Trying different things...

Always.I ordered some Bolo clips and Lanyards on Amazon™ along with some glowing lanyard material, which has sent me off in another direction. Someone suggested it at the Saturday Market and I thought to give it a try. Reluctantly, I adhered a magnet to the back of the rock and found that it will hold tightly enough to  to make it interchangeable! 

 The Bolo looks cherry in this picture because it has been enhanced with the photo editor. It still is not far off the mark in real life.After making mushroom rocks, bottle stopper rocks,Spinner rocks, Pendants, Refrigerator magnet rocks, having this suggestion work out pleases me greatly. The other technique employed was the crackle finish just for that rustic look.

The other thing tried this week was making a cameo. The white becomes glow naturally and the results are pretty awesome. Up close it has a few flaws and the resin yellows a bit, but hey, let's call this one a work in progress.

The Birds in flight are doves moving past the clouds. The original is perhaps as obvious as the glow version, but more emphasis was on getting the glow version just right.

Pursuing leisure

     How to pursue leisure in a world obsessed with work and worry. Well, first of all, take it inside. I mean that both figuratively and literally. Pursuing leisure is an inside job. It requires reflection and focus, which to some may sound like work. Conversely, it seems that the whole concept of leisure is more about escape and relaxation than focus. Taking that into account, it really is the balance between these two ideas.

    Being inside on these "Covid-induced" rainy days affords some of us the time to work on projects that move us forward by curtailing the desire to rush off somewhere to meet a deadline. Projects that point to a need for fruitful self expression, rather than adhering to that constant impulse to please some nebulous dweeb that is always demanding to be right. This  may beg to question... Why work for that ? or more pointedly, why work at all?

    Granted, human beings are for the most part, socially responsible entities designed to be altruistic by nature. We don't need to be reprimanded for pursuing individuated activities that may in truth, render us more valuable to others in time.

    Laziness though, is a perpetual condition of procrastination. When someone proclaims,"All things in moderation" (even moderation) that is not a clarion call for anyone to stop trying to better oneself. It's like the notable difference between beckoning a call, rather than trying to beckon a call.  

    That being said, there is no need to wrap yourself in a blanket of guilt if it feels like you are playing hooky in order to get ahead. After all, we should not be championing the value of work for work's sake. It is important in this regard , to worker smarter rather than harder, and with poise rather than pointless effort.

The rock below is meant to illustrate this activity.

Swirly Rocks

 Hi there, welcome to a new year, a new direction, and a new chapter of Your Spirit Rocks ! the rocks below are an indication of a style that is fairly easy to apply, although the results can head off in a variety of directions. It just takes a little steadiness of hand when following lines around the rock to give it that pooling appearance. Applying a variety of colors will inform you as to what works, as far as patterns and contrasting effects are concerned. It is a fairly simple exercise that producing pleasing results.Larger rocks seem to work better that smaller rocks when trying it for the first time, and sketching the design with a pencil prior to applying the paint with a small brush will do the trick.Feel free to post any of your creations. We would like to see what works for you!

Portfolio 2022

 Best Wishes to all this Holiday Season. The following is a slideshow of the many rocks that have been painted and sold in the past year or so.The slideshow is an import from YouTube™ and it is recommended to view it in full screen which is entirely possible when you click on the image itself and click on the full screen icon.

In the beginning is a brief introduction with some slide effects that were just fun to show when adhering to the use of symmetry as a background device. Then comes this "meditation guy"doing his thing. Aside from the rocks, included are some pendants, keychains, Cairns, bottle bells, and wind chimes. These are some of the directions the rock painting has taken me.Incidentally, if you have purchased a rock in the past year I thank you for you patronage, and hope to see you again in 2023.

The Bling or the Glow

 Sometimes I don't know. Which has more prominence ? These are considerations for every rock I paint. The bling usually includes glitter which I try to use sparingly. Yes, it is an embellishment. Glitter is bling, and what attracts attention during daylight.This bling factor can be an annoying though, if applied haphazardly.

The Glow paint on the other hand, can be difficult when applied unsparingly and against a color that don't offer much contrast. It is meant to be a surprise effect and a step in exploring other hidden features. Glowing puff paint can usually be appreciated only after it's been activated. Therefore, this feature has to have prominence in the dark. Invisible ink is used occasionally to showcase designs and figures that will only appear under a UV light.

A rock has three dimensions that are apparent. Hardened Puff paint on top of the rock will contribute this dimensionality. Adding de'coupage of a paper sample, or iridescent cutout may seem like mere decoration (which it is) but may still contribute to the overall gestalt of the piece.

Bobbles are something I may use to make a keychain, cairn, or pendant appear ornamental. These may have some foil reflection element glued to the back to make the bobble appear jewel like.

Below is are examples of that.

Paintings and Drawings

This slideshow features paintings and drawings that have accumulated over the years that I've always wanted to showcase at some time in the future. The future is now. The mediums I've chosen are anything from Watercolor, Acrylic and Prismacolor™ pencils done mostly on Canson™ paper and other types of paper.

The background music is by Justin Leary in a piece called "New Age".

The Process of Elimination

 We have all heard the saying about throwing something against a wall to see what sticks, as being a way of deciding something that otherwise may be difficult in the process of making a particular decision. The same has been true in following my own creative instincts. That which sticks has been, and will continue to be, akin to "Taking what you like and leaving the rest". Some will see this as being a bit foolish by not exploring or questioning what has evolved up to that point. More about that later.

    Honing and refining one's skills and choices in the creative process is very important. Happy accidents can and do occur depending upon how much time and energy you may devote to a process ( which in many cases gets abandoned because of an ineffable result ). However, two things may occur in that process. Your skills using a particular tool or medium will advance and/or it may remain a "Work in progress" until you are able to produce something masterful.

    Making something masterful is the result of trial and error. It takes a lot to make a rock look beautiful. Sometimes the process can interfere with the outcome and the rock looks disastrous. Thankfully, that hasn't occurred so much lately. Below is really a state-of-the-art rock, of which I am very proud.

        

  

The rock on the right its the same rock under a blacklight

Making Money vs. Making Art

 We all have to make a living. Some do it creatively by cultivating their skills and pursuing their talent. Others follow their calling and will adhere to a legacy passed on by their parents or relatives. The pinnacle of a particular skill can be called artistic and will have value both ascetically and commercially. A true artist is gifted in rendering both, by carefully evaluating their work both personally and collectively. However, putting the cart before the horse in this instance can be a delicate balance of priorities.

    The appreciation of art is all fine and good, but the time, skill, material, and marketing that go into an agreed value are commonly measured in dollars and cents.

    The other thing that an artist (as is commonly known), is the creator of a work of art., not that they have commanded the manipulation of materials or the environment by which something has been created, but that they are the vehicle by which the event of its manifestation has occurred. 

Below is this week's "Rock of the Week".

Enjoying Meta's Occulus Quest

    I recently purchased a Meta Quest 2™ Headset which allows one to experience Virtual Reality. In fact, this blog entry is being typed in a virtual space as it syncs with my computer screen. When I've figured out how to add a screenshot of one of the apps' backgrounds with a current rock creation, it will be posted below. It has been fun and challenging to explore the fantastic art that some of these new apps offer in VR.

     One app downloaded onto the Headset is called "Tripp™" which is a very psychedelic meditation app that invites the viewer to be totally immersed in the scene instead of just being able to view it on a 2D flatscreen. Being able to observe and interact in a 3D environment is where technology is now headed.

    Your Spirit Rocks!™ will attempt to stay up with these innovative experiences and creativity as it emerges. The learning curve for this type of interaction is fairly steep. Especially if you are not a "Gamer" of sorts, as it is presupposed that these were the early adopters of this technology... so please stay tuned.

Getting back to the purpose of this blog which is to showcase the latest creation. Below is this week's " Rock of the Week ". It is a new rendition of the Phoenix, with a screenshot background found on the Tripp™ application.