Tuesday, November 18, 2008

"ORGANIZED CHAOS"...is that an Oxymoron?


I am up to #9 in the Everyday Matters Challenge and it is "Organized Chaos". Seems like a contradiction in terms to me. I am not about to reveal the real chaos so I chose the bookcase my husband built in my office. It looks chaotic enough for me. My sketching skills are slowly improving. The straight lines aren't quite so wavy and the circles seem to be a little rounder.

Tomorrow I will be doing a demonstration for the Allied Artists' Guild in Palo Alto. This one is in the morning and then they will feed me lunch. Sounds like a good deal to me! I spent a few hours playing with an image in Photoshop Elements tonight in preparation. I thought I had figured out all the variations but I found a few new things to vary the results. I am looking forward to actually painting tomorrow.

While at Aaron Brothers yesterday getting the new pens, I found a great book on Acrylic paints and mediums. If you like to experiment with the various possibilities, check out "Altered Surfaces" (using acrylic paints with gels, mediums, grounds and pastes) by Chris Cozen. It is a small book with very clear illustrated examples of the different types of acrylic paints and uses for all those other mysterious jars of goo. One suggestion is to use airbrush acrylic paint to mimic watercolor. I guess it is even less viscous than fluid acrylics. Michaels carries Creative Color brand which is high quality. I used to get my dyes from that company.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Myrna,
Your "every day matters" drawings are inspiring! Your book case has an interesting, abstract structure to it. Have fun with your demo.

Sandy Maudlin said...

I love seeing where this challenge is leading you. Thanks so much for sharing what you're finding along the way. Have a great demo.

Anonymous said...

I love the words "organized chaos", and I live that way. When I was taking a clutter control support group, we called it organized clutter, "like" things together creating a non-chaotic look! I keep saying you are inspiring me, but where are my drawings!! I have yet to even look at that Everyday matters website. as soon as I finish putting out daily fires, I am going to get back to my painting. John is buying me a very nice tabletop easel for the holdays, much better than my $3 one I bought at a garage sale and is a wonderful antique one that folds down small, but falls over with the big boards on it!! have fun today.

joanieART said...

Bookcases are so busy, and that makes them a challenge. And you rose to it really well!

Nava said...

THAT looks chaotic to you? I am about to revert to the texting language, as in: OMG, LOL, ROTFLMAO.

Um... the most organized shelf in my studio looks like that so called "chaos" of yours.

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