Friday, September 12, 2008

Influencing Your Art

I want to share with you a book I completed reading yesterday. And if you have been reading this blog for a few months, then you have already heard about it.Catching the Light is written by Susan Pope. You know Susan, she is our very own Sukipoet. I have to tell you this book was a real page turner for me. I just had to see what this young woman was going to choose for herself. She had so many obstacles to overcome, but behind it all she was drawn to her art. And Susan shows how she used her life to influence what she so loved doing. This book is so well written and draws you into the location and into the lives of the characters. In addition, an underlying message is how we come across people who influence so many parts of our life even after they have gone from it. I highly recommend you locate a copy of Catching the Light...I know it has become a treasure for me. And thank you so much, Suki, for such a beautiful gift and such a beautiful message. You are an inspiration in so many ways.

And I have something else for you to play with this weekend. You don't have anything else to do, right? Take a look at this image:
It looks like some people at MOMA, right? Well it is not! This is a sketch of mine...a lowly sketch you have already seen on this blog before. I used an online service called Dumpr where I uploaded this sketch to be placed in this setting! This kind of thing has been making its way around the blog world, so you probably have seen it on other blogs. My apologies to the blogger who made the recommendation, I can't remember the blog I first saw it.

One of the things I thought was so interesting is how you can use something like a sketch to get an idea of how that might translate into a larger painting. For example, I think this looks better as a painting than it does than a sketch...I had no idea it would translate that way.

Dumpr has some other fun things to play with on their site, too. Some of them you have to pay for, but these I am showing are free. One of the toys I have had great fun with is the Amazing Circles feature. See what a photograph of a red tulip translated into with that feature:
So now, here are a few fun things to do this weekend. I really hope you have so much fun and enjoy reading and playing with images...believe me, when you read Suki's book, you will want to get in there and do some serious creating!

Have Fun!

21 comments:

sukipoet said...

Oh Kim, you are so sweet. Thank you so much for your kind words and reflections on my writing. My heart swells with joy.

And congrats on having your MOMA show. that sketch as painting is cool. I'll have to try it. Have a great weekend. Suki

Andrea and Kim said...

Suki, you give me such good material. You deserve the joy...look at all that work you did to get your book to this point! It boggles my mind, it truly does!

Oh Thanks for the congrats (LOL). But isn't that interesting how you can see this in a different way?

Enjoy the weekend!

Katiejane said...

Kim, This is a really cool idea of putting your art in pictures in a way that lets you see it in a different arena. (Not to mention seeing how it would look in a gallery with people actually admiring it!)

You are right about Suki's book. I have so little time to read for pleasure lately, but I am trying to read a page here and there. It is good.

Thanks for the arty suggestions.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Kate,

I am not sure if that was the idea behind Dumpr or not, but once I saw one of my paintings there, I had to try more and more. It was very enlightening for me to see the difference. And it really enforces my love for the large works, too.

Isn't that just a lovely book Suki has written? I keep thinking about it and thinking about it. I want to know what happens next...and I am not saying any more!

Thanks Kate...have a good weekend!

Lynette said...

Thanks for sharing about Suki's book Kim, it sounds like a wonderful read! Oh, I have got to also check out that new website too, your sketch looks so cool!

Anonymous said...

Oh, Suki's book sounds wonderful. I have a lot to catch up on. I was out of the loop for one week and there's so much to enjoy on everyone's blogs.

WOW! Your art is hanging in MOMA! (giggle) What fun.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Lynette,

I think you would like Suki's book...it is really wonderful.

It is great fun playing with that web site. Go ahead and have some fun!

Thanks Lynette!

Andrea and Kim said...

Yeah! How about that Chewy...a sketch in MOMA! LOL

You should get Suki's book it is so much fun...I really enjoyed it! I think you will, too.

I know what you mean about being away and getting behind! I have felt the same way, but you will get there.

Thanks Chewy!

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

Oh I am jealous. I want to read Suki's book now. :) How does one find it I thought it was out of print?
Anyway you are a good book reviewer. :)
Love the idea of putting paintings up the way you did. Another thing to check out.

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Cris,

You can get Suki's book, USED! Yes, use the link I gave you to it and go from there. You can also do a web search to see where you might find it. See if you can't find it...you will be happy you did that!

Oh good, I am glad you will go to Dumpr...all of those lovely photos you take will do some awesome things there! Have Fun!

And Have a Good Weekend!

~Babs said...

How fun that Dumpr looks! Gonna have to try it when I have more time next week.

I've also been meaning to search for Suki's book,,,thanks for the reminder Kim!

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Babs!

Yes, I can imagine you are going to love playing with Dumpr...and it couldn't be easier.

You will like Suki's book! I hope you find it!

Is OKC expecting any rain from IKE?

Thanks Babs!

~Babs said...

We've had rain all morning,,,Ike is moving more east than initially expected,,,,so the rain here won't be as much as first thought. More so at the lake.

Andrea and Kim said...

I thought that was what I was seeing from the maps. The lake is going to be a much different story than there in OKC. Mmmm, are you precarious there? From the photos on your blog, it appears you sit high above the lake. Hope so...

Thanks Babs...

marianne said...

Thanks for all the ideas Kim!
The art in the museum is fun, wanna try that too.
Today I´m having a day to myself.
I´m in Manilla I decided to rest and play.
I got a Eee pc from my husband the day before I left and I´m playing with that. I slept long (11 hours) . I have my pencils with me so I hope to play with them also.
The hotel is stunning here but I prefer to be in my room today, the door is open I hear the sea and feel the warmth. It is enough for me
Hug>M<

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Marianne,

Oh you should definitely place your mandalas in MOMA. Choose the one which is the most square, though, because they crop it to fit into their shape.

Now Manilla sounds like a fun place to rest and play. What is an Eee pc? Is that like a blackberry or iPhone?

Sleeping 11 hours sounds like fun, in itself. I really love to sleep...good stuff happens in dream land. And pencils...yummy!

Sometimes it is just nice to be in the hotel room to yourself. When you travel a lot for business I think it is particularly important. And if you have a nice hotel near the sea...well, how nice is that?

Enjoy Marianne!

marianne said...

Thanks Kim!
And when I am home I will do the MOMA thing.
An Eee pc is a little laptop which weights less than one kilo, you can surf and mail.
I even did 2 blogposts here , but since it has limited capaity i have to do the MOMA thing at home.

right now it is 3 o´clock and i can ´t sleep...........

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Marianne!

The Eee pc sounds wonderful and perfect for you, too! I really have such a difficult time flying with my laptop...so much more to do at the airports and then also worrying about it being stolen, etc. But I also miss it a great deal.

Oh dear, is this normal for you? My husband travels a great deal on business and sometimes this is an issue for him. It gets so hard when our brains will not stop!

I hope you get some more sleep.

Unknown said...

Hi Kim this looks like great fun:) I love the people in front of the canvas and the canvas looks soooo good up there:)
I think I'll have to play with this soon too:)
love
Andrea

Unknown said...

PS: I think I really want to read this book, too!:) I have to ask Suki how I can get it... thanks for sharing your view on it with us
Andrea

Andrea and Kim said...

Hi Andrea, do play with it when you can. I just find it very amazing to see the difference in the canvas size and the relationship to the space (then I would find that interesting).

I think you will like it and find some of those paintings you are doing will look fantastic in this setting.

You know, I can't remember which countries in the EU where you can purchase used books. Is France one of those? Suki will probably have some other insights for you, though.

Hugs!