Grandpa in Miniature

This is my great grandfather, Ivan. He was a handsome, slender, and intelligent Swedish man. He was an electrician by trade and a violinist by passion. He was as sharp as ever when he died at age 95.

"Grandpa" by Karin Lauria

Big Grandma, Little

I made another little paper person during lunch today. This one is based on my great grandmother, Nettie, who died many years ago. She was a beautiful, hearty Swedish woman with perfect, porcelain skin. She also made the best fried chicken on earth.

"Big Grandma" by Karin Lauria

Art Break

I so needed an art lunch break today during work. Our Marketing Communications Department has been leaving brochures with sample papers in the kitchen. They’re there for the taking for anyone who does scrapbooking or collage, or in my case, for creating little people, like the one below.

It was awfully fun and brought to mind times when my mom and I would create holiday decorations out of construction paper. Those are some of the most treasured memories of my childhood. They remind me of how much I love and admire my mother’s creative spirit.

"Girl in Red Dress" by Karin Lauria

More Digital Collage

I love long weekends. They allow me both to complete tedious chores and work on my art until I fall asleep at the keyboard.

Here’s another attempt at digital mixed media using torn paper.

"Printing" by Karin Lauria

Digital Collage

My scanner is my new best friend. Today, I created a collage from torn paper, then scanned and digitally manipulated it. Below is the result.

I’m now on the hunt for some interesting textures to include in the next one.

"Clothes Line" by Karin Lauria

Digital Mixed Media

Yesterday, I did a one-day monotype workshop. Monotype, like every artistic medium or process, is harder than it looks if you want to produce something that actually looks good. I succeeded in making some pretty ugly monotypes. Still, I’d love to try it again now that I have a feel for the process and materials. It’s always exciting to pull something off the press. Nothing beats that element of surprise.

All was not lost. I scanned one of my newbie monotypes to create a digital file. I then used paint chips to create a collage, scanned that as well, combined the two, and used digital tools to do additional work. Trees I and II (below) represent my first experiment with digital mixed media.

My mind is now flowing with ideas and I look forward to doing more of this.

Finding Ourselves Through Facebook

My friends and I are addicted to Facebook quizzes and I’m starting to wonder why. Of course quizzes that purport to provide some important insight into who you are are nothing new–think of Cosmo quizzes: “How sexy are you?” “Is he the right guy for me?”

But Facebook strikes me as being different. Where else can you find out who your movie star twin is, which Star Trek crew member best represents you, what 70s TV character you’re most like, and which is your LOLCat?

What’s the appeal? I’m beginning to think that Facebook quizzes are part of a modern spiritual quest, a contemporary means of finding ourselves. I can see myself more clearly through others who may represent me. Isn’t it more enlightening to find out that you’re as hot as say, Scarlet Johansson, than to read that you’re an 8 on the sexy scale?

Sure, sometimes the results are disappointing. I didn’t much like learning that I resonate with the Professor from Gilligan’s Island, but was quite flattered to be compared to Captain Kirk.

Note to my brother: Don’t worry. You’re nothing like Bobby Brady.

A Day for Doodling

"Flower Pot" by Karin Lauria

I love delicate illustrations done in subtle colors, especially doodly ones. Usually however, I can’t help myself but to throw splashes of red everywhere. Today I resisted and tried hard to stick with subdued tones and colors.

It’s a quiet Sunday and a day to let loose. So I doodled this little flower pot. I also played with a few patterns that come with GIMP (I love the animal print). I don’t usually use them, but like I said, this was a play day.

Next time I’ll try scanning in a few patterns and see how it goes.

Is Digital Art Cheating?

"Vernal Pool" by Karin Lauria

Once again, I encountered the question as to whether using digital media constitutes cheating in the making of art.

It happened at an art show opening the other night. I have two pieces in the show. A few people, upon learning that that my work is digitally produced, asked me how I did them. I’ve wrestled with how to handle the “cheating” comments, especially since they usually come out of a place of ignorance about digital art. After all, it strikes me that, if you’ve never tried using the tools, the judgment is pretty unfair.

In this case, the person who mentioned it is a photographer who recently moved from traditional to digital photography, and actually is starting to explore digital techniques a la Photoshop.

Let me say, he seemed like a very nice person, and as with many other people I’ve encountered who talk about digital tools in terms of cheating, appeared uncomfortable in saying it. They also don’t seem intent on demeaning my work.

I have come to believe that the people who ask usually are those who are most interested but are grappling with what they think constitutes an authentic work of art. They are generally either very excited or very curious about the possibilities of the digital world, but are feeling obstructed by personal and cultural presuppositions about what “real” art is. (Often, the number one obstacle has to do with equating hours of labor with quality. But, as I’ve said before, art is not an endurance sport).

My conclusion? Next time the subject comes up, pose this simple question:

“What do you mean by ‘cheating’?”

I’ve been too focused on feeling offended by these incidents when I ought to have been taking them as an opportunity to help other people think through their own struggles.

My bad.

Discovering Digital Art

"Pink Streak" by Karin Lauria

I mentioned in a prior post that my blog has been quiet for a very long time because I’ve been re-dedicating myself to creating art. My graduate studies left very little time for such things.

So I’ve come back to art with a bit a vengeance. And, taken on an entirely new medium–the digital canvas. My fiancee urged me to try it, despite my resistance. Would it limit my creativity? Would I miss the more tangible media of oils, acrylics, and graphite?

The first concern is, in retrospect, a bit funny given what I know now, namely, that a vast array of tools are available through programs like GIMP, Corel Painter, and Inkscape and geez, they’re all free! Digital offers so much room for creativity that it can be overwhelming for a beginner. But once you start to get it, man, it’s like flying.

Still, I sometimes find myself explaining to people why digital art is not “cheating.” Art is not an endurance sport, for goodness sake, and besides, it’s not as though you speak commands into your mouse to make your art:

“Computer, create beautiful piece of art with perfect composition, value range, and color harmony.”

If that ever happens, I’ll go back to oils.