Fun Art Manifesto

"Feed Me!" 8x10 oil on canvas.


The Fun Art Manifesto
© 2008 Theresa Bayer

Somewhere between the noble realm of Fine Art and the mighty realm of Illustration, lies a curious little field that is coming to be known as Fun Art.

Although Fun Art is neither fine art nor illustration it has elements of both. It doesn’t seem to have an official history, although it’s probably been around as long as there have been artists. Fun Art may have a future, but no one is betting on it. Fun Art is simply Now.

Like fine art, Fun Art is all about being individual, having something interesting to say, and saying it in your own voice. Unlike fine art, Fun Art does not take itself seriously. There are no weighty ponderings about symbolism or realism or abstract outsiderism or any other kind of ism. There are no isms in Fun Art, yet Fun Art embraces all isms. Fun Art is a prism of isms, but not a prisoner of isms.

Like illustration, Fun Art is highly accessible, can easily be read and absorbed and has the same immediate visual and popular appeal that good illustration has. It can be cute or corny or even commercially appealing and that’s OK. Unlike illustration, Fun Art can stand alone and without a story or product to enhance-- although it can also be narrative.

Fun Art is joyful, even when veers toward dark and edgy. There is a zingy energy to it that doesn’t depend on gravitas; its finest examples express a genuineness that goes beyond any commercial concern, even if the subject matter happens to be highly salable. You might call some of it a glorified doodle, but that’s OK too, because there is glory to be found in doodling.

Fun Art has its own set of challenges. Just because it’s humorous or easy on the eyes does not necessarily mean it’s easy to make. Fun Art is of the imagination, and drawing straight from the imagination is a tall order. Foreshortening, perspective, lighting, composition, and fascinating little details are difficult enough when drawing from life. Doing all this from the imagination can be brain wracking indeed--some form of reference is always a help and can inspire an artist greater heights of creative fancy. Any art that is worth looking at is something an artist has put a lot of work into, and Fun Art is no exception. Composition, color, expression, freshness, detail, and originality are every bit as important in Fun Art as they are in fine art and in illustration.

What deep insights can possibly be had out of Fun Art? None whatsoever, unless by now you're alive to the notion that joy and humor are meaningful enough to take seriously--in a lighthearted sort of way of course. No angst, no snobbery, no credentials in Fun Art. All it requires is daily practice and a passion for wackiness. Now that’s fun!

7 stars...from Dragon to Sphinx

This is a continuation of November 28 post, Dragon of 7 stars. I'm doing a newer version of this work, applying what I've learned about composition: balance and circular movement, and patterns of values.

I made 3 value sketches of the dragon in watercolor, but it didn't inspire me; I've done so many dragons that they're getting tired. Then I thought of a sphinx, and that feels fresh and new. It also feels comfortable because I'm practiced at doing both figures and felines. The composition is basically the same with the figure flying overhead with 7 stars, and the houses, lake, and boat below. I decided to make the sky dark to let the figure stand out. The lake and the sail on the boat are light to complete the half-circle that the figure makes. I decided to keep the format as a square, as it goes with the figure. This sketch is in ink and watercolor, on lightweight cp watercolor paper.

This is exciting-- think I'll make a clay model next to paint from. Maybe even a diorama. Stay tuned!

Dragon of 7 stars -- old line

This is one of my older pieces. Since I'm in a research/development mode to learn composition I thought I'd take a second look at some of my work from the past and see how it fits in with what I've learned so far. My emphasis used to be on line, and now it is on pattern of values. This has been hard to shift over to, but learning how to employ values is--what can I say but--valuable!

I notice that this piece doesn't have well defined middle values, although I did put the focus on the dragon by virtue of the black around it. My original point of focus was the dragon's eye, and I don't think I accomplished that.

In Charles Reid's "Painting What You Want to See" he mentions getting out one of your old paintings--something that looks confused or muddy or too many values-- and simplifying or re-arranging the values on it to make it stronger. At first I though he meant working on the same painting, which would be very difficult in watercolor, but now I realize he means to just use the same basic composition and improve it. Make a 2nd or 3rd one. So I think I'll do that with this one...stay tuned.

Quilted Challenge in Watercolor Group

Our November watercolor challenge was "quilts" and this is my version. It's from a photo of my niece, actually she wasn't wearing a hat, I just put that on because I'm doing a series of Hat Ladies. Watercolor on 4x6 140# paper. As you can see, there are a lot of quilted elements.

These days I'm working on composition. The last time I had a portfolio review (with famous New York AD) she told me that I draw well but my composition was lacking. So I've tackled it by working with books. Just worked my way through
"Pictorial Composition, an Introduction" by Henry Rankin Poore --an oldie but a goodie from Dover Publications.
Now I'm working with "Painting what you want to see" by Charles Reid, another oldie but goodie, from Watson/Guptill. Reid approaches composition through working with a pattern of darks and lights, and when I add that to what I've learned from Poore about balance and focal points, it's all starting to come together.

Composition trumps drawing when it comes to contests, so it appears I've gone about this painting business backwards, but what can you expect from a sculptor who takes up painting?

It's all one blog now

Thick Air is now my one blog, and it will include everything I do: acrylics, watercolors and anything else. Basically I do two genres: (always have) fine art, and fun art, and they both show up in different mediums. Here's a fun art one: "Sheweed" Acrylic on canvas, 8x10. The figure is from one of my lifedrawings.

I also put some stuff on zazzle:
http://www.zazzle.com/claylark