Quality of art supplies matter

When I was a kid I was drawing all the time. In daycare we used cheap paint and brushes and I didn't know any better. When I was 7 I got enrolled into specialized art school. As was requested my parents bought me nice watercolours and squirrel hair brushes. I remember this feeling as it was yesterday when I used those materials for the first time. I had a blast. All of a sudden it felt like a totally different experience. My work looked better and I felt like a real artist.
I'm pretty sure you can draw a parallel in your experiences as well. Women of course can feel the difference between Christian Dior and Cover Girl make up. Or driving Buick and BMW? We all know that quality matter. So don't cheap out on art supplies. And believe me, kids also know the difference.
Katia. 

Adam Sandler found a loophole

Abstract art and a 4 year old genius

Most of my life especially when I was younger I couldn't except abstract art. I was under impression that it is easy to do and everyone can do it. Until I tried it myself. I had a canvas and a bunch of paint and was ready to apply it. But what do I exactly do? What am I looking for in that painting? That's when I got stuck. I started applying the colour and it turned out like puke on a canvas.

I started looking at different abstract pieces and analysing which ones I like and why. The ones that were pleasant to an eye had a wonderful combination of colour and composition was perfectly balanced. And most of all it had some sort of mood to it.

Then I came across a video of 4 year old Aelita Andre creating abstract art. It blew my mind away. And I realized that this was a real abstract art. Comparing her to adult abstract artists there is a big difference in their intention. Adults try to give a meaning to something that doesn't really have a meaning. She does it purely from her heart without any meaning. Just for the love of beauty. And it itself becomes a meaning. Looking at this video and seeing this child in a present moment creating something is wonderful.

Her paintings are absolutely complete. You can't add anything and you can't take away anything. They are perfectly balanced. Having read many opinions about Aelita's art many say that anyone can do it. I just say do it and see what you're capable of.

Being inspired by her art I think I will do an experiment at the studio with my students creating abstract art. And we can all see what children are capable of if given the opportunity.

Katia.

Starving artist?

I often hear people say that artist is a bad profession to choose. You can't make a living doing it. I agree, but only if it comes to strait forward art. By that I mean painting on canvas and trying to sell it to people to fill out   walls in their living rooms.

Art is involved everywhere. Look around you, everything that is created is created by a designer. There are countless professions that require artistic skills, taste and creative mind.

It is only a legend that artists starve. Maybe they did 300 years ago when there were no websites, films, magazines, books with colour, commercials etc. that are produced massively now a days. Do film makers, architects, illustrators, photographers and graphic artists starve? I don't think so. They find a way to make a living like everybody else. No one asks an engineer: "Aren't you afraid you aren't gonna get a job?" But people constantly ask artists because there is a general idea that art doesn't sell.

Well, next time you have that question in your mind, just think how many movie tickets you bought this year.