Project #1 Old vs New

This is a painting that I did for my friend’s birthday about 3 years ago. (For those of you who don’t know, it’s a Tardis from the show Doctor Who) Although I know it isn’t the best painting ever, I still love it and sometimes wish I had kept it for myself instead of giving it away. However, I also know that if I had decided to paint it for myself it would have turned out at a much lower quality than it did. When I try to draw or paint for other people, my work turns out much better than if I do something for myself for whatever reason. I know that I’m not that great of a painter, but I really love working with the colors and being able to add more texture to a piece. Drawing will always be my first love, but when it comes to what I wish I could do more of, it would be painting.

Although I wish I could paint more, I also know that I actually enjoy photography a lot (if using an iPhone counts as photography…). I’ve always loved the idea of being able to capture the beauty of a moment. I am definitely drawn to landscapes and am hoping to finally get a nice camera of my own before studying abroad in Ireland this upcoming spring. So I guess if I had to pick one way that I could continue working with art it would be photography. I will always love drawing and painting, but right now I have a fascination with photography.

Sunrise at Bluestone Bay, Mike Calder

Going with my fascination with photography (specifically landscapes) here are two examples of photos that I really like. Sadly, I don’t have a favorite photographer. I am still very new to all of this and just like what I like. When I look at photos like these, I feel like I’m there. The crispness of the rocks in the first example makes feel like I could touch them. The rays of light in the second example make me feel warmth but the slight blue tint in the surrounding air makes me think that the air is a little chill. I can imagine myself being there and that is what I want to do for people who might someday look at a photo that I took. I want to make people feel things, whether it is emotion or to have them feel like they are physically there.  I have a slight obsession with emotion when it comes to any type of art. I think that an image, even a landscape, can convey a particular emotion whether there is a specific event associated with it or not. I just think that it’s so fascinating.

Artist unknown

Photos like these also give me hope that maybe I will get to see these places in person someday. Right now they’re all I have, but my hope is that someday I’ll have photos of my own experiences that I can look back on and feel what I felt when I first took the photograph.