Vanilla Beans: More to Life than Blending
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Now it could sound disheartening to some… because I’ve been working on these back end projects all darned summer…
But I just passed the halfway point on my To-Do list.
I took a little time this week to pat myself on the back and then the stamp shop code exploded. Karma hates me.
But I’m the kinda person who loves crossing things off my task list and I’ve crossed off a ton of stuff. So I can’t complain too much.
by the way…
ATTENTION COLOR WONKS!
Watch for an email coming either Monday or Tuesday. You’re the next big move.
There’s more to life than blending
Hold on to your marker caps, this is gonn’a sound strange coming from a marker instructor…
but here I go…
Blending isn't everything.
It's okay to not-blend.
In fact, I want you to not-blend more often.
Picasso: The Old Guitarist, 1903 (see closer here)
Name a famous artist.
Most of you probably answered Picasso, Van Gogh, or Monet.
They’re the big three most people think of.
Guess what?
They didn’t paint smooth.
In fact, a lack of smoothness is a large part of why they're well known and beloved.
Brush strokes, visible marks, squiggles, and color-mashing are good things.
Paint smushes make people smile.
Van Gogh: Starry Night over the Rhone, 1888 (see closer here)
Monet: Poppy Field, 1873 (see closer here)
I understand, there’s a lot of smooth peer pressure.
Everyone in Copic-land is obsessed with creating the most flawless blend in all of human history...
But when I look at the world around me, what catches my eye is texture, pattern, and shine.
It seems a shame to trade all of that wonderful realism in for a ho-hum Copic approved blending trio.
Texture is part of life.
Patterns are the fruit of human creativity.
And shine? We're all magpies at heart.
Celebrate our humanity in your coloring!
Here’s a bit of advice and I’m sure the three famous painters would agree with me.
Before you color your next project, mentally go through every object in that stamped image. For each item, ask yourself "is this object smooth in real life?"
Don’t automatically reduce everything to a smooth blend.
Picasso, Van Gogh, and Monet are giving you permission to play with your strokes.
You can’t say no to them, right?
Anyone can blend— but only you can color like you.
Let your markers dance.
It’s time for the un-blending.
Go ahead, live a little. Be a not-blender. It's fun.
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