My First Full Body Painting

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11880464_10155974288820352_1063872933063496659_nWhen Michael Jordan decided to play baseball in 1993 a lot of people criticized the fact that he was not as good as baseball as he was at basketball. He is a professional basketball player after all and many will argue that he is the best player of all times. That didn’t come easy and he practiced a lot. It is very unfair to think that he would be as good in baseball in a very short period of time. Yesterday I had the opportunity to work on my first full body painting. It was an amazing experience and I had so much fun. It was a lot of work. Five hours painting left me exhausted, but it was worth it. The model was excellent and so patient. I kept repeating to the point of being annoying, “It was not too bad for the first one”.

11885371_10155974288900352_1653937936823572759_nI am aware that I can’t become an expert or even as good as professional body painters on my first try just because I sculpt and paint. It would be ridiculous to think otherwise. It is like expecting Jordan to be excellent as baseball because he played basketball. However, there is always criticism and I must confess that most of it comes from myself. Interestingly, a lot of people liked the result. I liked it too. I liked it a lot. On the other hand, and if you know me and my brain, you know I was taking every minute of it to learn and figure out the strategies I’m using in the next body paintings. It should be better next time. I can still dedicate more time in details by avoiding mistakes and things that didn’t work as expected this time around.

11880562_10155974289165352_3451430709915697446_nThere will be more. I have a few already scheduled leading to demos in September and October. I need the practice. I believe it is possible to learn each time something new. It is with everything we do and try. There is so much to learn and to try. Experimentation is always fun because it leads to discovery. It is important to learn from others but we need to try to figure things on our own and find the techniques and methods that are better for us. That’s what learning is, making meaning of knowledge between our own cognition and outside information. I am looking forward to the next experience.

 

New Painting in Progress

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549318_10150558024964956_1284033348735649579_nI thought that it would take me longer to decide when to begin a new project. After drawing a large sketch on a canvas I decided to begin a painting. Since it is Monday and this is my studio day, it is only logical to step away for the computer. Friday was a long day in front of it taking care of business. Art business is so much more than just painting or sculpting, specially when I take care myself of the changes to the website, the design of posters, cards, and other graphic design for marketing, not to mention writing for the blog. No, I don’t have an agent or a PR service to promote what I do. I’ve been blessed with awesome supporters who by word of mouth let their friends know about the parties, the art, and other events. Also, social media plays a very important role in the process. I am very thankful for all the followers.

I am considering several ways to approach the new painting in progress. I could use the same style and technique I used in my published painting which is very similar to the ink drawing you have probably seen through Facebook and Instagram. You can also see the paintings here in the website. I could approach the painting with not so strong lines and make the acrylic paint look like watercolors and keep the pencil lines showing, or just lines on a solid background as some of the torso paintings. Perhaps I could use the technique I used in my most recent painting. I guess that being a sculptor and not a painter allows for some experimentation. I’ll be posting updates on social media as I go. Make sure to follow and let me know what you think.

Experimentation and Discovery

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Photo Dec 09, 3 36 39 PMI shared some studio time with a little friend, 4 year old Adie. As she began painting and mixing paint she turned to me and said, “Look! Yellow mixed with red makes orange! I didn’t know that!” This happened several times as she discovered green, purple, pink, gray, and the most exciting discovery: brown! She continued painting switching brushes, sometimes her using her fingers, and sometimes a brush in each hand at the same time. The task continued for about 90 minutes until the canvas was covered. Of course her hands, clothes, and areas of the studio got some share of paint, but it was fun to watch.

Kids have the capacity to engage in a task without considering what people might think. Kids are not creating because they want to please someone or to show off their abilities. They create because it flows from within. They create for the fun of it. Their minds are free from prejudice. Kids are not concentrated on a future sale or market value. They just create.

Photo Dec 09, 4 39 44 PMDo you remember the last time you engaged in an art project just for fun? When was the last time you experimented and discovered something new for your art? Experimentation leads to discovery. Engage in experimentation as kids do. I can’t stop saying this: Renew your love for what you do. Pretend you don’t know. Pretend it is your first time and enjoy it.  Forget about production and time for a moment and just go with the flow of your creative process. Try something new. Watch a kid paint or sculpt. A kid follows imagination where it takes them. It is not about technique or perfection. They just flow with it. Expose yourself with the mind of a kid, experiment, and discover.