I always thought that painting looked fun. However, I just knew that I wasn’t artist. I was afraid to take an art class. It was like how some people won’t join a gym until they lose weight. The thing that turned all this around for me was getting a good book full of art tutorials. It was a step up from “Paint by numbers”, but it taught me how to mix colors, paint & draw.

The paintings aren’t exactly what I would have chosen to paint & it does bother me that hundreds or even thousands of the same painting exist. However, it actually made me less scared to paint. I just had to follow the steps & then I had a painting. I was happy to see that Frank Clarke from “Simply Painting” offered so many free art tutorials online in everything from watercolor, acrylics, to oils. If you don’t think you are an artist try a free art tutorial & you may just change your mind.

Technorati : art, frank+clarke, free+art+tutorial, simply+painting

I’ve always wanted to throw darts at balloons filled with paint & then call the result art. I’ve seen this on movies several times & it always looks like so much fun. I’m probably too much of a control freak to really try it, it just seems so messy.

I was reading today about Niki de Saint Phalle & her “shooting paintings”. Her shooting paintings consisted of a wooden board where she had cartons of paint which where then covered in plaster. Then she would hang the painting & shoot at it with a .22 rifle.

I usually picture exhibits as being quite stuffy, women in black cocktail dresses walking around pretending like they know what the art means. Having the artist show up with a .22 & start shooting her painting, well that’s one way to break the ice.

Technorati : art, artist

I’m still trying to find my inner artist. Things have hit a bit of a slump, mostly because I’ve been worried that I’m just not good enough. When I get this way, I find it helpful to try a different art medium. This way, I don’t even know that I’m not good at it. It makes me feel creative. Then I focus on the process instead of the end result, & I can paint again without any major phobias.

Finding that inspiration can be quite difficult at times. How am I supposed to do something when I don’t know how to do it, or what it is? I just know that I need to try something different. I went to a personalized news called Thoof today. Thoof is much more than news, the site learns what you like & what you don’t, & then shows you articles that you would be interested in. I found several inspiring articles about art that make me want to paint again. When I do write an article about art, I can submit it to Thoof, & get the ThoofRank button. Then my story will be ranked with a percentage of how much interest it is to Thoof readers. This means that my story will get more traffic, I’ll win the adoration of all, & get over my art phobia.

We’ve all heard of writers block, but I’m going through painter’s block. I sit down to paint & all I can think of is I’m not good enough. Normally when I paint, I don’t think at all, I just paint. That’s why it’s called painting & not thinking.

I am just intimidated by all the good art that is out there. Before, it’s always been my philosophy that it’s the process not the result. So I’m not van Gogh, the important thing is that I paint. Not so that I’ll have something pretty to hang on the wall, but so I’ll be happier because I’m being creative. If the painting turns out well, then that’s just an added bonus. I’m trying to figure out some ways to combat this if anyone has any suggestions, let me know.