Blog Archives

New Painting - "Coming Out of the Sludge"

5/30/2017

New Acrylic Painting -
"Coming Out of the Sludge"

This is a new acrylic painting I completed this week.

It's called "Coming Out of the Sludge" and it's about cleansing out old patterns and rubbish from the past...

The painting started off looking quite pleasant, but about half way through I watched a documentary on Francis Bacon and I think this inspired me to make the painting look slightly less pleasant than how it started off :D

I hope you like it!

Comments are welcome below...

...and the original piece is currently available in the Online Shop:

Purchase Original

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New Works in Progress - May 2017

5/18/2017

Works in progress by Michael Carlton

New works in progress...

Ask Me a Question

5/17/2017

Ask Me a Question...

If you have any questions about any of my pieces or if you'd like to find out more about my techniques and processes then send me a Tweet @mcarltonart, leave your question on the Facebook Page, or enter it in the comments section below...

Below you'll find some questions that people have already asked - if you have any questions of your own let me know and I'll reply as soon as I can :D

Questions and Answers

Q: How did you become an artist and is it something you always wanted to do?

A: After graduating from university I started keeping notebooks of doodles and mind maps for fun and as a way to organise my ideas and thoughts:

One day I was showing them to someone and he said I should colour them in an have an exhibition. So I did, people seemed to enjoy them, and at that point I became an artist.

Although I've always been interested in drawing and creativity I never had any aspirations of becoming an artist when I was younger. When I grew up it just happened quite naturally and spontaneously.

Q: Did you study art at school?

A: I studied 2D art at school and I also studied graphic design and technical drawing, which has formed the foundation of my technique and style.

At university I studied Mechanical Engineering for a year, and then Economics and Philosophy. This gave me all the training I needed to convert abstract ideas into practical and to an extent "functional" pieces of art.

Q: What's your favourite medium?

A: My favourite medium is Promarker Letraset pens.

These are the pens I use to create my Ink Drawings and I love how bold and vibrant the colours are:

Q: What's your art all about and is there a specific way of interpreting or looking at it?

A: My art is the point at which my imagination meets the world around me, and there's no specific way of interpreting it.

One thing you can do though is focus on any one point in the picture and then let your eye naturally move to another point in the picture. It might move to an adjacent point, or it may jump somewhere else, or it may move round in circles, but just let it go wherever it wants to go and see what happens :D

Try it on the piece below to see if you can get what I mean:

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspirations from?

A: I'm particularly inspired by Nature and I'm fascinated by the way things work and interrelate.

I feel inspired by life and the world around me and I then channel and translate that into my work.

I also feel like all my creations exist somewhere in their own right (in another dimension perhaps) and I just help give birth to them by bringing them into form.

Q: Who are your favourite artists and which artists inspire you the most?

A: I like the artists of the Renaissance the most - particularly Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

There seems to be a profound understanding and expression of the laws and beauty of nature in their work which I enjoy.

I also like the scale, passion, and movement of Michelangelo's work, and I like Leonardo's expression of scientific knowledge through his painting and notebooks.

Q: Has anyone famous ever bought your art?

A: Not yet, though maybe one day someone will :D

My only claim to fame at the moment is that John Madejski, the chairman of Reading FC, almost came to an exhibition I was featured in once (but he couldn't make it because he'd injured his leg...)

Q: Do you think you will ever get bored of art?

A: I don't think so - the more I create art the more I like it, so I don't think it would be possible to get bored.

Q: What are your goals as an artist?

A: To create the best, most beautiful art I can, to make the world a more vibrant and colourful place, and to uplift and inspire people wherever I can.

Q: What's your biggest ambition as an artist?

A: I'd like to create something really big and impressive, something that people can walk in or through and feel uplifted and inspired - something like the Sistine Chapel, but in my own style.

Q: Do you have a favourite piece or pieces?

A: I don't have a specific favourite piece as such, but if I had to put forward just one piece that would represent my work it would be a piece I call "Pyramids":

Q: Do you like doing commissions or do you prefer to do your own thing?

A: I prefer to do my own thing rather than commissions because I can really let the piece be whatever it wants to be.

That being said I do also enjoy creating pieces that are especially for someone else that they can really enjoy.

Q: What words of advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming an artist?

A: See if you can find your own style or visual "voice" if you can. Be patient because it may take some time, but when it comes then you'll know where you stand and you'll have more confidence. When you're ready put it out there at an exhibition or wherever, see what response you get, and go from there...

That's what I did and it worked for me, so hopefully it will work for you too :D

Thanks for Reading...

Thanks for reading - I hope you enjoyed this post!

If you have any questions send me a Tweet @mcarltonart, leave your
question on the Facebook Page, or enter it in the comments section
below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can...

Best wishes,

Michael

Related Post...

Art Insights
by Michael Carlton

Find out my interpretation of a
selection of my pieces...

View Post

Art Insight Requests - #1 "Smackdown"

5/16/2017

"Smackdown"

This piece is about standing up to that negative voice
in your head and telling it to shut-up!

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Comments below:

Art Insight Series by Michael Carlton

5/16/2017

Art Insights

by Michael Carlton

What Are My Pictures About..?

Sometimes people ask me what my pictures are about. The answer is lots of things really but they're also about whatever the viewer sees in them too, as much as anything else.

That being said each picture tells a story for me personally and I've put together a series of short insights for a number of my pieces.

Each insight is an interpretation from my perspective having created the piece, but if you have any perspectives, viewpoints, or interpretations of your own then feel free to put them in the comments beneath the piece (or leave a Tweet or comment on the Facebook or Twitter pages).

I hope you enjoy the series!

Best wishes,

Michael

VIEW SERIES

P.S. If there's a particular piece you'd like to see included in this series then click here to Request an Insight.

To start the series click here:

Art Insight #1 - "Saffron Sun"

This piece is about
rising up to...
Read More

Request an Insight

5/16/2017

Request an Insight...

If there are any pieces not featured in the original Art Insight Series that you'd like to see an insight for then make a request below...

Simply enter the name of the piece or post a link to the image in the comments (or leave a Tweet or comment on the Facebook or Twitter pages) and I'll create a post about it and get back to you as soon as I can.

To see the pieces that have already been requested click below...

Speak soon,

Michael

Insight Request Series

Click here to see
requested insights...

View Insight Request Series

Art Insights by Michael Carlton - #30 "Wasteland"

5/15/2017

"Wasteland"

This piece is about how past traumas can make you feel like
you're walking through a wilderness...

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Comments below:

Thanks for Reading...

I hope you enjoyed this series of insights...

If there are any other pictures not featured here that you'd like to request an insight for then let me know in the comments below.

Either put the name of the piece or a link to the picture and I'll create an insight as soon as I can and let you know...

Best wishes,

Michael

Related Posts...

Request an Insight

VIEW POST

Ask Me a Question

VIEW POST

Art Insights by Michael Carlton - #29 "An Empty Stage"

5/15/2017

"An Empty Stage"

This piece is about finding and fulfilling your destiny in life.

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PREVIOUS NEXT....

Next Insight...
#30 "Wasteland"
This piece is about
how past traumas can...
Read More

Comments below:

Art Insights by Michael Carlton - #28 "Boiling"

5/15/2017

"Boiling"

This piece is about matter melting into energy and then
reforming back into matter.

View Picture on: Facebook Twitter Pinterest

PREVIOUS NEXT....

Next Insight...
#29 "An Empty Stage"
This piece is about
finding and fulfilling...
Read More

Comments below:

Art Insights by Michael Carlton - #27 "Swirl"

5/15/2017

"Swirl"

This piece is about coiled up creativity just waiting to explode...

View Picture on: Facebook Twitter Pinterest

PREVIOUS NEXT....

Next Insight...
#28 "Boiling"
This piece is about
matter melting into...
Read More

Comments below: