Here is a photo of my latest artwork in progress. You can see that I sometimes begin by collecting images from various sources and assembling them into a collage. In this case, seven different sources. The collage on the left is the source for the drawing on the right.
At first the choices are random, but sometimes a theme emerges. In this case, I had been trying to reread
Concerning the Spiritual in Art by Kandinsky. This is a book that I don't understand very much of. What I do understand of it I don't even necessarily agree with.
However, what I was thinking about while I made this artwork is that you often hear someone say, "I used to enjoy making art but I stopped because I wasn't making any money." I think this is tragic, and I think there are other reasons for making art than just for financial profit. Many times that is the first thing someone will ask an artist: "Are you able to make money doing this?" What I was thinking about while I drew this is that often the ancient people created art with spiritual motivations. I wanted to contrast examples of this with some kind of imagery that shouted "Art for Money!"
Kandinsky contrasted the spiritual artist with the materialistic one. I decided Mr. Materialistic would be drawn superimposed over ads for artists that appealed to speed in creating art for financial gain. By no means am I against commercial art! I just felt like making a statement about my own reflections on artistic motivations.
To get the right shape, my classroom window became a makeshift light box. By turning off the light in my room, the hall light made it possible for me to trace the shape I needed.
I pasted the ads down over part of the drawing paper. Now I was reading to add color to Mr. Materialism.
I wanted the ads to be seen with varying degrees of obscurity -- just barely readable in some places. This had to become a mixed media piece since colored pencil didn't do the job.
Concerning the Spiritual in Art
Mixed Media (Colored Pencil & Acrylic)
2010
The drawing above is the finished work. Unfortunately, the photograph didn't turn out as well as I hoped.
As I said, Kandinsky's book is hard to read -- though it does have some good ideas to ponder. A better one on art and spirituality that has inspired me is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.
1. Mary Jane is falling off a building. Spider-man is catching her with his webs.
2. Now Peter Parker is saying words to Mary Jane.
3. Mary Jane is falling off a building again. Spider-man says, "I saved you!" The "Green Glob-lin" is flying in the sky on his glider.
4. Now the Green Glob-lin is in jail. Peter Parker is there with Mary Jane.
Here is a photo of my latest artwork in progress. You can see that I sometimes begin by collecting images from various sources and assembling them into a collage. In this case, seven different sources. The collage on the left is the source for the drawing on the right.
Kandinsky contrasted the spiritual artist with the materialistic one. I decided Mr. Materialistic would be drawn superimposed over ads for artists that appealed to speed in creating art for financial gain. By no means am I against commercial art! I just felt like making a statement about my own reflections on artistic motivations.
To get the right shape, my classroom window became a makeshift light box. By turning off the light in my room, the hall light made it possible for me to trace the shape I needed.
I pasted the ads down over part of the drawing paper. Now I was reading to add color to Mr. Materialism.
I wanted the ads to be seen with varying degrees of obscurity -- just barely readable in some places. This had to become a mixed media piece since colored pencil didn't do the job.
Concerning the Spiritual in Art
Contemplation (2010). Colored pencil.
This drawing table surface shows the process.
Here I am with the finished product. Come to think of it, this photograph is a Triple Self-Portrait. Boy, this one is going to be hard to draw!
The Power of Yes
This is a charcoal portrait of my father, George Wales. While drawing it, I thought about all he has meant to me in my life. He is the man I admire most.
I've got a whole list of things that Nathan has said that would make great comics. Here's one.
Sketchbook comic -- a reinterpretation of a Marvel story. I did this, just for practice, to try out some various points of view and tricks.
by Melinda Georgeson, Chief Educator NRM
Advertisement by David
My contribution was a Halcolm story that I've been working on, but that I refurbished a little. I also did the bonus strip below that describes a real funny moment from the workshop.
I just got back from Massachusetts, where I presented a two-day comics workshop for teens at the Norman Rockwell Museum. The event was called Got Ink? I showed the participants how to create original characters, and tricks for keeping a character's look consistent throughout a story. We also completed activities important in making comics: developing ideas, drawing rough sketches or thumbnails, laying out pages, penciling and inking with pen and ink. The workshop will continue this week with Tim Callahan (fantastic comics writer) teaching other comics making skills.
As Halcolm so wisely shows us, many times the answers we seek are within ourselves!
If you are in the neighborhood on Saturday night, stop in at Heroes Your Mom Threw Out Comic Shop at 128 W. 14th Street in Elmira Heights. It is a really great comic shop, and is hosting an art show and party celebrating the recent release of the latest issue of Eclectic Comics. I'll have some of the original art from that issue on display, and some of my other recent projects. The event will be from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
This comic is my submission to a proposed book called Letters to Nell. It is a book of letters from educators to Nell Noddings, author of a great book called The Challenge to Care in Schools. Teacher College Press says that the book:
