| Your favorite athlete’s first workout was just as bad as yours.Your favorite chef’s first meal was just as bad as yours.Your favorite artist’s first work was just as bad as yours.Keep going.~ James Clear |
In Cal Newport’s book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love, he argues that passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. Focusing on something helps us appreciate the process, understand the nuances, and become even more invested in it. Often, it takes those time and energy deposits in order to become passionate. In retrospect, we realize that we’re enjoying what we’re doing!
- This week’s artist – Eleanor Lutz – whose work may be more accurately described as “data visualization” than “fine art”, but that caught my attention. It fits in with last week’s links about maps. These animated images are only the tip of what she shares on her website – where she has more details and process information available.
- If that isn’t enough mapping for you, here’s one artist’s map of the Met.
- Here are 8 video tutorials for mixed media with colored pencils.
- Modern primary colors – do you think in RBY or CMY?
- Looking for something to listen to? Here are 1001 recommended albums?
- If that’s too busy, perhaps you’d prefer listening to a random forest.
- Here’s a satisfying short video about gradations.
- PBS’s American Masters recently released 1,000+ hours of unseen, uncut interviews.
- Color theory at Disney parks – go away green.
- Feeling too busy? Here’s a guide to getting things done for artists.
- Sunday is Valentine’s Day – if you know someone who would appreciate a bouquet, we have some fun flower gel pens available at the store that would make a great option!
- Screenprinting has been growing more popular in recent months. We have a handful of ink colors for fabric and paper. Plus a couple of kits if you’re just getting started! If you prefer block printing, we just received a variety of lino blocks.
It always surprises me that there are even more levels of nuance to be discovered, no matter what one’s level of expertise or the field being explored. Practicing painting? There is more color-theory to be put to use. No matter how much experience you have, you’ll finish a painting and then start the next one with ideas of how to do an even better job than on the previous one. No one else might be able to tell a difference, but you and others at your level will.
This is also true in other areas. When I first started working as a database manager, I was fairly slow at regular tasks. With practice and learning more I was able to automate more of the job and free up time and mental energy. Not only was I more productive at my job, but I could look at others work and understand what they were doing (or trying to do). That extra time allowed me to express my personality within the work. I redesigned some of the recurring reports so they looked better and were easier to read. Some of the admin-only files may well have had jokes included in them. Even with the data-drive nature of the work, I was able to be my authentic self.
What you do for a living is much less important than how you do it. And how you do it should include authenticity. Be yourself. Take advantage of your natural talents. The world needs your art, in whatever form it takes!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
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