So much of improving your artwork comes down to experimenting. If you don’t try a new technique, how will you discover the best method for what you’re trying to achieve? If you don’t try a new style, how will you know whether or not you like it? If you don’t try a new medium over and over, how will you get acquainted with all the various ways it can be used?
There are countless opportunities to experiment with your artwork. One of the most common ways to experiment is with new media. This could be media that is completely new to you or simply using familiar media in a new way.
Surfaces
Consider what you can do with colored paper: white charcoal, colored pencil, and chalk pastels can all have some wonderful effects on such a surface.
I tried out colored pencil on black paper for the first time here. I also used white charcoal to help make some of the areas lighter and brighter.
What about a surface that already has patterns or writing on it? Newspapers, maps, old book pages, or envelopes can add great depth and history to your pieces. Just make sure it adds to your piece rather than distracting from it.
Check out these pieces by Mark Powell who uses pen on pieces of paper that he finds.
There’s also surfaces beyond paper: cardboard (which you can find from packaging), cloth (or cloth glued on top of another surface), brown paper bags, tissue paper glued on top of another surface, or even on top of glass.
Consider what this artist, Jordan Fretz, does with cardboard.
Notice the texture that the tissue paper gives underneath in this painting by Gail Bartel.
Acrylics can be used to paint on top of things like glass jars, like for this candle holder I made for Christmas.
Think about what other surfaces you can work on—the options are endless!
Media
Consider all the ways you can mix different media. Some like pen and watercolor or pen and colored pencils naturally go well together. Another combination I’ve found to work well is charcoal pencil with chalk pastels that give it a pop of color.
I did these two portraits with charcoal and chalk pastels and loved the combination.
There may also be many media that you simply have never tried before or might want to experiment with more. Try to find different effects that you can get with each medium.
Consider how watercolor can be used for both looser styles, like Qian Shi’s piece on the left, and more precise styles, like mine on the right.
Some media ideas to try:
- Pen—and there are multiple kinds to try
- Watercolor
- Colored pencil
- Charcoal
- Acrylic paint
- Graphite
- Watercolor pencils
- Chalk pastels
- Collage
- Digital
- A combination of these
- And many more! Think outside the box for what you can do with the materials around you.
Styles
A really fun way to try new styles is to gain inspiration from other artists. Find a piece from an artist with a style you haven’t tried before, and study it. Take notes on their methods, inspirations, techniques, media, use of color, lines or brushstrokes, subject matter, etc. For example, I wanted to try out Qian Shi’s looser style with pen and watercolor, so after studying some of his pieces, I created this one.
Note how I used watercolors and the pen lines more loosely than I usually do for my style as I tried on Qian Shi’s style.
Experiment!
Drawing in your sketchbook is an ideal method of practicing new styles or techniques without committing to a whole project. It’s a great way to get all your new, outside-of-the-box ideas out onto paper. If you have an idea, go for it! Try new things and push yourself—that’s how you’ll grow as an artist. Even if it doesn’t turn out how you expect, knowing what doesn’t work can help you figure out what does work. Having a wide range of experiences will help you make good choices in your artwork.
So go have some fun experimenting!
Visual Arts Submissions:
Next month’s topic is Art History. There are two options this month.
- Submit a piece where you have created something inspired by a specific art movement. Explain which art movement inspired your piece and why your art fits that movement.
- Submit an artwork you love by another artist, along with a description of which art movement they belonged to and what inspires you about that movement.
Submit a piece that fits either of these themes for a chance to have your art featured as the cover photo. A couple more may be chosen to be included within the article. This will be a good way to both share your artwork with the clay community and provide some inspiration to other readers.
Please submit through this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-rFWU-nF4TmCC65tqWVBNL-AE9N2FkklsOcnecjBB8XiQwA/viewform?usp=sf_link
The submission deadline is March 25th. Let me know in the comment section if you have any questions, and I’m excited to see your artwork!
Cover Photo:
“The Candleholder” by Natalie Mulford
“This was my first time trying out charcoal, and I learned NOT to outline with lead pencil because it lifts off the graphite and is hard to erase. Over all I really liked it. I found it fun that to make lighter values all I had to do was lift off the charcoal with eraser!
Photo Credits:
Author and various artists as noted.
Works Cited:
https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/painting-media-process-technique
http://creativesafari.com/mark-powell-birds/
https://www.saatchiart.com/print/Drawing-Speaking-in-tongues-prattle-bic-biro-drawing-on-1950s-music-sheet/4186/1553850/view
https://www.artsy.net/artwork/mark-powell-projection-protection
http://www.jordanfretzdesign.com/cardboard-art
http://www.thatartistwoman.org/2009/08/tissue-paper-textured-paintings.html
https://mymodernmet.com/watercolor-painting-qian-shi/