Thursday, May 10, 2012

Online Boosts for Your Creative Side

When my artistic efforts need a jolt, I turn to the sites listed here. They offer both inspiration and practical help for artists of all levels. Visit them to wake up your creative side; they'll get you going, even if you're not only stuck, but also broke.

Art House Co-op engages visual artists of all levels in "global, collaborative art projects." Their flagship offering is the Sketchbook Project, in which participants receive a small, 32-page booklet and fill it will drawings, writing, foldouts, clippings, maps, or whatever else they please. Finished books live at the Sketchbook Library in Brooklyn, and Art House Co-Op also takes them on the road. You can view some of the sketchbooks online; their variety is sure to prompt ideas for your own sketchbook and for other work.

Art House Co-op organizes other projects, too. For the Jar Project, participants fill small jars (some rules apply), which become part of a sculpture at Art House Co-op's gallery space in Brooklyn. For Note Swap, participants hand-write notes or letters. Each is sent to another participant. Some projects are free, others require a small fee.

Artist Trust is a non-profit organization that supports Washington state artists in all disciplines. It's a robust resource for everything from open calls for shows and competitions to legal, health care, and housing issues. It's great if you're looking for a place to perform or show work, but also if you're looking for practical business-of-art information.

Creative Live is an online classroom that teaches photography, video, web design, graphic design, app development and more. And here's the wonderful part: You can watch classes, real time, for free! Just sign up. After classes end, you can buy downloads of them for reference.

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