Tags
animal painting, blob hunting, blob shape, horse oil painting, painting animals, purple horse, purple horse painting
Purple Horse, oil on wood, 4″ x 6″
Hello!
On Monday I wrote that I had a lot of WRITING to do this week.
Well, today is Thursday and almost nothing has been written so far: I’ve just had the hardest time wrapping my head around any “thoughts” — I don’t know where to start.
When drawing, it’s easier for me to draw when there’s a blob shape or a line or something already “there” to get me started — basically, a problem for me to solve.
I remembered today that the same is true for writing.
Can you help me?
I need something to start from. Is there something you would like to ask me, about drawing or creativity or anything like that? Please,
(Either comment here on this post or email me privately: carla@carlasonheim.com.)
I will try to answer most of them as time goes by, and of course will make any answers available to you here.
Thank you in advance (so much) for your help.
carlasonheim.wordpress.com 
Why do you teach art? And what do you think of crazy people like me who love to learn from you? Carla, I talk about you my NEW illustrator website – -I’m being so ridiculous and presumptious — probably fall flat on my face, but who cares.
So, why do you teach and when did you start using blogs?
When you look at your line or blob, do you ever squint at it, cross your eyes to blur it, turn it upside down or around and around—-anything to bring out the creative answer?
Thanks, Amanda
When you look at your line or blob, do you ever squint at it, cross your eyes to blur it, turn it upside down or around and around—-anything to bring out the creative answer?
Thanks,
Amanda
Everytime you send an email, I rush to see what you’ve created: Here are a few ?’s I have if you were near by.
Where do you start on paper when you are painting (right or left side) I find myself leaning right and then I get lost when I run out of room?
Do you put the blob for the head or tail first. and is it easier to start the blob for the head or tail?
Do you make the back ground first or the animal?
Do you start with black or a color ink?
Do you leave it for another day or finish it right away?
Do you draw one animal per day or maybe 3 or 4 per day?
This was a great idea of yours letting us ask questions.
Thank
Greta
Who are your favorite artists from prior to the 20th century?
Do you think in images?
How do you think?
What are your key messages when teaching color values?
I’d like to begin a business with my art. How did you do that? Is blogging the best way so people can get to know me? What would you suggest to someone looking to begin and grow a creative inspired business?
Thanks for giving us an opportunity to ask you questions!
I’ve been having fun with the eraser sketches and it seems like magic when the face is there below the scribbles waiting to come out…but my faces always are male. What can I do to make them more feminine?
Hi Carla,
I have a couple of questions…
1. How do you stay so free and carefree when making art and not worry about anything (ie: presumed expectations of others or timeline pressures) and just envolve yourself in the fun of the process?
2. How do you combat procrastination? How do you get yourself to just sit down and create art without worrying about all the other important things you should be doing (like mom duties, bills, etc)?
If more appropriate, maybe these questions can be answered from past experience. You seem to be pretty productive and content. I need to be more like that!
Thanks!
Do stories ever pop into your head from one of your blob or sidewalk crack creations? What a great kids book they would make……. (((-:
You got some really thought provoking questions going here so I’m going to give you an easy one. In your new book, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals, you have a gorgeous installation piece with birds using 1/32th” birch wood. Where would I find that wood…art supply or hardware store?
Do all your blob or line creatures have the same look or do you only post pictures of ones that have your distinctive look? Because my blobish creatures never have anything in common…. but I could tell if you had painted one from across the room! I love when artists have a certain style, a recognizable style or look!
Do you ever make your art with your eyes closed?
Do you ever create art with your feet?
Do you ever collaborate on pieces?
Will you be in southern California soon to teach a class or workshop?
Thanks for the chance to ask questions. Happy writing.
Boy did you open the flood gates. Lol. I’ve got lots of questions but mostly I need help on the shading you do for the backgrounds. How do you start the background. I hope with figuring out the background I might be able to put a animal on it.
If you had to pick three things to draw or paint with (not counting the paper), what three things would they be? Be specific… like, not just “black pen,” but, “black Pitt F pen,” for example. If it’s a Copic, tell what color and what end. xoxo.
My suggestion for jump starting your writing: If you are familiar with and work well with a starting “blob”; then start with a pile of words. Start writing down every word that comes to you when you think about your process. Write down as many as you can think of. Then, take from the pile and start using the words in your sentences/paragraphs.
Who would you like to take an art class from that you haven’t? You could answer with an artist who is alive and one who is dead if you want.
From Where does most of your inspiration come
When do you decide a piece is done/complete/finished (and you can walk away satisfied)?
What about: color? shape? size? surface to paint on? time to paint? time to dedicate to painting? creating? blogging? family? HOW CAN YOU MANAGE EVERYTHING!?!?!??
Where did you first get the idea to draw such amazing animals? Did you first see animals in the clouds? Do you basically use paper? Watercolor?
How do you “feel” ?…I’m so visual, but have realized my daily surroundings can have a big influence….such as today..started out to be cloudy, I wanted to do art work and did, even though it started out “forced” by the end I was happy…, still cloudy & cool, which makes me want to hibernate…can’t do that, go to work, find left brained challenges, accomplish them, check, now am home with the sunshine out and the “kids” at my feet slumbering (dogs ;))…watching the sun diminish on the horizon, go ahead have a toddy…lol, and am creating one of your style-like blob animals on the pages I began today…….I can call this a serene and accomplished day…..would you?
Do you ever do automatic writing as suggested by Julia Cameron in The Artists Way? Zentangles are also supposed to get you into the “zone” so you can make art or draw.
CArla,
can you tell us a story about George the Purple Horse? Is his mother a mule? His ears are so long, or is he sad? WHere did his friends go, he’s alone!
how do you keep from being buried under all your supplies, I used to only work with watercolor or colored pencil (never the two together) and now after reading your books, my table is covered in different pens, pencils, paints, markers and other supplies, its crazy!
have you ever worked with chalk pastels? what do you do with them, do you combine them with other mediums? how?
I love your work and try to imagine it in a gallery setting. How do you finish or frame it to suit it’s style ?
When and how did you go full force into teaching art? How long have you been teaching? Also where did you study to get to this wonderful place?
I was surprised when I read what you wrote in Imaginary Animals: “I didn’t really pick up a pencil until I was thirty”. As someone who has only recently picked up a pencil, that was encouraging to hear. I’m curious what prompted you to do so, and how you got over the beginners’ hurdles.
When did you first realize you enjoyed creating in any form? growing up my mom did creative things with us-and signed us up for all sorts of art related classes. that’s where i got my start-so i wonder if it’s been lifelong for you-or you came into later?
These are all great questions. I am a true amateur, I have taken one class in my freshman year of high school (1980) and one art class in college (1998). I do most of my drawing on the internet using SumoPaint.com and find that the thought of picking up a pencil and sketchbook makes me freeze up. So I totally understand your procrastinating when it comes to the writing. I really like the suggestion of making a pile of words to use for your paragraphs and sentences. So here is my question for you to ponder on: What do you do personally to free your mind and remove the road blocks that are stopping you from creating something new?
Why do you draw/paint, as opposed to other artistic endeavors such as tap- dancing, poetry or playing the banjo?
darling purple horse -as you call it. when I saw him I thought what a good Christmas card it would make – as I immediately saw him as a humble donkey that carried Christ to his birth place
Where did you see your first shape to start creating your imaginary animals?
There is always the question of creative flow…how to achieve it, maintain it and bring joy to it. You are a wonderful practitioner of Creative Flow and have discovered playful tools to initiate, maintain and nurture it. For many though it seems like a carefully hidden secret…
This is brilliant, Carla, simply brilliant!! You are remarkable!!
I ended up using sidewalk crack photos for the kids I was teaching this week and I had 5th graders and 2nd graders and both groups found it wonderful and frustrating. It is hard to pull off a good-for-everyone project in 45 minutes, and I have learned to take it in stride, but I noticed several kids were stuck with trying to DO IT RIGHT. Or, asking me, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS??!!
What I love about your book is that it lives in the place where there are no right ways or supposed to’s. I wonder how you came to BE so self-assured and relaxed?! Especially since you mostly came to this art-making, art-teaching, and artist way of Life once you were 30+.
I’m really enJOYing developing and adapting this In the Style of Carla Sonheim curriculum. Your work and ideas inspire so many possibilities for kids to learn the JOY of making art, NOT for the outcome, for the PROCESS!!
BRAVA!!
How do you know that you are an artist and not just somebody who makes stuff?
Why didn’t you pick up a pencil before you were thirty? Weren’t you interested in drawing or were you afraid of something? (I’m 42 so I’m kinda in a rush to find out…hehe)
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Hi Carla,
I am always trying to find my own expressive self but when I paint from my imagination it never turns out as well as I had hoped. Is there a secret to finding ones own style, and do you think all artists compare their work to others? Will I ever find my own way of expression? Help!
Thanks, Mary.
Gosh, what great questions people have sent in! How do you know you’re an artist? How do you start? How do you keep from being buried under your supplies? (Ha! That’s a good one for me!) How do you find time? (Another good one!)
I just wanted to say how much I love the “purple horse”! Wonderful! And when you write the answers to all these great questions, please let us know 😀
Best to you,
Deb D.
Hi Carla
I’d like to add a few practical questions about storing and using fixatives.
I make a lot of junk drawings. And then some good ones. If you want to keep them looking good,what do you do?
The junk ones I’s like to reuse for other works. I’d like to try collage more often. If you make a collage you actually like and have used mixed media – how do you keep thém safe? What kind of fixative will work on a combination of newspaper and magzaine cuttings, acrylic paint. What if you’ve added watercolour ?
Perhaps these are not the most inspiring theme’s to talk about, but I would like reading about that very much.
THanks in advance!
Wishing you all the best with your writing!
Do you always have a starting point for a drawing/painting such as a blob? Or do you just have the idea and then use that as a jumping off point for your drawings? Do you carry a sketchbook for inspiration? How do you get yourself out of creative ruts? Do you feel happy with where you are with your art? And finally, where/how did you come up with all your wonderful tutorials and exercises?
thanks, an awed 13year old
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At what point did you feel comfortable with your work…I mean, when did you start to share? I like what I’m doing (sometimes), but the thought of actually letting someone else see it – and, gulp, critique it, still scares the sox off of me! Did you expierence this? How’d you conquer it? Confidence is a weird thing!
In Imaginary Animals, on one example you recommend Golden Absorbent Ground. Is there an alternative? Or, can you tell me what else I would use it for? I keep buying products and use them once – it’s getting expensive. If I had an idea about how I might want to use it in other projects, not just this one, it would help. Thanks
Hi Terry, great question, and one I had meant to address in the book as a “Tip” or sidebar… so sorry it was one of those things that got lost in the shuffle.
Try this project with a watered down layer of white gesso (or acrylic paint). Use enough to tone down your original collaged papers to about 50% opaqueness… or whatever feels right!
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Carla, I think you are en excellent teacher and that your strength lies very much in it. Since you described your problems keeping a constant artist flow, do you also have them with teaching? Did you doubt of taking one way (artist) or the other (teacher) or wasn’t it an issue?
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I love your work and your books and have found much inspiration from you. As I grow as an artist, I’d like to teach but I’m not sure how to get started…what would you suggest?
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Dear Carla
What are you doing with all your finished artwork on loose paper? How do you store and display them (boxes, folders, are you binding them / glue paper on wood or canvas or put paperartwork in frames, with or without glas, and why?). I would really like to hear from your experiences.
Thank you for your efforts
Best regards
Sandra