Expensive Equipment

As I once again click "order" at the bottom of the Dick Blick page, I'm reminded of the fact in photography that it's not the equipment that you use but the 'eye' that you have or your ability to turn it into something afterward.
Oh well, too late, I've already clicked the button.
I've been collecting art supplies for a couple years now. Have I done much with them? No. But I have made an attempt this year to play. As long as I can follow along in a class or watch a video I can produce some work. Most of these find their way into digital work because they're not good enough for anything else except maybe a journal page but then when do I ever do that?
I have a nice stack of papers now that I'd love to make into a book. But I'll probably wait till I have more of a variety and it'll be a someday thing.
I signed up for an abstract flower class on Ivy Newport's site awhile back and figured I'd better review the supply list. Oh my, it was watercolor and I was thinking acrylic... Since I just made a few bucks at my last show, I'm determined to spend it on more supplies for my collection. Besides watercolors, I ordered some pan pastels that have been on my list forever. Some inks and a few encaustic paints also found their way into the shopping cart.
It will arrive just 2 days before class so in the mean time I will play a bit with the few watercolors that I do have. I ordered Golden's Qor because a teacher friend says she like those best and I love Golden's others paints.
Now back to that 'equipment' issue. I passed on the Daniel Smith and Holbein paints that were on the supply list although those were tempting but oh so pricy. That at least made me feel somewhat good about my purchase. Now to just use what I have and not let it sit in the closet.

Created in the Figurescapes class by Tricia Dewey on IvyNewport.com.

A Year of Education

I just reviewed my quest for knowledge through out 2014. It appears I was just as thirsty as 2013 yet still only finished the same number ...7.
I made another art page of my list to print out for a reminder. It's quite obvious to me which ones I just wasn't interested in enough to spend much time there… the web classes.

Finished Classes…7
Nearly finished Classes….4
Barely started Classes….7
Never started Classes…..7
And one half way finished class.

This year's line up… so far all year classes…
The Studio - Kim Klassen
A continuation of BeStill52 - Kim Klassen
Awake - Photoshop Artistry
12 Months with Matt Kloskowski
Time Capsules - Xanthe Berkley

Of course I will continue to watch Creative Live, Udemy and Kelby One.

Friday Finds January 9

It's a new year with some new stuff.
Once again I've over-committed on class sign ups. I'm sitting here remembering this post the beginning of last year. I listed all the classes I'd signed up to take the year before and it was daunting. I am NOT a finisher. (with a few exceptions) Last month I had signed up for two year long classes and totally forgot about them when I promptly signed up for two more. Some one shoot me! (perhaps with a camera not a gun) Oh well… I'll learn what I will learn.

So I got a new journal, this one specifically for The Studio with Kim Klassen. It just happened to match my new cell phone cover.
By default I ended up with an iPhone 6+. It's not what I wanted and still hate the fact that I cannot sit comfortably with it in my back pocket. The rest of it I have come to love. With these old eyes I've even done a little photo editing on it's big screen.
The cup is actually pale aqua and was a Christmas present from hubby that I picked out. Soon I will get him set up on Pinterest so that I'll have a wish list he can purchase from and surprise me. (Valentines is coming up you know.)

I also found if you don't get the bare tree put away before the grand daughter comes over, she will redecorate it for you.

I have decided I will review that old class list. And make another list from 2014. It will be interesting to compare the two years. Right now I feel a bit overwhelmed with all the things I would like to do this year. I haven't totally settled on a 'word' either. Lots of things just swirling in my head today and year-end booking is calling my name. Besides my name I believe I hear some cuss words.

I will be doing a series called Mobile Art Mondays this year. My first post was Jan 5th. Join me on Mondays for tips, tutorials and inspiration!

Hope your year is off to a great start!
Linking up with Friday Finds.

Class List

Linking p with Kim for Friday Finds.
This week I've found out things about me I don't think I want to know but actually it's good to know them. I'm a worse class junkie than I ever thought.
Have I signed up for any new classes for 2014?  Well, let's revisit last years' for a moment.
How about a list of all the online classes I started this year and didn't finish? Along with the others I have access to and barely started? I will make myself a class schedule and attend (somewhat) faithfully.
I have so many that some I hardly even remember buying. A cruise through my paypal account and my filed receipts has turned up a few of those.
It's a good thing they are not tangable. I'd be one of those people that barely have a path through their house.

I actually did finish 7 classes this year and would like to review some of these again. (Yeah! Bravo! I'm giving myself a pat on the back! I seriously thought I had only finished 3.)

1. Photo Art Blends - Cottage Arts (fabulous! if you're artsy)
2. The Art of Journaling - Amanda Taylor (also fabulous! if you're artsy)
3. The Art of Blending - Digital Scrapper
4. Apple iMovie - PPSOP
5. Round Trip - Kim Klassen
6. The Art of Composition - Tracy Clark
7. The Phone Photography Project - Big Picture Classes

Most of these I got past the midway point but when it comes to thinking and writing I usually duck out the back door.

1. Write Now! - Amy Sorensen
2. One Little Word - Ali Edwards (ooops never got past month 3)
3. Time Capsules - Xanthe Berkeley
4. Photoshop Artistry - Sebastian Micheals
5. Beyond Beyond - Kim Klassen
6. Start to Finish - Kim Klassen
7. Gifts of Imperfection - Brene Brown
8. Chalkboard Art in Illustrator - Carina Gardner
9. Designer's Brush Workshop - Amanda Rockwell
10. Holiday Play - Alisa Burke
11. Ink & Paint - Laura Coyle
12. Awesome Album Design Skills (InDesign)- Photography Concentrate

Udemy Classes:

1. The Art of Black and White Photography
2. Amazing Sunset Photography
3. Adobe Illustrator CS6
4. PSD To HTML
5. Portrait Photography with Simple Gear
6. iPhone Photography Secrets
7. The Absolute Beginners Guide to Flash Photography
8. Snapseed
9. Plus more.....(yes I'm seriously hanging my head now. I've only finished one class, Snapseed, and it was very good.

Creative Live Classes:

1. iPhoneography with Jack Davis
2. Photoshop's Best-Kept Secrets with Colin Smith
3. Quick Retouching in Lightroom, ACR & Back with Jack Davis
4. Special Effects in Lightroom and ACR with Jack Davis
5. Group Panel: Best Practices
6. Intermediate and Advanced Actions with Ben Willmore

3 subscriptions
Craft Daily for mixed media
Kelby Training
NAPP

Older ones I'd like to revisit:
MO-tography - Jessica Sprague
Several Illustrator classes by Carina Gardner
Inky Doodles with Michelle Houghton

I will print this out and hang it on the wall. (I must make it cute tho.)

Have I signed up for any new classes for 2014? Well, of course. This addiction to learning is very hard to break. I have two that start next week. Lens Baby Magic by Kathleen Clemmons and The Art of Photographs by Amanda Taylor.

So if you ever ask what classes I'm taking at the moment I'll just have to send you a link to this post.