Jane Davenport

Here is the latest video Angus and I just finished!
It’s me working in my Art Journal and having a lovely time.
I was playing around with ‘acrylic gel transfers’ for an online art class I am doing with Willowing. Basically, I can take one of my drawings and transfer it into my Art Journal and use it to create new work. The original sketches can stay safe and sound in their homes, and clones of them can come out to play.

Art Journalling is a wonderful way to experiment and it inspires new ideas. It is an active form of thought process for me. I have been transferring my photography in my journals as well, but I use a different process, which will be in future video. This has me considing my artwork in new and exciting ways.

Ps…my favourite part is the appearance Tinsel makes …that doglette is the cutest little critter…ever!

This Follows on  from my last post of my top online creativity classes. I had to split the post this way, because it was getting too loooong!

oh, how I love a good workshop (read about my 70 plus courses here!). My ideal one would be more Matrix-like with the ‘dentist-chair-plus-spike-in-the-back-of-the-head-instant-download-into-brain-i-know-kungfu’ type deal… but then I would miss out on added bonus info from other participants in the group.

I would love to know of any classes/courses you recommend or are leading!

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1. Blogging Your Way
Summary: Blogging in your authentic voice
Course Leader: Holly Becker  blogging superstar of Decor8 and and Leslie Shewing from Color Me Pretty
Why I liked it: Holly herself is very endearing and likable and she somehow magically manages to translate that through her writing. She started each week with a podcast, and then some fantastic, in depth posts about her experience.

Her co- creator, Leslie Shewing also posted each week with photography information and lots of beautiful,inspirational images as examples. Holly had a stroke of genius by organizing a technical whizz to answer all the uploading/ downloading HTML/ blog questions. The whole look, feel and experience was very stylish, ans completely in keeping with the madly popular Decor8 blog.
The forums were incredibly active and the energy created a real buzz. I couldn’t wait to read the forums each morning. There was a huge amount of homework really, but it all related completely to our own blogs, so each student was making refinements and changes and able to get feedback throughout the course.
Our final assignment was to be split into teams and critique everyone’s blogs in our group. As a prize, for groups that did this ( our group had over 20 blogs – that’s a lot of reading!) we went in a draw to have Holly critique our blogs. My team won!

What I got out of it: excitement for blogging and confidence in putting my voice up here.
Where to find:

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2. Flying Lessons
Summary: Inspiration and insider tips to give your creative business wings!
Course Leader: Kelly Rae Roberts
Why I liked it: Kelly Rae is another blogging superstar. Her book is a best seller for the mixed-media category on Amazon. Her attitude and writing is a real joy to read. Her posts throughout the course were inspirational.

I didn’t get very involved in the comments in this course, I was too busy at the time and I regret that I wasn’t able to fully participate. But I absorbed the information and the very relaxed, down to earth way it was presented.

What I got out of it: Extreeeeeeeme gratitude for having the success I have had so far! The class was a refresher for many of the hard won life lessons i have have had. My experience of a Creative Business is very similar to Kelly Rae’s. How I wish I had a resource like this when I first started my crazy business, sorry creative business.
Where to find: I’m not sure she will be running it again for a while, but her site has an ebook edition of the course materials.

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3. SmArtist
Summary: Business tele summit for artists. “Listen, Learn, Earn”
Course Leader: Ariane
Why I liked it: Ariane invites very knowledgable speakers. It runs as a tele summit and forum. All the materials were downloadable and also sent to us on CD at the conclusion. A very professional class with lots of intense information

Ariane ‘s skill is keeping her guests on track and interesting. She asks pertinent questions and really presses the best information out of people. And it was complete information, not a bunch of speakers flogging their wares. We had a lot of course materials which have been extremely beneficial to me.

What I got out of it: most of the participants were practicing artists with a lot of diverse experience. The forums were full of lurkers ( love that phrase for a non- participant!), but those of us that did get involved, were passionate about creativity. Lots of kindred spirits from all over the world.

This year the emphasis was on Social Media and how artists can use it to share our work, getting in to galleries and ideas for ‘expanding the canvas’. There have literally been dozens of changes, refinements and actions I have made because of this valuable course. And because it was in the USA, I had to get up at 4.30am to tune in to the live sessions, so it must have been good!

Where to find: http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/home-study-edition/

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4. Artist Goal Wheel

Summary: Getting your self motivated, inspired and on target. Ebook self study with 12 months of email tip.
Course Leader:Tara Reed
Why I liked it: Tara Reed has an engaging style and is a natural teacher. her examples and real world experience make this course a pleasure to do. I really enjoyed it and I did find it very helpful…Her whole art licensing site is definitely worth checking out!

Tara Reed :www.artlicensinginfo.com

http://www.thegoalwheelforartists.com/

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Aside from just loving learning, I do keep telling myself that I will eventually have my own ecourses right here one day! Creative Photography with moi. No traveling, study as and when you please….meeting kindred spirits from a round the world…no projector for me to wrangle with to show some washed out examples on a wall. What do you think? Subscribe and I will let you know when it’s live!

P.S. I have no affiliation with any of these courses – just a genuine sharing of the LOVE!

Have you ever considered an ecourse?  Or done one?  I can’t recommend them highly enough! I have been involved in some excellent classes . These are my favorites including the why’s, where’s and who’s!

I’d love to hear your favourites and suggestions!

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1. World of Whimsy 2
Summary: Mixed media art classes with an emphasis on whimsical character drawing.
Course Leader: ‘Willowing ‘ aka Tam Lapote
Why I liked it: Tam is incredibly generous with her time. Lessons consist of  videos each week, PDFs, live upstream chat and critiques. This is where Tam really shines as he takes each persons uploaded drawings and gives very specific visual suggestions by manipulating the images in Photoshop. Can you imagine the time this must take?

I am currently doing this class, am super engaged and really enjoying the whole Group experience. There are some wonderful artists involved, lots of beginners and people rediscovering their artistic talents. It is a nurturing experience. The forum around the lessons is very active and Tam is completely involved. Having the course leader putting energy into the discussions makes such a huge difference. I have so much admiration for her. She really has created a happy place for making art.

What I got out of it: I am really having fun just being free and drawing whimsical characters! I have at least one that wants his own book…I have started experimenting with techniques…incorporating my photography – I am having so much FUN!

Where to find it:

Tam has announced that she will be offering a free art ecourse later in the year, and there are other free groups you can join on the Ning site for Mixed Media and Art Journalling. LOVELY STUFF!  If you are QUICK, you can probably join WOW 2 now – highly recommended!

Where to find:willowing.org

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2.Drawing tutorials online
Summary: hard core drawing! Chicken scratching begone!
Course Leader: Matt Archambault
Why I like it:  Matt teaches at the School Of Visual Arts in New York. His site has dozens of fantastic videos. He is a proper Illustrator with a capital I. The drawing tutorials are challenging – he makes it look easy, but drawing a skull is hard work the first time! But the anatomical lessons are JUST SO GOOD FOR YOU.

You can watch some for free before you decide if it suits you – search itunes for his free podcast.  He regularly does iphone videos of his student’s sketchbooks too, which is soooooo interesting. Every time I complete one of the videos I can feel my drawing improve. I believe that confidence and skill in drawing has a huge impact on all creative processes.
This is a subscription based site – aprox $12 per month.

What I got out of it: madly improving drawing skills.
Where to find:drawingtutorialsonline.com

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3 and 4 ‘Petite Dolls‘ And ‘Poet and Goddess‘
Summary: Mixed Media art classes.
Course Leader: Suzi Blu
Why I liked it:  SuziBlu is a bit crazy – but in a very, very good way! She is authentic, swears and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. And for a drawing class there was a lot of situational comedy.  Do a search on Youtube for suziblu and you will get a feel for her.

The classes are feature packed with video, PDF’s, and weekly critiques. Suzi calls them’Homework Appreciation Days’ now – isn’t that cool? The open semester format allows for students to join anytime. And it is run on Ning which I LOVE.  ( yep, I am a Ning-a-ling!). The way she teaches is encouraging and fun. She takes it from the absolute basics and builds from there.

What I got out of it: the simple joy of drawing and using color pencils again. Suzi included 6 bonus videos from a previous class for woodburning, which i fell in love with and i have the burns on my fingers to prove it! These classes also introduced me to a bunch of art supplies that I didn’t even know existed and I will be forever grateful!

The format of the school is under review with not as many classes being offered, but more variety within the class. So if you are reading this before the end of August 2010, and like drawing whimsical characters, get your caboose over to Suzi’s site before some of the classes are gone forever!
Next up is Mermaids… I am registered already… Splishy splashy!

Where to find: The Petite Academy.

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5   .’Mixed Media and the Girls‘
Summary: mixed media techniques
Course Leader: Wyanne

Why I liked it: I think Wyanne’s youtube videos are the best of their kind. The mixed media techniques were interesting and I love watching Wyanne create her beautiful work. Plus, her voice is very cute!

Look on Youtube for her regular videos to see if you like her style.

Her next class will be the Resin workshop – I am signed up for August – can- wait.

Where to find:www.wyanne.com

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Aside from just loving learning, I do keep telling myself that I will eventually have my own ecourses right here one day! Creative Photography with moi. No traveling, study as and when you please….meeting kindred spirits from a round the world…no projector for me to wrangle with to show some washed out examples on a wall. What do you think? Subscribe and I will let you know when it’s live!

P.S. I have no affiliation with any of these courses – just a genuine sharing of the LOVE!

…modern photography is just so neat and clean…well it can be! I certainly like my studio nice and organised so I can find the right lenses …but painting…oooh the delightful mess! these images show the fun I had painting a  tree a few weeks ago…I painted my hands and leaves and then pressed them onto my canvas in different shapes on my canvas to create texture – yes like a child! Such mess and fun.

When I walked past my photography studio covered in colour,  i saw my cameras shudder and shrink to the back of their shelves….I had to calm them down…”  it’s alright my little pets, Mama would never touch you with the nasty paint…”…

As part of my ‘Blogging Your Way eclass (see previous post) I have created a mood/inspiration board of what my blog is ‘about’. A collage of the feeling it has, or what i want it to have…

I started with arranging a bunch of my favourite ‘things’, snippets from magazines etc…but that certainly didn’t explain visually what my blog is about... It needs to walk up to you and say “Hi, my name is Jane and I am an Artomologist. Basically I earn a living from watching bugs (flutters eyelashes) .Oh and yes, I have a little message for you; follow your bliss. Now take my hand and let me show you this garden. “, or words to that effect.

I have included a favourite quote ” Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” EW Emerson. Who doesn’t want to feel inspired? As an artist, I am coaxing that feeling to peek it’s head out all the time. I lay little fairy-bread crumb trails everywhere and always leading towards me…so those strange-little-ideas and inspiration-creatures can always find me at home…ooh…now I have to go and paint that image…where was I?

OK! As I was saying – I am to create an inspiration board of what my blog will look like…yep, sooo I included my ladybird and butterfly images du jour, and a page from my art journal, which I intend to share with you eventually. There is some of my published work. The calendar represents the licensing of my images, and I want to share what I know of licensing my artwork as I know this is a secretive area that other creatives would love to know a little more about to make earning a living from their TALENTS a little easier. The Book represents the journey towards my next publication which I will share on my blog from idea, through the trials of finding a publisher and publication.

The seahorses image is to show it’s not just ladybirds and butterflies that spin my dials. Any little cutesie will do quite frankly (and as cutsie-ness is in the eye of the beholder, you can expect a few creatures that may stretch your definitions!).

Have I managed to show your the contents of my brain yet?