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View Full Version : painting live at club, would appreciate advice


AdventDawn
February 17th, 2010, 02:23 PM
So next week I'm hitting a club in Washington DC to partner with the DJ and do live art after being hugely inspired by Andrew Jones. I'm pretty excited but I'm also a bit nervous.

I've done this before at fashion launch parties but because this is a more sizable and higher-end crowd I'm sort of a nervous wreck, especially since I'm using this as a vehicle to promote myself. I was wondering if anyone who has done this sort of thing can share some insight into their experience and what they've done to overcome any creative blocks, but also how they may have set their workspace up.

I had pretty ghetto setup last time, resting my laptop on a bar stool and using duck tape to fasten my a Velcro strap to my wacom, while shining a projector on any empty wall or ceiling. It got the job done but if anyone has any better ideas as to how to make this appear more professional I would appreciate, especially since the DJ doesn't have much room next him in his little box.

But my main concern is actually going up there and generating something worthwhile without coming off as a cheap imitation of Andrew and just lobbing shapes down. My anatomy is pretty good, I get can get something that's looks fairly decent without much reference, but the confidence is still lacking at times and it affects the work-flow. I'm not the best at the whole select all/layer tinkering tricks, so I try to stick more basic drawing and elaborate suminigashi brush strokes (which is also a way for me to differentiate myself stylistically I suppose). But if there is a good mindset or work process I should consider to make my life easier I would greatly appreciate some insight. Also any advice on the sort of exercises or practice methods would be great too.

So shout out to Andrew Jones! I would never have even considered doing something like this had you not inspired me! Thanks in advance for all future input!

Qitsune
February 18th, 2010, 10:41 AM
Well, dj's and bands (and even vj's in clubs) don't just get up there and wing it. They usually decide on a line up of songs or videos and practice. I'm not saying you should repeat everything like a robot, but you should do thumbs and come up with a handful that you think would match the mood of the party and then practice. I'm sure in no time (after you have done this whole live gig thing many times) you won't need that anymore, but for now, practice is your best bet. And I know Andrew improvises on stage, but if you watch his Dragonforce video, he already thought of the patterns he's use, his palette and his zbrush shapes beforehand. And he's been doing art... since forever. So give yourself a chance and practice/plan. It will cut down on the stress.

And then, just like dj's can change their lineup to match the crowd, you can stray from your planning if the inspiration strikes.

Irishdrunk
February 18th, 2010, 12:36 PM
If nothing else, you can just start drawing the crowd.

Extreme Life Drawing!

Ninjerk
February 18th, 2010, 05:20 PM
Paint loosely

Xeon_OND
February 18th, 2010, 07:26 PM
I'm very curious to know how anyone is able to draw or paint hordes of humans who are vigorously and intensely dancing. Maybe you would need to excel at photographic memory to capture split moments of their actions and draw that down.

AdventDawn
February 18th, 2010, 09:07 PM
I'm very curious to know how anyone is able to draw or paint hordes of humans who are vigorously and intensely dancing. Maybe you would need to excel at photographic memory to capture split moments of their actions and draw that down.

here's my secret: adderall.

Ninjerk
February 20th, 2010, 01:40 PM
I'm very curious to know how anyone is able to draw or paint hordes of humans who are vigorously and intensely dancing. Maybe you would need to excel at photographic memory to capture split moments of their actions and draw that down.

Rendering moving subjects in photographic detail is, I would think, a futile approach.

I think the Impressionists were the first artists to attempt to paint subjects in motion, so I'd start there.