Art Therapy - Reading and Writing

Some more tips for storytelling! Last one we talked mostly about character; dramatic vs comedic, motivation, and how they shouldn't be sacrificed for plot. Well today we're talking about tips to build a better plot! Complete with setups and payoffs, different types of plot, and how to keep the suspense alive.  CC Music by Scott Buckley.  This is my last episode for the year, I will be back in 2019! Have a happy holidays and New Year. 

Writing is Thinking, Reading is Mind-Reading.  And of course, the more expert minds you read, the more material you'll be able to draw from as an artist! This episode was going to be about the benefits of reading and why we should read more, but that seemed like a no-brainer, today I'll be talking about the HISTORY of the written word, and how information has gradually become more and more accessible and at our disposal.  Books!👇  Creativity Inc. (the genius behind Pixar.) https://books.google.com/books/about/Creativity_Inc.html?id=UqccAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false How to Read a Book (an interesting take on the idea of reading itself) https://books.google.com/books/about/How_to_Read_a_Book.html?id=Z5PpkQadm5EC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false Organizing for Creative People (i recommended this one before) https://books.google.com/books/about/Organizing_for_Creative_People_Sampler.html?id=MqzRDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false No music once again.

Life is a chaotic mess. It can be pretty difficult to make time for your craft at times. Sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes it's poor time management or lack of motivation. Well TODAY I have some tips to implement a creative injection of art into your day at a manageable pace, focusing on what time of day, where to dedicate your workspace, and why to stay focused on one medium at a time.    CC Music by... what? Huh, no music this episode. I'm gonna see how it turns out. Either the music is distracting, or it's a pleasant undertone that keeps me from sounding desolate and alone!

Welcome to the Abstract! What is your experience with Abstract Art? Do you laugh at it or appreciate it? Do you think about art snobs who over-analyze everything, or wonder how the mess of colors that a 5-year old could draw is worth 10 million dollars? Well, I'm not here to change any minds about it, but modern abstract art is popular for a reason, they can't all be faking it. Today I'll be talking about the origins of abstract art, the difficulty of defining its price in the fine art market, and why seemingly simple pieces end up being so popular.    CC music by  Scott Buckley, Jahazzar, and RizkeyG.  Sources and Further Reading: Alex Mayyasi's detailed overview about this stuff https://priceonomics.com/why-is-art-expensive/ Making it in the Art world! https://books.google.com/books?id=kewsAgAAQBAJ&source=gbs_similarbooks Jackson Pollock: Interviews, articles, and reviews https://www.moma.org/documents/moma_catalogue_226_300198614.pdf  

Back from break!  It's been a pretty hectic 4 weeks, but I'm finally back with a small collection of tips for beginning writers who need to work on characters. I talk about the difference between dramatic and comedic characters, the importance of motivation, and a fair warning against writing solely for plot.  CC music by Dead Combo. 

Your Project is complete! The next question is what to do with it? If you're proud of it, tucking it in a drawer or closet or hard drive somewhere isn't a great plan, you should try to get it out in the world! Get as many people to see your work as possible, and you'll get accolades for your hard work. Today' we're talking about the LAST step in the process: the best ways to get your work out there, Internet or no internet.  I actually made all the music in Garage band. Except for the little bits at the end, obviously. 

Art is never finished, only abandoned. The hardest part of your project is over! It's finally time to sign your name at the bottom. But artists finish in different ways, on different projects. Some reach a big checkered flag, and end triumphantly, and others drag it out in a long grueling revision phase, not sure when to pull the plug, afraid to leave mistakes behind. Today, we'll talk about finishing WELL, accepting avoidable mistakes in your project, and how you can avoid getting caught in that semi-finished limbo.  If you made it this far, that means your project is COMPLETE, whatever that means to you. By now you made something, and learned from it. Congrats! Creative Commons Music by airtone and RizkeyG. 

Writing is Rewriting, Action is Reaction! If you made it up to this point in your project, congrats! Not many pieces make it past the drafting process. But now you're in the longest step, slowly hacking away at your work through editing, so only the best of the project shows, turning your work from GOOD to GREAT. In this episode, I'll be talking about the importance of taking a BREAK in your process, when to accept critique, and how to muster up the courage to chop away at your art.  Music by Vidian, ft. Gurdonark, White-Throated Sparrow and Airtone. 

Time to build momentum! We've got the equipment, the plan, the determination, it's time to climb the moutain. This part of the process is devoted to beating out that first rough draft, that first layer of paint, the first rehearsal. In this phase, it's perfectly acceptable (and normal) to start making mistakes! The important part is to push through until that "draft" is finished, and today we're talking about how to do that.  Creative Commons music by RiskeyG and CDK. 

Let's Start with Starting out!  In this 5-part episode, I will be talking about the full creative process from start to finish! Today, I'm talking about making the first step towards that creative project you've been thinking about, and give some tips on how you can plan ahead, outline, and get the motivation to actually sit down and start!  Creative Commons music: Paper Planes - Durden ft. Airtone Aether Theories - Vidian, ft. Gurdonark, White-Throated Sparrow