Ep 38 Art Experimentation – Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone

SANDRA:

Welcome to today’s episode where Tara and I will be talking about why it’s good to experiment with your art techniques and also ways to help you break out of your comfort zone.

But before we go any further, we just want to say thank you for some new reviews we’ve noticed pop up on iTunes.

So the most recent ones are from:

Bit lumpy – And I’m so sorry I don’t know your real name

And he or she says…

Incredibly useful inspiring podcast
Just started listening and finding the ideas really inspiring and motivational. Loving this find!

Then we have

I’m in saine – Who of course Deb Saine

And she says…

“facing your art fears”
some of my favorite episodes are ones exactly like this one – just you two chatting about this and that: creating, of course, but also bras and panties, being strapped to a chair, olives, words like gouache and juxtaposition, saying cupboard instead of closet, fizzy drink instead of soda or pop, pronouncing ecology with a long e …

i love humor and people who have a sense of humor … and you two just always manage to make me laugh 🤭 😆 😂 … and enlighten and inform me about all kinds of things creative…

i also love the fact that you both are stellar artists who don’t take themselves too seriously … thank you both from the bottom of my heart! 😘 you don’t know how much you and this podcast and the fb group mean to me … and how you sometimes serve as a life preserver… and yes, still manic … 5.6.19

TARA

We also had a nice review from…

Glenn478

Episode 29
You two have great chemistry together.

K80fab

Says…

Love this podcast
Funny, practical, down-to-earth, and so encouraging. I love listening to this podcast. I am also engaged with the Kick community on Facebook and Instagram, so they become like friends. I am slowly working my creative life into engaging more and more with the challenges they present each month. They really have had an impact on my growth as an artist.

SANDRA:

Thank everyone who’s been sharing their work on social media

Thank everyone who’s been sharing their work on social media

Say what’s caught my eye

Ask Tara what’s caught hers

Catherine Slater’s copy of Toulouse Lautrec’s The Salon in the Rue de les Moulins”

Claire Dunpy who has shared an urban sketch she had done of the Riverside Festival in Leicester

John Munro who got invited to the BBC Writers Room

TARA:

Respond to above.

Ask Sandra what’s new

SANDRA:

Respond to above.

Ask Tara what’s new

TARA

Respond to above

You could mention the sketchbook idea

SANDRA

In today’s episode, we talk about the importance of experimenting with your art and daring to break out of your comfort zone. But you might be asking yourself why is that even important at all? If you’re happy with how you paint, what’s the point in mixing things up? And I used to ask myself the same question.

But it’s very easy to stick to what you know because you want to master one technique… and there is nothing wrong with that, but by never experimenting with new techniques and mediums, not only could you be missing out on a whole lot of fun, but you might be denying yourself the opportunity to evolve as an artist.

And we’re not talking about changing your style. We’re talking about ways to play alongside it, to have a bit of fun and discover a part of your creativity that you might not even know exists.

TARA

There are degrees of breaking out of your comfort zone – if you normally paint or draw realistically,  you don’t suddenly have to throw paint around. You could just change a little at first, maybe change subject matter or experiment with colour or use a palette knife rather than a fine brush

SANDRA

If never went to art school, one of the first things they will get you to do is experiment with simple mark-making and I remember doing this myself.

Explain what you do.

Talk about the video  – will put that one up this week.
TARA

Try experimenting with unusual tools – twigs, cotton buds, your fingers

Create your own tools – I did this in college. I vaguely remember making painting brushes from bits of string and twigs.

SANDRA

Paint with body parts?

If you are scared of doing anything too drastic, try your usual style, but perhaps over collage – simply stick bits of paper down and draw straight over or you can stick them down and paint over them with white acrylic or gesso so the elements are more subtle through the white. Use this as a base for painting over the top.

Talk about my recent attempts with collage

TARA

Mention the Collage video with my ‘unusual’ backgrounds.

Try cutting up bits of magazines and arranging them. You could collage or use them as a starting point for inspiration for a drawing (talk about the characters from chopped up magazine video). Talk about the experiment I have been meaning to try to create abstract faces.

Or you could simply Draw/paint on a different surface, even switching to work on a toned or coloured paper can make a change for your work.

SANDRA

Mention the woman on TV who drew charcoal figures on large sheets of newspaper and framed them. The figures looked really interesting, but the probably wouldn’t have had they been drawn on white paper.

TARA

Use a white pen on black paper. Try a scraperboard.

SANDRA

I hate the above idea!

But I do enjoy drawing in reverse – ie covering the paper with charcoal and drawing with a rubber.

TARA

Do you know what new art materials are out there – It never ceases to amaze me the new materials that are readily available now, that weren’t years ago. In our group, people talk about materials that I’ve never heard of and I have to ask what they are.
SANDRA

It’s easy to get comfortable with one thing and stick to that, but sometimes it’s good to persevere with something even if you don’t like it at first.

Explain how I hated the brush pen, but now I like it.

TARA

When you try one experiment you may find that it leads you to another.
I started using a pen and water brush for 5 minute march and then experimented with it for abstract faces and drawing outside. After using the face distortion app for showing how you could create a caricature, I realised there were other ways I could use it as a starting point for some faces I created with wax pastel.

SANDRA

Combine different materials – what combinations of materials could you try.  Some are a no-no, such as acrylic over oils, but oil pastels and watercolour could make a great combination, or soft pastels too. But you can experiment with all sorts of mediums.
TARA

I keep seeing charcoal and watercolour together and thinking how much I like it and that’s something I want to try. Carrie Brummer in an upcoming podcast talks about how she combines embroidery and painting.
SANDRA

Start or join a group so you pick up different ideas and techniques from others

TARA

Start a challenge with a friend to do something new. You could both take an online course together and learn something new or simply set yourself something to try for. Mention this is what started Kick in the Creatives off

SANDRA

Join a challenge – Talk about some of the people who tried lino-cutting for the first time for linovember as an example and how some of them carried on afterwards because they liked it so much.

TARA

I had never really done much in the way of abstract, but enjoyed creating semi-abstract faces for the challenge. Talk about how it got easier after the first experiments.

Set yourself constraints. Constraints can help you make interesting pictures. For example, you could create an image using entirely diagonal lines (talk about constraints video)

SANDRA

Change your scale – miniature/massive images. This is not as easy as it might sound. Talk about having to scale up that big marble painting.

TARA

Change the size of the brush you use. A larger brush will force you to be looser
SANDRA

If you normally paint from photos, paint from life
TARA

Get outside and draw – first steps could be just in your own garden and then venture further.

SANDRA

Sketch different things to the things you paint – Sandra talk about how you paint still life but you don’t draw it.
TARA

Try drawing or painting something you don’t think you like doing now and again. You can always try doing it in a different way
SANDRA

Respond to above

Keep it fun and don’t think any of this is about changing your style… But by experimenting, you can develop it.

TARA
Finally read out the answers to our previous question…

The question was…

Q. Do you ever feel guilty for spending time creating, and if so, what do you feel like you should be doing instead?

SANDRA
nordljusart – Absolutely not, but I permanently feel guilty for not spending enough time or no time at all creating…

TARA
lynnquireartist – Yes. There are times I do. Usually I feel like I should be spending time with the hubs or working on my business. The working on my business guilt I usually sometimes counter because I am actually trying to create more so I can eventually expand the business with surface design. But with the hubs time, it has been a struggle. I am trying very hard to restructure my days so creative time is built in and not taking over some other area of my life.

SANDRA
danny._chen. – I feel that the act of me drawing is not economically productive and I feel guilty about that.and other times I feel like I should be “experiencing life ” instead of doing bad drawings. But I feel better after finishing it.

TARA
jolakedraart – I don’t feel guilty! I feel sad that there’s enough time in a day to do everything that I like and need to do.

SANDRA
lorileegue – cleaning up the house, doing yard work… so many things I ‘should’ do …

2d1 likeReply

TARA
laeryel – No, I feel guilty if I’m not creating or training drawing. It’s the opposite

SANDRA
katiekarcheski – I feel like I should be focussing on the selling part more. I love creating… It’s my escape but a lot of the time I waste worrying if it will be good enough and how to make it sell.

TARA
truthinlove_2001 – I felt like I should be organizing at one point, but my Mom passed away recently and now I feel guilty doing any crafting and I’m not really sure why

SANDRA
Russila Moodley Initially yes….but soon realized that being creative brought me into true alignment with body,mind and spirit!I

It became my interpretation of “chop wood , carry water” and has helped me to cope with the most mundane of tasks💫💫💫

TARA
Deb Elen I never feel guilty about it because I know if I don’t make time to be creative I will become miserable and depressed. I do it to keep myself happy and on an even keel. It’s usually only time I would have wasted looking at social media or something anyway.

SANDRA
Mary Flynn Sometimes because I should be cleaning the house, but as soon as I walk into my studio that guilt goes away.

TARA
Rebecca Reynolds I feel a little bit guilty, as perhaps I should be doing housework… But my hubby is very supportive and encourages me! He’s a good un.

SANDRA
John Munro I never feel guilty it’s my Passion / hobby. Time Management helps.

My Beloved watches her soaps so I write in a separate room ( both happy )

Use my mobile phone whilst travelling to jot down ideas for expansion ( no I don’t drive and use my mobile )

TARA
Morwhenna Woolcock Sometimes and there’ll be lots of other things I think I ‘should’ be doing – which actually when I think about it are other creative things or exercise/ getting out walking or on my bike. Think it has something to do with my concept of time!

SANDRA
Dorothy Walker I never feel guilty doing arty things or gardening. My kids are playing poker, creating music, playing instruments, writing poetry or listening to music. No guilty feelings for anyone here! 😆😆

TARA
Krista Crescenzo I never feel guilty once I am doing it but I do feel guilty thinking about it sometimes. So then I feel I have to do the things I need to do first. Even though creating feels like a need too.

SANDRA
Mummsy Savo Never.. I’d have to go to Tesco with Himself 😂

TARA
Bradley Burgin Yes! Everything seems to be neglected in my mind. That is why I usually don’t create until most everyone is down for the night. Even then, I think I should be doing something more “productive.”

SANDRA
Meoc Artdis Yes and no. When I’m creating I want to create other stuff, such as comics, other pieces or write. But that creating gets in the way of homework, and chores.

TARA
Nea Edmans Housework

SANDRA
Angela Murphy Nea do like me and sweep the room with a glance 🤣🤣🤣🤣

TARA
Linda Butler I hate to say this, as my husband is supportive but I. Do feel guilty sometimes.

.

SANDRA

And we have a brand new question for you, which is:

Q. What is the wildest thing you’ve ever done with your art materials?

TARA:

As always you can Tweet us your answers at KickCreatives or let us know in the facebook group, which by the way if you haven’t already joined, I highly recommend that you do! We will put the question up there and also on the facebook page… and of course on our Instagram page, kick in the creatives.

SANDRA:

Don’t forget to pop over to our website at kickinthecreatives.com to find out how you can take part in some of our upcoming creative challenges! And of course there you can also subscribe to the Podcast, so you never miss an episode… And if you are enjoying the Podcast, we’d be so grateful if you would leave us a review on itunes, or even just a star rating if you don’t have much time.

 

Also, you can now subscribe to our Weekly Youtube video if you want to learn something creative every Sunday and see Tara and I making complete fools of ourselves at the same time!