Now it's time for a shameless plug for the RESS ezine, The Boat, of which I'm chief editor (and graciously propped up by two diligent assistant editors, Irenne Randolph and my Mom! And perhaps a third, if I can convince her to hop on board as part of the crew!). So here's the cover of the Summer 2009 issue (above), with Karen Gerhardt's lovely draft horse sculpture, Boreas, in fine bone china and overglazed by her. Previous cover pieces have been a beautiful glazed ceramic Tuesday by Lynn Fraley (who graced the cover of the first electronic issue!), a splendid bronze Ravenhill by Hilary Hurley, and the fabulous 2006 silver coin Jasper National Park of Canada for the Canadian Royal Mint sculpted by Michelle Grant.
One of the things I really like about RESS, besides the educational and professional factor, is that it promotes realistic equine sculpture art in all forms and from all venues. It also brings artists together as colleagues, something rather unusual in the model horse world which forces artists to be competitors. Yet it's different from publications from the art world because of its practical, educational slant -- and education from all facets of "equine artist life," from equine color genetics, to ceramics, to anatomical study, to business matters, to sculpting, to technology insights, to painting, to articles for beginners, to even the logistical and philosophical challenges such artists may face. Issues average about 180 pages, though this last issue was a portly 244 pages! Members get "fed" quite a bit with each issue. Some have joked that this "boat" has become a "cruise ship" -- love it!
Starting with the Winter 2008 issue, The Boat became a biannual and electronic publication (available as a downloadable PDF, or sent to the member on a CD, as a PDF). The electronic format allows us to really go bonko with material and images, something that was impossible with a printed version (in terms of costs and logistics). I even had to get a fancy industry-standard publication program InDesign® in order to publish this puppy in its growing complexity (I cannot speak more highly of this program, by the way!). It's been fun learning the program and refining my publishing skills -- the little bells n' whistles make each issue an amusing challenge, and I think it's important for an artist to exercise her left brain in equal measure! This is a new skill this stubborn old dog enjoys learning! Whenever I need a break from right brain immersion, I tinker with the upcoming issue. Now -- to figure out kerning...
Anyway, it's actually interesting to see how many organization publications are moving to an electronic format for these very reasons. Many long-time publications are moving this direction, too. But enough chitty-chat...as promised, here are some teaser pages from the recent Summer 2009 issue. This first one offers selected pages from the approximately 20-page article about designing "medallions," or palm-sized bas-relief:
Anyway, it's actually interesting to see how many organization publications are moving to an electronic format for these very reasons. Many long-time publications are moving this direction, too. But enough chitty-chat...as promised, here are some teaser pages from the recent Summer 2009 issue. This first one offers selected pages from the approximately 20-page article about designing "medallions," or palm-sized bas-relief:
Here are some teaser pages from a 43-page article (or thereabouts) about painting conventions in order to help artists evolve beyond them and advance their own development:
Note: The text and images are copywritten to the author and to the individual artists who provided the images. So please write me for permission if you'd like to repost or reprint these teasers elsewhere or otherwise use them.
I've already started work on the Winter 2010 issue, which promises to be just as hefty. Hopefully I'll be able to finish the "painting a silver dapple" article by finishing the painting of the actual piece! I think I can now, since I've figured out my "new" painting techniques a bit more (and I'll be posting that paint job I've been talking about -- I'm almost done!). I look forward to my "quiet moments" in the office hammering out each issue, just as much as I look forward to my time in the studio. I learn so much by creating each issue, not just from writing the articles, or reading them, but in the doing of it. I'm a firm believer in learning new skills on a regular basis, and I suspect this ezine will keep my brain hummin' for a long time! If you're interested in becoming a member to receive this ezine, please visit the RESS website!
"This is the most interesting period for artists. Never before has so much diversity been acceptable. Never before has so much information been readily available to aspiring artists. All you need to do is connect." ~ Paul Foxton