Forsyth Park, Savannah, Georgia

Today was a two painting day. 

 

Lots of people paint/take photos/etc of this fountain, so of course I had to give it a go. 

Savannah is full of really cool looking houses, and this one was situated quite nicely. It was another 'sun starts setting in earnest as soon as I start painting' situations, but it turned out pretty good anyway, I think. 

Diana Prince

Baaaaaaahahahaha, oh wow, can't wait to get this one in some decent light, for sure. 

Anyway, was itching to do some figure painting + also I'm in Savannah, home of SCAD which hosts one of the only degrees in comics. Plus I've been thinking about, like, if I were to work with an existing property for  a living, what would I choose? WW is definitely up there. 

The number one choice is an issue for another post, but it won't even be the next post, because tomorrow I'm going back to landscapes for a little bit. Or a lot a bit. WhoOoOoOoOooooo knooooooooows 

transcending kitsch

I've been truly privileged to share studio space with a group of people with a huge variety of interests. Even though (being that the studio space was, y'know, attached to a class) there was a lot of turnover, you could guarantee that every year there would be at least one person interested in doing more illustrative, fantastically inspired art. 

My final semester, there were three people who were overtly influenced in that direction, and I'd guess at at least two more who really wanted to work up the courage to do that sort of work. 

This is relevant because, despite making up a not insignificant portion of the class, these people could not seem to catch a break in any direction with the professors. For a couple of them, I would say that it's because they were legitimately making not good paintings. But then you've got Amber Scharf, who is one of the most technically proficient artists I have ever met in my life. (and also a personal friend so, yes, I am quite biased) 

Michigan state, for all its good qualities, is not a school that offers an illustration program. There's a heavy emphasis on making fine art objects, especially in the painting department. There's not really a good outlet for people who are interested primarily in making commercial works if you're also not interested in being a graphic designer. Either in fact or in reputation, fantastic art definitely has a reputation as a commercial venture. This is, mind, at best. For artists of a certain age, no painting with a dragon could ever transcend kitsch. 

Which is, of course, ridiculous. 

If there's anything the history of art can teach us it's that there is no subject matter that cannot transcend its connotations. Plus, more recently, there're the Spectrum books, so, I mean, evidence. Right there. 

And then on the flip side if you've got galleries full of really terrible landscapes, sooooooo... (I've been travelling; there are a lot of really good galleries around, but there are also ones that are full of no. Just...no) 

But it got me thinking. Fantasy art is one of the first forms of art that I really focused in on, so it's one of those things that I've always known to be an influence on me. It's not always obvious; there've been a lot of other things thrown in to the mix over the years, but it is there. So, if I were to draw or paint a dragon, I thought to myself, and really really mean it, how would I do it? 

For now, all I've got are some drawings and preliminary thoughts, but I would very much like to spend some time exploring this idea in the near future. 

Actually, if you guys have any examples of really excellent fantasy art, I would really love to see them. Either yours or someone else's, both are good. Informed opinion is good opinion, after all.

Marina on the river near Jacksonville, FL

It was AMAZINGLY windy out today. Was not prepared for that. Also not prepared for the crazy thistles that were everywhere. Ouch. 

On Competition

There's a thing I've run across lately that I fundamentally do not understand. The idea is as follows:

As an artist, I am, by definition and necessity, in direct competition with every other artist.

I....what?

I guess I didn't realize exactly how fortunate I was in my studio experience throughout undergrad, but I never really came across this. Or I never felt it, at least. I really enjoy promoting my friends' work right along side mine. I figure that if someone doesn't care for what I do, they may like someone else's work more, and then maybe they come back to me in the future. The consumer goes home with a piece of art that they're happy with, someone makes a sale, and everyone leaves happy with the possibility for more future happiness.

The reason I am comfortable with this arrangement is this: the art-audience is not a homogenized group. There's a lot of variety in the art world on the production side, and I've always operated on the assumption that there's a niche for every art object. I want people to regret NOT buying a painting of mine, rather than regret buying one. I therefore have a vested interest in making sure that you're aware of your immediate options; if I narrow the pitch down to just my works (and I know this because I've been on the opposite end of it) then you're gonna walk away post-transaction and then the buyer's remorse is gonna kick in. And then you won't come back. Which is a problem.

I do, of course, acknowledge that there are people with whom I am going to be in direct competition. I don't really know who those people are because I have yet to come across them, but it's a big world. It's kind of inevitable that if I'm thinking of doing something in a certain way, someone else is having a similar thought. I'm not really sure how I'll handle a situation like that yet.

Probably I'll just have to make sure that my product is better than theirs.

Denied

I posted a little bit re: applying for grad schools. While I have only heard back officially from on school so far, that's a pretty good indication that I've been rejected from every place I applied. If I hadn't been, then I would have been asked for an interview by now.

The thing is, I kind of knew that this was how this was going to go, and I am super ok with it. Like, way more ok with it than even I expected to be.

Partially, this was a numbers game. I only applied to schools that were ranked well, which means they have a metric butt ton of applicants who are competing for a number of slots that is less than ten. Even if you assume that half the people get thrown out right at the beginning because they've filled out something incorrectly (and that you aren't one of them...and I spent days double, triple, quadruple checking things so I'm pretty sure I at least got to the viewing of the portfolio stage) then the numbers are still not good.

Which just means that I will have to reapply in the fall.

And I'll have more information and more insight to work with when I do. There were a couple of schools (SAIC and Indiana, specifically) that I didn't apply to because I wanted to get out of the Midwest. But you know what else gets me out of the midwest? This roadtrip that I'm on. Similarly, I've had some extreme doubts about one of the schools that I DID apply to, to the tune of nightmares of being rejected from every school except that one and then having to go to there. Because of dream logic.

Other things a year of being not in school will allow me to take care of:

1. I have a heel spur and a bad ankle that's been getting worse, both on the same foot; it's about time to get those all surgeoned up (internet consensus is that it takes about a month of rest to heal after having a spur removed)
2. Apply to residencies. Have you heard of Mira's List? You should go to there, it is pretty helpful. 
3. Find galleries that I can work with. Selling art is still by and large a brick and mortar business, and I want to reach as many people in as many different places as possible. This trip is also a big help with that 
4. MOAR COMICS. I've started scripting the sequel to Hunt, my most recent book (premiering at SPACE this April) and I've spoken to Leslie a bit about our Dirk Turbine sequel (she's got projects of her own that she wants to get through first, such as the completing of a novel.)
5. A studio: finding one. Iiiiiiii need a space where I can actually work in large formats. And also an easel that will hold large paintings. And a table of a good height to hold my palette (when I am at home it sits on my dresser.) And good lighting. 

So! Yes, all good things.

Golden Link Motel, Kissammee, Florida

Oh, wow, cannot wait to get a better picture of this one.