http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com Free art, craft, writing tips and techniques Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:18:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/how-to-be-idle-tom-hodgkinson/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/how-to-be-idle-tom-hodgkinson/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:58:00 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=2351 How to be Idle, by Tom Hodgkinson I've always thought that being idle was just about doing nothing and achieving nothing, but Hodgkinson argues that doing nothing can actually be very productive. Doing nothing, having conversations with others, and resting allows you time to think and be creative.Read more about How to be Idle...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/how-to-be-idle-tom-hodgkinson/feed/ 2 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/essaouira/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/essaouira/#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:15:07 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=365 Hang out with the artists in Essaouira, Morocco, Africa I spent a week in Essaouira, a small place on the coast of Morocco, which took 3-4 hours to get to on a bus from Agadir. I've seen it in holiday brochures, travel guides and books for artists. It's an "arty" place, famous as a former residence for Jimi Hendrix (he stayed at the same hotel as me) and full of paintings by local artists. I definitely recommend it for photographers, sketchers and painters or those who just want to laze on a wonderful sandy beach. It's also great for surfers, as the wind whips up some great waves to ride on. Read more about Morocco...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/essaouira/feed/ 0 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/an-easy-method-of-gilding/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/an-easy-method-of-gilding/#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:43:51 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=991 An easy method of gilding If you haven't tried to gild anything before, imitation metal leaf is easy to use and is a lot less expensive than using real gold leaf. I wanted to gild a clay replica of a precious metal medieval European bookcover that I saw at the British Museum. Read more about metal leaf gilding...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/an-easy-method-of-gilding/feed/ 0 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/modeling-putty/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/modeling-putty/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:12 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=1165 Using self-hardening modeling clay Ever needed to model something in clay, but don't have a kiln or a potter's wheel? Don't want to end up with just a cracked, blobby mess as the finished product? Well, self-hardening modeling clay may be the answer. There are many self-hardening materials available which can be dried at room temperature and are very easy to use. For this project, I decided to make a miniature door for a relief painting.Read more about using modeling clay...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/modeling-putty/feed/ 2 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/abebooks/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/abebooks/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:30:03 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=2150 Find that illusive book at Abebooks I've found a great place for buying second-hand (pre-loved) books and new ones, Abebooks. You can access the stock of booksellers from all over the UK and they will post it to you. I've used it many times and have always received the books as described. It is a great way to buy affordable textbooks too, if you are doing a course.Read more about Abebooks...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/abebooks/feed/ 0 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/banksy-wall-and-piece/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/banksy-wall-and-piece/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:20:52 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=2129 I luv u Banksy, Wall and Piece Imagine a city where graffiti wasn't illegal, a city where everybody could draw wherever they liked. Where every street was awash with a million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus top was never boring. A city that felt like a party where everyone was invited, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine a city like that and stop leaning against the wall - it's wet...Read more about Banksy Wall and Piece...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/book-reviews/banksy-wall-and-piece/feed/ 0 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/artists/amanda-harker/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/artists/amanda-harker/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:35:44 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=1883 Featured artist: Amanda Harker Amanda Harker likes to shock, using traditional children's stories, lace, and embroidery to defy expectations. The viewer, lulled into thinking they are looking at something decorative and ornate, is confronted instead with ideas of obscenity and pornography. In her words, her work "mirrors the multi-layered perceptions of women".... Read more about Amanda Harker...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/artists/amanda-harker/feed/ 0 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/banksy-in-archway/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/banksy-in-archway/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:51:25 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=2000 Is there art in Archway? Banksy says yes A friend of mine lives in Archway and I have often visited her. I have grown to love the area over a period of years. We've both extolled its virtues on several occasions. But how do I explain this to others who inhabit [insert posh/trendy/expensive area of London]? What is there to do in Archway? Isn't that the place where the Archway Tavern sits marooned among a circle of roaring traffic? Where there's an unsightly tower block that's next to the tube station? Well yes...but...there's Banksy graffiti... Read more about Banksy in Archway...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/banksy-in-archway/feed/ 2 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/modeling-clay/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/modeling-clay/#comments Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:30:20 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=1146 Using modeling clay to make an art card For this project, I decided to make art cards from modeling clay, essentially miniature paintings measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches, that can be exchanged with other artists. They can be made of any material as long as they meet the dimensions and are not too thick.Read more about using modeling clay to make an art card...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/craft-techniques/modeling-clay/feed/ 0 http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/creatures-of-the-night/ http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/creatures-of-the-night/#comments Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:30:15 +0000 Diane http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/?p=1966 Is it a bird, a bee, a plane? We heard this creature during the night from our apartment in Bulgaria. No idea what it is, although I would love to find out....See the video about creatures of the night...]]> http://www.how-to-be-a-bad-artist.com/places-to-visit/creatures-of-the-night/feed/ 2