Blog #10: The Different Mediums in Art

    Ever since I've began drawing more and more at the age of nine, I have explored different art mediums! It's such a fun journey to discover different types of tools and techniques to use to create new art pieces. Whether it's different paints, alcohol markers, color pencils, different brushes in my art programs, sewing and more. Every time I walk into Micheal's or Hobby Lobby, 90% of the time I walk out with some new art project to start. I wanted to dive in more to my personal favorite art mediums I use frequently, including; digital art and alcohol markers.

    I began creating art on lined notebooks in 4th grade, drawing Monster High characters or my Little Pet Shop toys. I've moved on to be more active in drawing digital artwork since middle school. What is digital art? The definition by Artincontext.org states digital art is, "artistic activity or work that incorporates digital technology into the creation or production process, or as computerized art that employs and interacts with digital media." It's like the concept of traditional art including painting, color pencils, etc. However, digital art includes digital medium brushes, 3D modeling, animations, and more. Digital art is NOT AI art! (check out my other blog that explains why). The art program I used for years is IbisPaint X. One of the reasons I've used it for so long is it's free (always a bonus) and easy to use. I began drawing with my finger on my phone, but now use an Ipad and stylus! To me, carrying my iPad around makes it easy to access my art and finish pieces unlike traditional mediums. All my traditional supplies are at my house so I don't always have access to them.

                                                     Some of my recent digital artworks

    My other most used medium is using my alcohol makers (when I am home!). Alcohol markers are basically fancy, high-quality art markers artists use. I haven't been doing traditional art recently since it takes me longer than digital. But I know my over 100 markers are excited for me to use once the semester ends! It's enjoyable for me to see the strokes in my traditional art pieces and how different the process is for me. I take my time using my markers because unlike digital art, if I mess up...I can't go back!

                                                    Recent traditional commission I completed!

    Overall, I love art, I love trying new art mediums to improve my work and continue to grow as an artist. I can't wait to see how my artwork will grow throughout the years and hey! Maybe my preferences will change in the future!

Blog #9: I Have a Love-Hate Relationship...with Social Media

     Social media can be a great source to keep up with what our friends and family are up too. Even celebrities, locations, or a cute cat that has an account dedicated to the furry friend. It can be fun! Commenting under a family member's post and interacting with them even though they may can be living states away. For example, my mom is an active Facebook user (probably like most parents) and posts every time she's with friends, out on a hike, or even just swimming in the pool. Under her post she gets comments from her old co-workers and her siblings who live in Georgia and Florida. Social media is the best visual way we can stay in contact with people! However, as much as I love seeing pictures of my family having fun and a random cat dancing, I also don't like social media.

    For me, I'm kinda awkward taking pictures of things happening in my life. I don't see the point of posting a random selfie or if I am going on a walk. If I ever remember, I take pictures of places I go to and post that. I use social media for my art business which has been growing recently! It's one of the reasons I personally love social media because I can share my artwork and earn money through commissions. It's sorta like a job! I'm able to find other artists and friends with people I would never had to chance too without social media. 

    Therefore, I enjoy social media because I'm able to keep connection with my friends and family, as well as, grow my art business.

                                                                        Stock Image

    Now, if social media helps my art business grow, why would I hate it too? I hate it because it affect reality. I hate how easily distracting social media can be. I feel like people are less social to each other in reality and that can affect relationships forming. I feel like I can't talk to my peers when they have their phones out making me also just be on my phone. It kinda sucks. Sucks even more when I'm trying to talk to my friends or family, but they're on their phones. When I used to work in a restaurant, I saw familys come in with their young children holding Ipads or already staring at the screens walking in the doors. It rubbed me off the wrong way, isn't this the time to bond with your kids? Not only that but too much screen time for children can cause serious issues in development. According to Aifs.Gov.Au, children younger than five-years-old have negative affects on weight, motor and cognitive development, and their social wellbeing. 

    Social media will continue to grow as new users join daily. It's a great way to stay connected, explore your interest or something new. However, it can also affect "in real life" relationships and developments in children.

Blog #8: Spiders Really aren't as Scary as You Think

     Spiders! Boo! Did I scare you? Well, according to My.ClevelandClinic.org, 3% to 15% of the US population has bad arachnophobia. I mean, a small creature with eight legs and eight eyes is pretty freaky! It's showcase in multiple media that spiders can and will harm you! For example, the movies like "Eight-Legged Freaks" or "Jumanji" (1995) show unrealistically large spiders that try to kill or attack the protagonists in the films. The spiders in "Eight-Legged Freaks" were much more successful in killing the humans...but can spiders actual kill you!? Short answer is no. Most spider species produce venom through their fangs after biting down, but it's less harmful to humans. One of the most venomous spiders in the world is the black widow, it's common that most people are afraid of widows because it's be spread around they kill! In reality, News.Fullerton.Edu writes, out of the " 1,015 cases of black widow spider bites recorded in 2018, there were no deaths." Most spiders' fangs are too small and short to pierce through human skin or their venom isn't strong enough to harm people. If you were to get bit by an unknown spider, it's still best to seek medical attention as some bites can cause sickness.

    Tarantula bites feel like a bee sting when bitten, but it's rare to get bitten by any spider. Furthermore, I own two tarantulas myself which I've had for almost a year now, neither have bitten me! Instead, it's common for spiders to curl their legs up, protecting themselves if they feel threatened. Trust me, spiders are much more scared of humans! One of my tarantulas, Duke the Texas brown tarantula, gets frighten when I simply open the lid of his tank to give him more water. 

                                                          Picture of Duke, Texas Brown tarantula

     Spiders actually help people in more ways than we can think! Some of spiders' venom is used in certain medicines, spiders influence different cultures, kill off pests, eat other spiders, and more. The best thing about spiders is they kill even grosser bugs like cockroaches. To continue, a sign of a spider living in your home is a sign you have bugs! It's important to realize how special spiders are to us and our planet! They keep species in check with their populations and have cultural influence (without spiders we wouldn't have Spiderman!). To conclude, spiders aren't a threat to humans, when you see a spider, there's no need to kill it. Admire the critter and put it back outside (if it's in your home) or leave it alone if you see it outside.

                                                          Picture of baby Inti, Pink-Toe Tarantula 

(Sidenote: If you have any questions about spiders lmk in the comments! I've been researching about them for a few years now! - Dakota :D )

Blog #7: Bring on the #s !

     The hashtag, also known as the pound button, is a popular symbol, #, recognized across different social media platforms. Hashtags are a great way to let people know about your posts! Want to talk to other people about how cool narwhals are? Easy! Just put #narwhals and let the discussion begin! Hashtags are able to spread quickly as it's a built-in code for social media algorithms. To continue, if you were to hit the like button on one or two narwhal pictures with the caption, #narwhals, the algorithm will feed you more! The usage of hashtags is perfect to find other people with similar interests, starting trends, and spread a message.

    Without hashtags I wouldn't be able to expand and grow my art business. Furthermore, I also wouldn't be able to find other artists like me! As DigitalMarketingInstitute.com states in their article, "Using relevant hashtags helps give context to your content and drives traffic so that you can boost views, likes, and shares. The key is finding the right hashtags that match your content and appeal to users."  I'm able to use different popular hashtags for my artwork which include simple terms like; #art, #drawing, #digitalart, #ibispaintx, and lots more! The hashtags I use correspond with what image I drew; for example, the picture I drew below is a unicorn-Pokémon based character I drew for a commissioner. I made sure to add tags that can relate to the image. 

                         Screenshot from my art account on Instagram showcasing my usage of hashtags.

    Hashtags are best used for current trends, whether it's fashion, political, or a movement. Personally, I enjoy art trends and it's a great way to gain followers with an active hashtag! It's fun to explore hashtags as people can find different accounts to follow and engage with. It can be a bit of a rabbit hole to dive down into as well! Overall, there are lots of positives to using hashtags as I personally use them for my art business. Try using hashtags! Can find new things, or things to add onto your current interests and make some new friends!