imagination Archives - Page 15 of 16

May 18, 2011 In design, imagination, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Lotta Rain

There’s been a lot of east coast rain lately. We’re yearning for warmth and sunshine; we’re ready for barefooted, sun-kissed, blueberry-pickin’, toss-a-frisbee weather.

Of course, some of you are beyond the “oh, gee, I sure wish it would stop raining” phase, and more in the “get the damn water out of my basement” category. But the way I see it, since there’s nothing we can do about the weather, why get our shorts in a twist?

Good things about rain: It makes things greener. (And hey, you can pretend you’re living in Scotland, surrounded by hills of heather.) It lets you get more work done without the temptation to go outside and play. It’s soothing for sleep. You can dance in it. You can sing too, and splash things, and watch water droplets make shapes on windows.

But if you’re still not convinced, here are a few quotes that (since you can’t change the rain) might change your mood.

………………

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. ~ Langston Hughes

………………

Don’t threaten me with love, baby. Let’s just go walking in the rain. ~ Billie Holiday

………………

It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent. ~ Dave Barry

………………

Don’t knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while. ~ Kin Hubbard

………………

Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. ~ Roger Miller

………………

And of course:

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow. ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

………………

It’s not so bad, the rain.

May 6, 2011 In art, children's books, creativity, drawing, fine art, illustration, imagination By Patricia Saxton

Pet Dragon

I think I’ll keep this one as a pet. Maybe I’ll name him Ted. Although he looks more like a Bartholomew. Or maybe Garth. Yea, Garth.

May 5, 2011 In architecture, art, creativity, imagination, inspiration, skill By Patricia Saxton

Creative Duet: The Mind-Boggling Antoni Gaudi

Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi is known for his engineering genius, but there are clearly so many other elements at work in his work that he is far more than “architect”.

He was an artist. Buildings were his canvas. And those buildings are grand treasure troves of design and unbridled creativity.

Revered worldwide as one of the most important modernist style architects, Gaudi lived from 1852-1926. “Over the course of his career, Gaudi developed a sensuous, curving, almost surreal design style which established him as the innovative leader of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement. With little regard for formal order, he juxtaposed unrelated systems and altered established visual order. Gaudi’s characteristically warped form of Gothic architecture drew admiration from other avant-garde artists.”*

Gaudi takes “thinking outside the box” to whole new levels. His extraordinary works, many of which reside in Barcelona, are movement and dance, they’re delicious sugar-laced monuments with creamy frosting; they’re all marshmallows and gingerbread, sand-castles, stone, glass and iron; they’re original, dramatic, striking blends of angle and color.

I marvel at the ingenuity and the boundlessness. Fantastic. Illogical. Stunning.

*References

Dennis Sharp. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-8230-2539-X. NA40.I45. p61.

Muriel Emmanuel. Contemporary Architects. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1980. ISBN 0-312-16635-4. NA680.C625 1980.

April 4, 2011 In art, design, graphic design, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #15: "Plaid"

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

Once again, the positive P-word I’d planned for this week was preempted by a sudden inspiration. This one thanks to an old college friend who unwittingly mentioned that it’s National Tartan Week!

Scotland runs thick in my blood; the plaid used for this “P” is, in fact, from my maternal family line, the MacNaughton clan. Something I’m rather proud of.

And what’s the positive message? I’ll tell you this ~ it’s not the wearing of plaid pants, plaid skirts, or men in kilts. It’s not about saving a penny, or drinking Scotch Whiskey (although both notions have their place). It’s not about the uniquely moving sound of a well-played bagpipe. And it’s definitely, most definitely, not about haggis.

It’s about being proud of who you are and where you come from. It’s about appreciating those who came before you, and it’s about confidently showing your colors, inside and out.

So this one’s dedicated to all of us with Scottish ancestry ~ but meant for everyone. Honor the stepping stones of history, respect your heritage, and let the best of who you’ve become shine like a bold plaid.

“Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead.” ~ Scottish proverb

(All P words to date are shown under the “A Plethora of P’s” menu item to the left)

March 7, 2011 In art, creativity, design, illustration, imagination, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #11: "Practical"

Measuring, cutting, hammering, nailing. Planning each step. Following through. Useful logic. …There’s a rhythm, and a rhyme, in being practical.

Sure, sometimes we want to throw caution to the wind and go full throttle on instinct, or feel the thrill of standing on the edge. We need to dream dreams. And everyone should dance in the rain at least a few times in life.

But when it gets right down to the nuts and bolts of living, it wouldn’t be very practical to, oh, let’s say, wash the dishes while jumping on a pogo-stick, or fix a hole in the roof with scotch tape. A book doesn’t get written just by thinking about it; food doesn’t cook itself… etc!

So three cheers to the predictable, marvelous dullness of being practical. Three cheers for methods to madness, for light bulbs with proper wattage, and sensible shoes in a bramble patch.

Applause for practical thinking ~ a practically perfect tool!

March 5, 2011 In art, creativity, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration, skill By Patricia Saxton

Some Thoughts on Illustration

Maybe because I’m in the thralls of illustrating another book, or maybe because of a letter I recently received from a Savannah College of Art student .. or maybe that combined with the Teen Arts Show I critiqued last night… or maybe, it’s just me and that thoughts of illustration are never far off and it seems a good time to say a few things.

So here we go.

Illustration is about illustrating. No kidding, you say. But unless you’re talking about technical illustration, or maybe medical illustration (although, to be fair, even within these more structured realms you’ll find varying degrees of expression) illustration is really about the illustrating of ideas.

It’s not about drawing or painting, tools, colors or style. These have a gigantic impact ~ but alone, they do not tell the story.

In the old days, to illustrate literally meant “to illuminate”. I like to think of illustrating as a creating a visual voice. So, while drawing may be the most common foundation, illustrations need to say something. Explain. Expound. Express. Something pertinent.

I spent countless hours of my youth drawing. Everything in sight. I knew I had “talent”, but didn’t think I was “creative”. Give me a toaster and I’d draw the best damn toaster you’d ever seen. But could I make the toaster clever? Could I make it intriguing, or would it just be a fine toaster? I had doubts.

Then one day the veil broke. Or maybe it was a dam. Either way, I passed through “ability” into a place where creativity flowed more freely.

It might work the other way around for some people, but however we get there, an illustrator needs to a.) think conceptually and b.) have command of their style(s) so that their work exhibits a steady, reliable quality.

A sense of design is also marvelously valuable (how will an illustration look on a page in relation to text and/or other elements?).

Being dependable and trustworthy is another handy trait, especially if one wants repeat work.

And then, you need to pack a sense of humor in your bag ~ not necessarily towards the art itself (unless meant to be funny), but towards the process… because things happen, people happen, emotions happen, mistakes happen. Half of life (if not more) is attitude.

Now for the show… Just a handful of some well-known (and fantastic) illustrators who’ve consistently made great work, paved the way, inspired others, touched lives and even earned a living doing so.

February 14, 2011 In art, communication, design, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora Of P's / #8: "Passion"

Passion is an uncontainable spark; it’s the fire in your chest, in your belly, or rising from the soles of your feet … that expands up, around and through, spilling out over the edges of reason. It’s unbridled enthusiasm. It’s love. It’s hate. It’s wonder. It’s joy. It’s feeling alive.

Passion is a gift from the Gods that makes your spirit laugh out loud. It writes symphonies, bakes cakes, throws plates. It discovers civilizations, turns ideas electric, moves us to tears, heals hearts, builds dreams.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! ~ let your passions shine.