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I am not an ARTist-the computer is? | Pad Patter 2.15.2017

AnneofAlamo

AnneofAlamo

Slippers IN sunshine? Even better!
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
19,717
in school, I would stare at the art class with pure desire.
I sat in typing across the hall.
1979. finally in high school, I took pottery.
I made a pumpkin, so proud I was of it.
mixing colors to get the coolest orangey brown.
I entered in our VIC Expo..first time.
I went that weekend with great expectations of blue ribbons.
my little pumpkin sat all alone - nothing. I overheard some people laughing at it. I put it under my arms and walked away. I didn't do a second semester of pottery.
Back to Business Typing.

Fast forward to
2002-I love to draw, but am not good at getting what is in my head on paper. I see a class at our community college.
Drawing for People who think they can't. I signed up.
I got there, with all the things needed. and tentatively, walked into the class. "Is this the Class Drawning for People who think they can't??"
The instructor, dead panned, nope, that is down the hall, only professionals here.
I burst into tears. I almost left.
He was so kind, and I loved the class but still the brain and hand didn't work!

This is why I love the computer. I can finally get what is in my head on paper.

Are you an artist? What do you do that you love when it is done being created by you?
 
Ever since I was little, thinking like 3 or 4, I wanted to be an artist. And I NEVER really thought I was. I did crafts & random things on my own, but I still wasn't an ARTIST.

Now I'm a photographer, so that's my art. Now I have photoshop, & that's my art. But I still have the hankering for paints & stuff & just playing & I'm finally to the point where I consider all of that as ME BEING AN ARTIST, (even if I technically draw like a toddler and worry and can't always go with the flow).
 
I used to be able to draw, don't know what happened to that ability... I used to do counted cross stitch, but don't anymore due to eyes and hand cramping.. I also used to write in calligraphy and do so on occaision. I love to express myself with Photoshop now :)
 
I have to say that I might be overcreative (is that really a word?) which means I dabble with all kind of stuff besides scrapping on the computer. I do paper scrapbooking, art journaling, paint canvases and watercolor, sew clothes, bake cakes, sketching, sometimes make my own jewelry and I just getting started with crochet!
Eeek! This creative mind of mine is wearing me out!
 
I don't know that I've ever considered myself an artist but I've always considered myself creative.

I don't 'do' traditional art/the things I need to make with my hands. I have zero eye-hand coordination --- that's why I scrap on the computer & not with paper!

I do cook from mostly scratch every night, and I consider that an art. I write here & there, and I like to consider that a type of art, too.
 
I have a B.A. in Fine Art Photography and a M.A.T in Art Education. Yet I cannot draw or paint for the life of me! It was my downfall when I was doing my student teaching. I had one supervising teacher who absolutely loved to rub the salt into my wounded pride by telling me there was no future for an art teacher who can't paint or draw, and spent the entire semester gloating about how she was superior over me because of it - and this was after I had spent 8 years working as a professional photographer! To her, photography wasn't art. It was science. Photography was for art school dropouts. ANYONE could do it, you see.

Needless to say, I never taught art. But it also had something to do that starting salaries for teachers with a Masters Degree was about $21,000. No one can live off of that.

Other than photography, I've done textile work, ceramics, printmaking. Now, it's just scrapping.
 
I don't consider myself an artist (except occasionally on a computer)!!! I wouldn't even take art in school unless I had to take it. A few months ago, I went to a painting party where we made something with stars and the word TEXAS on it. Mine was horrible! I came home and created a canvas in PS and recreated the painting. It is beautiful! I could easily print it on a canvas. My computer stars all have sharp points, TEXAS is nice, doodles are good. I'm all for being an artist on a computer!
 
I don't consider myself an artist, even though I did really well in art in 8th grade. We did leather tooling, and I was good at it! I was proud of my work. I can decorate cakes - not elaborate, but I can do the basic designs that you find at any bakery. I really enjoy it, and people can't believe I didn't take a cake decorating class.
 
I am slowly accepting the fact that I AM a non-traditional artist -- digital scrapbooking, knitting, writing. Not the things you traditionally think of. Yes I use patterns, someone else's drawings. But I put them together. And it isn't the best digital artistry to many (or a particular few) but it's art to me and my room is full of it. Because it has more meaning to me than any purchased piece could.
 
I always wished I could draw and paint...my poor stick figures are even crooked LOL!! I do like to make 3d paper objects using svg files from SVG Cuts, but I don't really consider that artistic.
 
art·ist
ˈärdəst/
noun
noun: artist; plural noun: artists
  1. a person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby.
    synonyms: designer, creator, originator, producer;
    old master
    "a mural artist"
    • a person who practices any of the various creative arts, such as a sculptor, novelist, poet, or filmmaker.
    • a person skilled at a particular task or occupation.
      "a surgeon who is an artist with the scalpel"
      synonyms: expert, master, maestro, past master, virtuoso, genius; More
      informalpro, ace
      "the surgeon is an artist with the knife"
      antonyms: novice
    • a performer, such as a singer, actor, or dancer.
    • informal
      a habitual practitioner of a specified reprehensible activity.
      "a con artist"
 
I went to art school. Well, I was in art school and I ended up with a studio art minor--my major originally was Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing. Anyway, I don't think of myself as an artist, but making jewelry used to make me feel very happy. Seeing something in my head and then in the real world was satisfying.
As far as now... no, I'm not an artist. But that doesn't mean I'm not artistic or creative. To me, in a purely technical sense, "artist" is like a professional descriptor--similar to "I'm a doctor," or "I'm a plumber." You can fix a plumbing issue but that doesn't make you a plumber. :giggle Or take my freelance day job: proofreading. I am a proofreader, but not every person who reads something and finds a mistake is a proofreader. But if a person decides to consider himself or herself an artist, then that's what he or she is.
Having said all that, I do agree with Barbara @Sokee cuz everyone here is an artist. We are people who have found a creative outlet that lets us express ourselves in a unique way. It's really wonderful, no matter what label you put on it.
 
I never would have said I was an artist or creative until I found digital scrapbooking about a decade ago (even though I was making paper scrapbooks for many years prior to that). Then I started studying photography and started to feel more creative with that too. I still don't really identify as an artist, but I'm definitely creative. I sometimes think of my parenting as creative as well. :)

I love the precision of digital art, and the ability to easily adjust things, copy, etc. I've done very little of hands-on crafting. I think it would be awesome to knit or sew useful items, but I don't really want to do it I guess. My favorite handwork is cross-stitching and even that I fail to make time for: my current project, started in 2011, has been sitting untouched for a couple of years (but I don't want to just give up on it!).

I took one art class. If I remember correctly it was the other half of the year in which I had home economics (sewing for 9 weeks, cooking for 9 weeks) in 8th grade. The best thing I did in that art class was a technique (I forget the name) that created a white semi-transparent image on a mirror from a tracing I made of a cat from a coloring book. I had it hanging on my wall until I moved into this house. I think I still have it in a box.

I tried to do crafts with my kids. The lack of interest must be genetic. They all enjoyed painting and gluing and creating crafty stuff when they were very little but eventually all lost interest in hands-on art. Except my oldest. She fills journals with her drawings, mostly of people. Both my girls are primarily performing artists though -- the oldest sings, the younger is an actress (well both of them are, but the younger is the one who wants to do it for a living).

I bet my son is creative in his gaming endeavors. I am so not a gamer myself though, so I'll have to do some research to learn out how gaming is creative. :)

Anyway, to stop rambling and answer the question -- there are two main things I love to create: photographs of things (especially people) I love and scrapbook pages about my life (or extensions of my life, like my family members' lives or my ancestors).
 
@AnneofAlamo I need a compass to draw a snowman so that is why I love digital scrapping. I get to use my right brain! I didn't take any art classes in high school because I did not want to ruin my GPA...sad but true. I see those paint and drink classes and think they might be a way to explore my hidden skills.:martini:perfect
 
This is what I love about digiscrapping. I have shown myself that I do have a bit of a creative side. I hated art in school. I can't draw a stick man to save my life. I had all but given up on ever being creative with anything. I thought I was just destined to be the geeky technical nerd :) I still don't consider myself an artist, but I know now that I can be creative.
 
I have dabbled in many creative areas but am a master of none. I'm ok with that. I don't need to be. Art speaks to me. Creativity fulfills me. I have cross-stitched, sewn, crocheted, knitted, decoupaged, gesso/mixed media paper designed, worked with stained glass, clay, wood, coloring techniques with markers, pens, copics and paints. I gave up pretty much everything when I got into digi scrapping but I still have a lot of supplies so hope to use some of them again. I love to stamp and color and want to get back into that again.
 
I have a BA in Theater... So, I will be all jerky and say that I am definitely an artist. In almost any medium, I will give it a go, and frequently, I will come out with something decent if not down right interesting, LOL... I have some strong areas, such as color mixing and my digital scrapbooks. I love to paint, draw, sew, any of that stuff. And, I am the queen of pinteresting ridiculous crap to do. Luckily, I have a pretty good handle on what things I would be able to do and what things I should leave to the true pinterest queens!

HOWEVER, I am a person who has a HARD time with motivation. I could do a great portrait painting (and I have) but at no point would I ever just pop up and say "I think I'll paint a portrait today!" I need that impetus of someone asking me or telling me what to create. It's a definite block, because I just don't feel like I have a lot of artistic drive.

When I'm in a class, I have pretty decent success at art in a few different mediums. But, if there's no assignment, requirements, or deadline, I struggle. I have a hard time with art for art's sake... So, even though I'm pretty decent at it, I don't think of it really as my thing. It's just fun.

Right now, I am having TONS of fun going to Paint Nite. I love making the paintings with the instructions and seeing how cool they come out at the end. Mine never look exactly like the one the instructor made, but they are always recognizable. And, I never have to get too stressed out about what I will paint, because I know what the picture is that I signed up for. PLUS, I get to go OUT and have FUN! So, even if my painting sucks, I had a great time, and that is what matters most to me! I've done it 3 times, lol, and made 3 different paintings that I like very much!!

Huggles!!
~Sarah~
 
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