So here’s a thing about me. I’m better than average at almost any creative endeavour. Music, art, cooking, dance, writing – you name it. I’m better than average. And without much effort. Except for dance and sculptural things*.
I’m not great at drawing though. Better than average but only just. I get frustrated very easily when my hand doesn’t make what’s in my mind’s eye. Of course, I’m sure I could get better – with any talent or skill persistence pays and mastery takes time. Having ADHD, I do sometimes struggle with ‘sticking with it’. And there’s also some kind of character flaw within me that means if I can’t do something reasonably well on the first go, I sort of want to move on to the next thing. So even though print making seemed a natural medium to me, there is some drawing or drawing skills involved. Grr… I guess I just have to stick with it.
I know I need to put some effort into it, but I’m impatient. Hello AI. It’s not a perfect solution, but it helps. I wanted to make a possum drinking a beer, a common motif in fine art. But I knew that was beyond my abilities. So I magicked one up and made a print. I used a little bit of true grain to add the colour to the beer can. I did design and draw the label. Ol’ Vestal isn’t a real beer brand, but it should be. Vestal is a less than salubrious neighbourhood in Knoxville. The version here is quite bright, I made a 2nd version which was a little more subtle. But my brother has that one and I didn’t take a picture before he took it. There are only two of these and I’ll make no more. My brother has his framed in his guest bathroom. The perfect place. I need to do the same with mine.
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*My ‘muscle memory’ for movement isn’t great, but I do have some moves. As for sculpture, I’ve never really tried, but when I took a pottery class I was a little surprised that I didn’t find it quite as easy. I’m good with low relief, but full 3D seems to be beyond my easy talent.
