Dandelions and Bad Art

Dandelion in ink and wash

The themes for the week were Dandelions and to Make Bad Art. Years ago when I was feeling creative, I would make lists of things that interested me and write them on a stack of business cards. Then, when I wanted to art but didn’t have a subject, I would shake the sack and pull out a random prompt to work with. Along those same lines now, I’m using a spin-the-wheel app that lets me add what ever I want to it. I just spin the virtual wheel and BOOM a prompt to brainstorm with for the week.  That’s where the dadelion theme came from.

Spin-the-Wheel App

Then I just go into free style mode on what exactly that means… Is it a literal dandelion? Is it a Dandy? Is it a lion? I chose for it to be any member of the Aster family like chicory

Pocket sketchbook with an ink drawing of Chicory and a scientific description of the aster family and where to find chicory in Texas
Chicory in fountain pen
Sketches of dandelions in my pocket sketchbook, done in fountain pen.
Dandelion sketches in ink

As for the make bad art, I sat down and listed a hundred or so slogans I’ve seen tossed around pertaining to art improvement and started listing them. This was the top of the list. It’s not really encouragement to make bad art. Nor is it an implication that your art might be bad. Instead, it means your focus should not be on making good art, but just on making art. Even bad art. Especially bad art. Bad art teaches you something new. Everytime you engage in your creative processes, you learn something, but you learn more when you have challenges and mistakes to review. So, make bad art.

These two themes came together on The Artistic Biker Live! last Thursday when I painted dandelions in the art journal. I realized that I should have made the background more dramatic and there should have been more splash in the colors and shadows of the asters. All in all it was a good time. I streamed it straight to youtube and left all the hair-dryer paint drying in. :)  You can watch it here:

The Artistic Biker Live!

Renaissance Man, or, A Faire to Remember

My kilt and wings

A couple of weeks ago, the family and I went to the  Texas Renaissance Festival and had a great time. My wife and I dressed up a bit, the kids went all out, and I got to spend the day experiencing fresh air like a true Scottsman.

Selfie with the fam!

This past weekend, while the wife and kids were in Oklahoma visiting the inlaws, I decided to take another trip up to the fair for the Yule celebration. Because I was on the bike (Azula) and also because it was 41F that morning, I did NOT wear my skirt. I bundled up nicely and even so, I was cold enough that I’m sure I could have been a glass cutter.

Me and Azula at the fair motorcycle parking lot

I fought procrastination the whole morning. I bought the ticket online the night before and all morning long I regretted it. I kept trying to convince myself that I shouldn’t have spent the money, that it was a long ways to go in the cold on a motorcycle, that it wouldn’t be as much fun by myself.

I couldn’t have been more wrong about any of it. I had a lovely time walking around, looking at the sites, meeting and talking with so many beautiful people, and eating some really good foods. It was a wonderful opportunity to fuel my creativity tank.

Link to all the photos I took at the fair that turned out good.
I created a page to upload all of the pics I took that turned out good

The link above has all the photos that turned out good, and the link below will take you the youtube for the video: https://youtu.be/PFl-V3zS_j0

Biker Once More

Motorcycle with backpack strapped to it
Azula loaded for an art ride

I bought a motorcycle last October. I told the wife I needed one and she agreed. It’s a 2011 Yamaha Stryker 1300. I will be cruising along wondering why everyone is going so slow before I look down to discover I’m going 90 and couldn’t tell.

I’ve been unemployed (again) for a little over a month. After a morning of filling out applications, sending resumes, I decided to load the art bag on her and take her out for a spin.

30 minutes down the road from me is No Label Brewery. Founded in 2010 they are in an old rice grainery. I thought the grainery would make a nice sketch so that’s what I did.

rice grainery
No Label Brewing Co.
ink and wash sketch
Ink and wash sketch

I did most of it live on Twitch, but it was difficult to get the camera to stay still, especially when the wind picked up. However, I did manage to video most of the process so watch for it on the you tube. I’ll update this later with the link.

Mixed Media Rooster Art Journal Page

mixed media rooster painting in an art journal

mixed media rooster painting in an art journal

I have been prepping a lot of canvases to paint more. When I can’t think of anything to paint, when nothing else moves me, I am going to paint a rooster. It is the year of the cock in the Chinese zodiac so that is my motivation. Painting big…. roosters. Ba-KAWK!
This week’s easels come to us from Jamie Lynn a.k.a. artistpoetgirl, Pauline Chandler and Patrick, and Pamela French!
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The Artistic Biker is a blunt force journey through the art world and art journaling. If Bob Ross, Red Green and Justin Wilson had a love child, it would be The Artistic Biker!
Each week I produce The Artistic Biker Live! on Ustream, then upload the edited videos here. There’s usually a brief beginners art tutorial, and then I demonstrate the technique, and then practical application of the lesson in my art journal. I use everything from graphite pencil and charcoal, watercolors, acrylics, spraypaint, I’ve even used valentine’s candy. So what are you waiting for? SUBSCRIBE ALREADY! http://goo.gl/NyELT
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You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/ni_RBBVdSdo

The Artistic Biker Does A Complementary Sunset

I did a complement value chart during the $2 Tuturial portion of the broadcast that left us with a cool Yellow and Violet pallet to play with. I was inspired to paint a sunset. Materials are my art Journal made of used paper grocery sacks, Sargent Art’s liquid acrylic student paint deep spectral violet, The Fine Touch acrylic Yellow Med and Black, Master’s Touch Fine Art Studio Acrylic Titanium White, I use Kilz as gesso, and a satin Krylon clear coat. When dry, I’ll apply Turtlewax Spray Wax to keep the pages from sticking together.

 

Sunsets have their beautiful colors because the short blue and violet wavelengths filter out in our atmosphere. Sunsets on Mars are blue. Discover News has a video about it here: https://youtu.be/DwD3HD6t5Vs

Watch the extend play, without the paint drying over @YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2yL_2tIyh8