Need inspiration?  Need to recharge your creative batteries?  Go to an art gallery or museum, or anywhere that inspires you with awe and beauty.

Are you "stuck" as an artist?   Is your life too busy for art? 

Consider this quotation:

"When a disliked task needs to be done, any more enjoyable activity ranks a higher priority." 

In this podcast, I'm trying to explain an art technique that--in lieu of illustrations--may need some trial-and-error experimentation.  Then again, that's the whole point.

You'll need three things:
- a drinking straw
- some watercolor paint mixed with water
- a sheet of drawing paper (anything that won't absorb the paint too quickly)

Here's what to do:

1. Put a blob of paint + water on the paper.
2. Position the drinking straw close to--but not touching--the paint.
3. Blow through the straw so that the paint is forced forward in a line.
4. Follow the paint as it progresses across the paper.
5. When you need another breath of air, position the straw so that the line will go in a new direction with the next breath.
6. Continue until that line runs out of paint.
7. Repeat with the original blob of paint until it runs out.
8. Put a new blob of paint, maybe in a new color, near the original blob.
9. Repeat until you decide that your drinking straw painting is done.

Here's another suggestion:

Paint a nice, thick line from the bottom edge of your paper to the middle (or so).  Put the blob of paint at the top of it.  Follow the instructions, above.  The thick line is the tree trunk and the individual, blown lines are the branches.  Add leaves, and it's a painting!

This is a great project to do with kids.  (It can also be hilarious fun at a party, if everyone's in a carefree mood.)

It is so important to make childlike art, at least now and then.

In this podcast, I recommend playing with big fat crayons or the simplest watercolor set. 

No matter what your art medium, it's vital to dismiss the inner critic or censor and make art just to make art.

In today's podcast, I talk about accepting that some of your art might look ugly to you.  Keep making art anyway.

Please note that I didn't say that some are will BE ugly... I said that it might LOOK ugly to you.

Don't judge the art as you're making it.  Don't even judge it when it's finished... not right away, anyhow.

Just make the art.  Really.  Just make the art.

Today's message is simple:  Don't postpone making art, because you have to buy the supplies or tidy an area in which to create art.

Work with what you have.

I've heard that Matisse, the famous painter, developed severe arthritis as he aged, and he could no longer hold a paintbrush.  So, he created art with kiddie scissors, cutting out big areas of construction paper. 

Gluing those areas of color in interesting patterns, he launched an entirely new period in his art.  Today, many people are more familiar with those works than his paintings.

If you don't have acrylic or oil paints, work with watercolors.  If that doesn't make you sing in the shower, try working with cut-up magazine pages... or even torn paper collage, as I created in some of my artists journals.

The point is:  Don't put off creating art.  Express yourself with something "artistic" today!