Collages

Before photoshop and AI, there was the collage. A humbler and more honest method of adapting and combining different and sometimes conflicting elements into something new. A successful work is something that blends seamlessly to become a world wholly its own. Artists share their techniques and even how they went about sourcing different components of their work, or tell stories about the inspirations behind their masterpieces. The layering adds texture and depth. From bold splashes of color to gently harmonious attempts at visual storytelling. The beauty of the collage is that it seems so accessible. It's a discipline where you add and add and add until the picture seems complete. It is visually rich and vibrant. And fun too. Don't forget that. Look at these images for long enough and you'll start looking for a scissors and something to cut up.

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Bob Ross Style of Painting for Beginners

 With his TV show, The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross inspired a generation to find peace and relaxation in artistic expression. With his easy-to-follow style and gentle guidance, his programs remain popular to this day. Of course, there was so much more to this iconic personality and if you want to know more about how he worked, the unusual pets he kept and some of his other quirks, there's a great collection of fun facts over here. Fans might be interested to know that his very first TV painting was auctioned off for $10 million last year and that a recent exhibition tour shared some of his lesser known work.  While not all of the works featured in this Facebook group for beginner artists follow a technique directly related to the works of Bob Ross, it is nevertheless a great space for amateur artists to share their work and support others. 

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Peeling Paint Appreciation Society

Yeah, why not. Let's take a peek at a group about not doing anything. About leaving things as they are. Instead of consciously making art, let's look for accidental art, and leave it where it happens. I found myself pleasantly surprised by this gallery of the incidental, which seems very much to put the rust into rustic. Since many of the images are close-ups, the captions feature a description, and sometimes even a location - which makes it even more interesting. Feast your eyes. Then, with these photos still freshly formed in the back of your opsins, go out, armed with your camera or smartphone and find your own. Anyone can do this. Trust me. 

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