Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Blogging Again, I hope!


Hi All,
I have been trying to blog on my new mini ipad without success, having trouble downloading my photos. I also find Facebook so easy to use! That is the reason I have been absent!
Above is one of the pages from my online class with Joanne Sharpe. I am way behind but I have all year to work on it!!! I am using my inktense pencils a lot and washi tape. I stick close to Joanne's lessons so I can assimilate all the new learnings. Which brings me to a lesson I learned while away on Holiday. I like to copy other artists' drawings so I can learn new details for my doodles in my working sketchbook. ( Reference: Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon)  This is only for me but I do post photos on Facebook and give credit to the artist. One of my favourite artists asked me to remove my photo from my wall. I was very embarrassed and upset. I took it off my wall and sent an apology, which was accepted . I felt so bad I reworked the journal page and took out all the drawings, removed any photos I had of her art from my gallery and unfriended her. I thought I couldn't take the chance of copying her work again, even if some images are universal. I miss seeing her Facebook and I wish I had received a different reaction to my emulation of her work. I will try to be encouraging when another artist copies my work for their own learning. As a former art teacher, I always encouraged the kids to copy artwork as DaVinci encouraged his proteges to copy his work. I believe there is something to the idea that you learn better when you exercise your hand and it communicates your drawings to the brain. I'd love to hear what you think.


3 comments:

diane.ca said...

I agree Donna copying is a great way to start learning. And I am surprised at the response from the artist since you gave her credit. I would have thought she/he would have been flattered that you liked the work enough to copy.

Fibreartist said...

Hi Diane, I thought so too. But I wonder if some artists get too full of themselves. If it is posted anywhere on the internet, artists will copy. Now if you are making money off another artist's work that is another story, copying not allowed.
Have you read Steal like An Artist? Its funny and so true!

Maggi said...

I too agree that copying is a great way to learn and your own style will ultimately show through. I think that giving credit to the artist, which you did, is essential and I know that some artists have a no pinning policy. Pity that this particular artist couldn't have been more understanding and engage in a conversation with you about her reasons for not wanting her work on your timeline rather than just demanding you take it down.