Sketchbook Inspirations!

I've been looking around on StumbleUpon and specifically searching the Art section and found these amazing drawings and sketches. One that really amazed me was by Irina Vinnik. She really inspires me to be a lot more confident when drawing and be bold. Here's some examples of her work:

You can check out the rest of her sketches/drawings here: 

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Sketchbook/340060

Ricardo Actus is another artist that really inspires me when sketching, too. His artwork and Irina's artwork are polar extremes. Irina's is much more clean, crisp and bold, whereas Actus's is a lot more sketchy, emotional and realistic. Both are very expressive and flowing. Here's some examples of his work: 

To check out his artwork click the link: http://naoacendaasluzes.com.br/

Both of these artists are different yet they both create artwork that is expressive of their selves. They have different styles which are interesting and emotional, in my opinion.

 I'm still working on my sketchbook and I find myself going back to pencils, but I never experiment enough. I plan to work with more media, create interesting pieces and try to put some sort of emotion in them. That's the hard part. Placing my emotions on paper and expressing it.

Portraits are HARD!!!

Ayyy...portraits are hard. It's going to take me awhile until my portraits start looking recognizable.

Attempt at Fergie (top) Lourdes (Bottom)

Failed attempt at Judy Garland

These really are just tests. I still have time to improve them but I wanted to test out my new tortillons. Makes shading a LOT easier. But, my observational skills with people needs work!!!

Texture Assignment 10/15/10

Leaves texture

Teddy bear textures, baskets

CU

Texture assignment for drawing -- compressed charcoal

Creativity and Knowledge: Leonardo da Vinci & Andy Warhol

Leonardo da Vinci: Knowledge

    Leonardo da Vinci is known to be the artist who created the masterpiece, Mona Lisa. Da Vinci is a renaissance man who excelled in almost every subject he threw himself into. For many artists, he is the inspiration to paint by knowledge; to know how to make the eyes of a subject follow the viewer, or to know how to draw a full sketch of a person in front of you with complete accuracy. Da Vinci is knowledgeable when he paints to make the viewer feel what he wants them to feel, to make them see what he wants them to see.

  

    I believe Leonardo da Vinci is a wise painter and is supremely adept to making the viewer believe, see, feel, touch and sense what he wants to be conveyed. For many artists, this is not easy to achieve and an artwork is always left to the viewer to interpret. Da Vinci knows how to make the viewer become apart of the painting and not left to be detached.

Andy Warhol: Creativity

    Andy Warhol is one of the most famous artists known for their creativity. I believe Warhol’s creations come from a creative place in his mind and his artwork shows that this place of creativity is unique and unlike any other. His ideas are not inspired by other artists, it is his own completely different and intriguing ideas. That is why he is a pioneer in Pop Art and has changed the perspectives and given new spectacles on what makes something art; what makes it beautiful. His creativity is one of a kind and he inspires modern artists today.

    The reason why his artwork had made such an impact is because it’s different. It was a new creative idea that flourished during his time and made people embrace it with open arms. Warhol is one of the great creative artists that changed the art world.

Comparisons: Creativity and Knowledge

   Creativity and knowledge are both terms that can work synonymously together. Creativity cannot be possible if there is nothing learned to create. Knowledge is specifically the main fundamental aspect in being creative. It allows one to be inspired and to take things learned from piece of artwork or technique and apply it to one’s own artwork. In any case, creativity and knowledge are interchangeable and provide information to each other to make a work an overall much better piece.

   

    Creativity is the usage of different, original ideas and can often be inspired from other works. An artist cannot create art without utilizing their creativity. To create an artwork without using creativity is to produce unimaginative works. As artists, it is essential to utilize creativity as a tool when making an artwork. In every artistic piece, creativity must be seen in order for the audience to feel and connect with the piece. Once the connection is absent, the piece is no longer valuable in terms of connecting emotionally and mentally. Creativity is one of the key elements that should be concerned with before even starting a work. If there is no creativity, there is no painting, no artwork; there is nothing essentially there if creativity is not present.
    Knowledge is another key aspect when starting a piece. One would not be able to approach a project confidently if some sort of learning was not established. To have knowledge in terms of artistry and being inspired by other forms of art out there, is to be a well rounded artist with artwork that is able to connect and reach out towards the audience. Knowledge is having the capacity to utilize these things learned in the past and being able to use it in the present. For many artists, it is not very hard to remember techniques and skills and things seen in other artworks that inspire them to create their own work of art. To have knowledge of things seen and learned is an essential aspect of creating art.

   

   Both creativity and knowledge go together, interchangeably. They inform each other and bring about questions to the artist about the work of art. Is this piece conveying my message, is it connecting to the audience positively or negatively? If the work of art is supposed to make the audience remember a previous artwork, technique or style, the artist should ask him/herself “Does this convey/show that?” Creativity and knowledge are vital aspects in the art world and they exist to create artwork that is emotionally and mentally connecting.