So You’re a Young Artist in the Digital Age

5 Tips for Young Artist’s in the Digital Era…

1. Don’t be afraid

-Criticism is everywhere. Especially in this digital age of “anonymous” comments and frankly just the ability to hide behind a screen. That’s a cold- hard fact to face. If you are to be in the real world though, you will need to toughen up your skin a bit from people trying to tear you down.

No one is perfect, and there will always be critics/haters who will try to correct and scrutinize your every move once you put yourself out there. The best advice for that? Take everything with a grain of salt. Constructive criticism is a thing to welcome, but bashing or defaming is another. Don’t let people like that influence your passion for your work. They don’t matter when it comes to your art. Let the “haters” be an encouragement for you just to do even better work and work that you love.

2. “How to Steal Like an Artist” without being an asshole.

If you haven’t heard of the book by Austin Kleon, you should. “Kleon points out that no artist’s work is ever completely original, and that trying to be completely original will daunt an artist and eventually smothers his creativity. He suggests artists embrace the inevitability of influence, to celebrate living outside of a vacuum, to relax, and have fun with their art. Beyond that, he also goes on to offer tips on how to stay focused, upbeat, and be receptive to incoming inspiration.” (source)

With this new idea though, don’t take advantage of it. This does not give you permission to go off and take others art and label it as your own. No copy-and-paste here. That’s not only illegal in some respects but also just an asshole thing to do. No one likes a liar.

3. Find the best platform for your work

-Whether it’s a blog like this one where you can express your thoughts and ideas in journalistic type setting or a portfolio style website (try Weebly or Wix…) look for the most ideal place to put your work. These open up an easily accessible spot for your work to live and you can show it off accordingly.

4. Collaborate.

-There is nothing more satisfying than working together with someone and having the idea come to life. Yes many like working alone. I am one of those people as well. It’s not an easy thing to work with others and to get your ideas across in the way you want. Sometimes it leads to disagreements, yelling and the like. Maybe that is where you hit a dead end. But don’t let this be the end of your idea.

Take others ideas into consideration too. Maybe there is a way you haven’t looked at before. Maybe you can approach a situation differently. There is no limit to your learning and your fellow artists are some of your best resources. Reach out to anyone you know that works in a creative capacity – you may just discover something you never have before.

5. Never Stop Exploring and Treat Yo’ self

-Inspiration is everywhere. In your backyard, in your book on your night-stand, in your spotify playlist, inspiration is endless. Stumped? Take a walk and clear your head. Drifting off because your sketch is putting you to sleep? Turn on an upbeat song. Trust me on this one, it really works. Do what makes you happy and keep your blood pumping! That doesn’t always mean you need to go do jumping jacks (well I mean, those DO get your blood moving!) but just do something that will stimulate your mind. Your mind is the center of your ideas, it allows you to think (or not think) and brings your art to life. Without it, there would be nothing. Treat Yo’ self well and your art will reflect that.

The Horror! Selfie – Sticks BANNED?!?

You’ll Never Guess Where!

SELFIE STICKS BANNED AT ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO!

Leave that new selfie stick at home if you’re heading to the Art Institute of Chicago!

The museum has now banned the selfie sticks because they’re worried the long sticks that hold cameras could damage the art or hurt other patrons.

Worry not my fellow Americans!  The normal “Selfie photos” are still being allowed. Huzzah! You can still take your awkwardly cropped half-face/half-location pictures without 'The Man' holding you down!

If you were outraged by this gross injustice let it be known that some other life-changing items not welcome at the Art Institute include ink pens, big purses and toys…Or ya know, things that would get in the way of others

/sarcasm. Just in-case you were wondering…

(Source)

So I Had To Talk About Yoga...

I think this may be the first time I was excited to do a research project.
For my "Intro To New Media" class (the one I created this blog for) I had to write an "Ethnography" of a particular online community. I detailed out how I found the yoga community in my website/paper here at The Yoga Community.But I got a cool chance to talk to a fellow yoga-lover who volunteers at a Yoga studio in the area!

Her name is Jo Ellen! 

Q. How has yoga influenced your life?

A. I've practiced yoga since mid high school and ever since it has served as my stress reliever. I have been very involved academically, in extracurriculars, as well as working throughout high school and college so I used yoga as a time to escape all of that and focus on myself. The focused and calm mindset I developed while practicing yoga became applicable to all areas of my life giving me the ability to become a more productive student and worker.

Q. How often do you "do" yoga

A. When I am actively practicing yoga I go twice a week to class but always try to stretch / do a few poses at least once a day. However I have been very busy this year and haven't regularly gone to class since January :(

Q. how did you get started in yoga

A. I had some friends in my sophomore year of high school who actively practiced and told me I would like it. So I gave it a try and have been hooked ever since!

Q. what benefits do you find being a part of the yoga community

A. I love meeting fellow yogis and yoginis who share the appreciation of yoga with me. I find being a part of this community an even further reliever of my stress since I am surrounding myself with people who have also found peace of mind and are only interested in each other's well-being. It is truly very beneficial to my motivation to find my best self and live it.

Q. do you participate in any of the "online" yoga communities (forums/blogs/social media)

A. I follow a number of active yogis on Instagram and am active in my home studio's social media but that is all. I also like to find a lot of yoga inspiration on Pinterest

Q. do you find that the yoga community has a strong support? (like between members)

A. Yes, definitely! As I said earlier, everyone cares about your well-being. They are always genuinely interested in your life endeavors and love to assist in helping you reach your goals.

Thanks Jo Ellen!

We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands

Social Activism.
It's an interesting thing to comprehend.
It's defined as "the use of direct, often confrontational action, such as a demonstration or strike, in opposition to or support of a cause", but if you go on any type of social media site, the definition seems to change a bit.

Yes, there are still protests and sit-ins and demonstrations with signs, but it seems today's younger generation has turned towards social media to show their political views or support of certain causes.

It's funny now how we can have so much power in participating in activism right in our cell phones. But as they say, "with great power"...

Maybe because it's easier to click a link that says "like this page" or press a button that says "sign here to support this cause" than to actually take the time out of your day to do something about the cause, but it seems people are gravitating towards social media for their "social activism"

I know I am already speaking from experience about how I have seen social activism, but I too have participated in this way. I have shared and liked many posts for causes I support (St.Judes, Human Rights Activism posts, LGBTQ causes, Animal Rights groups, etc..) The list goes on but I do see why people have turned towards social media to get their word out there. It spreads fast and can be seen by so many different people (and that helps the cause even more).

Although this is a good thing, I have witnessed an argument (or twenty) over posts made or shared that contained political views or "controversial" ideas that led towards some tempers flared and/or friendships broken. I have seen (and maybe participated in) my fair share of Facebook political drama but nothing compares to when someone shares a strong view or gets deeply involved in social activism on social media.

I believe that social media has done great for many groups or organizations (in terms of support) for their causes, but I feel some people take things too personally on social media sometimes. Of course we all have our convictions and views, but I believe that if we open our minds - we will be alot happier of a world.

You Don't Love Your Mom Until You Post It On Social Media

#BestMomEver
#HappyMothersDay
#Mom
#Blessed
#loveyou

As you couldn't have missed, Mother's Day was this past Sunday.

Over this past weekend, I noticed and influx of posting on social media. Like most holidays, Mother's Day is no exception. People sharing cute pictures of them and their mom from various stages in their lives or maybe a picture of their mom when she was young.

From your friends to your favorite news or gossip blog site, It seemed like every post on Sunday was about our great #moms .

Don't get me wrong. I love my mother and I too joined in on the posting about my awesome mom.

I just thought it was such an interesting thing this has become. I remember a time when the only "captions" I wrote for these types of holidays were in a real Mother's Day card and my mom was the ONLY one to read it.

Now these posts have been sort of like digital cards that everyone can read ( that is if you set your privacy to that setting.)

 I love the fact that (if your mother is on facebook, she can comment and see the post). Maybe some mom's like it even more because their children are kind of "showing them off" to their friends now rather than pretending their parents don't exist on social media. Is this us becoming more accepting of older generations on the internet? Maybe its just a competition to see who gets more likes on the pictures?

I feel that this is just another way we as a social community are embracing social media.

Posted something that you regretted? Never fear! Clear is here!

Introducing "Clear"!

So you just added your parents on Facebook. Innocent enough. Then you remember. Oh no...Did they see that picture from Jessica's party? Was I holding alcohol in that picture from last weekend? Wait, what else is on here that I forgot about! Wait, what if that manager I just interviewed with saw this???

No one wants this kind of stress. That's why "Clear" was created. 

This app promises to search through your social media and pull all kinds of compromising, embarrassing or "sensitive" posts and presents them to you. 

No more will you have to dig through your social media accounts and find and delete all the embarrassing material.

...This should save you some time from having to go and delete everyone of those 100 photobooth pictures you took with your friends in middle school.

Those Selfies got you looking lonely? Well here is the new "solution"

"The Selfie Arm"

created by Aric Snee and Justin Crowe is the newest goofy product to hit the web. While not exactly being a "media" topic, it does have to do with one of the most popular things on social medias today - Selfies.

The product was featured on a site called "Design Boom" and the artists have called it "a sarcastic solution to a quintessential problem - nobody wants to look alone when they mindlessly snap pictures of themselves".

Personally I wouldn't want onlookers wondering what the heck I was doing smiling strangely holding a prosthetic arm but that's just me...

"Unfortunately" this products is only in the prototype stage at the moment. *darn*

Just thought I would give you guys a little hint on just how ridiculous this thing is... but to each his own...

Google Juice

"Does Google have too much power over us?" 

That is an interesting question to pose since you can look at it from many ways. Initially I just saw Google as a tool I used on an everyday basis to figure out more about what I was searching for but actually realized just how much I used it in a day! When I started to consider how many tabs I had open in my Google Chrome app on my phone, things started to click. (Figuratively)

Google is a (very useful) tool that allows us to access information and knowledge world-wide at the click of a mouse (or touch).  BUT I do feel that we allow it to have more control then we may even realize.

Yes, Google is helpful but it also stores all the information you give it essentially. It uses your previous searches and current searches and send that information to (usually) help you to find the right information for your search but it also uses what information you give it to help out their company.

While this isn't necessarily dangerous to us, some people are more cautious about their user privacy and their search history. So it becomes a double edged sword. It helps us but it also makes us not completely comfortable about what we search on the internet.

Another hindrance of Google is the argument over whether "Google is making us stupid". I believe the answer is yes and that it is making us lesser intelligent. The speed and efficiency we have from Google just encourages us not to try to think for ourselves a bit more. So instead of remembering that name of that restaurant you went to last week, you can just google "Italian food in Oak Brook" and you can find what you're looking for.

It discourages us to use our brain-power and while that's not a problem for some people, and can also be really helpful to those who have to do other tasks at the same time, it still does not help us as evolving humans. 

I believe Google has helped us in many ways but like anything - too much of a good thing...

Media Convergence

"In what ways is convergence "empowering" consumers to participate in the media?"

By everything it does. 

Convergence is the very meaning of two or more things coming together to merge. 

Jenkins argues that the "circulation of media content-- across different media systems, competing media economies, and national borders-- depends heavily on consumer's active participation." 

You can see this encouragement in media participation in many different ways. 

Movies and Television shows that have social media and fan accounts and there is a constant re-iteration that consumers of that movie/tv show can connect with other fans over those sites/social media

Smart Phones with all their apps. Most apps now have something called "in-app purchases" where you can pay money through itunes to purchase upgrades, items or other apps through the current one you are using.

Social Media itself. You can connect your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn/etc.. all to each other. You can embed links and modules into your own sites that connect to these accounts, therefore making an interlinking network between them all.

There is no limit to the power of connection in today's world and we are constantly exposed to it. Many aspects of our lives now depend on the connection we have through the media, many even have it as their job or career!

Without this media participation, the interactivity we would have would be lessened. 

Technology has advanced so many things in this world, it is our job now to keep it active and ever-growing so that we can compete globally but also so that we are always learning and expanding our knowledge and minds.

Reaction - "Not Martha" Blog

A BLOG BLOGGING ABOUT BLOGGERS BLOGGING

Well is that a tongue - twister!

I chose to react to an interview about a blog written by a woman named Megan Reardon and her blog "Not Martha". The name initially intrigued me - thinking of Martha Stewart immediately - and because of my interest in crafting and baking and the like, I got more interested.

Megan's interview is quite natural as you can see her being very honest in what she blogs about, as well as her mistakes in her blog. She comes across as a very personable and likeable person but, like everyone, she has her faults.

She talks about how she took down the comments section for her blog (in the blogging world, one of the largest, and most helpful things is feedback) so that was a little disheartening. (UPDATE: I visited her site and saw that she re-enabled them!) Another fault would be that she admits to not spell checking her posts (this is a concern because that's a large part of respect for your audience - and she has a unique audience herself).

Besides these small things, Megan's blog is for herself. She keeps it as a link diary for things she finds interesting or fun (like recipes she wants to try in the future, or a link to a craft). She apologizes for her mistakes but doesn't apologize for the fact that this is HER blog. I think too many bloggers are worried about pleasing the masses and forget that this is for them too.

"Not Martha" has gained a following despite the "errors" that Megan admits to, and I feel with that, she will do just fine.

My First Post!

Hello!

I am currently a full-time student in pursuit of an undergraduate Bachelor's of Arts in Advertising (with a minor in Studio Art) at North Central College in Naperville, IL.

This blog is for my New Media class!

Hope you enjoy!