My take on Barvo's Work of Art

I've been reading a few reviews of the show today, and I decided to just throw my opinion out there. Though I agree the title of "Next Great Artist" might not be so realistic but really is "Next Top Model" or "Top Chef" really all that realistic. I've watched Top Model and mostly after the show I really haven't heard much about the winners afterward. Of course on other seasons they follow up and quick google search will show that they do indeed have careers, but still they are not the new household name in modeling. Same goes for Top Chef, they win they get their money, but mostly I'm sure the rest of the coverage becomes more local. The same will probably happen with the winning artist of Work of Art, when they win they'll get the money and the solo show but past that you might not hear much from them. Winning one of these shows doesn't guarantee that you are the next great anything. It does say that you did well in the conditions the competition provided.
So far though as a viewer and an artist I've been enjoying the show. I was a bit skeptical at first of how they would be able to create a competition with so many artists working in different media. I'm a bit impressed that they just seemed to pick one concept that all the artists could work with. I also like that they are forcing some of the artists to work outside their comfort zone. I haven't really been forced to work outside my chosen media since high school. Then also watching the show and seeing that some of the artists work in similar styles to mine, is really an uplift. I do see realism in Artist's Magazine but mostly in mainstream media I'm seeing abstract and performance art. Not to mention one of the top artists from my high school, the one whose style we were told to emulate for painting, is now doing abstract work. In high school I was very much discouraged from pursuing the painting style that I have and the style that I strive to achieve. Seeing artists with a similar style talking about their accomplishments really does make me feel better.
Anyway I don't think the show is all that bad, it's definitely having an interesting impact on the art world. It's got people talking, and for those of us who are having a hard time finding more info about the art world at large it is giving us a starting point.

I honestly didn't spend much time working but I was using a small window of opportunity. I spent a lot of time cleaning and reorganizing today and I'll be doing the same thing tomorrow though in a different room. I like the progress I've made with this though and I think that triangle of flesh is starting to look less awkward it looks less orangey but is still a little too abrupt in some places I think. Otherwise I'm pretty happy with it I'm having a few issues with the hair especially that one piece that meets the eye. Right now driving me a little crazy I think I'll work on that first tomorrow. It just looks a little outlined so I'll want to close the gap a bit on it. I like the sketching I've gotten done too it's really starting to take shape. I just need to get myself to work more, and keep building my confidence.

Some progress and back pain

I started sketching in the circle part of the earring. I don't think it's looking too bad. Though the one plane of the face doesn't look so good. It looks like a tacked on triangle of yellowish-orange. I really need to fix that. I'd actually work on it right now but I've got to take some Tylenol. My back hurts from bending forward like I was. My shoulder and knee are also starting to bother me. I think it's also a good reminder to call and make a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I keep putting it off but I finally have to call, I don't like that this pain is interfering with my work.
I keep looking at that triangle of flesh and I really hope I can fix it, I think that abrupt change of value is not helping anything either.

Dragging my feet

I'm really dragging my feet on this drawing. I just lost momentum. I really need to pick it up though I think I'm behind now on my goal for the year, and to think I was ahead only a few weeks ago. Of course I say all this when I should probably be picking up the drawing board and working for another hour. I know I didn't get much done in an hour. Though I'm starting to like some of the skin tone. I'm starting feel a bit better about this drawing overall though and I think I really need that. My last drawing kind of sucked away some of my confidence. Hopefully I can pick up the pace again and maybe get back ahead of my goals.

I'm starting to pick up more inspiration and keep track of it in my little sketch book/journal. Though I use the term sketch book loosely. The only drawings in it is an eye on the first page, and few more recent sketches of body lines next to one of the ideas I had written down. I'm hoping to work through some of the better ideas and maybe get to a point where I'm almost caught up with them. I'm going to be making some time during the day this week, to get some work done. That should be a good start at least. I also need to get back into working regularly at night.

Small update

I've been lost in the world of procrastination and self doubt. I almost scrapped this whole drawing and moved on to something new. I think it's a great start and an interesting concept. Perhaps I should have done it in pencil or charcoal but I started in colored pencil so I'll keep going. I also ended up switching to a new computer, so I have to start over I lost several programs in the process. I'm working to get them back. Mostly I have no one to blame but myself I'm the one that didn't think to copy down serial numbers. I know I have a habit of misplacing the cases for the programs. I'm working on ways to get everything back and until then I'm using some free trials. I'm also trying to get used to Windows 7. A good bit has changed since XP, I don't much care for how the photos display in image viewer but I like the full screen display that I get with slide show. It worked out well today. To be fair, I don't think the image viewer has changed much I think it's just the clear bars are a bit distracting. I think I can adjust them and make them more solid if I need to.

Mad inspiraton, manic flow

I spent a good ten minutes of fervor and energy on looking for a pen. I had a pen, in fact I was sitting at a desk that is currently home to about 10 pens. The problem is though I'd don't like regular ballpoint pens. I can't stand the way the ink flows, the writing in consequence flows. It feels much more forced and I wanted to get out a hurried flow of words an ideas, I needed a pen to flow with me. Not something I needed to fight against. My search turned up nothing, so I settled for a green brush tip marker. It was not the pen I was looking for but it was on hand and lent a better flow than any of the plain black pens. I had a completely manic moment it would seem. Now I sit here typing about it trying to bring some of that energy back. I have a flurry of thoughts in my head for an idea that will take quite a bit of preparation for. I have some shopping to do before I can even create a reference photo.

Though in all this mad flurry I did come across some rather comforting thoughts. I've been focusing on how to make money, how to fit into a standard. That's not what I need. I need to follow my inspiration. I need to spend more time working on my art, so I can work on more ideas. I shouldn't be so worried about doing a series because that's what I should do, because that's what other artists do. I have a book of inspiration that I'm ignoring in favor of a series, that seems to honestly be failing. I'm happy with several of the pieces, and I think me calling them a series doesn't really make it such. They are more like a forced grouping. I think my current piece could be great but it doesn't need the constraint of a series. It may not be what is best for my career, but it's what's best for my passion. After all the main unifying factor of my work is that it's mine, my inspiration, my work.