Wait till the Painting is Finished
What’s the definition of art? For me, art happens when something unexpected is allowed to step into the creative process. Today’s story begins with the watercolor background that I painted without further thinking. Just had some fun with my favorite media. Watercolors are so easy, light and forgiving!
After the background had dried, I decided to increase the color intensity in some spots with color pencils. I did not mean to start doodling but those pencils spoke to me: “Come on, let us dance a little”. How could I say no!
At some point, I got deeper into my thoughts. I saw something happening in the painting.
The strokes of acrylic paint shortened. Some collage papers were added. The smaller the area I worked, the clearer the big picture looked. That phase was so exciting! Like opening the door and getting ready for the view.
Style Change
Once the painting was finished, I heard my own comment: “You’ve been there before. The colors, the atmosphere – nothing new here! Get your greys and paint it over!” And then, louder: “Jump, JUMP!” And while my left brain cried and right brain celebrated, I mixed the greys and painted how I felt and what I longed for.
I could have stopped at any phase and declare the painting finished. But after jumping from cliff to cliff I found something new: the beauty of blacks, the simplicity behind the decorative style! So, my advice is: when you think about tossing that art journal page or craft project, don’t do that. Step towards the unexpected and let art reveal what you have escaped from!
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Bursting Circle – Self-Expression Exercise
Here’s my interpretation of the creative self-expression exercise called Bursting Circle. It might sound too simple or a bit mechanic, but it can be used as a framework for self-expression: how am I today, how am I feeling?
Do the Self-Expression Exercise – Create Your Bursting Circle!
1) Pick a paper or a page of your art journal.
2) Draw freely a circle on a random area of the paper or the page.
3) Fill the circle with whatever you can think of: shapes, colors, anything. You can also use collage pieces.
4) Divide the paper by drawing a horizontal or vertical line.
5) Color each side of the line differently.
6) Imagine that the circle begins to leak or burst – how would you illustrate that?
Analyze After Creating!
Is your circle big or small?
What does it contain?
Is it located left or right?
Is it on the surface or under the surface?
Is it inside or outside?
Is it clearly shaped or is it merging into the background?
Does it burst, spill or radiate?
Is there any movement or does it stay still?
and so on …
Do not analyze the image before you are finished. There’s no one interpretation, but you can consider yourself as a circle and start from there. The part of the exercise is to get in touch with your own thoughts.
My painting tells me this: I feel more exposed than many times before. It is a good thing and it might even be a beginning of a life change. I might not be able to control it, but I feel I have a lot of decisions in my hands. I want to impact others, but I am also impacted at the same time. Maybe there’s a network where I am heading.
What does your picture tell you?
Another Version of Bursting Circle
I made this using watercolors, markers and color pencils. When looking at this, I wonder: Is there too much going on in my life at the moment? Well, it might be so but if I need to choose between too much and too little I always pick too much!
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