Today's Daily Art: Man With Grin

iPhone Painting: Pencil Drawing, iPhone Painting, Brushes App: (5) Definition of Culture: The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought. There are wide varieties of cultures that are being brought together by the global social mediums at a very fast pace. The art of today and tomorrow will quickly bring a cultural point of view to all of the observers from these vastly different cultures. My point is that at the top of the pyramid we have been discussing is culture and art must speak from one culture to another at a transparent level. My art is about the most raw and naked form of ourselves. That glimpse all of us get of ourselves that sends shivers down our spine because we realize how close we are to those in our culture that scare or threaten us. We will all view, through art, that our cultures are just as similar all our fellow humans we encounter throughout our day. Paint your culture and you paint the worlds collective culture.

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It!!!

Draw everyday!

Today's Daily Art: Man in Wind

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo, Brushes App (5) The topic we are on for the next couple of days is the top of our pyramid. To ascend to these heights, you must have a solid base of structure and a knowledgeable practice of your systems. Culture is the top of the pyramid. This is where art imitates life are and sometimes life imitates art. You must first seek to understand before being understood. Live and paint life!

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It!

Draw everyday!

Today's Daily Art: Woman in Wind

iPhone Painting: Pencil Drawing, iPhone photo, Brushes app: (5) To review where we are with the pyramid: We have discussed the need to build structure to support your base. The next level is a system to establish consistency and next we will talk about culture. This is where your art communicates at an ingrained level to an audience if you tap into a culture. More... More... More... to come...

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It!!!!

Draw everyday!

Today's Daily Art: Forest with Water

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone painting, brushes app: (4) The topic is still system because this is what keeps you on track. Following a system to create and communicate your art does not need to be complicated. I create daily, weekly and monthly checklists of things I need and want to do. I have a family, a full time job and need my time to be a targeted focus to get the best results. If all I was able to do was create art, it would not accomplish my goal of selling art. Make sure your checklist hits on all key points; creation, communication, sales and distribution. Do a little bit each day for each key point. track it with a checklist and you have a system. A study of successful people uncovered that they each had a simple system but what separated them from others is their consistency to follow their routine each day.

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It!

Draw everyday!!!

Today's Daily Art: Man Looking at You

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo, Brushes app: (4) More on the system before I move to the top of the pyramid which is culture. I have recently joined a Twitter group that is doing daily drawing for 365 days. If you are a Tweeter, the group is #draw365. The thing I realized is that I have had a system for creating my art for many years. I always start my concept with a pencil drawing to capture a loose free-flowing image. I always draw the color wheel next to the drawing and start planning the payers of color. I have never shared these drawing before I joined #draw365 and now post the drawings as a tweet post.

The beauty of having a system is that it translates to all mediums. This is how I approach my oil paintings and this is also how I approach my iPhone paintings. Having a system allows you to be creative in the act of painting vs always figuring out what comes next and when the work is done. If you have ever watched the movie Amadeus, Mozart was asked if the commissioned piece was done and he replied, "oh yes it is". Let me see it was the reply. Mozart then with a giggle stated that it is still in his head and the rest is just bibbling and babbling and babbling and bibbling. The act of art is trying to capture the power of the act of painting. Having a system allows you to fully engage in the experience. At the end of the experience. you sit back, take a look and say WOW!

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It

Draw everyday!!!

Today's Daily Art: Woman Looking at You

iPhone Art: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo, Brushes app: (4) Sorry to the non-post for the past couple of days, I was not feeling well. This is a good example of how having a system can benefit you in many ways. I was able to get right back into my routine and deliver a drawing and painting that I like. Part of my system is to remove all reasons not to do my art. Always have your studio clean and ready to sit down and get busy. Don't use it as your table that collects mail or other junk. When I do sit down to create a piece, whether it be iPhone art, a painting or a sculpture I have a process of where I start and how I develop the art to completion. If you don't have a system, you will have many projects out there that are not finished and have no process for completion.

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It!!!

Draw everyday!

Today's Daily Art: Light in Forest

iPhone Painting: Brushes App: (4) This is fun taking the business development knowledge that I have accumulated for the past 10 plus years and apply this to the business of being an artist. I will go into the details of the next layer in the pyramid after our discussion of structure from the last 3 posts. Systems is the fundamental application of the accumulative knowledge derived from your mastering the structure of tools. The word system lends itself to a process that you have developed to apply your tools. As an example, understanding the color wheel is one thing but having a system at which you apply the colors to your canvas is critical to develop your art. Your understanding of the social networking sites is one thing but having a system at which you apply communicating your message will expidentialy expand your audience. A system is your development and application of your tools. Remember that your tools run the spectrum from clay and water to global social technology. Get your hands dirty!

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It

Draw every day!

Today's Daily Art: Dark Forest

iPhone Painting: Brushes App: (3) Because Structure is so important, I am going to spend one more day discussing this. It may be boring but it is the necessary evil for all business and artistic ventures. Again, the structure is the understanding of all your tools from technology to sticking your fingers in clay. Think of your structure as the foundation of a house, you must know what rooms will go above the foundation for your foundation to be functional. This is true of art as well. What do you want to create and how do you want to communicate and distribute your creations. With this plan, like a floor plan, you will know what tools you will need to master. Paint on canvas, clay sculpture's for bronze, digital art, social networking sites, e-commerce web transactions, blog communication, etc. All these tools will work in harmony to construct the house. Create a plan and get your hands dirty. If there is a part of the plan that you know nothing about, ask people for help.

See It, Draw It, Post It, I Love It

Draw Every Day!!!

Today's Daily Art: Man Looking Down

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo, Brushes App: (3) When you commit to the daily discipline of drawing every day, experiment with different mediums that include the digital tools available to us today. If you notice, nothing will replace the pencil to paper for me, it is my first step and as easy as walking. What I am excited about is the ease of using the Brushes app for an iPhone to digitally paint the image. As I said in yesterdays post, understanding your tools is your structure. It is the base of your pyramid and the wider your base... the higher your pyramid. Get your hands on anything you can to draw and practice your tools every day. This is true of all the arts, not just visual arts. Let's see what you are up to on a daily basis!


See it, Draw it, Post it, I love it!!

Draw every day!

Today's Daily Art: Man Looking Up

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App:

(3) There is more structure involved in these paintings then is looks like to the observer. By having a structure to create and communicate your art is vital. For me, structure starts with a commanding knowledge of all your tools available to you. In this case, tools run the spectrum of canvas, oil paint and brushes to iPhone apps, blog posts and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For a seed to grow, it takes rich moist soil that enables your art to grow. The tools involved in your trade is the soil that enables your art to grow. The tools are changing as technology goes through its global shifts. For an artist to not understand and embrace these global shifts will alienate their art and would be the equivalent to planting a seed in sand and expecting the result to be a healthy plant. Watch this YouTube video to get an idea of what is happening to our world and realize that all industries will be affected by this dramatic shift: Shift Happens Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4Q75khAeqJg

See it... Draw it...Post it... I Love it!!!

Draw every day!

Today's Daily Art - Man with Hands Folded

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App: (2) You can not manage what you can not measure. If you do not have a daily discipline that produces a result, it becomes difficult to measure your progress. Set yourself with daily, weekly and monthly checklist tasks. Manage your art like a business that must produce results. This takes an incredible amount of self discipline and control without a boss holding you accountable. You are holding yourself accountable. Write these checklists down and check them off only if you complete them. This is the measurement part of managing your art. These daily disciplines become your drills you run not unlike a professional Football team running routs as daily practice. Strategy gets you on the field but EXECUTION pays the bills. Think about this a minute… If your art is so rehearsed and refined, you will execute when sitting is front of that big canvas. You will never need to find inspiration to paint like a professional football player can always find the ability to execute the plan every Sunday!!! Practice, practice, practice… perform!


See it…Draw it…Post it… I love it!!!

Draw every day!


Enjoy and please contact me for the following:

1. Have your daily drawing posted: Email me at mbrookernow@yahoo.com with a description and attached image file.

2. Follow my on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikebrooker

3. Look for me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1248994503&ref=profile

Today's Daily Art - Man & Forest

Man & Forest

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App: (2) Don’t confuse efforts with results. Art is all about the mark you leave behind. The act of drawing every day is a discipline that will allow you to get better at what you do but the result is what you are after. The result of my last couple of drawings have not hit the mark. Don’t confuse efforts with results!!!


See it…Draw it…Post it… I love it!!!

Draw every day!


Enjoy and please contact me for the following:

1. Have your daily drawing posted: Email me at mbrookernow@yahoo.com with a disruption and attached image file.

2. Follow my on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikebrooker

3. Look for me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1248994503&ref=profile

Today's Daily Art - Man Lokking Down

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App: (1) The last post I did was about listening and looking so you can see and hear. The way I look at art is if you have a powerful experience in the process of doing your art, the mark left behind has a chance of reflecting that powerful moment. It is not all about skill and technique, it is about the experience.


See it…Draw it…Post it… I love it!!!

Draw every day!


Enjoy and please contact me for the following:

1. Have your daily drawing posted: Email me at mbrookernow@yahoo.com with a disruption and attached image file.

2. Follow my on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikebrooker

3. Look for me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1248994503&ref=profile

Today's Daily Art - Line Man

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App: (1) First seek to understand before being understood! Look and listen more then you desire people to understand what you are doing. Without an intense observation of what surrounds you each day, your art will never communicate with the people you are trying to influence. The least interested party will always win; be more interested in your environment and allow that to talk to you. If you are not looking and listening, it will pass you by as you keep trying to be heard. Don’t get louder, learn to receive and your gift back to them will touch them. Enjoy!


See it…Draw it…Post it… I love it!!!

Draw every day!


Enjoy and please contact me for the following:

1. Have your daily drawing posted: Email me at mbrookernow@yahoo.com with a disruption and attached image file.

2. Follow my on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikebrooker

3. Look for me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1248994503&ref=profile

Today's Daily Art - Pregnant Woman

iPhone Painting: Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App: These iPhone paintings are like crack, I can’t stop. This painting celebrates life and all the hardships that the body reflects. Celebrate your hardships and the marks left on your body. Consider them badges of honor, not imperfections to be ashamed of. Draw and paint what you see, not what you think others want to see… Enjoy!


See it…Draw it…Post it… I love it!!!

Draw every day!


Enjoy and please contact me for the following:

1. Have your daily drawing posted: Email me at mbrookernow@yahoo.com with a disruption and attached image file.

2. Follow my on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikebrooker

3. Look for me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1248994503&ref=profile

Featured Artist: Johanna G: "Johanna’s Bird"

iPhone Painting: Color Pencil drawing, iPhone photo & Brushes App: Two posts tonight, this first post is the first featured artist on this blog. She is special because she is a 9 year old girl that draws every day and it shows. I took an iPhone picture of a Color Pencil drawing she did and spent 5 minutes showing her how to use the Brushes app… this is what she came up with. This is what Johanna wanted to post on the blog “I love to draw because I can really express my feelings and my dreams”.


See it…Draw it…Post it… I love it!!!

Draw every day!


Enjoy and please contact me for the following:

1. Have your daily drawing posted: Email me at mbrookernow@yahoo.com with a disruption and attached image file.

2. Follow my on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikebrooker

3. Look for me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1248994503&ref=profile