Creating

I want to do more than just talk about creating here. I also need to be creating. That’s what I did today. I created a couple new graphics for a one I’m working on, influenced by some of my favorite art, the car artists like Big Daddy Roth. It’s not particularly spiritual, I’m not expecting to sell millions of them or anything, it just keeps my skills sharp and satisfies my need to create. Basically what happens is when my family is sitting before the TV, sort of mindlessly watching, I get out the sketchbook and have some fun. It stretches my imagination, I try to figure out how to make the image look the way I picture it in my head, and when I have something I like, I ink it, put it into the mighty MacBook and paint it. When it’s done I upload it to my Zazzle shop and my Deviant Art gallery, in case anyone sees it and wants it, but again it’s mainly just for fun, as well as some artistic growth.

What do you think? How do you keep your skills sharp?

Check Out My Gallery Show

My art is currently on display at the Aspire Community Center in Mt. Joy, PA and I am quite excited about it. Most of my art in recent years has been live painting and I really love that, but sometimes it’s nice to slow down and create things that are a little more “developed.” I am currently showing my Creature Discomforts pop art series. All pieces are acrylic on canvas. I also displayed two of my more Spiritual pieces, Dry Bones Live and Ezekiel’s Cherubim. I definitely want to do more of this type of thing, especially in the pop art realm.

If you’re in Eastern PA, The Aspire Community Center is at 45 E. Main St., Mt. Joy, PA. The Display will run from now until the end of August.

Thanks to Chris Ruch for the Invitation and the photos.

Play Time…

So I got a little burned out and started to doodle a little. I came up with something I kind of liked. So I finished it. The eyes reminded me of old school Disney which I also kind of like. Not sure it has any application beyond just messing around, but I thought I’d share it because sometimes, especially when you’re buried in a project you just need to break away for a couple minutes and PLAY!

When was the last time you just played?

Deep Roots

This is something that came to me a long time ago that I think serves as a great reminder. Trees look dead in the winter, but looks can be deceiving. The truth is that while the above ground part looks dormant, the roots are searching for water and thus going deeper, making the tree stronger and more able to withstand the storms. So it is with us. Hard times can drive our roots deeper especially when we are rooted in Christ.

IllustrationFriday.com: Onomatopoeia

Okay this was a first. I got the challenge of the week and I had to look up the word. I remembered it from seventh grade english but seventh grade a a LONG time ago so here’s what it means.

on·o·mat·o·poe·ia

ˌänəˌmatəˈpēə,-ˌmätə-/

noun

 1. the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g., cuckoo, sizzle ).

Here’s how I designed it. Please forgive me I was in a strange mood.

Is there any spiritual significance to this? Not really. I just find the idea of words made out of sound effects amusing.

Here’s another example of onomatopoeia…

and another

and another.

Hope you like ’em.

Fruit of the Spirit Creature Series: Self Control

I’m doing a fruit of the spirit series with the creatures. This is the one was the toughest one to create, self control. Self-control feels about this way sometimes. Some of the other ones feel pretty easy but self control and patience can be a struggle.

The Best/Most Dangerous Question for Creatives

There is a question that will endanger/stifle/maybe even kill your creativity. There is also a question that will launch your creativity. The thing is they are both the same question, two words, “What if…” On one side we ask questions like “What if it doesn’t work?” “What if it fails?” “What if people don’t like it?” What if? What if? What if? We creatives can “What if” ourselves to our creative death.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to question yourself and your motivations from time to time. After all the Bible tells us the human heart is deceptive and counting the cost is a good thing, but when to comes to our God given ideas and talents, we can “What if” ourselves into disobedience.

Of course there is a better side to “What if…” A positive side, a side that opens us up to dreams and visions and awesome possibilities. So when you find yourself on the negative side of “What if…” flip it around. “What if it doesn’t work?” Yes but what if it does?” “What if it fails?” “Yes, but what if it succeeds?” “What if People Don’t Like it? “Yes, but what if they do?” or maybe “Yes, but what if it touches one heart?” “What if it lights a fire in one heart or changes someone’s life?” “What if it touches many hearts?” “What if it starts a positive revolution?”

The negative side of “what if” looks at the impossibilities, but with God all things are possible and we can do all things through Him who gives us strength.

It’s okay to check yourself, but don’t “what if” yourself into disobedience. Don’t “what if” yourself out of success.

Don’t what if yourself out of your creative destiny.

You can do what God has called you to do. No “what ifs” About it.

IllustrationFriday.com Challenge: FREEZE!

The IllustrationFriday.com challenge was the word Freeze and maybe it’s just because I watch too much NCIS but the first thing I imagined was a police officer shouting Freeze! Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to have an image like this posted at various places, to make us stop and think before we take an action or make a decision. How many things in our lives would improve if before we did something rash our little “internal cop” would yell “Freeze!” or maybe he does and we just don’t listen???

Trying a Different Style… The Foray into PopArt Continues

Recently, while on vacation, I got inspired in some galleries and museums to try my hand at a different genre, namely pop-art. While I figure it is probably the closest genre to what I do, it still feels like I’m stretching and that is good for an artist.

I’ve been looking at the work of Warhol, Lichetenstein and various other pop artists. I love the way they expressed people so I decided to do a piece or two using a photo of my son Chris as the subject. He got a pair of star glasses in the dollar bin at Target and posed with my wife in equally interesting props for some gag photos. I loved his expression so I thought I’d use it. Chris does community theater so for the shading on his face and hair, I used the titles of the shows he’s done so far. I’m having a great deal of fun on this foray into a different style of art. Hopefully you like them too.

The first one was more inspired by Lichtenstein, though it also feels somewhat reminiscent of art from a Japanese Game-Show.

This one is obviously reminiscent of Warhol:

What would it take to stretch you out of your creative comfort zone? Try a new style, a new medium, or just a whole new way of doing things. It’s a great way to bring you out of a creative rut. You may find a whole new way to express yourself.