Monday, November 16th, 2009
In a culture where art and life are often inextricable, Magical Secrets about Thinking Creatively: The Art of Etching and the Truth of Life comes as the latest in a series of books, sites and magazines that keep them entwined.
In the last few years, the number of magazines and websites devoted to art criticism, art projects and found art, has ballooned, a sign of rising enthusiasm about art among people from all walks of life.
There is an abundance of new books, on one hand (the hand of cultural criticism), Michael Kimmelman’s The Accidental Masterpiece: On the Art of Life and Vice Versa, John Updike’s Still Looking: Essays on American Art; on the other hand (the hand of pure pop culture) an insurgence of immensely successful novels based as much on art as on life: Girl with a Pearl Earring, Jonathan Harr’s The Lost Painting, last but not least, The Da Vinci Code.
And then there are plenty of examples of pop cultural criticism, such as Hal Niedzvieki’s Hello, I’m Special: How Individuality Became the New Conformity, along with countless books and products on the market designed to help everyone from businessmen to babies to bus drivers embrace their own creative genius.
Magical Secrets, which is at once a book, a DVD, and a website (http://www.magical-secrets.com), is one of the smartest of these forays into exploring creativity.
The book is formulaic without being predictable: Author Kathan Brown has organized it into thirteen chapters, one for each “magical secret,” (my favorites are chapters five and six, “Don’t Know What You Want” and “Know What You Don’t Want,” a very Zen-like juxtaposition). Magical Secrets manages to pack a lot in, from stories about artists to musings on the creative thought process.
Yet Brown spends no more than a handful of pages on any one Secret, and addresses her reader clearly and concisely, not as an entertainer or an academic but as a confidant, pupil and friend.
She guides her audience confidently on a path that leads inward, but still somehow ends up outside the self.
It is a feat in itself simply that Magical Secrets conveys a lot of information. Etching, one finds, is a centuries-old technique of incising an image into metal with acid.
The artist begins by covering the surface of a copper plate with a hard, waxy ground. He cuts the image he wants into the ground with an etching needle or other sharp tool, then submerges the plate in acid.
The acid bites into the grooves and crevices, the waxy ground is rubbed off, and the image is left engrained in the smooth surface of the plate.
The resulting incisions are filled with ink, a piece of paper is placed on the plate, and the whole thing is run through the printing press. Scraping and burnishing the copper, rubbing the ink into the grooves, and pulling the plate through the press are highly physical, labor-intensive processes that involve a lot of painstaking, detailed work, yet the resulting lines an artist can get are often the most delicate you’ve ever seen, and the textures the most subtle.
Though etching is appreciated by many art lovers, the number of master etchers in the United States might be comparable to the number of virtuoso organists or rare orchid cultivators.
It is not the first thing most people think of when faced with something as huge as Life.
But etching has been Kathan Brown’s life. Despite the beauty of etching, it was not taken seriously in the United States contemporary art market until Brown made it her mission to revive it.
Since Crown Point Press’s inception in 1962, artists from all over the world who work in different mediums—from San Francisco conceptual sculptor Tom Marioni to New York composer John Cage; from Australian Aboriginal artist Dorothy Napangardi to Pakistani-born miniature painter Shahzia Sikander—have been drawn there for a unique experience in art making.
Magical Secrets about Thinking Creatively marks the forty-fourth year in Brown’s highly energetic and passionate career.
The variety of art represented at Crown Point speaks to the depth of Brown’s understanding of it; while her technique is narrow, her scope is broad, and that is what makes Magical Secrets a compelling read.
Brown offers a broad understanding of the etching process, and ultimately steps back to examine creativity itself. “Many artists have told me that after working with etching they have a new awareness of what they are doing in their painting or sculpture,” she writes in the preface. “You can share their awareness through this book, which is for artists and people who have – or would like to have – the spirit of an artist.”
Indeed, Brown’s style makes it difficult not to share this awareness: like good art, her writing makes her subject seem both obvious and somehow profound.
I just received this from a friend. These people are such genius. I really respect their passions for what they love to do!
– Before photo -
Typical concrete & stucco facade
The wall starts to take on a
3-dimensional appearance.
Eric in his element, 30′ off the ground. He does most of the artwork by himself & researches, paints and designs each Project from scratch.
His wife Kathy, also an artist,
Serves as project manager.
– After photo - Finished product
MORE BELOW!
Here are some more examples of Eric’s projects…
Liberty Remembers
Before photo
After photo…
Hard to believe you’re looking
At a flat 2-dimensional wall.
How to dress up a Drab Shopping Mall
- Niagara , New York
Before photo…
|
After photo…
Also look at the close-up of
Left side and middle
Before
- Miller Fermenting Rooms
After photos…
- Past meets Present in the Miller
Brewery Fermenting Rooms.
Hooks, clipboards and aprons were
Added To the
Surface of the murals to enhance
The illusion…
You’re looking at flat walls!
Detail view looking down
The illusional hallway in the previous mural.
Simply Amazing, Isn’t it?
I wonder how many people walk into the walls…while trying to go down a hallway that does not exit!
|
––
“Want to know what your future has in store for you? Get your FREE insightful Destiny Reports! ”
“How to deal with loneliness!”
“How to save a Relationship! (PROVEN methods for both men and women!)”
“How to attract love into your Life!”
“Find out your Biorhythms online!”
“Have a pressing question? Ask the I Ching for advice!”
“What’s the best decision to make? Get your FREE rune reading!”
“Learn tarot readings online! Know what your future has in store for you! Get your FREE Tarot Readings too!”
“Which lover is the best one for you? Check your love compatibility!”
“Give a gift of inspiration to all your friends, family members and lover! – They WILL love you for this!”
“Learn cartoon and caricature drawing!”
“Send inspiring and beautiful e-cards to all your friends, family members and loved ones again, suitable for various occasions!!!”
Posted in Learn Drawing | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
A child’s first scribbling is something which it tries to express if you give a pencil in his hand. Drawing is relatively very simple and an easy skill and is something with which you can have great fun.
It is also relatively not a very expensive hobby and can start with paper and a pencil. It can go on till acquiring costly pen and tablets – a computer hardware through which you can draw on your computer. It is very costly; however the precision for perfection is very high.
Unlike earlier days, getting information on drawing and sketching is very easy and inexpensive. You can search information on Google and get various sites which teach drawing. Also, nowadays this art form is liked by many youngsters. Like all other art forms, with constant and systematic practice one can become a great artist.
Listed below are few drawing tips which can help anyone improve their skill and become an artist. Reading and practicing these in your daily routine will improve your skill.
1. If you are drawing and you are right handed person, ensure that the light is from your left side. This will prevent your hand shadow falling on your paper.
2. First step when you practice drawing – you should practice drawing line, straight line, curved line, scribbled lines, and your hand should obey the command of your thoughts and visions. You should control your hand and you should be able to bring out what you want.
3. You should further develop drawing circles, oval shapes, crossed lines and bold and thick lines. Just like how a baby develops from crawling stage to walking stage, your art should also develop step by step.
4. These lines and curves are like pillars to a building. The foundation should be strong enough to have a good building; similarly these initial small lines and curves will go a long way in your career. You should also start controlling the stress on your pencil. You should be able to bring the correct darkness and thickness in the lines what you draw.
5. Initially you will not be able to draw a circle or an oval shape correctly, nevertheless don’t get discouraged. You should practice and practice until you get perfection. You should also keep all your drawings carefully from the start to know how you are improving. You could also date your sketches and preserve it for the future.
6. You should concentrate in the area where you feel you are weak. If you are not able to shade properly then learn more to do that. You can try out your own style of shading. Build your own individuality, never copy from another artist.
7. Last but not the least, use good quality materials. 4B and 6B pencils and good chart paper or note book with good quality paper should be sufficient to start with. Quality definitely matters hence never compromise on quality.
If you are a person who is interested in learning to draw you will be interested to check out this drawing resource!
Posted in Learn Drawing | No Comments »
![[Valid RSS]](http://www.lonelyweekends.com/pic/valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")