Right Brain Redux: Project 23 of 30: We're baaa-aaack!

Right Brain Redux: Project 23 of 30

We're baaa-aaack. Sorry for the gap between posts. Lots to do and colds to fight (life with kids. Someone ALWAYS has a cold to share). So, post number 23. 

For this challenge, Jessica pulled out the one-line challenge "Draw something using only one line" in which she had to draw a picture without lifting pen from paper. Kevin (that's me) drew "Write a one-page story based on a random dictionary word."

Kev: Well, I don't have a paper dictionary available, so I used a handy-dandy random word generator and got "Sloughed". For me, the challenge was writing a one page story. I just realized writing this that I missed the spirit of the challenge, sort of. I did USE the word in the story, but I was so focused on limiting myself to just one page that I forgot the story was supposed to be based on the word rather than just including it. But it is already written, so I submit to you:

"Exponential"

Brannix cracked open the containment unit, raising the internal temperature by more than a degree. Working quickly, he shaved off a razor-thin sample from the specimen inside and hurriedly resealed the cap. Transferring the sample to a petri dish, he carried it over the high-powered  microscope manned by his colleague.

"Are you certain we shouldn't be working this under full containment, Ardon?" he asked nervously.

"What are you so worried about? This things dead for at least five thousand years. The only reason we keep it chilled is so it won't break down before we can study it."

The sample slid into place and Ardon adjusted the focus on the viewer as he continued "Something killed this thing outright, and it wasn't an EMP. The planet is covered with remains of them. Figuring out what kind of weapon did it will be a real boost in the fight, not to mention our bank... oh..."

Brannix looked up from stirring the noodles he was boiling in a beaker "Oh? What's Oh? Oh doesn't sound good. That was a bad Oh."

"Look here," Ardon tipped the screen around so Brannix could see "There's one nanite functioning. Barely. It looks like its eating one of the inert ones."

"Wow," he replied, slurping his noodles, "Guess after five k, he's pretty hungry. Why would it do that?"

"Reproduction cycle, you boneheaded idiots," boomed the voice of Professor Xedos through the intercom, "Who authorized you to open one of the alien samples?"

"Uh, we just thought we'd do some hands-on studying while we..."

"Look at the screen."

On the monitor, the first microscopic machine had already become more than two dozen. As they devoured the corpses of their ancient fellows, the number doubled every half-second. Then the screen went blank as a silvery mass surged up out of the dish and around the camera lens of the microscope. Within seconds, it was boiling out of the top of the cylinder. Plastic components sloughed off like dead skin as a form took shape in the center of the writhing mass.

"I'm sorry," the lab shuddered as Xedos explained, "Containment protocols have been activated. The lab has been sealed off and ejected from the station. You two... you knew better."

The lights went out as the lab was disconnected from the station's power, leaving only the red glowing eyes of the fully formed alien robot standing amid the ruins of the microscope.

Jess: Jessica's task for today was a true challenge for her: Draw using only one line. My love is a perfectionist, and using the single line means you can't fix mistakes. She is trying hard to embrace the imperfection, but it drives her nuts at the same time. I think she did great. Here are a few of her pieces.

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Right Brain Redux: Update

Right Brain Redux: Update Hey everybody, I know we haven't posted any updates in a couple of days. We will be getting the challenge back on track over the weekend. The reason for the lack of activity is our preparation for a big event this weekend. We are the Children's Pastors at our church, and this Sunday, Kids' Church is taking over "Big Church". We are going to be conducting the service in the main sanctuary, but leading the adults through the service along with the kids. It's been some extra work, but it's going to be awesome. More project posts coming on the other side! Kevin & Jessica Rose


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Right Brain Redux: Day 20 of 30-day Creativity Challenge

Right Brain Redux Day 20: Blind Man's Bluff

At the 2/3 mark, Kevin had to draw while blindfolded and Jessica was challenged with "Draw Zentangles".

Kevin: "Draw without looking at the paper". That's what the challenge slip I pulled out of the jar for today said. Without looking? I knew that was impossible. So I grabbed a blindfold. Because I knew, jest knew I wouldn't be able to resist looking.

For my subject matter, I chose three characters that I have drawn before.  Two of them very frequently and for years. I used a Pilot G2 gel pen on plain printer paper. I spent about 5 minutes on each drawing. Overall a fun little experiment. I used the fingers of my left hand as placeholders to give me an idea where I had drawn what, but it was still tricky, as Hulk's puny left arm and Warhawk's skinny legs attest. Here are the drawings.

First up is Marvel's Hulk.

Second was Optimus Prime.

And thirdly I drew one of my original characters that I've been drawing over and over since creating him about 25 years ago, Warhawk. Since most of you will have never seen Warhawk, I included a quick sketch of how he's supposed to look.

Jess: Draw a Zentangle

So what's a zentangle? "The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns." I think mine probably turned out more doodle than zentangle. Here are my results before I had to stop because my hands hurt too badly. I really didn't want to quit. These are a lot of fun actually.

Can't wait to finish it.

I love to create to music. Here's what I'm listening to tonight:


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Right Brain Redux: Day 16 of 30-day Creativity Challenge

Right Brain Redux Day 16: Sunday Poets

Good Sunday, great Kids' Church, relaxing afternoon. Today, both of us drew writing assignments in the poetic vein. I have to write a Haiku about the last thing I watched on TV, while Jessica writes a poem on a random subject chosen by Mini-Me.

Kev: Write a Haiku about the last thing you watched on TV.

It was almost Ninja Turtles. But after mini-me went to bed, we watched Episode 8 of Top Chef: Texas - Season 9 (We have this on Amazon Prime and are rewatching it as we originally saw it not too long before Little arrived. Blur time.)

Top Chef Season Nine

She Serv'd Bigfoot To LaBelle

Yay Sarah's Gone Now

Jess: Write a poem on a random subject chosen by our oldest son. 

He chose "dump truck." 

I do have some experience with dump trucks. My dad drove one for many years, and when I was little I definitely spent a long time answering "what do you want to be when you grow up?" by quickly replying, "a dump truck driver like my Daddy!" So, here's a little tribute on his random topic that turned out to be a very emotional piece for me.

Dump Truck

by Jessica Paul Rose

Your boots are by the door
Waiting for tomorrow.
Caked in clay and trials
Their soles worn to the floor.

Go to sleep in apprehension
Praying I don't miss you.
Early hours are no matter
They've lived here long before.

Ice crashes in the cooler
Sends me running with a push.
Imploring eyes to greet you
Please... can I go with you today?

Excitement doesn't compare
To that familiar bounce and sway.
The smell of oil and laughter
Sometimes drifts too far away.

You take me on a journey
And how my world looks grand.
That dump truck is a carriage
For more than just the sand.

We eat
And drive.
Then suddenly,
It's time.

Kids line the fence to watch you leave.
Do I have to go, Daddy?
I love you.

Oh, wait!
Please bring me a mountain
Today.


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Right Brain Redux: Day 14 of 30-day Creativity Challenge

Right Brain Redux Day 14: Bluebelly the Pirate

Started today out in the woods with Mini-Me, hunting some 'Seng (Ginseng). Didn't find any this time, but still had a good time. Today's Challenge projects were:

Jess: Create a new Pandora station, then create a piece of art inspired by the third song that plays.

Kev: Finger paint with the boys and post the results.

It wasn't hard to get Mini-me on board with the finger painting. He went to town as soon as we sat down. Little took a little more convincing. First he wanted to wave the paper around. Then as soon as there was paint on his finger, he had to taste it. Must've been pretty bad, based on the face he made and the fact that he didn't try to eat it anymore. After I put his finger on the paper and showed him he could make a streak, he lit up. He was pointing at colors that he wanted and holding his hand out for me to wipe when he got too much paint on it.

Mini-me finished his piece solo while I supervised Little on his first one. Then all three of us got our hands on the third piece (literally. All 3 of our handprints are on it). I even got Jess some of Little's handprints in her sketchbook before we were done. Then, Bluebelly the Pirate made his first appearance. Shortly thereafter, he began to Hulk out and then went for a scrub. But not until he painted MY belly, too.

Mini-me never said what he was painting, but to me it looks like the woods when the leaves start to turn. Which we did see one tree already changing color this morning, so maybe that was in his head still.

Who knows what Little was painting, but he was very deliberate with his color choices and placement on his solo piece. And belly.

Jess: Create a new Pandora station, then create a piece based on the third song that plays.

My song was "Freedom" by Warr Acres. This song brought into my mind the thought of "Crying out to God". So I looked for verses that fit that feeling. I came across "In my distress I called to the Lord". The image I chose was of a hand, reaching out for help. I placed the verse within the hand. Outside of the hand I added the verse "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land. 2 Chr 7:14". After this, I needed to look up the reference/ location of the scripture on the hand, because I couldn't remember it.

It turns out this phrase appears in 5 different places in the Bible, giving me one verse reference for each finger on the hand. I did NOT plan this. God is amazing.

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Right Brain Redux: Day Two Updated Projects

Right Brain Redux: Day 2

Today was one of those days. You know the ones: those days where everything comes up and goes haywire (especially the toddler) and by the time that you've done all the errand running and putting out fires and hidden the matches (Jess, not really, this is a hypothetical situation) from the toddler again and maybe chased down a bite to eat (that the toddler carried through the house) there just doesn't seem to be any time left for, well, anything. Well, that's where we found ourselves today. Between the errands and getting ready for Kid's Church tomorrow, there really didn't seem to be time to squeeze in a creative project this evening.

We started this little experiment as a way to kick start our creativity after it's been idle for so long, but today it has also shown us that you CAN find time to create. You just have to want to. Maybe you give up something else for it. The relaxing bath. Another episode of Dr. Who. Part of your sleep. You just decide which one is the most important to you.

Today's challenges were:

Jessica: Create a piece from/ inspired by an everyday object.

Jess took her inspiration from something most of us see every day, and incidentally our studio name. She began with a stove burner/ eye from an electric stove and stripped it down to its basic shapes and curves.  Framing a portion of the eye in the image and stripping out the colors, she added some old-fashioned halftones and created an image that I would almost swear was a domed city from one of my old Buck Rogers comics I had as a kid. I love it.

Kevin: Design a T-Shirt based on a visual pun.

I actually thought this one up yesterday without having any idea I would draw this particular challenge today. The phrase I punned was the title of the old hymn "Power in the Blood". I took the image of a blood bag and simply placed a universal style power button in the middle of it. I had thought of doing a blood splatter with the button in it, but I just didn't have time. I went old-school in the creation of this image. Light pencil sketch, inked over and the pencil erased, then colored in with some Twenty-year-old Prismacolor markers I bought way back in art school. The red one gave me its last I think. After coloring in, I went over the red with alcohol on gauze to feather it out a bit and blend.

Neither of these pieces took and extremely large amount of time to create. In fact, I'd guess about an hour apiece. Proof that you CAN find time to create. They may not be perfect design, but they are perfect imperfection. And that's art.

See you tomorrow for Round 3!

Kev

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Right Brain Redux : Day 2 Project Challenges

Our challenges for day two have been drawn from the jars. 

Check back to see how the challenge goes! 

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Right Brain Redux : Day 1 Projects

Today marked the first day of the thirty-day art challenge we set for ourselves as outlined in our previous blog post. Jessica's first draw from the Challenge Jar was to take a scribble/doodle drawn by our toddler boy and turn it into a finished drawing.  My first pick was to fill an entire page with doodles. Mini-me (our older  son) joined in as well, being allowed to choose between our projects. He chose to do the page full of doodles with me.

Jessica has titled her piece "Sad Flower". The first image is the scribble by Little, the second is her finished drawing. On a day when she draws out a simpler project, she intends to go back and color this one in. I love her line work on this. She gave Little a sharpie and a sheet of paper and let him doodle for a few minutes (Had to take it away when he started drawing on the high chair and his hand). Then Jessica let the paper stay on the table for a good part of the day, looking at it as she passed by, occasionally turning it to different angles until all at once the image leapt out at her. "Once I'd seen it, it couldn't be unseen."

It took a few minutes and a couple of false starts to get Mini-me to understand what I meant by a page full of doodles. The idea we went with was no plan. Just put your brain in neutral and draw whatever popped into it. He was reluctant at first, worried about it being "good", or if it was as good as mine. I told him that he didn't need to compare his work to mine. Only to himself and what he had done before. As he loosened up, he really got into it, and I think he turned out a wonderful piece. It's really a big deal for him to create something so abstract and unstructured, being where he is on the autism spectrum.  I was delighted when I looked at it after he went to bed and followed all the patterns around to the "Bad Wolf".

I began my piece in the top left corner and worked my way down and around the page.  I spent a little time trying to hard in that first crowded corner, but as I went counterclockwise around the page it began to flow a lot better. The last part came out less detailed (top right corner) because time was slipping away from me. I put my project off till the evening because I was gone a large part of the day, and then Little decided he didn't want to go to bed. Lately, he lays down when big brother does and goes right to sleep. Tonight he decided to fight it for over an hour, and I finally had to hold him for half an hour before he gave it up. I know that's not artistic information, but it is life with Spectrum kids. It's part of our process.

It's always surprising to me the things I find in the shapes when I start to doodle. I don't always end up with what I think I'm starting to draw. BEWARE THE BANINJA! (Bananas are ninjas. Really. You ever heard one sneaking up on you? That proves my point.)

Can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store!

P.S. If you have any suggestions for challenges, put them in the comments section.  We may just add them to the jar for the next round.

Jess needed our toddler to draw a picture for her challenge. 

Here's what he gave her to work with.

And here's what she produced from Little's drawing, "Sad Flower."

Our older son joined in on the challenge. He chose "Fill A Paper With Doodles."

Kevin's Challenge for Day 1: "Fill a Page with Doodles"

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Creativity Challenge: Day 1

Right Brain Redux
30-Day Creativity Challenge
Day: 1

Kev: Fill a page with doodles

Idea Source: Emily Potts, "5 Drawing Exercises to Turn Anyone Into an Artist"

Jess: Complete a drawing based on a toddler scribble

Results to come, so check back later.

Finding Beauty in the Ugly

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The Next Bird: Bleach-ness

The Next Bird: Bleach-ness: Tere is nothing more disappointing than "ruining" a good article of clothing with something like bleach. There is also nothing more satisfyi...

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Pinstripe Chris: The Sharpie Pro Street Camaro Part 13 & 14

Pinstripe Chris: The Sharpie Pro Street Camaro Part 13 & 14: At this point, all the panels that I cleared last week were wetsanded/prepped by Miguel so that the entire car could be uniformly cle...

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Picasso to Warhol

Picasso to Warhol Exhibit... Trip to the High Museum in Atlanta // Apr 11, 2012

written by: Kevin

So this was it: I've lived just outside of ATL for just over three years now, and I was finally getting a chance to go into the city...and to the High Museum, no less. I've called myself an artist for two decades, but this was going to be the first time (aside from breezing through the Art section fo the Smithsonian on a Boyscout trip full of people who just wanted to see the dinosaurs and airplanes -- an 11 year old me included) that I was going to have the opportunity to see art like this firsthand.

Now, don't get me wrong. I've seen PLENTY of prints, photographs, pictures in textbooks and magazines. You name it. But the only art i've been exposed to firsthand has mostly been either student pieces or at art festivals, etc. I'm not knocking anyone working the festival circuit. Heck, I'll probably see you there, eventually. But in that setting, it's usually not easy to take in the full impact of a piece. Crowds bustling, the dull buzz of all the voices and vehicles filling my ears. Artists trying to make a dollar so they can keep pouring their souls out on canvas, wood, clay, and wire and not on the grill at McDonalds. And I don't blame them one bit.

The museum, however, was in my mind this place of... reverent awe of these past masters, most of who have passed on, leaving pieces of their souls to tell us of who they were on certain days. I felt giddy and excited at the prospect, but a little silly at the same time.

The drive into the city and to the museum was fine. Nice and fun, actually. We were all excited. Jess n me conversing in anticipation squeesed in between Mini-me's stream of chatter from the backseat. We found the parking building and started driving down. And Down. and down. And we finally found a parking spot 1 level from the very bottom of the building, just above the 1st level of hell.... Found the elevators and ascended back towards the light.

We came out into the central plaza just over from the main entrance to the museum. The first thing we saw wasn't part of the exhibit we had come to see, but was pretty cool nonetheless: a 20' (guessing) statue by the artist Kaws of "The Companion".

Now, the first thought is that it looks like a twisted Mickey Mouse. Read the plaque at it's feet, explaining what it was to Kaws... perhaps even an alter ego. Its body is basically Mickey with no tail. It's head is a cartoony skull and crossbones (Mini-me said it looked like a white octopus for a head--- why not Zoidberg--- I digress). Regardless of the level of intention regarding the resemblance to a cartoon mouse witchdoctor, I found the overall design very impressive. And huge. Oppostie it was an optical illusion house designed by Roy Lichtenstein.

Now we ease on inside. Revolving doors. I barely fit. The following panel was smacking me in the butt as I walked. Yup. Biggest Loser Challenge starts this weekend, and I'm not backing out. We hit the bathrooms first. Normal toilets, thank God. I didn't want to have to pee in a sideways loop or something.

Anyway, Me n Mini-me were sitting on the bench outside and it took almost a minute before the next Kaws piece jumped out and bit me on the nose. That whole wall up there. about 16' high.

So we paid in, got our audio tour headsets (you may feel weird, but trust me, worth every penny) took the elevator up and stepped out to start with picasso. I don't have a ton of pictures from the exhibit, because quite frankly, I was so enraptured/ caught up in it, I forgot to take but a couple of mini-me looking at the art.

This was awesome. Looking at pictures online or in textbooks cannot even begin to compare to seeing these actual pieces of art in person. No matter how good the photography is, something gets lost. Maybe the textures, or the light, or, I dunno, call it the soul of the piece.

There is definitly a connection to the art, and even to the artist, speaking across time and space, when you are exposed to the art firsthand.  Add to that the sheer size of the collection they have put together for this exhibit, and the information from the audio tour...

Art school is closing in on two decades behind me now, and for the first time, I understand what it is about these "Modern Masters" that everybody was always fussing about. I never did wrap my head around abstract art while I was in school. Mostly, I was wanting to just get done with the lectures and get back to doing my own thing over in the corner. I didn't understand what the big deal was with Picasso, other than folk were willing to pay a LOT for something he did, so it must be worth something, but I just couldn't... wouldn't see it.

Now I feel differently about them. In a way, I feel like I met at least some of the artists in person. Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, Pollock, Bourgeois, Mondrian, Johns, Calder... there were 14 in all, over 100 pieces to see. I defintily felt... connected... drawn to certain artists more than others.

Picasso, for instance. In books, print... I've never been able to SEE what the art really was. For me, seeing those actual pieces... connected me to them and at the least allowed my mind to open up a little and really see what he was doing.

I enjoyed pieces from each of the artists, but the standouts to me were Picasso, Matisse, Pollock, Johns, and Warhol. Those were the ones who grabbed me. Suprisingly to me, the one I came away impressed with and connected to the most was Pollock. When I was in art school, listening to my teach talk about him and showing images of his work, I just did NOT get it. How could random splatters be art? Seeing the paintings, and then even watchign a short film of him creating one of his pieces whilst narrating himself, I began to see, to understand. I could see that it WASN'T random. It wasn't just flinging paint around and seeing what happened. And then one thing he said that really stuck in my mind was when he described his work saying... (I might not have the quote perfect, so don't pull out my toenails with rusty pliers.)

 "I put what I feel on the canvas. I don't try to create an image that represents it. I put the actual emotion there for you to see"

In the past, I've sort of looked odd at people who talk about being moved deeply by seeing this type of art in person. Yet I call myself an artist. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to visit a collection like this, and let m...e tell you, it is an altering experience. My mind is different, my artist soul feels like it has been touched. My perceptions of art as a whole, and even how I see the physical world around me. I am thankful I got to share this experience with Mini-me and my Jessica. Thank you, darlin lass. I don't think I'll ever be quite the same. Maybe some who see this will think that is strange, but I didn't use to understand either. Ms Elmes, I think I get it now.

I already can't wait to go back, having discovered as I left that they have a display of Howard Finster's work. and the place is HUGE! I enjoyed every minute of the trip. And I also loved how into all of it Mini-me was. He listened to every bit of the audio tour, both adult and family/kids' level. It was a blast to discuss it all with him and Jessica afterwards over a Varsity burger and Orange Freeze, to see what pieces affected them. And the experience has definitely inspired Jessica and I to creativity. No, I'm not splattering paint, though I did buy a Jackson Pollock postcard (along with a Jasper Johns) before we left. I'm drawing a knight, one link of chainmail at a time. But one of the points of the exhibit was how these men (and woman) redefined what was art and what art was by challenging, ignoring, and trampling on the established rules of art.

So don't rule ANYTHING out.

And there was even one last piece of art as we left. Don't know if it was intentional, but the rounded skylight in the roof of the elevator let me frame an image of my own, creating a little art as I eased out of these old masters' domain.... maybe taking a little piece of that soul with me...

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