Young Artist Sites

This is part of a repost from my blog for young artists.  I thought it might be exciting to share with you some excellent examples of  exemplary online presence and some terrific work by very young artists. Their ages span from pre-teen to young adult.

The sites below are three brilliant examples of what very young visual artists are doing.  The first is Isabella’s beautiful blog.

http://isabellart.wordpress.com

Isabella has created three separate sections for her work. There’s the poetry section, fine art section, and fashion (her own designs).  Isabella regularly posts wonderful works in progress.  You must have a look.

http://eleanorleonnebennett.zenfolio.com  will bring you to Eleanor Leonne Bennett’s website that is full of her fantastic photography.  It is worth every minute you’ll spend on her website, enjoying her work.  I urge you to investigate every photograph.

Kellie See, at kelliesee.wordpress.com  beautifully chronicles her coursework as an art student studying illustration.  On her terrific blog, you’ll find very specific and instructive posts about what she is thinking and working through. This is what Kellie has to say about her blogging experience:

“I think blogging is fantastic. Its such a great opportunity for people to meet others that share similar interests. Since I started blogging I’ve seen some great pieces of work and read the most amazing posts by other bloggers. They are truly an inspiration for me. Blogging has opened up a whole new world to me where I can share my work and get real opinions and comments back. This is so useful and is a great way to find out what others think and to also help you decide which direction to take next. The blogging community have been fabulous and they are so friendly which makes my blogging experience all the better. I really wouldn’t be without it. Kellie  “

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Book Trailer!

Apart from the cringing ache of hearing my voice in the voiceover, the trailer for Portrait of a Girl and Her Art was a joy to make. Many thanks to the artists for their vibrant contributions and thanks to my son Julian for his music.

If you don’t already know about my book and are not already acquainted with my blog for young artists, they are both called Portrait of a Girl and Her Art.  The blog is devoted to young artists and their work.  The book celebrates young female artists. The trailer provides a teaser of the amazing art created by these very young artists.

If you haven’t already visited the blog, please have a look around by clicking here.   If you have visited, I can promise more about the book, and additions to nearly every page on the blog.  If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, students, or young neighbors who have an interest in art, please direct them to the blog. It is my hope to keep the blog growing with more projects, ideas, and interviews so it may become a place of true artistic community.

All of you readers inspire me through your blogs, comments and support.   Through the book and attention to the blog, I hope to pay it forward to the next generation of artists.

*Flowers, pastel by Elizabeth

Sneak Peak/New Book- Cover!

VERY soon now, Portrait of a Girl and Her Art will be available in hardcover, paperback and PDF .

I’m working on additional electronic formats.

Very soon I’ll have purchase info ready for one step clicking.

Portrait of a Girl and Her Art  already has a dedicated blog where art tips, exciting interviews with young artists, and submissions of art by young artists will keep the inspiration momentum flowing!  Please visit soon.

Cordoned Off/KiDs aRT

Anna, an elementary school student and burgeoning artist, rose to the challenge in this cordon off  assignment.  Essentially, I ask a student to take a paper frame and zero in on anything she finds interesting in the room.  The task is to cordon off a section of a 3D object, focusing in on any part that may be pleasing, then to reproduce  that composition in detail, using Gouache on illustration board.  Not only did Anna capture her subject beautifully, but she learned a lot about color.  In fact, this is Anna’s first piece rendered in full color.

The only problem with the work above is in its presentation. This  is my blunder. Unfortunately you are unable to see just how well Anna studied her subject, because I neglected to shoot it from Anna’s point of view,  Instead , I shot the subject from above. This is a perfect example of the student teaching the instructor a thing or two about paying close attention to her subject 🙂

KiDs aRT:sTiLl LiFE

Any memories of  a pear, a Chianti bottle, and a bicycle wheel propped, draped, lit, and placed  in front of you on a rainy Monday morning?  Ring any bells?  Art class and the mandatory still life.

What I think makes this time-honored and very useful drawing exercise somewhat more interesting, is the freedom to choose the elements and choose the placement of the elements.  Kind of a no brainer.  So, here is a time-worn marionette, a war-torn miniature bird house, and a pig candle. Two twelve-year-old friends agreed upon these objects and took charge of the composition. Point# 1:Participation equals investment.

Point# 2: The approach is similar but the two drawings are so very delightfully different from one another.  Both are well done.  Both artists have had the same instruction. They are the same age.  But look at how each work conveys the sensibilities of each artist. Look at the expressions of the marionette faces in the drawings. One artist made a choice to ignore the drape, the other made it part of the composition. One chose to embellish the marionette’s clothing, and the other chose to ignore the pattern on the shirt. One has marionette strings and the other has no strings. Look at the unique energy of the pencil strokes in each drawing.

My mantra in the studio is “draw what you see with your eyes, not with the shortcut your brain wants you to take”, and that’s good advice I think, for an exercise in drawing. Ultimately however, our eyes need our brains and we do see differently.  I find this fact absolutely thrilling.

Nice work Kate and Audrey!

KIDs ArT

As promised earlier in the month, here is Samantha’s completed acrylic painting.  Clearly, Samantha is not afraid of rendering her darks and lights.  She’s a natural with values. However, translating black and white into color is a little tricky.  This is not a problem for Samantha. She dove right in with complementary colors.  They pop with energy when placed together, as you can see in this piece.  Sam didn’t stop there, she added drama with her stylized interpretation of the scene.  The design work in her  composition pulls each element together beautifully.  Samantha’s painting welcomes the viewer to step right in, pick some apples and enjoy the warmth of the scene. Very nice work.

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Kid’s ART

You may have seen my Emmadroid portrait and tutorial.  In THIS piece, we have a portrait of Emma’s feet. But this time, it’s Emma’s work.

Emma began with a digital photo that she cut apart and reassembled, embellished by various Photoshop filters.  She then painted her feet, using a Vis Tablet, bringing continuity to the piece. Pretty cool!

Kids ART

Jonathan has doubly outdone himself, painting a self-portrait and collaging a rich textured stormy sea back round.  Quite expressive, don’t you think?

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First KID’S ART post

My friend Rachel is an ever so creative visual artist and writer.  She painted “Katgirl and Dustbunny Kat”  in a couple of hours as a gift for her aunt.

Rachel is new to the digital world, but she’s quick on the uptake- a digital natural. They’ll be much more digital Rachel to come.