ART DISCUSSION: What is art? Who/what inspires you?

[nocomment6]

Originally Posted by LUKEwarm Skywalker

Originally Posted by WILLd540

^that's pretty trippy man.

So where did that guy go who thought drugs mixed with art was evil?

ME?...

It's finals week, pardon me for not contributing like I use too--got paintings to paint, woodcuts to cut, illustrations to color, etc...

On the matter of drugs and art, it boils down to this for me (and I promise to elaborate when I finally get the chance):

An artist who uses drugs and/or relies on them to spark his/her creativity so no different than an athlete who uses and/or relies on performance enhancement drugs to boost his/her athletic prowess. Unl

The real issue for me, however, is the danger of over-reliance that comes with using drugs to enable one's creative output. If you just so happen to create all your best works while being under the influence of some drug(s), then chances are you will continue using said drug(s) in order to keep up the output of quality work. At this point, you've relinquished your ability and power to create quality work, consciously and freely.   

It's important to learn how to "command" and/or spark creativity consciously, as opposed to unconsciously because of being under the reliance of drugs. Remember, creativity is what led to the first bow and arrow. Creativity is the reason why we humans are the apex species on this planet; it is the cornerstone of our evolution. Simply stated, creativity is a very powerful thing. Don't go $**$#%# with it with drugs.

...

I really like your last two sentences. 
Liu Bolin is wicked.

 

[boys noize]

And about drugs, I don't get how anyone can create while on the stuff. I've done acid before and the last thing I want to do is sit in front of one thing and focus. I'm sort of a wanderer when on LSD

Weed just makes me sleepy.

 

[ratxaxtat]

I guess this is a fitting thread to say so...

I had the opportunity to meet Jill Greenberg. She was amazing. I was sort of kind of starstruck.
She's having a show down here soon starting January 7th. I'm definitely looking forward to it just off what I've seen so far(which was just the show flyer and a cow's tongue from her tumblr account).

I was also able to hang out with Billy Al Bengston and his wife, Wendy, again. I love them both so much. They're probably the most entertaining elderly duo I've ever met. 

 

[fog]

You can trip out on weed and it gives you crazy visuals, which MAY help depending on what kind of artist you are. But in the long-run, weed is definitely not something to turn to when it comes to creativity... I actually find myself being demotivated afterwards, resulting in a lack of original thinking.

Greenberg's iconic portraits are definitely appreciated.. I'm jelly you got to meet such a great photographer.

 

[willd540]

Jill Greenberg is cool. She is best known for her crying babies:

 

[boys noize]

Finals week is a !%%%!. Spent the past two nights in the dark room making prints. Now I'm in the painting studio pulling an all-nighter trying to finish/start on two more works before Thursday

Taking a break and thought I'd share some photos.

In progress self-portrait. 3'x4'. Completely different direction of painting than I am used to. Using tons of paint and only palette knife so far. Thinking of getting rid of the red at the bottom, adding some tints to the white, and, overall, adding way more paint to this.

How my workspace has basically looked like all semester. This is the third instance this semester where I've worked on two paintings at the same time. The other painting is in it's infancy. 4'x6' painting in my usual style. I need to show my prof SOMETHING by tomorrow

My workspace up close. I'm always interested in seeing other people's palettes. As you can see from the bottom one, I don't clean my palette at all. I just scrape off what's left over on top and add paint on top. Primarily use purples, blues, white, cad red, and various flesh tones.

 

[lukewarm skywalker]

Your pallete is driving me nuts...

My pallete is always "ordered". I mix like 10-15 diff values from about 5 diff. hues, and each one occupies it own space, or what I like to call "island," on my pallete. Can't stand having my pure hues and values touching each other, unless I purposely mix 'em myself...lol. I'll take a pic tomorrow and upload it.

Also, is that your personal studio space? Cause that's friggin huge if it is...

...potential jealous...

...

...'cause my space is small as f***...

Btw, had my figure painting final/critique today...my final painting was probably one of my worst paintings of the semester. Sure I had around an A- going into today. I'll be lucky if I get that after todays showing. Haven't been in a painting "mood" for some time now, and ishh def. showed/came back to bite me...

.

Illustration final is tomorrow; easy. Printmaking Wed. morning; cake. Arth Wed. afternoon; def need to study for that one. I have 2 guaranteed A's (Digital Media and Printmaking). The rest is kinda up in the air...

...

 

[lukewarm skywalker]

Also, leave that red on the bottom there. It's unifying the piece. You take it out and you just have black and white--which is unnecessarily bland.
...

 

[boys noize]

it's really interesting seeing others palettes. Most of my friends (most everybody?) are pretty ordered for the most part. Some have all their pure hues lined up on the edge with the mixing surface in the middle. They clean off the middle when they mix another value

People that have known me for years still can't get over how I mix my paints

I think it's kind of ironic how my palette looks like utter chaos and my paintings tend to be really tight and controlled.

And no, this isn't my personal studio space. I'm here so often and usually by myself or with one or two others that it feels like my own studio. It's a largish room that could fit about ten people comfortably were they working on decent-sized canvases. There are four canvases behind me that are 6'+ long each. Some crazy dude is working on a 10' long one (it doesn't look that great... compensating

)
edit: as for finals... pretty sure I just aced my Photo History exam today. This might be the first time in my entire college career that I get straight A's 

 I just have to turn in prints for b&w photo tomorrow (definite A in that class) and pray to the various deities that my painting prof looks kindly upon my effort on this last painting

 

[nocomment6]

I love that studio Boys Noize.

As for palettes I only use cereal boxes, don't ask why, but been using them ever since I started to paint. So I use a half a box or maybe a whole for a painting, the recycle.

 

[boys noize]

Originally Posted by nocomment6

I love that studio Boys Noize.

As for palettes I only use cereal boxes, don't ask why, but been using them ever since I started to paint. So I use a half a box or maybe a whole for a painting, the recycle.

My main palette is a piece of scrap metal. The second one is a broken glass plate my friend gave me. Back when I started painting, I used to use pieces of wax paper 

 

[Fong$tarr]

Originally Posted by WILLd540

What do you guys think about neckface?

I am a big skateboard fan and yet I sort of hated Neckface, only cause dude has a strong (a-hole) opinion and dude talked smack on Jeremy Fish. But through time, I've learned to like his chicken scratch, horror look. Todd Bratrud is a better illustrator imo.

 

[nocomment6]

glass is a smart choice, however honestly, after using oil I'd be lazy to scrub it clean.

 

[hankmoody]

"Is the authoritative book on art history now a checkbook?"

"The most important cultural artifact of the contemporary art scene is the marketplace."

I couldn't recommend it more and it can be found on YouTube. 

 

[nocomment6]

excellent documentary, thanks for sharing. I suggest reading a book called Hype!

 

[boys noize]

I'll check that documentary out when finals are over. Looks interesting.

One of my favorite things from doing black and white photography is making contact sheets and first seeing how my photos came out of the camera.

Here's one of them.

 

[willd540]

those pics reminded me of Francesca Woodman, big show of hers up at SFMOMA right now. If you are into long exposure bw self-portraits, go check it out!

 

[boys noize]

I checked out the Francesca Woodman exhibit when I went to see the Richard Serra drawings. I was really surprised by the volume and quality of her work given how young she passed

 

[ratxaxtat]

Funny you mention Francesca Woodman because we talked about her in class during our final photo critique. A student's project was very reminiscent of her work.

On a sidenote:
This is another of my classmates who decided to experiment with the mordancage process for his final. He was in my experimental class last semester so that's where he got the idea from

 

[boys noize]

Roy DeCarava is one of my favorite photographers. He is probably my favorite African-American artist. His images capture a romantic era of America that unfortunately seems lost in history.

 

[boys noize]

I am setting into motion a zine/art book project I've been thinking about for a few months. I'm looking for artists that work with printmakers, illustration, photography, and collage specifically to possibly contribute. Also interested in short stories and criticism writing. If interested, please shoot me a PM and we can discuss further.

 

[elnino4530]

Can you guys point me in the direction of some artists? I'm looking for some prints for my apartment and I came across things by Invisible Creature and Aesthetic Apparatus that were pretty cool.

I'm just looking for something fun to throw up on my walls if that makes any sense?

 

[boys noize]

Originally Posted by eLNiNo4530

Can you guys point me in the direction of some artists? I'm looking for some prints for my apartment and I came across things by Invisible Creature and Aesthetic Apparatus that were pretty cool.

I'm just looking for something fun to throw up on my walls if that makes any sense?

I've been pretty interested in collage work recently and I'm obsessed with Beth Hoeckel's work. She has some prints for sale that are pretty reasonable and they look amazing.
http://cargocollective.com/bethhoeckel

I want to ask her to contribute to my zine/art book 

 

[nocomment6]

Nice stuff, it really depends on what you want. Personally I'm saving up to buy 1 or 2 Victor Vasarely and MAx Bill silkscreen prints. Not cheap, but not a bad investment along wit being magnificent.

 

[nocomment6]

Just saw Imi Knoebel in Vienna, pretty cool stuff!