The Art of Mistakes eBook

Ideas That Are Unfamiliar, Zany and Seemingly Crazy

The following comes from a message I originally shared with our sister site, ClothPaperScissors.com. Download the featured eBook, plus many other digital art books, video workshop downloads, and art magazines for 30% off today at North Light Shop.

Many of us are trained from early on to give too much consideration to the opinion of others. It's not until we're adults that we realize we don't need someone else's permission to be unique. We often hold back, refraining from saying what we really want to say or do. I'll admit that there's absolutely a time and a place for restraint, but I don't think that time is in your art and self-expression.

Tapping into your art, and I mean YOUR art, involves finding out who you are and not being afraid to be different. I thrive on involvement with interesting people and things. One of my favorite questions to ask someone when we first meet is, "What do you love to do?" I don't care about the weather or traffic. Tell me what you breathe for.

Melanie Rothschild, artist and author of The Art of Mistakes: Unexpected Painting Techniques and the Practice of Creative Thinking, is here to reassure us all that, as she says, we're not going to get arrested if we push our own artistic boundaries and experiment. No one will chastise you.
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Drips on Stripes by Melanie Rothschild (Pin this!)

"Understanding the nature of creativity helps us to embrace developing a wide spectrum of ideas--including the unfamiliar, the zany, the seemingly crazy, the never been done before, and an appreciation of certain mistakes," Melanie says. "You just never know what's going to spawn the germ of a thought that could be developed into something spectacular. And you don't want to cut off any ideas that could ultimately turn out to be the next opposable thumb. If ideas are tamped down in the very early stage when all the potentials are strewn about, the best of the bunch might be left out because of an assumption that 'it could never work.' Premature judgments are the antithesis of a creative mind-set. (Like this? Tweet it!)

"Grasping appreciation for the tremendous value in exploring ideas and respecting the function of play is crucial in developing a creative approach to thinking. For artists, it should not only be permission, but a downright insistence on trying out all kinds of possibilities with abandon. It's not just that it's allowed. It's more the case that it's essential.

"And this same principle of developing and tolerating a wild, crazy spectrum of ideas, again, applies not only to artists, but to anyone interested in creative thinking of any sort. Whether it's about arranging a way to get to the airport or coming up with the next tech sensation, generating and entertaining broad and imaginative possibilities are at the heart of a creative mindset." ~Melanie

One way to understand and appreciate creativity is to read about it. I have an entire shelf of books dedicated to the subject, and what's interesting is that every time I read one, I find myself coming up with new ideas. They're random, plentiful, sometimes winners, and sometimes duds, but I'd rather have too many ideas than not enough. I can't wait to see more of what Melanie has to say in The Art of Mistakes, so I can continue to tap into that wonderful wealth of inspiration.

Wishing you endless creativity in the new year,
Cherie Haas

Welcome to the Community! Cherie Haas
Online Editor, Artists Network
artistsnetwork.com


Discover great deals for artists, available instantly during the Digital Days Sale!

The fear of making mistakes in artwork is universal. Learn how to lose that fear with The Art of Mistakes!

You'll love this inspirational art book if:

You've struggled with fear of failure in your artwork
Mental roadblocks prevent you from finishing--or starting--your artwork
You want to learn how to turn mistakes into material for even better creations

This new title from Melanie Rothschild will teach artists and creatives of every skill level how to lose the fear of making a mistake. Part creativity book and part instruction, this book will teach you how to use creative step-by-steps as stepping stones, rather than rules set in stone. Learn to break the rules in your art and branch out in creative play and experimentation.

Mistakes often give us ideas we'd never conjure up deliberately. This book will teach you how to not only become comfortable with making mistakes, but how to let those mistakes propel your art toward success! After considering topics like why an art class can be a dangerous place and seeing the creative benefit in the act of play, you will be encouraged to try art-making techniques that encourage finding the benefits of mistakes. You will be given permission to use and find value in cheap materials and learn how to take creative thinking into other parts of your life.

Order your copy today and find:

16 painting techniques to encourage creative thinking and experimentation
Permission to make mistakes as you make art
Methods to discover how mistakes can serve your art and creativity

This is a must-read for seasoned artists and first-time creators alike. Maybe you have artistic impulses and desires but feel like you aren't one of the "chosen few" who can make art. Now you can learn ideas and painting techniques that show you a way of creative thinking that turn even your mistakes into beautiful works of art!

About the Author Author
Melanie Rothschild has sold her artwork, much of which was inspired by mistakes, in many stores and galleries throughout the US. She has a Masters of Science in the Study of Creativity and teaches workshops on the subject.
SKU U5671
Author/Speaker/Editor Melanie Rothschild
File Type PDF
Format eBook
ISBN 13 9781440311765