[TGP]

Hey guys!

 

I thought I might start with a whole story; but my creativity is spent and I got alot on my plate.

 

Lets see depending on what you know;  i might have alot to tell you or very little.  As I've written elsewhere on NF; since leaving NF 1.5years ago- Art has become a very serious passion for me.  i've vowed to get good as fast as possible but to stay on the trek and not burn out.

 

You may remember that I love Big hard inspiring endurance challenges and I've tackled a 100mile hike and a 26mile run.  well surely they pale to the momental challenge of trying to make money with one's art; no matter how good you strive to be at it.  So I'll be honest; for a long time I was sure I was not longer a rebel.  concerned with art; I've maintained a very low mileage running program with no impressive fitness or health goals beyond keeping what I've earned in the last few years of those bigger endurance challenges.

 

but... frankly... I've missed you.  I 've tried discord, posted a bit on the social media- none of it is quite what you find here, a tight community of encouragement.

 

for those that don't know.

 

ARt is Hard !  very hard!  I've spent time learning to draw a recognizable picture of micheal jackson and then dived into paintings of sunsets.  I've done beautiful women in colored pencil and tried a dragon .

 

its all really REALLY hard; and trying to improvement the accuracy and likeness of something is a painful road of failure and persistence.  towards the top of the summer I started increasingly to feel that I had art good enough to share and perhaps sell.  I've got deep issues (and frankly future insecurity) at work- so there's motivation to slowly work towards a job of passion , rather then the dull monotonous slog my current job seems to be.

 

but the price is getting up in the middle of the early morning- and getting some cool idea only to mostly ruin in on the canvas before the start of the day.  and do the same thing tomorrrow and the day after that.

 

there's no other path towards getting good at this, I fear.  As we start this challenge the first formal steps of starting an art business in on the horizon.  I have 2 painted priced to sell downtown and I intend to pay the sales tax as a new business.  if they don't sell soon (which is likely); I might delay this as long as the beginning of 2022 for tax purposes.

 

but No later than that.

 

hopefully you'll forgive a challenge thats not so fitness oriented.  fitness is still important to me; but ART has become my passion and I must continue if its to become any answer to my dreary job....

[Elastigirl]

Looking forward to following you on your art journey

[Rookie]

Here for your art journey! 

[Kestrel Grey]

Hi TGP, great to see you!  All challenges are NF appropriate, whatever you are passionate about growing into.

[Harriet]

I love how you're making concrete plans. The art is GOING TO HAPPEN!!! Happy challenging 😊

[TGP]

well guys. I know I haven't set goals and thats a real big part of what these 5 week quests are meant to be?

 

honestly; its been a hard day.  Early this morning at my normal art time (5am) I had considerable art block and I grinded through making something before work that I pretty much hated on all the way....

 

sometimes the mindset is wrong and the art suffers

 

Anyways; err Goals.  lets not focus on roadblocks so early on this thread.

•  firstly; I have a long standing goal of doing art during my prime time of 13.5hours.  this "prime" time is 3 times during a weekday and once each weekday.  this is time when  I have a reasonable expectation of being left alone- so I can concentrate better.
• *secondly; I have another normal goal of doing art 6 days a week.  I'm on the fence about the "do something every day" advice.  many weeks I do- but I don't want to get into burnout.  this art thing is a HUGE massive marathon and not a sprint in any way.  If it can't be sustained; it shouldn't be done.  Recent experience is that I can art six days a week.  ~20+hours a week.

 

I think I'll continue those goals for each week of the challenge

 

lets add two new ones;

• I've been feeling that recently my arts not been quite focused enough in topic.  my normal pattern ifs to browse  the internet and dreamily think of using those as references for a new picture. and thats been good in all; but frankly too much choice is snuffing out my passion a little.  there is ten thousand thousand possibilies on the internet and those would just be references; a near infinite amount of possible pictures to all of them.  instead I need to consider long term goals where being able to draw any topic I would want might not be a possibility.  I think I'm not focusing enough on a single theme and then not delving deeply enough.  lets pretend I had a commission that had to be done in a week;  that would limit possibilities and practice my eventual ability to do that. I will have a theme every week and said theme will be connected to some idea that I could imagine making money doing.
• Next;  there is a really BIG list of things to do to prepare for a future business doing art.  many things can be done or are initial steps that would lead to others.  lets get started!  3 things per week, required to begin a business or find future opportunities (like talking to an art gallery).  if we run out of things then that would be good. it would mean that I'm possibly prepared for the business when it comes.

my suspicion is that I'll form my side business this January and begin the long, long process of finding customers and building things up. so, err there's what 2-35 week challenges to that happens?  exciting times

 

wished I better felt it (today)

 

 

[TGP]

regarding this week

• I'm going to try to draw fishing pictures this week; cuase I could imagine taking commissions doing fishing pictures; say trophy fish that were released or maybe a first fish of a young angler; or once-in-your life road trip fishing some place memorable.  

 

• err yeah, three things per week.  yesterday I talked to a gallery in kane- a Neighboring town.  the answer was No!  but I chatted a while and I think I built some goodwill in our convo.  I got a lead that a local place that grows sunflower is thinking about a gift shop (in the future) and might welcome art that features sunflowers.  that's fun because I already have a few peices of art that does this and I can imagine making more. I love sunflowers, very fun and interesting to draw/paint.

 

[Rookie]

Great goals TGP. They sound sensible for someone who is looking to pursue art as a career. I am feeling motivated about my art because of all these fellow artists on NF.

 

The picture above is really fantastic. I was once on family vacation in Nova Scotia and there was this teenager who was offering to draw portraits (nothing crazy like $20-40 I think). He did my sister and I with the background. Much like the drawing you did above only inked with a thin marker. I would say if that is what you are thinking of selling then instead of black pen could you use an india ink marker or some "inking" marker? And perhaps you would enjoy watercolour. You can get little watercolour travelling pans and a water brush (brush that has water in the handle). They are super handy! My friend has dabbled a bit with that and the aesthetic is awesome and I feel it would lend well to your style above. Sorry for the unsolicited advice! If you know all that or thought of it previously then you can disregard it

 

[TGP]

On 10/20/2021 at 8:11 AM, Rookie said:

.... Sorry for the unsolicited advice! If you know all that or thought of it previously then you can disregard it

 

no don't be sorry, I LOVE talking about art. 

 

regarding the discussion of those medium; I know least about india ink.  I really OUGHT to learn more about that, yes.  I did steadler liners and was rather dissapointed ; i felt like they always ran out in inconvenent.  (having a rather THIN 0.1 line is really nice though)...

 

makers were never a big obsession of mine and though I've tried a few I didn't work with them very much or try very hard. I had hoped to use them with colored pencil; but whether it was my skillz or whatever. it didn't seem to go well.

 

now Watercolor is a different thing; and I definitely saw the promise and beauty of that medium.  I actually picked up a near relative called guosh and gave it a really big try and still sometime work with it.  you can consider guosh as a opaque version of watercolor and shares most of the difficulty and frustration. I have one image I'm really very fond of in guosh and a whole lot of truly terrible expeiments and bad pics I don't show.

 

this is my proud guosh picture and is currrently sitting as possibly the best peice of art this month (to my eyes)...

 

 

[TGP]

this is , though, an era of focusing and I need to try to focus a little bit of my effort rather then forever and ever start new medium and new ideas.

to my eyes, both watercolor and ink and watercolor/guosh are great types of art and I look foward to trying to build some skill.

but the big passion is still with Acryllic painting.  THAT is what I've vowed I will concentrate on like mad... 

 

these days I'm only doing colored pencil/ink and drawing as a break - and to avoid getting SO focused that I burn myself out.

[Rookie]

I love soft pastels! But they are just so messy and not very forgiving. So my heart and main medium right now is acrylic. I actually went from drawing and acrylic painting to sculpture.... and I got some chalk pastels to work on a painting technique I saw.. Then I tried a chalk pastel portrait and loved it.. Then I ended up back at acrylic. I did a year of college in an art fundamentals course (lots of fun) and ended up taking software development and network engineering. It's funny because I honestly wasn't that good in art college.... but I randomly got decently good (in my opinion) and I have no clue where it came from lol 

 

I did some gouache in college and I am not sure if I am a big fan. I love the transparency of the watercolours. I also love doing pencil crayons with watercolour. I got to use prismacolor and copic markers in college and they were fun as well (especially mixed with pencil crayons for texture). I agree with focusing on a medium but I think occasionally dipping your toe in other mediums helps you round out your main medium. 

 

Your gouache painting is beautiful! You should be proud.

[TGP]

wow, what a neat background and so much experience with stuff !

that's really awesome.

 

thank you for your compliment, I sincerely appreciate it

[TGP]

well, guys I won't hide it....

there's been hard days for me-- Last weekend was particularly bad.  one of our cats was very, very sick- we thought she might die!

 

turns out she has an absess- much, much better then what it could have been.

 

regarding the stick to a subject idea- I did stick to "fishing" for about a week.  I'm moving on to a favorite idea- park benches.  boats will also be in there.

 

BTW; are you guys familiar with Art block?  thats when a good picture idea doesn't come to you when you want to create art. its awful.

I've been on the edge of it for the last little bit..

 

anyways; I'll post pics here in a bit-- but I don't have my cell phone handy right now

[Rookie]

So glad your cat is on the mend! That would definitely make a bad weekend. I hope you are feeling better now that you now she’s going to be okay. 
 

Art block is not very fun at all. I have different problems because most of my paintings are commission-based. Commissions are good because you are given what to paint but the majority of the time the reference picture is horrible quality or just so uninspiring. Which makes me not feel motivated to work on it or I get stuck and I’m not sure how to work past whatever is bugging me about the painting.  There are times where I’d rather just work on my own ideas 😅 but it seems just as I’m coming to the end of 1 painting I get a new commission. That sounds like I’m bragging… I’m not, it’s most friends, coworkers and family. I undercharge for them 😅 which is not a great business practice. The majority of my portraits are of people’s pets who have passed away. 

[TGP]

well, from the perspective of THIS week

 

I'm  very grateful I don't have much demands on my art right now- I am VERY stressed.  my son may need to go to a mental hospitol....

 

but I am also very happy to hear that you have a business however tentative, or if you undercharge and lack confidence.  You can do it! and you are doing it- which is a major Woot in my book.

also,   I have tried a few pics from bad photos so I admire your skills. its very very hard to do a good job when the reference is poor,

 

----

so today I'm officially orienting my art on therapy and comfort.  life is to hard right now to demand technical improvement.  in honor of picasso who did something similar during a deep depression he faced; I'm nicknaming this the blue period.

 

i'm seriously going to try to stick a lot of blue in my pics and worry less about realism and more about emotional expression.  there's deep emotions in me; but this is not familiar and not something I'm good at.

 

I've also scheduled an appointment with a therapist.

---

I really appreciate your beautiful posts rookie.  ty.  this part of my art journey might be hard- but in thinking about it deeply- I must use the art to help get over this.

 

I don't know if I said earlier, but my MIL is also living with us and we are balancing full time care with mental health issues in the house. 

 

btw; a few recent peices. nothing extraordinary

 

[TGP]

tonights art peice

 

I'm feeling it ...

 

[TGP]

well, guys. I have had one of the worst days of my whole life.

 

my son got unvoluntary committed to a hospital.  this was not done compassionately, wisely,... and it wasn't even neccesary.

 

my sone was voluntarily willing to hear out the idea of being in a mental health while they tinkered with his depression medicine. but some Jacka$$'s commitment to some policy or procedure was more important than dealing with a beautiful person compassionately

 

 

I am SHAKING, UPSET, SAD BEYOND BELIEF and traumatized by what happend.  they litterally called the cops to 'get him' because I wanted to solace a wonderful young men that was being misitreated very badly by callous 'medical professionals'

 

even worse then me was what this did to my wife who has been at my son's side nearly every moment of his 19 year life.

 

we have endured much and I'm sad to report that this is a new low on how Horrible some people treat the mentally ill; a disease that is no one's fault and one that my son has fought nearly every life since he was small

 

sorry for the sorry news

 

artwise everything is  blue, not necessarily in admiration to the men how made it a thing (my understanding is that he was a terrible person)-- but as an acknowledgement that sometimes everyone goes through horrible terrible things and things need to blue for a little while. blue is the color of health and the color of the sky- a symbol of freedom and of being sick enough to yearn for the freedom.

 

my poor son right now has no blue in his life; so I will put it in every picture until and maybe after- he comes home

 

I'm not so sure about painting and Never mind decision to limit or fix the topic of my art. I know it was the big goal of this challenge- but it now longer fits.  

 

Art needs to be a solace and therapeutic right now; it cannot be a business.  I have hopes when I get with my therapist next week; life will improve and he/she will  help me deal with what has happened.

[Elastigirl]

So sorry that you and your family are suffering, and that the people who were supposed to help, instead hurt. 

[TGP]

as HARD as things have been,I'm very VERY happy today.

 

my son is back; life is more normal, and ART is really starting up again here in Warren PA

 

IN FACT!

Im on the verge of signing onto an art festival on November 20 and I am thrilled, REALLY thrilled- and very happy, excited, anxious etc

 

I've been ironing out the last few steps of making sure I'm ready to do this.

 

I've selected 8 colored pencil pictures and 2 paintings.  I have 6 beauiful ALL wood frames- that fit what  this art,

 

and next week early I want to make sure I can get

* business cards

* (custom) holiday cards

and maybe

* custom calenders

 

for the upcoming festival.

-----

my wife's not sold on the calenders.  while the peices of art and cards will keep- 2022 calenders will be unsellable shortly after Jan 2022.

 

 

but just to say how big things are getting

I've already got $80 of paintings in a window display downstairs.

 

if I price the colored pencil pics at $35... then I might be up to $450 of inventory "out there" for sale.

 

as I've told my wife... what I don't sell on this art festival - I will roll into the next.

 

very happy and encouraged about it.

 

plus, when brennon came out, we had really awesome quality time together. it was awesome.

 

[TGP]

PS.

regarding profit, though,

Just saying

 

If I were to sell just about all this stuff at or near the end of the calender year (almost impossible, tbh)

 

I would barely break even with costs.  there's been lots and lots of things to buy 

 

I'm very ok with this though cause all these little expenses are like investments for the future

[TGP]

wow. 10 days have passed.

 

I'm not active like I used to be, am i? ohwell.

 

my first show is LESS than a week away. massive nervousness and excitement. meanwhile in my art I am moving one, evolving.

 

I'm rather interested (right now) 

in cariacuture.  now thats something that seems very challenging!

 

trying a few creative stabs at it ;  I need to be more comfortable with faster drawing, ink and marker.  

 

you can't spend an hour doing a cariacuture.  I want to get it down to just a few minutes.  I want to do caricuture at my local fair, next summer.

these are just sketches;

 

[TGP]

[Elastigirl]

Glad your son is home!  Very cool that you are doing the art fair. A big woot for signing up for it!

[TGP]

thank you!

 

I did it.  I made some money but that wasn't the point.  got a chance to talk about my art and get some feedback.

 

the art needs to be a little more relateable.  local scenery rather than pretty art inspired by the internet.

[TGP]

this picture sold. it was inspired by a famous scene in vermont.

 

but it looks like that around here, in the fall. and that helped. imho.