ART VS.CRAFT

Which is it?

Art and Craft are two different things! What some people call their "art" program is really a craft program and is misleading if you are looking for a way to express yourself where there are no rules, no wrong answers, where you can be free and creative. Most projects are somewhere between the two, in that shade of gray area.

Pure art lets you do whatever you want. In not-so-pure art you might be told what media to use (clay, canvas and paint, a pile of misc stuff and some glue) but you can do whatever you want with these items. If you are told what the finished item must resemble, then you are moving even closer toward that blurry line that separates art from craft. Hey, everyone- lets make flowers out of colored construction paper! (but how the flowers look are up to each person's imagination).

If you are told the steps to follow and what your project must look like (and everyone else's will look just like yours) than it's definitely a craft. Reimagine the flower project where you are told how many stems and what their sizes are, to follow a pattern for the leaves and petals and what colors to use for the petals - now it's 100% craft which leaves absolutely no room for imagination or creativity.

To cover all bases, most classes or teachers call their program "Arts and Crafts." If you are okay with either then sign up. If you are definitely looking for a more pure art or pure craft, then ask questions before signing on with the program!

If a child has difficulty with following directions and steps, then put them in a pure art program where they can do no wrong. Success is guarenteed! Self-esteem shall soar! AND NEVER EVER ask "what is it?" Just gush on about how cool the end result is, compliment the colors chosen, the shapes that evolved. This is best for the younger kids as well as anyone who has difficulty making something look the way it's "supposed" to look.

Alot of us have it drilled into our heads that our art has to "look" like something. That's why we have problems with abstract art. And many of us have it in our heads that the item has to look photo realistic. Freud would allow you to blame this on your parents, grandparents and society as a whole. I can blame my brainwashing on my dad. I'm all grown up now but he still looks over my shoulder (figuratively).

Just remember that before cameras, portrait painting ruled the earth. Kings and Queeens wanted to be remembered. Realism was demanded. It took society quite awhile to accept landscapes and still lifes, let alone the craziness of abstract art. It's gonna take some time for some of us to snap out of that mindset.

CELEBRITY ARTISTS

Alot of celebrities (actors, singers, musicians, athletes, rich people with nothing better to do) have tried their hands at photography, painting and drawing. Some are very good! And some, well, let's just say their work isn't my cup of tea. Some of their art is very serious and straightforward, some is very modern and perhaps even downright strange, and some is cute and whimsical.

Anyway, I am very impressed with Jane Seymour as an impressionist artist. She even did a scene from one of my favorite movies, "Somewhere in Time." I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a print or two from her collection. I am also impressed with the works by Eve Plumb (Brady Bunch's middle sister) and Grace Slick.

Check out http://www.poplifeart.com/ for a listing of celebrities and you can view some of their works.

Let me know who you like and who tanks.

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How to Make it Look 3D

Okay - here are a few tricks to put up your sleeve:

Overlapping & Shadows- set up a group of objects that are close together and overlap each other. Pick out where the light will be coming from and then put in some shadows. See the Cezanne example below.

Atmosperic Perspective - as objects get farther away try this: their colors become pale/less strong and start to resemble to background color (bluish mountains against the sky, reddish mountains during the sunset). There is also less of a dark/light contrast between the fartherest away objects and the background. Finally - closer items will have definite details. Farther items have less detail. There's a photo of mountians below.

Vanishing Point - parallel lines get closer together to form a V way out in the distance/horizon. This can be the lines of a street, railroad tracks, any object that is both close and far. Check out the photo below of railroad tracks.

Perspective - make far away objects smaller than like objects that are close.