This is a simple idea, create blocks of color using watercolor, or what ever media suits you and then write or draw in those blocks. Instead of blocks, what about circles or triangles or trapezoids? Anything goes as long as you're having fun with it.

I've been loading an automatic drawing video to YouTube every day. I shoot them the week before and then edit on the weekend, then load each day to youtube, usually in the AM, if I can remember, lately, I've been forgetting. This week's were a little more fun than the week previous. The upcoming week holds some fun stuff, I've been experimenting with black and white with occasional spot colors or with blue ink on white paper. So far I'm enjoying the direction this is pushing me in. I can't wait until you see some of the new stuff.

Here are the videos:

Most are available on my artfire or etsy shop. IF you see something that isn't listed feel free to contact me about it and I'll let you know if it's still available.

The first few automatic drawing videos I loaded to youtube were me in my safe zone with the technique- black lines, wet watercolors and washes of color blending together. I pushed myself a little to try something new. I loaded a pen with a favorite watersoluble blue ink and went to town.

I added watercolors and allowed the blue ink to merge with the colors, creating whole new shades. I added Pearl Ex watercolors to the mix. Sprayed the whole thing with water and hit it with a jet of air from my new high powered hair drier (it's too fast for my liking) and allowed the air to push the water around on the page, blending it further.

Watch it come to life here:

(I'll be getting more mats in tomorrow so some more of these will be listed, until then check out my etsy and artfire shops for other images.)

I was browsing vimeo and found Amanda's videos of her art journaling. I adore the style and automatic style of her journaling. The combination of works, color, rubber stamps , found objects and FABRIC. Oh My.

Journaling from Amanda on Vimeo.

1 01-31 10 from Amanda on Vimeo.

I can't believe the Microwaved RO.bot said that outloud! from Amanda on Vimeo.

Ten years ago I was doing larger sized automatic drawings- about 2×3 feet in size, on paper, ink and acrylic. I also made smaller sizes of ink on paper. I  took a bunch of pictures, had them printed on paper then bound them into a book. I made a few dozen of these. I sent them out to a bunch of galleries in the area. I received back dozens of rejection letters.

It was disheartening. I'd been both rejected and accepted into shows at that point. In several cases I'd have one piece accepted into the show and another rejected. I knew what I was doing might not be commercial enough.

What I realize now is that I hadn't matured as an artist enough. I was exploring themes that other young adults would be interested in but not the people who would be interested in buying.

After awhile I stopped even opening the rejection letters. I tossed them in a pile. Worse yet were the rejection letters that were clearly a form letter. After a few months of waiting and working the crappy over night job I"d taken to "not interfere" with my art, I opened all of them, they all sucked but one was less shitty than the others and it encouraged me to keep working. So I switched fromone crappy job to another job that was slightly less crappy but at least I got to work on art as part of the job.

I'd be a liar if I told you that the MASS of rejection letters wasn't crushing because it sucked in every way possible. As a result I put the automatic drawings on the back burner. I did them in a little sketchbook and never showed them to anyone. For years I'd draw them in sharpie on crap paper. It was just how it was.

Then I started to add color. I did them on little boards, in journals, and on canvas. I still rarely shared them. A few here and there woudl make their way to flickr. Response was…. Mixed.

These little images were about the subconcious process (still are) and sometimes they don't look like what people want. Sometimes they don't even look the way I want. I've adapted the process of them over time so that it fits more to the intuitive process and isn't limited.

A few weeks back I started to showthe process of how they are created on youtube. Response was for the first time largely positive. Time and place perhaps? I decided to throw caution to the wind and put a few up on etsy and artfire and see what would happen.

A bunch have sold, some people have contacted me about their favorites on youtube and those have sold. It feels good to have people like my work enough to purchase it, it's also totally unexpected and wonderful. The elated feeling I get when I pack a piece up, looking all professional in a mat and a KrystalSeal bag is like nothing else.

I can't express my gratitude well enough.

So here's a little song:

So you have a picky artist on your holiday shopping list and you're fretting over what to get them. Luckily for you I have ideas.

If you are okay with getting gift cards, buy one from a place where they can get the most bang for their buck- places like Jerry's Artarama or Cheap Joe's. These places offer art supplies at very reasonable prices and thus the money you give them will stretch.

Most artists I know love sketchbooks and always have one on hand. You could buy a really nice sketchbook for them. Check out the many many handmade and wonderful handbound journals and sketcbooks on Artfire or Etsy.

What about buying them a really nice brush?

I like to listen to "acid" jazz and quartets; like Mediski, Martin, & Wood or The Vitamin String Orchestra while I draw and paint. I like to listen to Pandora because their stations for this style of music are pretty awesome. You could get your favorite artist a subscription to ad free Pandora or a gift card to a local music shop or even an Amazon gift card.

Another great gift for an artist who draws in pen and ink would be a gift certificate from Jetpens.com or Gouletpens.com Either place offers fantastic products coupled with excellant customer service.

Anyone else have any great gift ideas for artists?