| To see in color is a delight for the eye but to see in black and white is a delight for the soul. ~ Andri Cauldwell |
Did you know that Ansel Adams shot almost as many color photographs as black-and-white? He shot in color almost as long as he did in black and white (over thirty-five hundred shots), but he preferred black and white.
I can get, for me, a far greater sense of ‘color’ through a well-planned and executed black-and-white image than I have ever achieved with color photography. ~ Ansel Adams
- This week’s artist is – Janet Kenna – a local stained glass artist. She just helped me install a couple of her pieces in the Art Supply House front windows as part of the Empty Storefronts project (of course, we aren’t empty). They’ll be on display until the end of July, so be sure to come see them in person! Check out her website for more!
- It’s going to be a busy weekend around town – Iron Horse ride, Narrow Gauge 10 Mile Run, Bar D’s re-opening for suppers, Disco night at the Chapman Hill skating rink, and lots of live music.
- Does your art suck people in or point people outward?
- Here’s a quick-to-read plein-air demo.
- This painting video has advice on what brushes the artist uses. (I always let people know that brushes are personal, what works for one person might not for the next.)
- Today is National Paper Airplane Day. Let’s celebrate!
- Confused by the myriad options of things to mix in your acrylic paints? This is a great over-view of different mediums and additives by Golden Paints.
- Bird photos of the year. I think the surfing penguin is my favorite.
- As a compulsive note-taker and list-maker, I think it’s fascinating to see how others index their ideas.
- My soldering skills definitely feel sub-par after watching these creations!
- Just a heads-up, this Saturday is one of the 5th Saturday customer appreciation days! We’ll have some surprise sales, one day only!
- The Art Supply House will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday.
- We just received a some new paint-by-numbers (in addition to more modeling clay, yarn, and other goodies). There’s also another pallet of goodies on their way to make sure we have on-hand what you want on Saturday!
Like Ansel Adams, I generally prefer working in black-and-white. Whether I’m working with paint, pen and ink, graphite, or something else, I like being able to ignore color and focus on value. When I get stuck, limiting my options also helps me to get moving. It will take me at least an hour to pack art supplies for a trip. When I limit it, the packing goes faster and I’m able to start making art more quickly since there’s less to choose from.
When you get stuck, limit yourself in some way to release your creativity. Constraints force you to be more resourceful. Perhaps you’ll discover a new technique or combination of materials. No matter what the results, remember, have fun!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – We’re hiring! If you know of someone who will bring interest and enthusiasm, we can teach the necessary skills.