Table of
Contents
DIY: Nail Polish Flowers Local Artist Spotlight: Michelle Clarkson May Birthstone Creations Reader Birthstone Submission Sarcastic Designer v. Vague Client 3 Coloring Page Reader Coloring Submission Meet the Staff - Christine FanARTic Adventures: Episode 4, Pawsome Local Teacher Spotlight: Karena Locklear Art Form Spotlight: CloisonnĂŠ
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L o c a l
A rt i s t
Michelle
S p o t l i g h t
Clarkson
Where are you from, where do you live now? Well, long story short, I was born in Charleston, South Carolina. My mom moved my siblings and I from Florida in 2001 to Las Vegas, NV. I’ve lived here for about 14 years now. What is your favorite art form and why? I think digital and traditional are tied. What I can’t do with one the other fills in. There are no limits to what digital art can do these days: simulating watercolor, customized charcoal brushes, laying down halftones in 3 steps, 3D art, 3D printing, etc. It’s amazing. However, I discovered that despite how fantastic art programs are (Sai, Manga Studio, and Illustrator for example) the downside is the user has to be good too. As much as I enjoy the way these programs enhance my art, I am just not good with them. I have struggled with digital art for the last 5 years. I had ignored pen and paper because I hated my natural style of drawing. If I couldn’t get on the computer I wouldn’t draw. Eventually, I got really annoyed with it and my boyfriend let me know that I wasn’t spending enough time with the family so that was it. In 2015 I chose to go back to my roots: pencil and paper. Although my colors and inking are not perfect, I have never felt so happy about doing art. I produced more finished art last year than in 2013-14 combined. Accepting my current style has been very hard. I’m learning anatomy and have taken the leap to buying expensive markers to perfect my skills. Are digital art and drawing the only art forms you practice? I also do fashion design, whether it is sewing or just fashion illustration. That includes textile design. I went to school for fashion design. I only obtained my associates due to how poor the college was here, and the lack of fashion industry. I am actually continuing my education on my own. I am taking commissions for basic apparel like skirts to save up for a serger and produce custom fabric through Print all Over Me and Zazzle. Besides geek life, where/who do you draw inspiration from and why? Soo much!! Anime, kpop, streetwear, street art, architecture, plants. I am drawn to anything that has a beautiful form. Architecture and nature (plants to be more specific) are high on my list though. I never questioned why they are. I think moving to the desert made me realize how much I enjoy both of those things. Las Vegas sucks in both unless it’s a rich neighborhood or the strip, so I’m constantly craving something beautiful. Also, I get a lot of inspiration by watching other creators. I go to DeviantArt and see what everyone else is feeling. I’m on Facebook a lot and have recently started
connecting with the same DA artists. It’s interesting to see how different everyone is, but we all find something to love about each other’s work. I get a huge boost of inspiration from them. Even if it is something as basic as a rose or fanart of a Harry Potter themed castle. Do you have a website or Facebook page we can include in the magazine? Yes. Other than my personal IG (streetkitten55), I am revamping my tumblr, streetkitten, very soon with new art and sketches. My stores at Redbubble and Zazzle are under my artist name MZCLARK. I have older work available for purchase at my other Redbubble shop called ThreadStreets. When did you first know you wanted to go into drawing and fashion? Many of my relatives are artists. My oldest brother Mike is an artist. He’d bring home sketches and various art projects from high school. When I was in elementary school I would always sneak into his room to look at everything. He is really good. Although I always hid my work I didn’t mind him looking at it. If he caught me drawing he’d take the time to look at it and ask me questions. That made me feel really good. I knew I wanted to make art, but didn’t know what exactly. My skill in middle school was drawing from what I saw- portraits, animals, comic strips, etc. The National Geographic magazines my mom had were a huge help in learning to draw. My brother had lowrider magazines. I drew the cars and whatever rims I liked. I was actually really good by 8th grade, but it frustrated me. I wanted to create my own things. My imagination wasn’t very good, and my anatomy sucked. That’s where fashion came in. Fashion was a happy accident. I am a tomboy at heart and back in middle school I didn’t care about clothes, shoes and definitely not dresses nor purses. I most definitely obsess over those 3 now though! I love it. One thing that hasn’t been discussed is that I am a fraternal twin. Everyone knows by seeing pictures of identical twins that parents (mothers) have the habit of dressing the kids alike. I HATED that. I love sneakers, jeans and tshirts, but my mom would grab flower shirts and girly overalls for the both of us. UGH!. I used to “borrow” my brother’s clothes to even out my closet. He’s only a year apart so it worked out for about 2 years. Fashion design as an art form worked out in the long run because it appealed to my artistic nature. I was able to create what I wanted. I continued on in high school when we moved to Las Vegas. This city may not be a fashion capital, but it was a major change from Lakeland, Florida. I discovered different fashion styles and applied it to my drawings. In 10th grade I chose to make fashion a career. My mom saw my art and agreed it was good for me. I’m lucky to have her support because some families do not consider art school a real college. What/whose art do you most identify with? I follow a ton of artists from all over the world. I appreciate a lot of different styles because I’ve been exposed to a variety of cultures and I am open-minded. But since my art is based on the fashion industry I gravitate towards artists whose work I can see on my own clothes and I’d proudly rock it. Off the top of my head: Sergi Brosa. This dude’s skills with character creation and detail are phenomenal. I love post-apocalyptic and android type designs anyway so yeah! Yuki Nemoto is an awesome illustrator and fantastic at depicting streetwear. I also like Xiaobaosg and Taro Takizawa. I found them on DeviantArt over 4 years ago and have followed them through Instagram and Facebook. They work more traditionally and stick to the old school style of Japanese art, but mix modern concepts to it. I support both of them every chance I get through their web shops. Very cool guys. Takahashi Hiroyukimit-
sune is insanely cool. From colors, character design and overall concept. Aisey Barbie. She’s got that urban-cool style I adore. Omocat and ZambiCandy for sure. Definitely Boomslank. Those brothers are doing some amazing work for anime fans. I also love LeSean Thomas, Chase Conley and Anthony Piper in terms of modern character design and storytelling. Those three know what it means to create what you love and put in the work to get closer to perfection. I would not hesitate to work with any of these artists on a project. I highly recommend that folks check them out! What is the main challenge you face when beginning a piece of art? The most challenging aspect of drawing is settling for a style and developing the layout for the artwork. I don’t have a distinct style to my art so I’m always changing the way I draw things- hair, eyes, lips, etc. Color is the second challenge since I am learning to work with Copic markers and took up painting. What are some of your future goals concerning your art? New developments, studio, business, etc. I’m much happier when I help other people, especially artists. I love helping people who are better than me. Is that weird? I have begun to slowly move away from my art and develop my collaboration project, Thread Street. Thread Street is something I came up with several months ago after taking a Skillshare class on branding by Jeff Staple. There are so many talented people in this world who are fighting one another to get that number one spot and that’s sad. We all have the same goal. To be like Stussy, Dior, Alexander Wang, Tite Kubo, Hayao Miyazaki, etc. I want to bring creators together and, as LeSean Thomas says, “make stuff”. Physical stuff. Not just sketches we throw back into our drawers after 3 days. Let’s make things and sell it. Doing art is so expensive!! Non-creators have no idea. I want to assist creators in making a living off their art. They may not come out Jay Z rich, but they can at least pay half their living expenses. Of course, we should strive for Jay Z rich. My biggest goal for myself right now at this very second is to earn enough money through sewing commissions, my 3 online shops at Redbubble, Zazzle, and Print All Over Me, and possibly a loan. Lol. I also want to bring in at least 3 artists and launch projects. Talent House, Society6, Redbubble and Print All Over Me are already doing it. Some things may not be perfect about them, but it’s awesome to see that there are people who want to help and people who need it. I am one of those people on both sides of the tracks. I have one person working with me through my shops and we are hoping to find that one drawing, or two hopefully that will put us on the map.
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Karen’s Krochets
MayEmerald nce again, as with our previous submissions for the Birthstone Creations, the rules are the same. We tried to stay as close to the color of the birthstone as possible.
that this stone will grant its bearer foresight, good fortune, and youth.
Check out our interpretations of this month’s birthstone, and don’t forget to send photos of your emerald inspired creations to This month we are showcasing the fanARTicmag@gmail.com along emerald, the verdant beryl that with a short intro! is an age old symbol of rebirth. With a name that translates from Greek as “green”, there may not be as much poetry involved in the naming of the stone, but it has been treasured for ages. It has been said
Christine
For this month’s creation I wanted to mix yarn and fabric since those are the two things I’ve been working with the most lately. Emerald, as with most birthstones, sparkles a bit, and I wanted to capture that in my creation. I loosely twisted three different shades of green together for the chain of the necklace, used green fabric trim to make a flower, and crocheted a green circle to go in the center. I chose a trim with gold edges to add the shine and sparkle I was looking for.
Megan
This month’s birthstone piece was a lot of fun. I’ve always really loved emeralds, so I looked at some potential ideas for this piece. As with all the other months there are zodiac references in the backdrop. Also, there are Hawthorne flowers which are one of the May birth flowers. All in all it’s becoming one of my favorite series to take part in.
Rebekah
For this month I decided to go with something simple, but intricate. This pair of earrings, entitled “Verdant Dreams�, was simple to make, and the end result is sparkly and bright. I wanted to try to come up with a piece that evokes the lush greenery and warm sunshine of spring. The mix of greens, gold, and bronze is fresh and bright. The first of the earring tiers consists of loops of seed beads strung through a column of E beads, and the process was repeated with increasing numbers of seed beads and E beads. The green E beads remind me of sparkling emeralds, so I showcased them with lighter green beads, as well as gold and bronze to set off the whole design.
Chelsey
This piece is entitled “The Other Side.” It is a digital art piece created in Photoshop. I used different shades of green, but used emerald for the main object. I like this piece because it is ambiguous and everyone can see it in different ways and relate to it differently. I wanted to capture the way emeralds glisten and ended up with a metallic effect that I liked, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I also like the idea of green relating to envy as well as life and the different connotations that can have.
Designer, I want something like this. -Client
Sarcastic Designer v. Vague Client 3
New One
Original
NO! I WANT It exactly like what I gave you!
Original E-mail Reply
Exactly!
Forward
Meet the Christine
Staff
This issue we are talking with one of our lovely Co-Editors/Writers, Christine. Along with her many talents, Christine is responsible for editing the written tidbits of our magazine and also writing some of them. Keep on reading to find out more about one of our FanARTics and her plans for the future!
So just as a start, why don’t you talk a little about your interests aside from editing the magazine so the readers can find out what sort of things you like to do for fun? Besides working on the magazine, I’m usually crocheting, knitting, writing, or playing video and computer games. I’m also trying my hand at sewing. When did you first discover your love of crochet? I’ve liked to crochet for as long as I can remember. My mom does it, and I remember asking to help her work on some of her projects. I wanted to become good at crocheting because my mom crocheted baby blankets for me and my siblings, and I wanted to be able to do that for my future children. The very first thing I ever fully made was a red and white striped granny square blanket, and that opened the door for many more crocheted works. How would you describe your technique? I don’t think that I have a technique, really. I pretty much either follow a pattern or freehand. Is there something you do to get you in the mood to work on something? I’m most motivated when making something for a loved one. All of my friends and relatives know that I crochet, and I love to see how happy they get when they get something handmade that is personalized to their particular colors, style, or other interests. I also want to be able to crochet without looking at the stitches like my mom does. Are there any tips you can give people trying this out for the first time? The biggest tip I can give would be to be patient. Sometimes stitches don’t come out as nice as you would like, or you miss a stitch. The beauty of crochet is that you can always pull out the stitch and try again, so nothing is set in stone until you say so. Be patient and keep at it, and soon it will come naturally!
What is one of your favorite stitches to do? I really like doing the popcorn stitch. It’s made by making a set number of double crochets in one stitch, then joining the first double crochet to the last one with a slip stitch. It gives the work a textured, 3D effect because the bundle of double crochets pop out and forms a little bubble. Do you have a preferred brand of yarn? I mostly work with Red Heart and Bernat yarn, but I don’t have a favorite. I usually choose my yarn based off what I’m making. If I’m making toys or appliques, I usually go for acrylic yarn because it’s a bit sturdier. For clothing I tend to lean more towards cotton or comfier acrylics like Red Heart Soft. What is one of your favorite crochet projects you have made? I don’t have a specific project in mind, but I love making baby blankets and scarves. They are quick to make and can be customized in any number of ways with different colors, appliques, trim/borders, etc. What is one of your least favorite crochet projects you have made? My least favorite project so far would have to be plushies. More specifically, the tinier plushies. I tend to crochet very tightly, so it makes smaller projects difficult since the stitches are smaller. In your opinion, what makes crochet so unique to any other art form out there? One of the things that I love about crochet is that there are different ways to showcase your art. With some art styles you can only hang them on a wall, but with crochet you can wear it, hang it up, or utilize it in everyday tasks. What projects are you planning on tackling in the future? My newest thing has been doing 8-bit pictures in crochet, or pixel art crochet. It’s making different colored squares and joining them together to make a picture of a character or animal in the style of older video game graphics Do you work collaboratively a lot? If so, is that something you enjoy doing? I don’t do collaborative work that often. It’s really hard to have more than one person crochet the same thing because of differences with the tightness of the stitches. I have worked with different media, like beaded crochet, and I’ve worked collaboratively with Rebekah on that. How can people contact you for your work? Check out Karen’s Krochets on Facebook. It’s run by my mom and I, and we make all kinds of crocheted items. Also, Rebekah and I are in the process of starting up a geeky themed business that mixes beadwork, yarn work, and other artforms. Be on the lookout! Do you have any projects with the FanARTics you are excited to tell us about? I’m starting to get more into the mixed media. I’m planning on doing more beaded crochet as well as incorporate fabric and sewing with crochet works.
L o c a l
T e a c h e r
Karena
S p o t l i g h t
Locklear
While we all have had a passion for art since very early in our lives, we have encountered inspiration and encouragement along the way which has shaped our art today. One such source of inspiration for myself, Christine, came from Karena Locklear, my art teacher at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, North Carolina. Mrs. Locklear opened me up to new and different art styles and helped me realize that I actually knew a lot more about art than I thought I did. After taking her class, I was really inspired to get back into drawing and digital art, and I even branched out into sewing.I had the chance to interview Mrs. Locklear to learn more about her creative process and her own artistic inspirations. Where are you from? I’m from Boulder, Colorado. How long have you been teaching art? I’ve been teaching art off and on since my 20s. I’ve taught Art Appreciation and Non-Western Art at RCC, and I’ve taught high school art at PSRC for 11 years. What caused you to become an art teacher? I taught art when I was 15; people would come to me for lessons. I really love art, and I’m passionate about it, so what motivated me and still motivates me is wanting to share that with others and see what they can do when I give different projects and see how they develop. I love Art Appreciation because you can see the history of art and even if you aren’t an art major it kind of widens your perspective a little bit. Teaching art kind of came natural to me. I enjoyed doing it, and I wanted to share that with others. I like working with young people, and when people would ask me for lessons I began to realize that I would like to do this full-time. What kind of art did you major in in college? Painting. I got my Bachelor’s at Colorado University Boulder, and my Master’s at Kansas State University. What is your favorite art form? I don’t have a favorite one, but I do more painting than anything. I have a very eclectic style. What/whose art do you most identify with? At times it’s been Georgia O’Keefe but I don’t see a lot of artists doing a lot of what I’m doing. Where/Who do you draw inspiration from and why? I’m inspired by nature and the beauty of color and line. I always want to make something new in my art. What subjects inspire your art work? (People, places, thoughts, etc.) I do a lot of mixed media, like drawing, painting and collage. Sometimes I like to just go back to the basics and do pencil and pen drawings. I’m not an artist that sticks to just one thing.
Do you have any specific works you have done that are your favorites? The art pieces that are my favorites are the ones that people respond really well to. One is really big, about 10 ft by 15 ft long. It features a deer and flowers. Do you have a website or Facebook page we can include in the magazine? Not at the moment. Every couple of years I have a show. Have you won any awards or been featured in any publications? Locally, I’ve won a couple of art awards. I was featured in a solo show at the Civic Center in Lumberton. I spend more of my time teaching than promoting my own art. What is the main challenge you face when beginning a piece of art? Personally, if I don’t like a painting, I’ll usually cut it up and it ends up in a collage. The main challenge with teaching art is finding a balance between teaching and creating. How has art influenced other aspects of your life? It’s pretty much my main focus, and my career, and it’s hard for me to imagine doing something else. I study art a lot and I definitely look at the world from an art teacher’s perspective. I would like for all schools to offer more art opportunities for students. What do you hope your students take away from your art classes? I want in general for my students to know that there’s a lot of work that people put into art and if they put a lot of effort into it they will see that they can do it or that they have a new appreciation for it. I want them to improve in art and share their art with others and be rewarded with people responding to their art. Art gets put on the backburner a lot because of the emphasis on technology and people think it’s all about money. I think art will get a comeback though. There are many successful artists and art teachers. We tend to think of artists as outsiders, and yes they may be more creative or have a different perspective, but art is a good thing and is usually a healthy sign for a community (art, dance, theater), and I hope it continues in this area. There are so many different careers in the arts (fashion designer/digital artists) so there are many areas for people to choose from. Do you have any professional or personal plans for the future? I would like to develop my professional art documented online. Not so much to sell it but to get it out there.
Art Form Spotlight An ancient style of metalworking often mistaken for porcelain pottery due to the delicate nature of the designs, cloisonné is an ancient form of art that has spanned centuries and cultural divides. The earliest examples of cloisonné date back to the age of the Mycenaeans, as seen in several rings from the 13th century BCE. The art gained popularity in the Byzantine empire, before making its way to China in the 14th century, and then to Japan, following the Silk road. While the Chinese were initially skeptical of the foreign nature of the art form, cloisonné eventually found favor in the Imperial Court of the Ming Dynasty. This is the time when the most famous version of cloisonné came to be. Known as “jingtailan” in the native Chinese after the emperor Jingtai that was fond of the look of cloisonné, the style incorporated a mostly blue design. The process of creating cloisonné begins with the selection of the metal vessel that will be decorated. While gold or silver vessels were historically preferred, copper and base metal objects have been used on lower end projects as well. Next, copper wire is hammered until it is paper thin, and then bent into the desired forms to create the image. The frames, or cloisons, from the French meaning “partitions”, are soldered onto the vessel. Vitreous enamel paste, made up of ground metal and a binding agent, is applied to the design. The piece is fired in order to heat up the enamel until it creates a glassy surface inside the copper framework. In Limoges, France, a new process for making cloisonné was created in the 18th century. A metal or porcelain piece is completely covered in enamel, on which is painted the colorful designs. This lower end form became a highly desired export item in the city of Guangzou, China. Sources: http://www.britannica.com/art/cloisonne http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cloisonn%C3%A9 http://www.uncommonobjects.com/cloisonne/
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Submission Guidelines We would love it if you shared your creativity with us! At FanARTic we hope to showcase so much more than our own work for your viewing pleasure. You can submit the coloring page (see page 18) and submit it to: FanARTicmag@gmail.com for the chance to appear in our March FanARTic edition. You can also submit it via Facebook by uploading your finished masterpiece and tagging FanARTic Magazine. If you are an artist looking to get your name out there, please feel free to contact us. We would love to help, whether it be by placing an ad in our magazine, being our featured artist spotlight, or just having your art showcased in our magazine! When submitting, please make sure we have: The name you wish to be addressed by Contact information (email/phone whichever is preferred) What you want to call the finished work or any message you wish to appear in the magazine There are no rules for artwork or coloring page submissions. You can use whatever medium suits your taste! Please note FanARTic is not liable for any compensations for showcasing your work. By submitting, you have agreed to let us publish your work and are not expecting anything more than the free exposure. If you have any questions please email us at: FanARTicmag@gmail.com.