Intense Lighting

I didn't like this project because having the minimal amount of light makes the final picture very grainy. However, when I came into class to work on it in Photoshop Vaughn showed me how to take the noise and make it interesting....this is what I ended up with.

Chapter Eight

Jobs for Young Artists

I hate to say it like this but I am so glad this is my last post on this book. The further I got along the more I enjoyed the information Dunning was trying to convey to me as a young artist. I think that there are some values that are worth taking along if I were to pursue photography as a career, the only problem would be trying to work two jobs to afford the studio time and take great shots, too.


A long time ago the phrase, "starving artist" was coined and I think that after a month out on their own trying to live solely on their art, a new artist truly starts to realize what this statement actually means and the fact that it can certainly be true. There are some headstrong artists out there who think they know they are good, they have some connections and have produced good work, but what happens when the gallery buying the art decides that they want to go a new direction and they need some thing new and totally different, trying to live by only making and selling art is going to run you into the ground.


I think that the option of holding a part time job while living your dream is the plan that should be stuck to. I say this because you never know how it's going to pan out. Will you sell 10 or 15 pieces this week and 2 next week? Will you have a bidder on 5 today but none tomorrow? I think that having a part time job not involved with art, or even with art maybe an understudy, would relieve some of the stress that an artist is sure to feel once they are hit with the sledge hammer of reality. Bills still have to be paid and gas still has to be put in the car and food doesn't just appear either. I am not trying to suggest that this is how it will be forever. I know that there are some very talented people out there and they work hard and produce great work, but that takes time and money, and to get to the top, to where selling your art, only, can pay the mortgage and feed the kids, sacrifices have to be made, even if it means waiting tables at Chili's til you save the money to truly put every thing you have into your love (art) and not have to struggle with every day life decisions.

Chapter Seven

Galleries, Portfolios, and Web Pages

It probably seems that I am just flying through this book, but to be honest I am skimming and trying to pick up the major key points.


All semester I have listened to Vaughn talk about how important it is to get yourself out there. Enter into shows at the university or you never know where your website might take you. Yes, Vaughn, I have been listening. Exposure is what is going to get you the "big bucks" as Vaughn would say. In order to be seen, heard, and paid any attention to you have to put in the effort and the man hours by updating your blog/website, going to galleries and taking a portfolio. When I see an artist, I will admit I tend to think more about painters, which is good considering Dunning was focused on painters too. I see someone who sits in front of a canvas all day long in a studio with paint all over their clothes, glasses instead of contacts, one brush in their mouth the other whisking away trying to make the perfect image. The only problem with this is that if they were to walk into a gallery like that they would most likely be turned away, and I say this not to be rude but to put the reality into your head. A gallery is a business, just like any fanchise, and they are looking for someone who can not only produce great art to look at but can back it up in a professional manner. Have a clean-cut portfolio, valid credentials, but still be able to show their hard work, without the greasy hair and painted clothing.


Now, you're probably thinking, "I have a website, the people only see my art, not me when I am creating it," but what if that site leads to calls from someone who wants to purchase a piece of your art, are you going to show up in your white jumpsuit with red, green, yellow, blue, and orange paint blobs or are you going to meet them in a nice, professional setting, with a suit and tie/dress and heels, and treat it like an upscale transaction? I think I would go with the latter.


So utilize these methods of spreading the word on yourself. Websites are nice, its quick and simple access to examples of your work, but keep it updated. Portfolios are nice when that gallery calls and says they want to give you a show. And, those gallery professionals want, not only for you to make them proud by presenting yourself in a business manner, but to make yourself proud by presenting your work that way because you feel that it deserves that kind of respect.

Chapter Six

The Color Monster

I never thought about how the use of color makes artists feel. Personally, I love a black and white image. I was taught in middle school that black and white are not considered color but tints or shades. I love the mystery of a black and white. Maybe this is what the author was trying to say though, artists are trying to find a way to make black and white more than it is just to avoid using color.


In a way I guess it's like being afraid of the dark or of heights. It truly is a monster. Last semester my instructor got into, briefly, about how the color in an image can affect your mood. If you see Red...some might say it makes them feel angry, where others might say it gives them a feeling of love and comfort; Blue might be calming, Green might make one feel anxious or jealous. I think that when an artist is trying to convey a specific mood, then color is a must. Since, Dunning is talking more about painting I think that it is more prominent in the use of a color pallet rather than just a picture of a sunset. Now, if a photographer were to apply this technique in the studio and wanted to portray a certain feel in their commercial photography or even with a family portrait...again in that scenario I think your conscience needs to check for the color monster under your bed and reassure you that there is nothing to be afraid of.

Chapter Five

Artist and Artist's Image

Image is something I think people work their whole lives toward perfecting. The risk takers in the art world used to be lepers where as in today's modern society the more outlandish your artwork is the more attention the public eye gives you. Self-image is definitely something that I have struggled with. From my life I can tell you that I get to the point of feeling worthy of being on this planet and then it's like a huge asteroid hits my world and I am knocked down. It takes me a while to get back onto my feet, but eventually I get to the point where everything is falling into place, and again something comes along to destroy it. I think this is how someone has to struggle in order to find their self-image either by what they see in the mirror or through their art. Life is a rollercoaster and most of the time you just have to hang on and try to enjoy the ride. If you take life's ups and downs and use it to your advantage in putting that emotion and discovery into your art I believe that the image you are trying to portray through that art will show on its own without trying to force it down everyone's throat.

Chapter Four

Tradition and the New in Current Art

Okay, so Chapter Four. This book is really getting to me. It takes all that I have and a few cups of coffee to keep my eyes open and my mind still. This chapter is basically telling us to try to understand the past before we try out our new ideas. Well, I believe most people try to do that in their every day lives, right? I mean that's why we are told we have to study history...in order to not repeat the past. I know that I personally try to learn from my mistakes as to not repeat them again. I liked the idea of taking a whole month and focusing on nothing but art. I think that that gives the artist time to appreciate and truly understand the meaning behind what they are trying to create.

Chapter Three

Artists and Teachers

Wow I think Chapter Three might have been worse than Chapter One. I feel like the author is just rambling...he is writing like he talks and I feel like I just want to yell, "Shut up!" He tells a story and then tells basically the same story over again with different characters in a different setting. The general idea of this chapter is the correlation between students and teachers. If you want a boring teacher you will get one, but if you are enthusiastic and ready to learn and ask questions and get involved then you just might find yourself getting what you paid for out of the teacher. The teachers have to do their part too. They have to work on paying attention to their audience and adjusting their methods to the crowd.