Anyone can be an art teacher. Watch me do it. Free lesson!
Rule number one: art is everywhere, all around us. Along with that, anything you call art IS ART! Bammo, whamo! Now you know, you can go color something with crayons. A wall, a window, the wood slats under your bunk bed, it doesn’t matter. Crayons are most great artists’ inroductory medium.
Pens and pencils may be next, though some folks may argue that charcoal is before those.
Charcoal can be interesting because it works on most surfaces. Charcoal and chalk work well on concrete. To remove it, just wait for rain.
Pencils are great because you can erase the lines and shades you made. If you use an eraser, just remember to not erase too hard near the edge of the paper or you could rip it. That’s probably rule number two, but who’s counting these silly rules anyway?
Here’s another thing about art: it should be about stuff you like. So, for instance, if you happen to like cars you should either paint cars or paint cars, you know what I mean? Some people really like train cars because I see they paint train cars a lot. There are miles of paint, and miles and miles of art. Perhaps too there’s something satisfying about having your art travel to other states, other countries. Paint your mural and say goodbye.
If you wanted greater mileage, you’d paint rockets.
If you wanted greater visibility, you’d paint the backdrops for the local news. Paint your mural across the weather channel’s map.
If you want to never be seen except by the bravest of the brave, you’d paint your mural on the wall of an underwater cave.
Then again, maybe you’re not about any of those things.
Possibly you want to enjoy your own art and don’t care much for an audience. Make some art and keep it in your sock drawer. Ain’t nobody looking in there but you.
Rule number whatever is this: make your own thing. Copying other people’s art is fine, to a point. It can help you be artistic. It doesn’t make you an artist though. An artist has to have a measure of creativity, and a dose of originality. The ability to make your own art will give you a sense of accomplishment as well as the satisfaction of knowing you can make what no one else can. Art cred is found in the thing no one else thought of doing—until they saw yours.
Xenosthesia.com 