideas?

In my latest quest to paint the world in stunning colors, I've been experimenting with some creativity techniques so I can keep my right brain hemisphere firing like the neighbor's extremely loud corvette. If you're curious, you'll find that there are approximately 160 different creative thinking techniques used across dozens of industries.  I personally don't have as many in my repertoire, but having just one can make a tremendous difference in your life and career. It might even make you cut your ear off and send it to your best friend.

Many great riches have been accumulated because of creativity and imagination, as well as landed many in sanitariums and morgues. Imagination isn't just for kids anymore; it's your new tool for success. In his book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill states, "If you do not see great riches in your imagination, you will never see them in your bank balance." We have to imagine that new job, that unique painting, or that beautiful sculpture before we can create it. I'm not saying you won't create some horribly offensive and insulting stuff, but you'll at least get your imagination going, which is generally a good thing..

I regularly use three creativity or imagination techniques; positive auto-suggestion, random generation, and creative visualization. Using positive auto-suggestion is either asking yourself for an idea or telling yourself to come up with an idea. It is NOT talking to yourself or using a Bluetooth ear piece, which is the same as talking to yourself.  It's repeatedly talking to your subconscious mind and letting it do all the work. It sounds simple and new age, but it really works. Write it down, make it specific and repeat it at least once a day. Repeat after me, "I will give all my money to Ed."

Random generation works when I'm stuck in a left brain mode and need a jump-start (like the neighbor's loud corvette.) It's simply selecting something random as a starting point and letting your imagination complete it. In this process you're using chance to your advantage. Use random generation by asking someone a question about a topic you have in mind and then let your imagination internalize the answer. This works really well when working with commissions because it combines parts of the client's idea into your art. However, it doesn't work very well at bars as a pickup line.

The hardest and most powerful is creative visualization. It's the hardest because our minds are full of noise. First we need to stop the noise, and then we can focus on the project and record the snap shots. I'm not saying the voices in your head are not helpful at times, but we're visualizing here not channeling Thor. This kind of creative thinking works best for me while I'm meditating or just about to fall asleep.

I find that the more I use these techniques the better my imagination and problem solving becomes. Studies have shown that we can shift our brain's dominance. Just because you have a hemispheric dominance, doesn't mean your brain is locked into that mode. I tend to be lobe balanced (why does that sound dirty to me), I work in network security by day and as an artist by night. In either scenario I always benefit from creative thinking as much as I benefit from process and structure. The only downside is that I want to paint all the network equipment yellow with a black silk-screened personalized logo of an ouroboros.

Finally, I still don't know why Disney removed that little dragon Figment at Epcot between 1999 and 2002, but I'm sure it had something to do with lack of IMAGINATION by the IMAGINEERS. Sorry peeps, I'm still a little pissed off about that one, but I'm glad he's back. Now, watch this video for some really neat facts about imagination and being a kid. Don't forget to tell me what techniques work for you.

Set Without Balance

Last weekend, my wife and I went to see the musical, FAME, at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta Ga. The show was performed by the very talented Pebblebrook High School Performing Arts program. It was an excellent show because it was perfectly balanced. The right performers were picked for the correct parts, the sound and lighting were excellent, but the set is what really caught my attention.

I really dislike going to a performance where the set is either too strong or too weak. This set looked just right to me. It didn't take away from the performance by being too flashy or over the top. I also noticed the stairs were very sturdy but not bulky, which tells me the designer or builder knew something about weight-bearing structures. I've seen sets in the past that didn't seem to have any structural integrity, with things coming undone or not coming together correctly. These kinds of problems create a distraction that is hard to break in a visually oriented person. Having a set you think is 95% extraordinary doesn't equal the same to that visually oriented patron. If you have artists and designers in your audience, we will ALWAYS catch that 5% that isn't so great. We don't intentionally do this, our brains just hone in on these problems. While most people are focused on a certain piece of music, I'm stuck on the poor placement of a wheel or that color pallet that doesn't go with the time period.

So next time you're wondering if your set is just right, go and find a few visual artists and ask them for their HONEST opinion. You definitely don't want to end up with a set without balance.

Buy Some Art

It's that time of the year again when families pack up the little ones and head to outdoor festivals in cities across the United States. We love the atmosphere, crafts and beautiful artwork, but we seldom take the final step to purchasing the art. Here are a few reasons that might motivate you to buy some original artwork:

1. Original art is unique and you'll be the sole owner.
2. Because it speaks to you and your mind keeps repeating the words, "beautiful" or "wow."
3. It's a way to connect with very interesting people. Artist love to talk about art and their inspirations. They will stay in contact with you, FOREVER!
4. Because there is no better way to encourage talented artist. 
5. Artist stay where they're accepted. This builds a great art community. 
6. It will give you a different perspective on the world around you.
7. To feel in touch with the creative mind of another person. 
8. To make that empty room come alive. 
9. Because it's the perfect present for someone who has everything.
10. You believe art is a tangible asset.

"But I know these things?" you say. Well, maybe the problem has to do with knowing how to approach the artist. Here are a few tips:

1. Learn to speak Klingon if you can, but English will do if you don't have time. 
2. If you can't afford larger pieces, ask the artist if they have sketches for sale.
3. Prints are not the same as the original. There is a huge price difference.
4. Consider a commission. It's a way to combine their talents and your ideas. 
5. Read the Artist Statement. You might find something very interesting about that artist.
6. When a piece is expensive, ask yourself if you would value it the same if the price was lower. 
7. When dealing with a commission there are usually two options, hourly or by the piece.
8. Don't be afraid to ask for the price of a piece if not posted. Sometimes artist don't want to scare people away with pricing.   

Now go out there an buy some beautiful art. 

Fun Questions

I wanted today's blog to be short and fun, so I've decided to interview myself with some random artist interview questions I found online. Please leave me a comment with your favorite question or answer. It is hard to find good questions for artist, so here are just a few I've found in case you're looking at interviewing an artist. Follow this link for a bunch more.

1. If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want? Coffee
2. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? I'm already a technopath so maybe a little telekineses.  
3. Do you think that creativity is part of human nature or is it something that must be nurtured and learned? Please explain your answer. For me it's been both. I always enjoyed creating things but creating really amazing and unique things must be nurtured. The more you ask yourself to be creative, the more your mind will achieve it. 
4. What made you decide to follow a creative career choice (though possibly risky) rather than something more stable? I actually work in IT but dedicate most of my free time to art. I'll reverse the trend sooner or later but it will happen. I don't think the art business is any riskier than IT at this time. The market is flooded with IT people and the world needs more artists. I don't believe in the struggling artist philosophy. Art schools don't teach enough art business and marketing.
5. What is your inspiration? How has personal experience influenced your creativity? I'm inspired by random images and at times I have to create it. I also love to create based on someone else's idea. Sometimes I need someone else to focus my attention on one idea and I go from there. I usually have lots of ideas, that's why I don't have a series. If you need a random idea, ask me. 
6. What is your favorite creation? Please explain why you selected this one. I did an impressionist painting of a conga player using pointillism. It turned out very different than what I expected and found a new technique I really love. 
7. What do you wish to accomplish with your art? I want to fill every empty wall with color and energy.  
8. How do you know when a piece or project is finished and needs no additional work? I tend to slightly under-complete because I know that If I push, it might get ruined. I also set deadlines so I don't have to fight the urge to overwork a painting. I also ask friends and family for criticism. 
9. Have you ever been faced with negative feedback? How was this reflected in your work, if at all? I'm my worst critic. If I had a clone I would probably cry once a day. Criticism drives me to be better. 
10. What impact do you think that commercialism and the media has had on your work? Is this good or bad? Your art either sells today, tomorrow or becomes trash. Bankers don't work for free, so neither should artist. Creative people are highly underpaid in our society. 
11. Are you a fan of cartoons? If so, what is your favorite one? I love cartoons and comics. My favorite comic is Calvin and Hobbes and right now I'm reading High Moon at Zuda comics. 
12. What is playing in your CD player/Ipod right now? Ray Lamontagne
13. If you had to be any of these things, which would you like to be? a) a member of the opposite sex, b) a clock, c) a pair of shoes, d) a duck Please explain your choice. I would have to be a yellow rubber duck. You get to play in the water everyday. 
14. If you only had 24 hours to live, how would you spend your day? Painting my wife and baby girl while drinking a Guinness. 

Till next week.

Expectations of Greatness

Yesterday I saw a piece of art by young artist Gianna Oms-Rosell, which stirred up some childhood feelings, not because of the subject, but the comments posted to the picture. I've always enjoyed a high level of praise, which I'm sure encouraged me to draw, but looking back now, it didn't encourage more quality even though I knew I could do better.

Should family and friends provide generic positive praises to such levels that the artist either blindly accepts them or thinks they're not being honest? Today children's art lessons in art critique are using the "golden rule", the "platinum rule", and even the "double platinum rule" to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. We're so concerned with making sure the child feels special and unique that we've totally restricting their ability to grow and become successful. We now have an entire generation that has a sense of entitlement that was nurtured with constant praise and little criticism. A generation that is beginning to shatter under the pressures of older generations and the realities of an imperfect world.

I'm not saying we should criticize our children's artwork in a negative and unproductive way. We need to be honest, educated about the work and continue to reinforce the positive aspects of their art. Criticism is highly feared, which is why I think it is avoided like the bubonic plague. Instead of avoiding criticism as if it doesn't exist, parents need to help children accept it as just another opinion.  If parents and teachers continue to avoid teaching critique, children will eventually encounter it and be knocked off their pedestals.  Dr. Bruce Cline the chair of the Photography Department at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio says, "The critique is the primary vehicle through which students get feedback on their work. Improvement in image making is almost always based upon the reactions we get from others after they look at and consider our work. Few of us could survive in the art world if we lived in a critical vacuum. We gain an important kind of objectivity in relation to our work when we listen to what others have to say about it." 

I randomly picked four artists to see if critique helped them succeed. Vincent, Pablo, Salvador and Edgar become very successful and only one dies poor, by choice. Under close inspection one finds a similarity between all four, something that isn't very well known and sometimes overlooked. All four had an influence at home that created an expectation of greatness. They had an artistic friend or family member that provided guidance. Guidance, not constant praise is what created their greatness.

Vincent had a sculptor and 4 art dealers in his family and initially worked as an art dealer himself. Even though he was always mentally troubled and had strong negative opinions about art as a commodity, he was still guided by many family members to take up painting. In contrast Pablo was different because his father was a fine arts professor and directly guided Pablo. Many people have criticized and praised Pablo's work over the years, but it didn't affect him because, from a young age, he didn't fear it. Salvador like Pablo was also encourage by his father to take lessons and he was also responsible for Salvador's first exhibit of charcoal drawings. Finally, we have Edgar, a wealthy child with a banker for a father, which many thought was critical of his son's artistic career. The reality is that his father was the one that encouraged him to enter art school and had already laid the foundation through his own love of music and art.

These 4 artist became great because they didn't fear criticism. These 4 artist became, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, and Degas because a family member, not only believed in them, but guided them to greatness at a young age.

Paint Battles

Have you ever wondered what's the big difference between oils and acrylics? I'll break it down in four parts for you; pricing, durability, color and technique. I don't mean pricing as in the cost of the paint, I mean pricing in the cost of the painting. I'm sure art buyers repeatedly hear about the great quality of oil paintings, so inherently artist charge more money for oils. If you're looking at buying art and would like to make a good investment, don't get fooled into buying a piece just because it's an oil painting. Buying art should first come from the connection you have to the piece and second (here is my business mind at work) if that piece will retain its value. If an artist has been painting professionally for a while then they're most likely, but not always, the better investment. It has nothing to do with oil or acrylic, it has to do with lastingness and recognition. 

I'm always surprised with how easily artists are convinced that oils have better durability than acrylics. Here are a few facts about oils you might not know. Oils crack, yellow and can even eat away a poorly treated canvas. In the 50 years since the invention of acrylics, they haven't cracked, yellowed or altered. Acrylics are also great if you're a mixed media artist because it has great bonding properties. For 50 years these crusty old conservators have been trying to defend oils, and science, not myth, says that acrylics have better durability. Even though durability might seem to have the final say on the debate, we need to remember that oils and acrylics have different chemical compositions which will give the artist different results.

One thing I know  for certain about acrylics is their lack of pigment load, which is how much pigment the paint can hold. The pigment load is very import because it's what covers your grids, guides and pencil marks with fewer applications. I've also found oils have a consistent pigment load, while acrylic yellow, orange and red have the worst. There is nothing more frustrating than painting the same base coat over and over, which also takes more paint. Yes, oils are more expensive but they also cover better than acrylics. That's probably why you hear people saying that an oil painting is more colorful than an acrylic. 

The final difference between oils and acrylics is technique. Because one is oil-based and the other water-based, you'll have drastically different drying times and viscosities. If you want to paint lots of detail, little hue and very quickly it might help to use acrylics. If you want to layer colors and use a "fat over Lean" approach then oils might be your choice. Acrylics are very hard to blend on the canvas because they dry so quickly, but with oils careful planning is important if you're planning lots of detail, since drastic changes aren't always easy to accomplish. 

I mostly paint with acrylics and can tell you not all brands are created equal. I generally use 3 brands in acrylics, Winsor & Newton, Liquitex, and Daler-Rowney, but I only use Winsor & Newton for oils. Liquitex makes BASIC, and the name says it all. BASIC has the lowest pigment load of all brands, so be prepared to layer and layer and layer. Liquitex also makes a heavier grade Liquitex that's pretty good. The no-basic Liquitex and Winsor & Newton have similar pigment properties and viscosity. Personally I prefer the Daler-Rowney System 3, if I can find them. That's what Walmart carries for $5 but other art shops charge $10. The only problem is getting a good color selection at Walmart. System 3 also has a skin tone which can be helpful with portraits since acrylics don't blend well on the canvas, but you will not find it at Walmart. The System 3 Titanium White is the best white and highly recommended. Recently, I tested the Dick Blick brand and must say they're the closest to System 3 and a really good price. The worst brand I tried was Van Gogh which is now Amsterdam. I wonder why they changed names, because they suck. 

Well, hopefully that covers the paint battles since it really just comes down to what you're painting, and how much time you have. I'll probably always love and hate them both for their own unique properties. 

Deep Breath

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 release. My brain has been on overload all week and to add to it, I'm not 100% on the new painting. I do plan to finish it this weekend and we'll let the crowds decide if it's worth it or not. I've been running the word FEAR over and over in my head because I'm catching more mistakes in my work than ever before, which I know is a good thing. Being human means that I'm subject to mistakes and closely following is the fear of failure. I know that for an artist fear of failure, rejection, and criticism are the most crippling feelings to have, but they must be overcome if you wish to succeed.

You must first come to the realization that when dedication and passion are applied to any task, you will not only make mistakes but the fear of failure will be amplified. The reason is that fear likes creeping in slowly as soon as we question any part of our passion for something. Fear is a natural side effect of being more passionate because being passionate means stepping outside of our comfort zone. We quickly start making excuses and before you know it, you have a really bad case of anxiety and that piece of art is sitting in a corner. 

Once you've acknowledge that fear, you need to confront it, take ACTION against it. Napoleon Hill author of Think and Grow Rich said, "The fear of criticism robs man of his initiative, destroys his power of imagination, limits his individuality, takes away his self-reliance, and does him damage in a hundred other ways." Those things are what make us artists, so we must take ACTION to protect them. You must pick up the brush, the pencil, the art book, the canvas and START. You will never finish that amazing piece of art, cartoon, or website if you don't START IT. 

I know you’re saying, "I always start things, but something always comes up." I tell you what comes up, FEAR. That's why persistence is so crucial. Persistence should NOT be doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, that's insanity according to Einstein. If you fail, be persistent and try it again, but try something different, until you get the expected results. I personally have a natural talent for color and light, but I suck at form and motion. That has been my failure and accordingly my FEAR, so I took it upon myself to study it. The more I study it the more mistakes I catch, but I also have more AHA moments. 

Finally, you must try your hardest to keep things in perspective by remembering that most major human development came from a failure or a mistake. Early humans didn't look at a fire for the first time and say "hey, that looks hot don't touch it." Don't take it personal when you think you failed, when someone doesn't like your work or when an art gallery rejects your art. If you take those failures and study them, you'll notice that each one has a lesson. This doesn't mean that everything happens for reason; it means you did something incorrect and you need to learn from it and try again and again and again. Fate will not sell your artwork, correct persistence will.

Terry Baggs of Peacemakers Training says that in today’s business environment we must learn to Fail Forward Fast. It basically means that the faster you fail and correct it the faster you learn. Next time you're painting and the word FEAR creeps into your head remember that failure is the natural progression to success. 

Naked People

Today I picked up 3 books, from Borders, in my quest to better understand the human form. I've always painted from references and haven't really had the urge to study the human form until recently. Deep down inside I've alway want to kick some villain ass and my only real solution is to draw some comics. I think comics look great when they're done correctly and that's why I'm studying the human form.

As suggested by many comic book artists, I started by getting an anatomy book. Lucky for me it was also an anatomy book for artist. The book "Classic Human Anatomy" an artist's guide to form, function, and movement by Valerie L. Winslow is one expensive book. Just skimming through it, you can see this a very well illustrated book broken down into sections for each body region. One thing this book doesn't really explain is dynamic human motion, so I picked another book on that topic. Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth, which was on Scott Daniel's must have list for comic book artist. Being that Scott is a successful DC comic artist, I figured it was a must. This book looks very impressive, but the illustrations aren't as clear as I would expect, but they're definitely dynamic. Finally, I saw a book called "Drawing The Head & Figure" by Jack Hamm, which turned out to be packed with amazing examples of facial expressions, clothings, shoes, eyes and much more, all done in a comic book style. I have a feeling this book will be my best buy and it was also the cheapest. With 5 paintings to finish in the next two months I'm not sure I'll get all 3 read, but I'll try.

Survival Monday

Last week ended in a cloud, just as I expected, with 3 inches of snow and ice. I didn't mind driving home during the storm, but did run into the occasional slow dimwit that hadn't realized the temperature wasn't cold enough to freeze the wet road. Why does every hermit in the neighborhood (including me) decide that they should go outside and play during a snow storm? I guess that's an easy way to determine which neighbor never lived up north. I was also gonna swing by the store on the way home but decide I couldn't fathom the site of 100 people fighting over milk and bread.

Overall it was a very productive weekend of painting and baking and now we begin Survival Monday. On Saturday I stumbled across Keri Smith's artist's survival kit website. Even though it's mostly humor I found a few topics that really hit home. The list below really caught my attention.

I strongly agree with half of this list, but the other half needs some clarification. I guess #1 tends to be the biggest demotivator I've experienced, so I'll assume from its placement it also affects other artists. The day I stopped comparing myself to others was the day I felt free as an artist. I now look at other artist in 3 ways. First, other artists are inspirations and seeds for new ideas. Second they're people who share my struggles. Thirdly, they're teachers in the sense that their work and techniques can be studied. Improving your skill can be done by truly admiring someone else's work. It's easier to say, "I can't do that kind of work" than to say "I need to practice to achieve that technique." Don't take the easy way, it's plain lazy.

I'm so lucky because my family has been very supportive of my work, but like starting a new business, your family will give you 100 reasons why you will fail. Dealing with family can be very tricky. Most people don't follow their dreams because of fear and that same fear drives them to criticize others. You can't let fear win. Number 8 also talks about family pressure, which really shows how family and friends can influence your artistic development. I have recently found that I'm drawn to really dark art, which I know my family will not like or approve, but I can't learn it or experience it in a deeper way unless I do it. At the end of the day, real family will still love you.

Number 3 and 4 really make me laugh because they scream LAZINESS. Complacency is not an option. You can always do better. Just because one friend thinks a certain piece is your best, doesn't mean you should stop painting. That's just one opinion. On the flip-side, Just because the first attempt wasn't what you expected doesn't mean you should quit. I'm still learning how to draw comics. I know they look amateur but I also see the improvement and that's the important part. There is nothing more rewarding than experiencing an Aha Moment as an artist.

Ok, 5 and 6 are really tricky areas for an Artist. The value of your art is a very subjective thing in so many levels. If you want to be a serious artist you must confront the issue of money. I initially compared my work to others and then priced it accordingly. This was a huge mistake because it doesn't take REALITY into account. Yes, it's still around even for artist. Here are a few things you should consider when pricing your work and skill:

1. Your demographic area (you need to know the consumer)
2. Having pricing criteria for commissions.
3. Being consistent with your pricing.
4. Pricing differences between personal work, show work and commissions.
5. Comparing your price (not work) to other artists in the area, that actually sell.
6. Setting financial goals

Because I'm also very left brain oriented I can tell you there is nothing wrong with treating your art like a business. If you take a small amount of time to set realistic financial goals and realistic schedules, you will be successful. Having a plan is the first step to completing your next piece.

Finally, the societal pressures speech is overrated. We all have beliefs and for artists that's no different. It just gives us another way to express them. I don't bow down to social norms nor do I completely slap them in the face, and that's because I like selling artwork for the masses. If you want to constantly make provocative artwork that makes viewers really think, that's perfectly fine. There are always going be people that don't agree with what you do or how you do it. I have my happy balance by painting for people 50% and for myself 50%. Find YOUR balance and be happy.

So, if you want to survive Monday? Be yourself, know who your friends really are, keep working on getting better, plan your day, think like a business person when it's needed and above all LOVE yourself first.

-Eduin

A Week for Planning

OK, I've been known to procrastinate from time to time, but not this week. I plan to plan my week, or so I think. No really, I'm going to get to Friday on a cloud, but hopefully not a storm cloud.

Let's begin with my website. Designer Joe has mocked-up the site and we'll finalize the design over some wonderful Mexican food this Wednesday at Taqueria Jalisco. Anyone in the Douglasville area willing to listen to me talk about myself for an hour is welcome to come.

My gallery show at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre will be on May 7th during Art Walk Marietta. I'm currently working on six new pieces, which I plan to unveil that night. I'm strongly debating doing one as an oil for those folks that don't think I have the skill, when in reality it's that I don't have the patience for things that dry slow. I guess one Alla Prima in oil will be interesting.

It looks like Claire Dunaway and Brandon Hunt will both be featured as artist for Art Walk Marietta. Please support them and check out their sites.

This weekend is the big "Life is a Circus" Gala variety show hosted by the Humane Society of Cobb County. They're an independent, nonprofit, humane animal welfare charity. They're also a NO-KILL shelter, which means they're nice to animals so support them. I hope to post some pictures next Monday.

Have a great week!

Bambooya

Why would anyone spend $100 on a Wacom Bamboo tablet? Because it's so much freakin fun people. I must admit that it took me 3 months debating if I really needed this thing. So far, it's lived up to my expectations and then some. I'm not a big fan of Adobe, so I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to use it with GIMP, but it worked just fine. Here are a few things I really love about this thing:

1. I can adjust the opacity and size to pressure, so it's just like a marker.
2. It has 3 drawing parts. I can smudge with my finger, I can draw with the tip and I can flip the pen over and ERASE.
3. The size is perfect to put in front of my keyboard. I thought a bigger drawing area would be better, but this one was perfect.
4. No batteries needed. I'll say it again. "NO BATTERIES NEEDED!"

Now to the real question. Did it draw like I expected it to? At first it was hard to adjust from using a mouse. You don't pick up the pen and re-center like a mouse. The tablet adjust to the screen size and you will adjust to it because it's so natural. If you get one, be aware that you shouldn't sit in front of a screen for 36 hours. Enjoy.

Febuloso

So the month of Love and Animals is here. OK, not so much animals, the Cobb County Human Society is have their 2nd Annual Winter Variety Show/ Gala event this month. I will be attending because I'm a Gala Ho, as my wife likes to call me. I hear the show will be fabulous, but I'm still wondering who will provide the food. I'm a bit of a food critic and will rate 60% of any Gala event on food quality and presentation. If it's Chef Jeff from Carriage House Catering or theSugar Cakes folks, I'll be fine.

I finally finished the commissioned piece and will be saying goodbye to it this week. I've become attached to this painting more than any other commission. Now it's on to doing 6 pieces in the next 3 months. Ouch! I have a confirmed show date of May 7th and it's going to be spectacular. I need to finalize the 6 topics today, so I can get cranking.

I had a weird image pop in head last week as I was going to sleep and had to draw it. It's not what I would normally draw but here it is.

Keeping on movin'

Mondays tend to be long dragging days, so I'm starting mine with a blog and some coffee. Last week was very productive and I hope to keep it going with new projects and ideas. I did get as much as possible done on the comissioned piece, so it's been set aside until the clients decide what to put on the marqee. I'm very happy with the outcome because I felt a slight improvement on my technique. I haven't gotten the final word on my show date, but I've already come up with a theme and a rough number of pieces. This time, I will try my hardest to keep them all a secret until that day. This is going to be so hard, since a little input always helps. My web designer, JOE, will be using SlideShowPro as my new gallery tool. I love the slide transitions and the ability to upload and edit on the fly. The color scheme hasn't been decided so if you have any ideas, let me know. Last week I told you about by new business idea and probably jinxed myself since the perfect location was leased, that same day, by someone else. I know the person who leased it and I'm sure they'll be doing something awesome with the space. It's all a big secret so I'm digging to get the inside scoop. I'll post as soon as I know something. I'm not giving up on my ideas so expect something in the near future. Just accepted a totally different creative project, so I must begin planning and measuring today. They want a pretty fast turnaround, so more coffee please. These will be register covers for modern PC style touchscreen registers at a theater. Below is the basic design of each side. I will post something once the stain is on and my stress level has come down a bit. stay positive! Ed

Introduction

Working on a commissioned piece right now that's about 90% complete. I'm just waiting on clients to finalize the information for the marquee. I'm really hoping to finish it by Sunday.

Started planning 3 new projects this week. First I'm hoping to get a show put together for Fall with all new work and hopefully a solid theme this time. Second, I'm working with a web designer on redoing my website with some nicer gallery tools. You can find Joe at www.signetimagecrafters.com. Finally I'm working on a studio space project for artist in my area. Wish me luck!