Illustrating from the Imagination

Having a comfortable place to create is an opportunity to unwind and bring your imagination to life, especially at the end of a long day.  Daydreams of far off places, which had to be put to the side during classroom and homework time, can come to life once an artist arrives at the studio with materials available to use.

Expressing thoughts and feelings through words can sometimes be a difficult task, but communicating with an image is a more flexible form of communication.  Drawing circles, lines, and shapes often leads to an artist see more specific details that emerge slowly.  A story takes shape and is created more purposefully then, as memories and attributes are connected to those images.

Staying focused on the creative process allows for an artist to more adequately express any ideas, feelings, or personal meanings that come to mind.  An artist can gradually come to the realization that some of these ideas and feelings are more important than others, and continue to connect meanings from imagination with the creations they are making in real life.

 

Final pieces are hung and stories emerge.  The creators of the artworks explain their initial thoughts when starting the piece and final expressions that they would like for the viewer & listener to take with them.  These thoughts and feelings that evolve with an artwork, from the beginning to the end of the creative process, are important to acknowledge, whether it is privately or publicly.  The intent of every artist is different and the process can be very personal or worthy of being shared with others.

Friendly Renditions

The act of making art can reveal many things to a person.  At some point in the process, an artist is more able to manipulate materials and tools, and able to more purposefully create a specific image or shape.  The importance of those new learned skills and their application is revealed, and allow the artist to be more confident in using them further. 

Two young friends discover how nicely a previously crafted alligator and nest of eggs turned out, after being glazed and fired.  The duo decide to try making additions to the creatures' families.  Coming up with a concept, and then putting forth effort to reproduce that idea, is an example of committing an acquired skill to memory and then pulling it out when needed.

Mastering craft skills allows young artists to engage in play with their creations.  This then leads them to determine what, if any, changes need to be made to make the subsequent renditions of clay pieces any better or more unique.  Considering all of the possibilities, regarding both appearance and function, helps the girls to figure out their intent.

Final pieces are laid out and looked over.  The artists know that whatever decisions are made in the clay crafting process cannot be undone, so they keep in mind how their actions now will result in the final product later.  Comparing previous artwork with new creations allows artists to continue forming ideas and appreciating what is learned during each new phase in the process of making art.

A Different Perspective

Focusing on the difference and interaction between planes and lines, in drawing, allows young artists to gain a new understanding of perspective and of how to accurately depict this in their art.  New perspective in one area often leads to new perspective in other areas, both in creative expression and in worldview.

 

Dividing a human head into sections visually allows these imaginative thinkers to more easily determine where facial features will be added.  They are learning artistic methods to accurately express their understanding of the world around them, while also strengthening spatial skills and transferring visual sense to kinesthetic sense.  This is important for perceiving, comprehending, and interacting with environments.

Researching how other artists have gained perspective is a valuable way to raise self-awareness, and to incorporate well-established skills into personal knowledge of new concepts.  Here, two young artists compare line and plane, in the artwork of a professional, with that of their own developing creations.

By using a mirror, this artist is compelled to actually draw what she sees, instead of just drawing from memory, what she thinks of when she pictures a human face.  This is a sometimes difficult, but very important, lesson in the artistic world.  It is one through which true creative workmanship is acquired, as it allows for a new way to discover surroundings, but also takes patience and persistence.

Willingness to try new things and dip a few toes in unknown waters is all it takes to start becoming comfortable in the art world.  Our young artists have been working diligently on thinking more creatively and on taking advantage of opportunities.  They are practicing new techniques and well on their way to developing their own style.  This increase of personal skill results also in building self-esteem and pride.

Making Special

   

Earlier this week, many young artists came into the studio ready to explore and create.  New participants learned about tools and materials, taking as much time as needed to feel comfortable with the new surroundings and plentiful options.

 This young artist shared his learned skills with a visiting family member.  Developing craft in this way, he is also strengthening his fine and gross motor skills, as well as hand/eye coordination.

 

 

 

This young artist rolled the clay into a "snake" and, going onto the next step now, is coiling and stacking it.  She is learning about cause and effect sequencing, while also envisioning what she will do next.  Will she transform this creation into a coil pot or add details to make it look like a real snake, or perhaps a beehive? 

 

 These two creators are working together to figure out their plan for clay.  They are coming up with separate ideas, but then collaborating to put these together and move forward in a shared expression.  Looking hard, with eyes and hands, helps them to figure out where their progress is at this point and where they want to take it next.

 

 Using objects as stamps, this young artist dips them in paint and explores the resulting designs.  She just can't get enough! Her fascination and desire to experiment with more and more techniques continues to grow.

 This artist, too, wants to see what happens when he dips a tool in paint versus applying paint to the tool with a paintbrush.  There are endless possibilities of how to use new and recycled materials to create.

 

Open-ended questions invite young artists to tell others more about their creations and overall process.  Encouraging this sharing helps them to feel more confident in sharing their thoughts and feelings later in life as well.

  Seeing the effects of paint applied to paper allows artists to come up with appropriate words, then communicate their understanding of the observation.  Viewing their own artwork and the artwork of others, and then talk about it, helps them to practice socialization skills.

 Sharing in the art making process with loved ones can be such a rewarding experience.  It allows for bonding and mutual respect, as well as meaningful memory making and confidence building.  Support given by a loved one is very important to young artists, as this encourages them to continue exploring with others and on their own, as they develop more autonomy.

Interaction and collaboration in using materials, exploring environments, and discussing artwork results in a strong community of artists of all ages.  In this way, the studio setting seems more welcoming and children are able to become comfortable in it as they come up with their own ideas and express these to the world.

Cohesion through Clay

Working with clay requires a great deal of patience and determination. One must manipulate and form the material in a way to keep it together, so that it doesn't fall when drying or crack when fired in the kiln. This artist is learning how he must be purposeful in shaping the clay and then connecting the separate pieces. He is also, then, discovering how to overcome frustrations and enjoy the challenge. The creative process is one that includes many obstacles, but sets the artist up for eventual rewards after continuing to put forth effort and learn with an open mind.

Good hand/eye coordination is also essential when learning to master a craft. Here, the artist is focused on which colors to use, where she wants each, and how to apply them appropriately with the right tools. She has developed knowledge through practice and now benefits from planning ahead. This skill of learning from experiences allows one to feel more successful in future attempts.

Using your hands to engage in clay building is one thing, but learning to use tools as an extension of oneself can be a challenge. Trying new things to engage with the medium and learn about the creative process results in understanding of the material and in expanding one's own skill set. This artist is practicing using both her hands and tools to shape her creation. She has observed others use tools and learned for herself that they can be more effective than her hands in achieving a goal.  This reciprocal social learning is key in an artistic environment, where sharing ideas and discovering what works for others can be the missing link to making something work.

Exploring with Collage

 Working with collage allows artists to search for specific materials and to find happy surprises. Envisioning where the pieces go on the paper can be an exploration in itself. These young artists are purposeful in determining how they want to use their treasures and what they want to depict to those who might see their piece.

 

 

 

 

Understanding how much glue to use, that heavier pieces might need more, and the relationship between certain colors and shapes allows this artist to learn about cause & effect. In this way, she can make choices about how to express herself, while also making sure that her piece stays together.

This young artist remained focused on her work and persistent in getting each piece glued down just where she wanted it. She realized glue can be very sticky on pieces that shouldn't necessarily stick! Overcoming such frustration while making art encourages problem-solving and self-esteem to develop in other areas of life.

It feels good to make something meaningful and be proud of that creation. Reflecting on what was challenging or fun during the artistic process enables critical thinking. These thoughts and ideas lead to further planning and exploration for the next time an opportunity arises to engage with collage.

Surprising Shadows

 

In drawing class this week, we focused on the contrast between black and white, light and shadow, and the various shades of neutral tones that exist.  White ceramics were set out with a spotlight on them, so that the shadows were darker and easier to capture in a drawing. 

 

Using charcoal, the young artists could more easily shade and achieve the rounded look that they were striving for on certain objects.  Some members of the group had used this material before, whereas others were trying it for the first time.  All expressed enjoyment in being able to use it and the feeling that they had more control over the medium.

Moving on from the ceramics, blocks were then set up with spotlights shining directly onto them.  Artists were able to zone in on the gradation of whites, grays, and blacks that they saw and depict the overall image within positive and negative space. This great contrast offered a different way of looking at a still life.

 

Another varied way to do this was to fill the paper in with smudged charcoal, then take away the dark space with an eraser or white chalk.  Shadows could then be filled in further with the charcoal, and layers of depth added.

 

 

 We were all surprised to see how lively a gray background seemed with a black image in front of it, and how distant a white image looked amongst layers of shadows.  Comparing light and dark, negative and positive space, versus looking only at color, really puts a whole new spin on how objects can be perceived.

Creative Construction

At the beginning of this week, the group's ceramic pieces that had been built a couple weeks earlier had been fired and were ready to glaze.  Everyone worked hard on selecting which colored glazes to use, so that they could decorate their pieces accordingly.

 
The artists were encouraged to sketch out their ceramic pieces first and try out how different colors might look on them.  This helps to be more certain of which glazes to use, so that the process can be easy and the colors can come out pure, after firing.

Soon these pieces will be fired in the kiln and come out with a glossy finish.  Some of the colors will look the same, while others will have completely changed.  Its always interesting to see the results after different glazes and layers are added, especially those that are speckled.  Glazed "cookies", seen on the table in the picture, serve as a model for how the colors will end up looking. 

After glazing, the group moved on to see what could be made out of cardboard scraps.  Planning ahead was an essential step in this process, and the decision had to be made between whether glue or tape would hold the materials more strongly.  These young builders were hard at work for the entire class time and enjoyed trying this new activity, based on Caine's Arcade, an inspiration for classes here during the month of October.

This artist made a garage for his cars, which had ramps for them to drive up.  He said that it could be also be used for planes, so that they can take off and land smoothly.  It took some time to figure out how to put these pieces together, but was well worth the effort. 

Spaceships were a popular subject during class as well, especially since many levels and compartments could be added.  Materials that otherwise might be trashed or recycled, are inexpensive and offer endless inspiration for art making.

Artists were proud to share their creations at the end of class.  This group time encourages everyone to look at each others' progress and think about new ideas, while also feeling successful in their own efforts and processes.

With various materials offered, from clay to cardboard, art is made.  Ideas turn into activities, images come to life.