What do I WANT to draw?

To be an artist means you wish to express something. I suppose this includes doing portraits or commissioned pieces, but what is it that a person wants to produce?

I don't have an answer for myself- something that's holding me back considerably.

I'm not into landscapes. I don't have a knack for purely abstract work and I don't really like painting animals. I like portraits. But, not exactly portraits.

I am in the process of trying to figure out what it is that excites me about other peoples works in hopes of finding my own direction.

I gravitate towards faces, body forms- anything figurative, I suppose. (assuming I'm understanding that term correctly) I am fascinated by human form and human faces. I think that's what I like about Carol Aust. The simple human forms used to convey emotions, problems or maybe just whimsy. I love it.

Another style I tend to like is surrealism. Vladimir Kush, for one, completely enthralls me. I almost hate him for his brilliant ideas and execution. Absolutely brilliant.

I have an embarrassing lack of knowledge about artists and art terms. I really don't know whats out there, and so I can't make a list of inspirations other than the two artists I've mentioned. I want to do more in the way of reading, and by way of exposure to galleries to gain some perspective.

In the past my paintings have lacked the value range that my pencil drawing lack. This is something I learned from my Drawing and Composition class at Folsom Lake College. The subject matters are weak, as well. They are just weak in general.

Here's some examples:


This is a drawing in colored pencil I did for Oak Hills Church- a prototype for their Stations of the Cross. I now see how more value change would have added depth. Also some sort of figure-ground relationship would have been a huge help. I DID do the Stations of the Cross- all 18 by 24, just like this. Bland. I guess they like them, because they are still using them, 7 years later.




These are little 6 by 6 canvas' I did very quickly. I enjoyed doing them but again- TOO BLAND, too non-committal. Too fast. I wanted to do dozens of them, then arrange them on a wall against a bright color. I still may- that's the only way they'd be impactful- in a large quantity.




This painting I did after being inspired from a paitning I saw in a magazine. Its not a copy, just the same idea as of having very dark forms in the foreground, framing the rest of the picture. I get the most compliments on this- of course...it's not really my idea.


This was done in Prismacolor markers. I thought about a series of images like this, all with words in them representing the things women feel about themselves. I think I only did this one. I like the effect the marker gives- very bold. I dig the concept, but, again- too much laziness- no background? Really? It's unfinished in a bad way.



This is my most recent painting. It' huge, for me, at least. It's something like 2 1/2 by 4 feet. The colors show immature knowledge of color mixing- like most of my paintings. And again- more contrast would be good.


This is my wall of lame art in my laundry room- really just a way to brighten up the place where I wash clothes. You get the idea, though- I like bright colors, girls and painting lazily and quickly then criticizing myself into not painting anymore. That's pretty much my cycle.

I'm hoping the acrylics class I'm taking this semester kicks my butt like my drawing class did.