Ha, I just bought Crayola crayons from Amazon! I’m going through an experimental period where I’m trying a variety of new mediums. I know… crayons aren’t the choice of most artists over the age of three, but I have some ideas I want to explore. I’ve been working all morning trying to master white oil sticks — bloody difficult! I should really start using oil paints instead, as they tend to be easier to handle, create less mess, and give you better control when you work with a brush or palette knife. I’ve also discovered these oil sticks never truly dry; I should have researched this before buying ten packets. On top of that, I have over forty boxes of oil pastels, which are much easier to control but not quite as vibrant as the oil sticks. Less mess and much more control overall.
I have been prolific over the last few weeks. I’ve produced perhaps seventy paintings in that time. These have all been added to my SKETCHBOOK page. If you get a chance, have a look at what I’ve been working on: www.artbysaville.com. Most of these are not my strongest work, but there are a few pieces I’m genuinely pleased with. As I’ve said, the page isn’t meant to be taken too seriously — it’s full of ideas and experiments. None of these are for sale right now; I don’t want to fall into the trap of selling work at the moment. I’ve taken a break from the stress of painting to please others or the tedious task of dealing with people. I’ve had more fun doing this than with anything art-related in years. No more stretched canvases, either — I’ve been using an A2 oil pad, which is expensive but still much cheaper than canvases. Art has taken over my life for the moment: I paint, watch painting channels on YouTube, sleep a few hours, wake, paint and repeat. I’m waiting for the inevitable break from creating. This latest month is the longest I’ve gone of full-on painting; it usually comes in waves, but lately the water has remained still.
What's the end goal, Dave? Where is all of this art nonsense ultimately leading you? I'm not a young, fresh guy just out of art school anymore (not that I put much stock in art school), yet I still feel I ought to be doing much better career-wise, and I've developed my own approach. But truthfully, I don't actually want to be locked into a single signature style. I couldn't imagine anything more tedious than endlessly producing the same themed paintings again and again. There are certainly styles I return to more often than others, but most of what I make explores different subject matter and varied ideas. Maybe it will remain a lifelong hobby and never progress beyond that, and that's perfectly fine—as long as I'm content making work and occasionally making a sale.