There Be Dragons Here!

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

T. S. Eliot

So I’ve debated what to do about this sketch I’ve been working on for a while. And by a while I mean over a year and a half. Granted I’m not really a ‘good’ artist, although I can make it seem like I’ve got a bit of talent. Really though, painting, drawing, sketching, pretty much anything artistic beyond writing is probably a distant second when it comes to depth in my talent pool, but I still like trying. I took classes way back in high school that taught me the basics of artistic creation but I’ve never pursued it further. However there are times I regretted that decision. Much like when I gave up on the saxophone. That’s why I go back from time to time to draw, or paint; just to see if I still can do it. For this effort, I’m rather happy with the results of the work I put into my sketch.

Now I don’t have any delusions that it will win any awards but for someone that has trouble drawing a decent circle, I think I did pretty well. The subject matter helped too. A while back, my daughter and I were at the craft store and she saw a plastic dragon; it had an incredible shape and color that immediately got my attention. She asked if we could get it and I agreed. It sat on her dresser for a while until one day I got the itch to draw it. 

You see I've always like dragons. The mythology behind them is quite amazing. In fact you can read about all sort of fascinating dragon facts if you like. With all that in mind, I began my drawing. I labored on it, put it aside for weeks, went back to it, abandoned it, tried again. Eventually I got to a point where I felt it was finished. I’m sure it could use a decent background but I get the feeling if I try anything more I’ll just ruin it. So if it looks incomplete, I’ll accept that; it’s better than destroying it. Trust me, I’ve done that before.

I wanted to share it with everyone, just to let you know even if you aren’t terribly good at something you can still get enjoyment out of it. Even if you are afraid to share something, you might just get a positive boost if you let someone see your work. Remember, we’re not perfect nor should we act like we can achieve perfection. Simply making the effort can be enough sometimes. Pushing yourself that extra bit can reveal a lot more about what you’re capable of. I recommend taking that one extra step, you might just like what happens next.

I dare you to take that step. I'd love to see what you might share!

Thanks for reading.

Questions and Comments are welcome. 

Monday Perspective

Early Saturday morning, I’m sitting in my favorite chair staring out the window. I felt relaxed enjoying the shining sun and the beautiful blue sky. I contemplated what I would do with the rest of the day and it hit me. I hadn’t completed my Weekend Fun assignment. If you remember from Friday, the assignment was to take a picture of something from an unusual or non-traditional angle and see how it changes your perspective on that subject. So I quickly grabbed my camera and started shooting everything in sight. I first started with a pencil. I took low angle, high angle, oblique, side, front and back angle shots; all trying to capture the image of a pencil from a distinct yet unusual view. It didn’t work. First thing I learned was that my camera lens is not designed for close ups and far away shots of something so small as a pencil lose a certain centering. So I put the pencil away and continued on.

The first subject I found that produced an interesting shot is below. Can you guess is in this picture? They’re very old, very beat up golf clubs. It’s obvious from this shot I think. 

This next shot is also obvious but the result speaks for itself. Looking down on the door knob, the view seems strange but familiar. 

These next two are my favorites. I shot this with the candle sitting on the toilet tank. These angles make me feel as if the light is suspended in an unnatural way. And like a moth, I find myself drawn to the flame in each picture, wanting to stare at them for a while. Maybe it’s the orange light off the wall, or how bright the flame is. 

This last one is just an off angle shot of a painting I have in my hallway. I’ve always found it kind of strange seeing photographs of paintings. I guess it seems redundant to me. Anyway, I like the odd shapes and colors of this painting. 

So, what did I learn from this little experiment? Well, for one thing, I learned using strange angles to take pictures hardly ever produces quality shots. These five shots are a fraction of the forty or so I actually took. I’ll be the first to admit they aren’t super incredible. However, taking time with each shot, I learned that you can really present something mundane or common in a much fresher perspective if you keep trying. The more I look at the candle shots the more I like them. Did you try the experiment? What do you think?

Thanks for reading. 

Questions and comments are welcome. 

The Course of Empire!

When I was first exposed to this series of paintings I was truly amazed!  The series, Course of Empire was painted by Thomas Cole.  Through a series of paintings, Cole presents the phases of empire as it would look in the classic age.  Each painting  has an amazing amount of detail and an intricate level of expression. 

I had an art history class in college where we had to examine each painting in the series and give a physical description as well as a description of the emotional impact each had on the viewer.  I was and still am blown away by these masterpieces.  The only criticism I ever really had was this: I always felt there should have been a stage between the Pastoral and Consummation.  It feels somewhat jarring to go from almost total greenery to marble and concrete.  But perhaps that's the point. 

What do you think?

                                                               The Savage State

                                                             The Pastoral State

                                                  The Consummation of Empire

                                                                          Destruction

                                                                          Desolation