. . . A seasoned artist might take this pain and translate it into something devastatingly beautiful. I am not a seasoned artist. And right now, art is the last thing on my mind. . .
. . . It's all part of the discovery stage of learning art, so for this reason, I have no regrets—not over purchasing the first sets of each mediums, at least. The second, third, and/or fourth watercolor/gouache/colored pencil/etc. set, however? Yes, there's plenty of guilt there. Art supplies are meant to be used. They're not doing their job if they're just collecting dust. That doesn't spark joy for either party—not the user nor the item. . .
The dreaded job search. . . where do I even begin? It really has a way of shattering your sense of self-worth. Maybe it's the act of condensing who you are onto a sheet of printer paper, only to have it tossed into the recycling bin. Or knowing that AI software combed through your application and deemed you thoroughly unworthy to even be assessed by a living, breathing person. . .
This post features the la crème de la crème of my art supply collection. From Mei Liang Pretty Excellent watercolors, to Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, have a read through my top recommended artist and student-grade supplies.
There are times when I love art my art. But these moments are rare. More often than not, I find myself fighting with my art. Frustrated because it doesn’t want to do what I tell it to. My hues repel one another. My inkwork is off beyond recovery. . .
Before diving into my lake pigment exploits, I'd like to give credit where it's due. What kickstarted this whole DIY journey was a YouTube video posted by Arleebean on paint making. She filmed the process of creating a watercolor binder and mulling store-bought pigments into them. I was in complete awe. . .
Watching your art improve over your first couple of years is an exhilarating experience. It's full of anticipation and wonder—and makes you feel like you can take on the world. This video showcases my art improvement from the very beginning, until the end of 2018. In other words, I go through every single drawing in my infamous "crappy Walmart sketchbook". Yes, the sketchbook I purchased during a fateful summer afternoon when the fan-art driven desire to learn how to draw slapped me in the face (RE: My Coming of Age Art Journey (Part 1) – Finding Inspiration).
What are your goals for developing as an artist? Which mediums would you like to explore/improve at? Which drawing skills would you like to develop? Where do you stand right now in your art development? Are you happy with the progress you've been making lately? What do plan to do to level up in your artistry? What ways are you hoping to challenge yourself for the rest of this year? What are some of the most recent art projects you've completed? Which projects are currently in progress? What projects do you have planned for the future? . . .
Let's be real for a second here. What is it like to learn art as an adult? When you ask people how long they've been drawing for, they typically answer with "for as long as I can remember". And don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful thing to pick up on your creativity at a young age. . .
But this world is littered with imperfection. It's a shame that it takes a global pandemic for us to realize this. I've been reaching out to a wide range of people. Some I'm in contact with on a regular basis, and others I haven spoken with in a while. Tense times bring about social unity—even during a time of social isolation.