The Decount Session

Hello all! So what's new...? The deadline for one specific university portfolio, which I'm applying to, is almost up. Though I was unable to make one drawing per day, I believe it shouldn't be a problem. Thankfully, this specific university accepts USB sticks for digital work, so that makes everything easier. Granted, next university's deadline portfolio only accepts traditional media works...that shall be fun! lol

I was thinking about making a speed painting video, or maybe a tutorial...but I have the feeling that perhaps not many people will watch it at this moment, since my blog is not even a little famous yet.  I started a Facebook page, in order to try to spread my work around, and it has been working better than blogger! I guess it's easier to look at drawings over there, rather than going outside of your way to read a huge post here...we'll see what happens with the videos ideas. Here is the link to the Facebook page, if anyone wants to join: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mariana-Amaral/188212281286244?sk=info

In any case, I have been working with watercolor and different mixed media techniques now, which I found to be quite challenging. I'm the kind of person who is very meticulous, likes to work in specific, tiny details for a *very* long time, and is a little obsessed about controlling ones own work. You can see why watercolor is my nemesis. In some ways, I feel like I need to "let go" in order to paint with watercolor; like I need to let the medium control me, instead of the opposite. It's a tough balance between letting the medium draw the painting on its own, and controlling it. One drop of ink in a moist surface and the watercolor will fade itself into the background, as if its almost alive.

Maybe it's weird to say this, but I feel that watercolor can teach me how to be a better artist. How to have more freedom and not be so obsessed over my own work...

Work in progress...watercolor, Feb. 2012

We'll see where watercolor takes me!

On other news, I've been playing around with making gauges too. I haven't had so much fun in a long time, as I have been working with those! They are not expensive, the materials last a long while, and it gives you a lot of creative room to play with.

Hahahaha, I love how my cat invaded this picture! She looks completely insane!

Based on "Nightmare Before Christmas"...my fav movie of all times<3 can you see Jack's face?

Based on Cthulhu! My partner made this one, but I loved it, so I had to post it too.

I thought about maybe selling those online...I wonder if anyone would be interested in buying them. Something to definitely consider~


...and with that, I shall go to my watercolor war once more!

Cheers!
M~

1/65

6 Universities, 65 works to do, around 60 days. It doesn't sound so bad when writing it, but I have the feeling that by the time I reach the 65th drawing, I will be either in a long-term mutualistic relationship with my own easel or in a state of paralysis. With some luck, the first option.

Home-made easel and a ironing board...no fancy art supplies, but works!

Aside from that, I really dislike how Universities Submissions take place nowadays. Look, I consider myself lucky: my roommate let's me use all her art supplies that she collected after many sales and good deals, and she built me a home-made easel from wood strips. If it wasn't from both these things, I don't even want to think about how much money I'd be spending in supplies and brand new easels (I honestly cannot draw well in a table or in my lap...just...cannot). Now back to the University talk: taking one of the Universities I'm applying to, for example, without citing names. It requires 20-30 works from you, sent by mail, in a portfolio-case with all your documents included. If you chose to have the drawings sent back to you, you also have to pay for it. Not only that, the work has to be sent flat. For a Fine Art's student that focuses on painting, the student would have to buy special oil/acrylic papers (since one cannot send canvases or wood, and definitely not cardboard with gesso on top) in order to do his/her work. Personally, the cheapest paper I found online was 20 euros (including shipping costs) for 10 sheets of A3 oil/acrylic paper. The University accepts up until A0 size works.

Now let's think about this for a second...let's say you are a very applied student who loves doing big pieces of work in oil. How much money would you have to spend not only in paper but also the shipping of a flat A0 portfolio with 20-30 works in it to the University AND back (which I don't even want to think about the price). Hopefully you either have a wonderful job, which allows you to draw and gain money at the same time, or you have wonderful parents to support you, or both. Let's not begin to consider the possibility of this same student wanting to apply for more than one University...

Who in heavens is still running the admission process of Universities these days? Do the people have a slight idea of media and paper prices? How is a student supposed to have that much money available to him/her? Maybe it's different for German citizens, but I find it absurd...

In any case, my first of 65 drawings is done, hooray! No, they won't be in an A0 format, and I can merely hope that size is less important than quality when causing an impression in the admission office people.

Progress pictures...

Finished work, "Naiá", mixed media, 21 Jan. 2012

Really, really think admission to Universities should be re-thought.