An Artist's Quest for "Soul" in a Chaotic World—by InnerSpirit

This is my InnerSpirit blog page...a page of reflection...inquiry...
and artistic questions about myself, my life, and the world around me. A place for my own personal contemplation of my emotions, my actions, my art, my spiritual journey and how they all intertwine and influence each other. I hope that you check it out, think a little about your life and the many creative things that you might be engaged in...how do those fit into your life and impact the various aspects of your own life? Let's reflect together!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Day 4: Texture Must Be On My Mind

I'm still "playing", and it is feeling good. Just moving some textures and some scribbles around and playing with filters and miscellaneous effects in Photoshop. It is so refreshing to not have to have a plan of attack going into this. I usually do digital art with a little more intent (probably due to my 25 plus years as a graphic designer), but this is evolving organically, more like my abstract watercolors. 

I am finding out that I can just pull some things in, change hues, add textures and stretch and manipulate things any way I want and if the results seem to be going in a way that moves me... so what. No client to make a presentation to at the end of the day, though I am posting. 

So please don't be a critical "client" (constructive criticism is always welcome though), or worse...tell me to take certain pieces and parts from one or two other digital pieces and add them to this one. This is a work in progress, but I am really liking working with these textures the last few days. They feel gritty and inviting to me at the same time. I am drawn to them for some reason.

Do you use a lot of textures in your work? How do you achieve them? I want try some other kinds of textures so I am curious.

By the way, everyone is doing awesome job with Art Every Day Month!
Blessings and Love,
D.

8 comments:

  1. I love, love, love, love texture - both in visual art and also in performance... though in performance it is experienced differently.

    Beautiful work today.

    My Art So Far today is a Poem...

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  2. Julie,
    So kind of you to compliment my textural work. I think that it is so cool that you are involved in theater...yes I imagine texture is created differently in that medium and experienced differently in the audience. I love theater and I was heavily involved in it when I was in high school. Many lead roles in musicals, dramas, and of course, I also designed and coordinated all the scenery of many productions. I did a little summer stock in college, but the demands of an art degree forced me to give up that and I have not had the time since to get back to it. I would love to work in that medium again in our community theater. Thanks for visiting! I am going to check out your poem for today.

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  3. Those are my colors! Love it!! I've never messed with photoshop to create, only to edit. I can't imagine how hard that would be for me to digitally create.

    (I was in theater, too!)

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  4. I love these pieces! Digital art is on the list of things I want to learn.

    I loved the fact that you don't want any critical clients. I'm a writer in a marketing communications shop and I get all the client feedback I can handle at work. That's why I started my blog; to have a space that is mine to grow creatively with people helping me in a positive way rather than just "peeing" on things.

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  5. Michelle...glad you enjoyed the colors. They are kind of "earthy" and "comforting" to me, and still a little "gritty" kind of like life can be sometimes if you think about it! It's not that hard to create digitally, I have found it has taken me a while though to think about it like fine art, not as commercial design. But taking my knowledge of Photoshop and using it in this new way is kind of freeing. You could do it if you want to!

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  6. Marie Young...I love your "peeing" on things comment. Good analogy for the commercial creative process. Clients always seem to think their ideas are original...how many times have you heard this "have to you tried to...." or "Another color might work better" as if you have not tried a million other creative options before you have settled on the 3 comps to present that you felt best fit their needs and goals for the product.

    I think the quickest way to learn Photoshop is to go through one of the Adobe Classrooms in a book series to get the basics and then just play. I have used those books in the digital classes I have taught and I think they are a good start. Good luck to you.

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  7. Thanks for your comment on my blog. I usually give myself some limits with what I am working with, but the limit today was imposed by the environment - being in the hotel. Glad you did comment because it brought me here, and your work is exquisite. The colors, composition - I wish I could do work like that! someday. Maybe.

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  8. Susan...what a sweet compliment regarding my work. Thank you so much. I am really enjoying meeting all so many new artists via this virtual month long challenge. I get to expose myself to many types of art and the artists such as yourself, have been very supportive of everyone's art. I look forward to seeing what else you do as the month unfolds.

    Blessings,
    D.

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