When I go through art galleries and home decor stores that are loaded with tons of cool art, I am thoroughly discouraged by those shocking prices. It’s a given, art is expensive. Not only is it expensive to buy, but it’s expensive to make. Ever wonder where the phrase, “starving art student” comes from? Well, supplying the art lifestyle can be brutal to the pocket, therefore, artists aren’t afraid to charge you where it hurts for a price tag.
After being so let down time and time again when I was looking for some artwork to go in my new place, I came up with the idea to make my own. For me personally, I used to think of artwork as intensely detailed with minute lines and illusions, making it nearly impossible for an average, non-art student like myself to imagine creating such a thing.
As a result of all this pondering and searching, I actually decided to enroll in an art Drawing class. It was for beginners, yes, but I was very surprised to see artists in that class that were clearly capable of making their stick figures and rectangular shapes. Within a matter of a couple weeks, I can say that I have developed so much as an artist. I actually have this entirely new appreciation for art that I never thought I’d find.
Although I would say my use of rectangular objects is pretty good, the detailed lines and structure are not the factors that have created some of my best art. Believe it or not, smudges, abstract marks and different values have allowed me to surprise my own self. It’s truly amazing what someone can create if the detailing arm is replaced with the loose, free, and wild arm.
It took me about four weeks to finally agree with my art instructor when he said, “don’t think, just draw”, because I always thought well, I have to think if I want to create anything worth looking at. Well, let me tell you that the moment I finally let loose and began to forget about planning out my entire outline, I became an artist.
Creating abstract art, while using pure compressed charcoal and graphite sticks, has become a hobby I can rely on for stress relief, contentment, and discovery. Guess what else has benefited from my art hobby? My bare walls. Instead of paying a fortune for an artist’s piece that I don’t even understand, I can create my own sense of abstract art based on something that relates to me and my life. What better to have in my own house then a piece of decoded art from my own mind? It’s simply, incredible.