What's Your Style?

I just got juried in to a local art organization, the Greater St. Louis Art Association.  http://gslaa.org/  I got high marks on all of their criteria.  One judge gave me an interesting comment, which is to find a unique style and "make it my own."  So, I've been researching this idea and here's what I've learned so far.   The About.com article, "How do I create a unique painting style" defines style as  "that thing that makes someone able to look at a painting and say, that's ____'s painting (fill in your name).  It makes your work collectible; it shows you're able to work to a consistent standard"  stylehttp://painting.about.com/od/paintingforbeginnersfaq/f/FAQ_style.htm  I think I'm well on my way to a certain style.  I've made some deliberate choices, such as painting with bold colors.  I prefer to work with either bright blue/orange or red/green complimentary pairings.  I also strive to use a unique viewpoint each time, such as a bird's eye or close-up view.  I don't think I've quite gotten to the point of recognizability, though.  Is that a word?  So that's the next step.   What about you?  If you are an artist, musician, film maker or artisan, what do you think about style?

What is decoupage?

I just got turned on to decoupage.  It's a craft and the term comes from the French word meaning "to cut."  Cut out pictures, prints from documents, or other materials are applied to a surface.  I decided to try decoupage under glass.  Rather than use paper, I use material.  I look for modern, fresh prints in cotton.  I can decoupage about 4 small plates with 1/2 yd. of material, so it goes a long way!  I wash and dry the material, then iron it.  I cut out enough to leave at least 1" overlap.  An 8" plate would need at least a 9" or 10" circle.  I wash & dry the plate with a microfiber cloth.  I set the plate, upside down, on top of a pedestal.  I turn over a bowl for this purpose - it just keeps the plate up off of the table.  I lay the cut material next to it on the table.  Using a small brush, I paint the material with a good amount of Mod Podge, RIGHT SIDE UP.  Mod Podge is glue  http://www.plaidonline.com/mod-podge/brand/home.htm  I paint the bottom of the glass plate.  I turn the plate over, set it on the material and put it back on the pedestal.  Then, I paint the (wrong side of the material) plate with Mod Podge.  I let this dry overnight and finish by painting 4 - 6 coats of water based polyurethane (you can find this at local hardware stores), allowing the polyurethane to dry between coats.  These plates need to be hand-washed, they're not dishwasher or microwave safe.  I'm trying other glass projects, such as platters, bowls and candlestick holders.  You can see my decoupage items in my other Etsy shop, Zigzagarts  http://www.etsy.com/shop/ZIGZAGARTS?ref=pr_shop_more

In The Beginning

One question I get is how do you do it?  First comes an idea, which is sometimes the hard part.  I have lots of ideas, but they don't all turn into paintings.  Next I set up a still life (or go outside to find something I'd like to draw) & take photographs.  I often take 50 or more!  There's that delete button, so it doesn't matter how many I take - and more photos mean more possibilities.  I set this one up on a large white foam board.  You can see the desk lamp in the back right of this photo.  I wanted back lighting for long dramatic shadows.  Then I take a look at them on my computer, in Picasa. http://picasa.google.com/  It's a free photo editing software download and it's really good.  I fine tune the photo, resize & crop.  One of the set up photos is above and here's the finished drawing.