Helping you stay interested and make ‘everyday-ish’ happen.
Transcript
This is episode 9 of the Art Fit Podcast. Hello, I’m Anna Battle, Shiny Happy Artist and your host of the Art Fit Podcast. Now, just as physical fitness is good for your body, Art Fitness is good for your mind. And you don’t need to be an Olympics level professional artist to benefit from Art Fitness. But what is the point? How do you actually do it? How do you fit it all in? Well, I’m on a mission to help you get Art Fit.
This podcast is brought to you by my Shiny Happy Art Club. I send you a brand new high quality guided Paint Along each month, in acrylic and watercolour, as part of a lovely group of art friends from around the world. So, you can become a Shiny Happy Artist and get Art Fit.
So yesterday, we spoke about choosing a subject, what are you going to draw and paint? Now, of course you can draw what’s close to you; and you should draw what’s close to you, and then think about what’s important to you. But another way of using drawing and painting in your life, and it’s such a great creative problem solving tool; it really is, is to draw or sketch to a theme. This will really help you study something that you’re interested in. now, I personally try and do a new theme each month. This is because obviously, this is my business and I want to keep inspiring you. And I also want to keep myself interested with what I’m drawing in and painting in other areas of my life.
So, thinking of a theme that you’d like to know more about, is a terrific way of building your knowledge. I have had themes, including the Bridgeton TV show. believe it or not, I have done more obvious things like flowers and cups, teacups, and landscapes, and faces, and bugs, and bees, and leaves; like there are so many things that even if you’re just aiming for 12 paintings or sketches, there’s plenty of subjects out there that can you could find 12 things to draw or paint. Look, you can draw from a photo; that is also a way of doing it, if you don’t have the real thing in front of you. And I do recommend for beginners, photos are terrific reference source, and it can give you a lot of confidence. To start with a photo, before you start wanting, you’ll find the need, sort of, once you build up those muscles, you’ll feel the need eventually to paint from real life. But a photo is a terrific way of doing it, so you really can learn from about any topic.
Many years ago, or not too many years ago, I was in America and met an artist over there. And she had a new topic every three months. And she would start a new sketchbook, specifically about that topic. I do remember it because one of her topics was road kill, and she wanted to study it. And no doubt, she learned some interesting things while she was doing that study and filling those sketchbooks with that information. So, I’m not judging you on what topics you want to learn about, but there are plenty of options out there for you.
The other thing to remember, when you’re learning about a subject, is to draw multiples; and this can make your page look terrific as well. Because of course, the goal is to impress yourself. So, if you’re learning about butterflies, maybe paint one butterfly one day, but then fill a page with butterflies. They can be haphazardly all over the page, or they can be neatly lined up in a grid; both ways will look pretty fantastic because you’re filling the page. So, drawing multiples is really a lovely way of… and you can do the same thing over and over again; you could do the same butterfly; you could do the same ring; you could do the same shoe, over and over on the page.
Andy Warhol got it, when it came to repetition. So, if it’s good enough for him, I think it’s certainly good enough for you and me, and we can fill our pages quite beautifully in that way. The thing is to, I’d love you to stretch yourself a little bit. So remember, if you’re not sort of feeling slightly uncomfortable, you’re probably not learning. So, do stretch yourself. If you feel inclined to just do 1 picture on the page, stretch yourself and maybe do 4, okay? Or 2. Even 2, you might like to lengthen the time, so you might do 2 over 2 days, but on the one page; and that is certainly an option.
So, think about what theme you might like to learn a bit more about; and it can be shallow, like a TV show, or it can be really deep and meaningful, like historical artefacts around your house. Whatever it might be, there will be a theme that you can sketch to. When you’re talking about themes to start with 3; that is my advice there. Because once you get 3, you’ve got the beginnings of a collection, and you must might feel inspired enough to keep going. Once you’ve got 3, the next goal is 6; after that, maybe 10 or 9; if they’re squares because it looks really good in a square of 9. And then 12. And look, I think 12 is plenty, especially if you’re a beginner, but 12 in a month is fantastic because you’re not drawing every day necessarily. Of course, if you want to do 31 or 30, that’s your wish. Please, please do. But a really good goal, like exercise, is maybe 3 times a week. So, you’ll end up 3 times a week; over 4 weeks, you’ve got 12. How terrific it is when you look back at the month, because time goes quickly; it certainly does. Look back at the month and you’ve got 12 sketches or paintings to show, for your study of the theme that month I really, really recommend it.
So, once you’ve sort of whet your whistle and got excited about how you can draw; you’ve got your space organised and what you’re going to draw or paint with. Then, sort of have some practice sessions on things that are close to you and things that are important to you. And then, perhaps you’re ready for that theme. But just keep your ears and eyes open to something that will thrill you and keep you interested, for at least a month, to really have the chance to stretch your muscles. When it comes to Art Fitness, I really do recommend a theme. So, think about that and we’ll talk again, soon.
So, you want to get Art Fit? We’ll find out when the doors to the Shiny Happy Art Club open next. There are 24 online Paint Alongs to choose from when you join, so you’ll definitely find something you love. And now, there are also $15 and $25 subscription options. So, go to www.shinyhappyart.com to pop your name on the waiting list. I look forward to painting with you in the Shiny Happy Art Club. And until then, I’ll be back in your ears with the next episode of the Art Fit Podcast.
