I really like Karen's blog Random Reflections because it has such a nice variety of thoughtful posts, inspiring cards and nice photographs. Recently, she posted a link to a new-to-me blog called "Develop on Fridays," which seems to be about finding your personal style. This is a topic that continues to fascinate me. The Develop on Fridays blog had lots of interesting information, including a link to this article. One of the things the article and blog post mentioned was to decide which art forms, techniques and media you embrace and which you have decided simply aren't for you. I think this is a very useful project, so here are my current thoughts.Things I embrace in my art:
acrylic paint radiant pearls
pastels twinkling H20's
alcohol ink stencils
plaster paper
rubber stamps ink
my photography texture mediums
Things that simply aren't for me:
sew, knit, stitch or crochet soldering
watercolor fabric
sizzix, cricut, etc. copics, markers or colored pencils
digital scrapping, digital art journaling, etc.
Let me make clear that I admire the work and the look of a lot of the things on the second list. I really would like to be a knitter or learn how to use the computer for art, but it's just beyond me! I love and admire the look of beautifully colored images with copics, but I don't have the patience for it. I'm not sure why I do have the patience for coloring with radiant pearls or twinks, but somehow I do. How about you? What do you do? What don't you do? It's Friday, I think I'll go check out "Develop on Friday."
great prompt. I have dabbled in many crafts over the years and come to realise which ones work for me and which don't. I love to work with wool and paper but know that polymer clay frustrates me although I love what some artists do with it. Need to think more about how this applies within paper related work
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I'm pretty much a beginner still but I'm certainly a traditional crafter (maybe thats due to a restricted budget?) & digi just hasn't grabbed me.
ReplyDeleteVery tempted to pick up my knitting needles again though!! lol
Yes, Karen got me interested in that blog as well - and I also love hers for very similar reasons to those you have outlined here.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding greatest inspiration through stories, photography, simple digital templates/simple digital full stop,textured cardstock and the feeling that I can scrapbook regularly - last year I lost a lot of inspiration because I found it quite difficult with young children to get all of the paper stuff out - I don't have a dedicated scrap area, the dining table is my place, but, we need to eat there!
I love the look of organic and textural pages and I'm completely blown away by the process - it just doesn't work for me, I get hung up on needing to add a lot of journaling to each page and they look like gorgeous pieces of art not a pictorial journal which my pages seem to be.
What I enjoy and appreciate is the ability to see/learn/admire such variety - and with that, the support and acceptance we can all offer one another regardless of our style :-)
Did I mention I like to journal?LOL
This is a great, thought provoking post Rinda. And it has reinforced for me what I love about our blogging community: we have different styles, but we can still love and appreciate the care and art which has gone into each others work. I'm a sew on pages kind of girl! I think I need to go and check out this blog recommendation. Thanks. Oh, btw, I signed up for the Debbie Hodge page design class.
ReplyDeletelol - I've been following the same links! It's really interesting to reflect on what is 'us'... I like messy things like ink and paint and alcohol ink; I love white textured cardstock backgrounds and bright paper (patterned or otherwise) on top; I like pretty handwriting (just can't do it!!) and stitching - all these in my own work. I like anything and everything in other people's! I love how we can all be so diverse in our tastes yet united by our love of the creative process :-)
ReplyDeleteFun post, Rinda! I have dabbled in so many different crafts throughout the years. My current obsession is crocheting which I am learning by watching YouTube videos and just practicing on my own. I love paper and fabric, but have never felt very comfortable with paint -- just don't have the knack for it. I always admire your work with all the different textures and paint you use!
ReplyDeleteSo many scrapbookers, so many styles. And it's true, even if something isn't 'you', you can still appreciate the talent of someone that does that thing.
ReplyDeleteI personally can't imagine digital scrapbooking, there is something about moving papers and ribbons and 'things' on a page that I don't think I'd enjoy so much sitting at a computer screen. But when I see the digi-pages that people do, I can't help but admire how clever they are and the time they must have spent doing them.
Thanks for the kind recognition. I really hadn’t thought much about this topic beyond photography so your post inspired me to think about those techniques, media, and art forms I embrace. One thing I know for sure is that it can change over time. A few years ago, I had no interest at all in digital scrapbooking, now I’ve become very interested in hybrid scrapping—using the computer for photo collages, journaling, making word fetti when I can’t find the words I need . . . I just love Amy's digital pages. In addition, acrylic and rubber stamps, patterned paper, textured cardstock, Copic markers, Prisma colored pencils, buttons, ribbons, twine, Nestabilities, and pearls/gems are all right at my fingertips. I love the look of paint on others’ art works, but it always looks simply messy on mine. I love your art journal pages, but the few I’ve attempted I wouldn’t post on my blog! I have one bottle of Glimmer Mist but have been afraid to use it; same for alcohol inks. I don't draw, but would love to learn.
ReplyDeleteInteresting thoughts,Rinda....and it's true that so much of what I love.....in other people's work....are not things I would attempt myself.
ReplyDeleteI love your art journal work, but like Karen, when I attempt it,it just looks a mess.I'm so much happier with pens and pencils than paint.
But it's great that we can all like and appreciate work so different from our own.
Off to look at 'develop on Friday'.
Very interesting post. And I love visiting Karen's blog, too. You've prompted me to think about something I don't normally spend much time thinking about it. It's true that there are some things I love in my own art and other things I know aren't part of my art, but I still admire those artists immensely. Thanks for the thought-provoking post today!
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ReplyDeleteI've actually been thinking about this recently as I look at art supplies I haven't used for quite a long time. My style tends to shift from time to time so I know I shouldn't dump the stuff I haven't been using.
ReplyDeleteI used to do a lot of collage-style art with subdued, natural colors and lots of paint, Asian-style stamps, etc. But these days I'm much more into more graphic stuff that's on the cute side with brighter hues and stamps from lines like Stampin Up, Amuse, Impress, etc.
I'm guessing it has something to do with my state of mind and feeling brighter and cheerier in recent years. :)