Everything I learned about and from art

"Art speaks where words are unable to explain" - via PINTEREST

As a writer, how can I say that? I can. There are many times in life when words fail us. Think about the time you were extremely happy or despondent about the future. You did not have much to say, did you?

At these times, art can save you.

Art in general for me includes music, dance, and of course the one with the canvas.

In this blog, however, I will share my one-year experience of working with colors.

As a child, I was very fond of sketching and drawing but colors were not my cup of tea, or must I be saying 'coffee'? Jokes apart, I was scared of turning to colors. I thought they would ruin my artwork.

Recently, in the year 2020, I started experimenting with colors and painting on various canvas, the wall, paper, handmade sheets, cardboard, and so on. I am hereby sharing what I learned in the process of discovering various artforms. If you are a fellow artist and even if you are not, you might still find this relatable.

I do not want to niche down right down and its okay

I have always been stuck with this idea that we only have one life and hence, I want to try as many things as possible. This has often burned me out and made me feel like an amateur in everything. Have you heard 'jack of all, king of none'? Yup. That feeling is quite overwhelming but how can you niche down to one thing if you have not found a style that you resonate with? I envy the people who are able to create aesthetic feed or have an artform to post about. They can say 'Hey! I am an artist in XYZ niche'. I wonder if one year would be enough for me to say that. I was wondering how some people know that right away even before they have experimented. What if I think something is my niche and I end up not liking it in the long run? What if I was born to do something else and I end up doing it incorrectly?

Anyway, then I saw an artist I follow @the.purple.splash on Instagram post a reel saying

"Variety is my niche"

And, I resonated with it so much that I have decided at least for 2021, I am not niching down.

I want to explore more art forms and stories that have been hidden under the blankets of self-doubts and aesthetics.

Lesson: You can explore as much as you want, as long as it serves a purpose to you. People should envy you instead. Because they can not change their aesthetic even a bit even if they wanted to.

Colors speak to those, who see them

There is an artist, @nidtoons, on Instagram who has amazing toons to represent even a simple avatar. Each of her artwork is unique and speaks to you. How?

She has a sense of color.

If you do not know what I mean, I will show you.

A combination example that is not working

A combination that works

This was just a small and perhaps failed attempt to explain that a sense of combination works a lot more on your side than an artform.

Lesson: The goal is to try out as many combinations as I can, and recognize which works best with which type of paint or color.

Your artwork is more about your emotions than you know

When I started I did not know my artwork would reflect my mood even when I did not want it to.

Anxiety causes your lines to grow curvy and anger may cause you to use darker colors.

Aurora

Even though, I am no portrait artist, and this was probably my first realistic portrait of someone. I was able to do it. Why? It came out of real admiration. Even though I had no idea or hope of it turning even okay, it did.

Let me tell you another small story, I once was painting and it was to be my last or second last painting in a series of skies I was doing for my Instagram handle. I divided my sheet horizontally into two halves and in first 30 minutes, I completely a reference painting.

For the second part, I wanted to make a backdrop reimaginng Kabul after wars based on 'A thousand splendid Suns'.

I was in such a hurry, to finish off the painting that I poured too much brown.

Your hurry reflects in your artwork, even when you would want it to be perfect.

Art is a way of expression and hence, even if your try you can not escape the result of how you feel being shown in it. This is the very reason, art is used in therapy.

Lesson: Art is your gateway to accepting your emotions. Hence, embrace both the mess and beauty you create

Art is subjective

We all learn to look at things differently based on our experiences and what I see in a painting, might not be what you see, even if its a simple illustration.

In a community of artist, one guy posted a reel of him performing reps and the admin did not find it appropriate. And so did not I, as in the group, majority of us shared only plain and apparent artworks.

But, I really liked the way the guy took his stand, even though I might not agree with him.

Of course you can not start something really random in the middle of which you include an art.

However, as long as it makes sense to you and it is solely created by you, it is a piece of art.

Lesson: Artist might not agree with another artist. You can all share different opinion and community yet honor each others work while still being critical

Do not create just for the social media

I see so many people running behind followers and number. Even those who know better (see my 'rant' highlight on Instagram to know more).

Its okay. I also would love to have an art based community, and who wouldn't want the world to see what they are capable of.

However, if you are doing all the work just for the algorithm, you would not stand a chance in the long run

Lesson: Create for passion and purpose, and not social

Let lose

I am learning the art of letting go.

That's one life skill I have not yet had the courage to completely accept and practice. However, surely letting it go and letting it be; both are part of art.

When we create something, we often have this thought in our mind and hopes of it to turn into something we would like or something that would please the algo/community or something that would stick to your aesthetic. Imagine, if the world was created that way, what an irony it would be.

Instead try losening up a bit. Get paints on the wrong side of the canvas. Allow your lines to be crooked. Let your washy tape peel incorrectly. Let your art be as messy as you and it would be, one day, as truthful as your soul.

Lesson: Let it be as it is

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Thank you for reading through my experience. If you are an artist, I hope you find the lessons relevant and helpful. And, if you are not, worry not, art is part of life, even if you might not be an apparent artist, you are one, hypothetically. So, let this be your cue to pick up the brushes for adventure.

Also, along with this blog, this week I will be sending a freebie to my subscribers. A digital illustration with a major lesson I learned (that I have not included here).

If you want one, consider subscribing right away and drop a DM or comment that you have done so.

Love

Lunatica

#bekind