An Artist’s Survival Kit!

Since last August, I had lifted my roots and have been literally traveling and floating around like Forrest Gumps feather for months. When having packed my suitcase for a recent trip, it wasn’t long before I noticed how I'd neglected to include some vital art supplies. Not having my typical art supplies on hand had kept me away from my usual painting and art routines. Although the new sights and sounds within the places I have traveled granted me many artistic insights and inspirations that will carry me well into the future; it was during that time in which I realized how every artist on the planet should always carry even minimal art supplies with them. I found myself frequently having art withdrawals while being reminded of Abraham Maslow’s words on self-fulfillment and self-actualization where he expresses that: “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.” Touché Mr. Maslow! Since this thought forward, I have made an oath to never again neglect the artistic side of me when traveling, especially for an extended periods of time, I will most certainly carry with me “An Artist’s Survival Kit!” 

Things I found myself running to buy at the nearest art supply store during my travels: 

• 2 Pencils, Pencil Sharpener & Eraser
• Notebook (Large and Pocket Notebook) - to jot down artist concepts, art inspirations and ideas
• 2 Sketch Books – an official sketchbook & second to capture doodles of a fleeting inspiration, idea or concept
• Camera (Extra Batteries & Charger) - to capture anything and everything that inspires me
• Travel Size Paints – the colors that make up my primary color painting pallet
• Travel Size Canvas’ or Canvas Paper Pad – to depict my preliminary painting ideas in better detail
• Travel Size Paint Brushes (with short handles) – in the primary shapes and sizes I use regularly 

 

As all true artists know, art is not just something that you feel the need to do, it’s a way of life. An artist does not just sit down at their desk and turn into this other artistic person who creates art. To a true artist, art is everywhere; it is every place an artist goes and within everything an artist sees. 

Fundamentally, an artist internalizes their external world to ultimately and artistically express their internal world externally.    ~Tammy J. Ferrara

Think about that one! ;) My fellow artists should most certainly think about creating your own grab-n-go art survival kit if you haven’t one already. A few things to consider…

How many places have you been and had serendipitously come across an awe inspiring object, place or scene while thinking to yourself, I wish I had my camera? A camera will in an instant capture your inspirational object - for a picture IS worth a thousand words. It is also important to capture the inspirational sight you’re seeing within the very moment it hits you, without having to return to it. This is important, for art is momentary and will not be exactly the same when you revisit that special sight… as the lighting, as well as your visual insight will change and even fade over time. A photo will assist you to re-experience that very moment and will serve to visually resurrect the momentary inspiration you felt at a later time. So a camera is a must in my Survival Kit. I know what you are thinking, I’ve got a cell phone. Yes, yes, a cell phone is a great backup plan; however, there is nothing like a camera that takes high resolution digital photos, allowing you to take a countless amount of photos, from all sides, angles etc. Also keep in mind, that as an artistic person you must be methodical and organized. It is way too easy to grab a napkin and doodle on it, write down an inspirational idea on a receipt, and ask everyone in the coffee shop to lend you a pen, etc. This is a wonderful way to create a desk drawer full of random and interesting artistic objects for your friends to rifle through; however, it is also a wonderful way of misplacing, losing and forgetting your ideas. Stay focused and organized!

Carry not one, but two pencils. Just in case the tip of your pencil has broken off or you misplaced your pencil sharpener – this way you will always have a sharp backup pencil… and of course bring a pencil sharpener and pencil eraser. Ink pens are great for writing text but no substitute for an artist. Sketching and drawing pencils are a must have universal tool for blending, shading and creating gradients, etc while allowing you to keep your drawing as simple or complicated as you wish to render it. 

You never know where or when something inspirational will spark to ignite the light bulb within your artistic mind. A sketch book no what matter the size is the perfect way to keep all your ideas in one organized place. When you see an interesting object that you might use one day in your creations, it is not always enough to simply take a picture of it. As an artist observes and silently studies an object, they’re not necessarily seeing the object in its absolute reality but through the lens of their artistic eye. Every artist (especially for abstract artists) will ultimately mature to illustrate the world in their own unique artistic style. Sketching the object within that inspirational moment while using your own artistic style just to get it down on paper is the first step. Again, art is momentary so just get it down on paper knowing you can always refine or add details to the drawing later. Making this a regular practice is great in two particular ways. 1. To ensure that you never lose an idea, or look at a photo and think, what was it in this photo that caught my attention?... hence you find that your momentary insight and inspiration has faded over time and even faded away to nothing. 2. Your documented ideas and illustrations will come in handy when you go through artistic dry spells. To those people whom ask me how and why I never run out of ideas… there ya go! I have more conceptual painting ideas than I could possible render in a single lifetime, so if and when I do go through a dry spell, I still have a vast collection of documented and illustrated ideas. 

On a side note: I feel happy in getting back to doing a bit of writing and relaxing into some new art creations. I hope this “Artists Survival Kit” entry will enlighten everyone who reads it in two fashions. To give my readers a little insight into the artistic process behind me as an artist and my creations. Secondly, to assist those aspiring artists out there (especially dedicated to the ones I’ve recently met)… to artistically grow in more efficient, organized and methodical ways, in offering some tips and tricks I have personally and recently experienced. Talk about “Experienced” the photo at the top of this entry was recently taken in Seattle, just outside an art supply store in my hot pursuit to create my very own, grab-n-go, Artist Survival Kit.  ;)