Pages

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

DREAM BIG


In her book The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron suggests an exercise to do when artists are between projects -- sharpen your pencils. It's sort of like priming the pump, getting ready for the water to flow again. So I have been reviewing my wishlist for new toys to assist me in my art. Over the weekend I ordered a 500gb external hard drive. When I bought my computer 3 years ago, I never thought an 80 gig hard drive would be insufficient. Hahahaha. Within the next couple of weeks I plan to order a new camera. I'm excited to think how double the megapixels in my photography will change my art. It will definitely create a need for more storage space.
Photoshop gets cranky when I get around 6 gigs of space left on my hard drive. Right now I am considering this Canon PowerShot A720. I've found a good price online but want to hold it before I buy it. I've read good reviews online, but I need to check out the design before I make a final decision.

Eventually I will need another gig of RAM as well.

--------------------
One of my next goals is finding a better way to print my greeting cards. I've been reading just a little bit about companies using Indigo digital printing presses that will do short run print jobs. Anyone out there have any info or leads on good printers like this that specialize in artists' work?

I also got some feedback about seeing my art printed really big. This summer I saw a digital artist Chalda Maloff from San Antonio exhibiting locally. Her art was printed on canvas, varnished, and wrapped around wood frames. I found out from her that she prints herself, but the printer came in around $5K. Maybe I could find a group of digital artists that would be interested in going in together on a printer. Big sounds soooo good.


What kind of dreams do you have about your art or your life?

5 comments:

John M. Mora said...

Have to delete that yolar spam. wen tthere and am sorry. Be WARNED.

I concur with your choice of purchases - I did have problems with a Cannon PowerPoint pocket camera about five years ago - next camera was a Mikon trhat I like. Need a real SLR someday. Came close to getting it last year but then went to summer camps....ditto this year.

That digital printer sounds amazing and costs ten arms and ten legs. Wonder how much toner etc is.

I do not think I wan to do my art as canvas - one important facotr is how permamnet the medium is.

Art should last.

Miriam said...

I dream of being able to spend ALL day working on art, every day. "Life" just has this nasty habit of getting in the way. Wow, would I ever love to own a 5K printer....who wouldn't? Regarding cards...I haven't had a lot of patience with looking for the proper printer online, so let me know what you find out! I do know that cafepress has a ridiculous base price...so I started thinking about how I could probably find something equal in quality, if not better, by just looking locally! Plus...I get to actually see the product in my hand! I work at a copy store...and they have come up w/ a beautiful card for me. Perhaps you might consider looking around at a copy place or printer where you live?

Bobbie said...

I think I'll just dream along with you Sue, forget the cost of toner, much less paper. I'm so glad you are getting a brand spanking new computer. When you start running out of disk space that kinda cramps your style, doesn't it? It would be great to see your work in large format. That would be a dream come true.

My dreams are pretty simple. To be able to wake up in the morning and draw a picture, or spend a couple of hours on the computer with friends, to enjoy the sunshine or listen to a birds song.

Irene said...

If you want me to be very specific for a material thing, I want the Panasonic Lumix FZ50K Digital Camera.

Barring that, my wishes are small, and I want every day to be as peaceful as the preceding day.

Other than that, I would like for Americans to get a Democratic President.

The Artful Eye said...

Sue,
I'm going to check with my sis in D.C. about the printer she uses. She prints her own photos large for gallery presentations and for sale and loves her printer. I'm thinking right now it's an Epson but it's high, high end and prints very large.

I'll let you know.

I enjoy Julia Cameron's books too!

With regard to art and dreams. If I had one wish I'd have just enough money so I wouldn't have to work, create art everyday, volunteer my time to teach and heal others through art. Return to school to be an Art Therapist.

Don't care much about too many materialistic things.

If I wasn't married to my wonderful husband. I'd join the Peace Corp or work in a third world country teaching art and skills to underprivileged.

D