Friday, October 16, 2009

Appropriation

ap·pro·pri·ate
Pronunciation: \ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt\
1 : to take exclusive possession of 2 : to set apart for or assign to a particular purpose or use 3 : to take or make use of without authority or right


I have had such fear of being seen as unoriginal that I have shied away from things that I have a genuine interest in documenting visually. My idea was this week to show some of my favorite artists doing just the thing that I fear to do.



The first and best example of appropriation has to be Roy Lichtenstein. He is the king of comic book art as fine art. The reason I chose this image is because I have done many pieces with Converse sneakers (one of my many obsessions) and have never seen this painting before. It just goes to show, you can be derivative without even realizing it.

Keith Haring has been a favorite of mine for a long time. His work is very minimal and also quite derivative of comic book art. He started out as a graffiti artist which makes this piece interesting to me. It definitely borrows themes from ancient Egypt, some of the original graffiti artists. Those guys really knew how to decorate a wall!




Lastly, I had to talk about Pablo Picasso. Definitely the most famous of the three artists I am discussing. Partially because he has done the most work, but also because he has the oldest work. The picture on the left shows a painting based on the famous story of Don Quixote. Like many artists he has taken a story and brought it to life with his images.

Basically, the point of this was to convince myself that it is OK to use what you know. Not everything can be 100% original, in fact it is impossible to not have the things around you inspire the art on the page.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Great Opportuntiy!

Handmade Success, creator of such guides as the Etsy Seller Success kit, is having a giveaway!



This is what she is giving away:


The Handmade Success Consultation is a 30 minute telephone conversation with yours truly. Over the course of the consult, we will review everything and anything related to running your handmade business - your product line, your Etsy shop branding and copy, your marketing efforts, and your advertising strategy. I will listen to your concerns and craft a strategy for you to improve upon each of these areas and give you advice on how to streamline your efforts so you can spend more time creating your product and less time on the computer. We will talk about your goals for this month, this year, and beyond. At the end, I will follow up in writing with a concise marketing & business plan for you to refer back to. Sound good? The charge for the consultation is normally $75.

I will be selecting 5 entries at random to win the free consult. Entries must be received by midnight PST Friday, October 16, 2009 and I will announce the winner on Monday, October 19th. Good luck, and I really can't wait to work with you!

visit her blog for more information.

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