Thursday, 20 February 2014

Art Club...

I really want to start a weekly 'art club'*, it would be somewhat like flight club without any fighting and you'd be encouraged to talk about it... alot, so basically nothing like fight club at all. 

I want to start it because I'm looking for a low pressure reason to draw, paint, make a sculptor, take a photo, write a poem or whatever creative itch I need to scratch every week. I could do this on my own but it's nice to share a creative journey with others and the internet makes that so easy. I also need to have some way to be held accountable, I don't really get anything done that doesn't have a deadline.

The problem with 'the art club' is having to come up with and write a weekly brief. I don't want this to be as simple as drawing an object (although sometimes it could be). I want the briefs to be thought provoking and answerable in any number of ways. The briefs also need to be short enough to be summed up in a tweet. I'm writing today to see firstly if people would be interested in me investing time into setting this up and secondly to get ideas for projects. My initial thought was to run with classic but very open themes like 'still life', 'figurative', 'light', 'landscape' but is this too old school/boring?

Lately I have been back working nearly full time as a graphic design freelancer. Unexpectedly I'm really enjoying it. If you don't know my history I worked in a couple of design agencies for a number of years and pretty much burnt myself out creatively (like so many people who work in the industry). Spending all day designing does mean however that my personal work is not getting done. It's really important to me to keep doing personal work on the side so I never kill that creative flame again. That's why I'm so keen to get this off the ground. Please have a think and let me know if you're interested in giving it a go. 

If it seems like there's enough interest I'll pull together the logistics and a number of project ideas next week and we can start getting creative.

*Better name and graphics still to come!


10 comments:

  1. I am so keen for this idea! I love little personal projects that force you to take a step out of your comfort zone and get back to the basics. As someone who sits in front of the computer all day, it would be great to have a reason to sit down and produce something by hand.

    I like the idea of going back to classic - perhaps it can be still be these things but with your own twist on it? "Inspired" by classic styles.

    I so hope this happens! I can't wait to start :)

    www.lovinglykate.blogspot.com

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  2. Me too (keen). I take part in the Illustration Friday challenges from time to time (they have a weekly theme, usually one descriptive word) and like having a little project to work on over the week. Small is good, though - that way there's more chance I'll finish it. I like 'Art Club,' by the way!

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  3. I adore this idea, as a Graphic Designer myself I never seem to get anything finished unless someone is waiting at the end of it.
    I'm in!

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  4. I'm keen too! I had my own naff version of this I called 'fivesies' where I would get my sister to send me a list of five things to draw, just to keep the creativity kickin on, but that fizzled out. Yours sounds much more organised and interesting!
    Will keep an eye on your fb posts x

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  5. I'm super keen to join in. I have so many ideas, so many ufo's - always distracted by something else though. Focus would be fab!

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  6. It sounds like such a rad idea, I would be totally keen to participate. A nice way to stomp out those creative blocks that can happen.

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  7. This sounds awesome, I'd love to take part. Keen to get out of my comfort zone a bit and working to a deadline, as part of a club community, might help!

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  8. Sounds rad! How about for theme ideas you pass the responsibility around willing club members? Or when people "sign up" they also have to submit a theme idea? Or relate the themes to topical things - might have a wider reach that way. I'm not a designer/draw-er person but this kind of project would still be fun!

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  9. Keen! Thinking basics like lighting colour etc would work. Anything really. People could take turns too. One could also use a thesaurus ect.. be inspired by local news? I often just draw something i pick up while out on a walk if i am lacking in topic but not desire! Anyways fantastic idea.

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  10. Such a good idea... Like an anti-fight club ;)

    Torsten @ MightyTravels

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