Marie WheelerThis week’s prompts on Journal 52 are Emulate or Duplicate, and I chose to consider Duplicate as my muse.
There are multiple reasons for this, both in art and in life. Since I think we can see the role of duplication in art as a well-documented resource for learning particular skills, and one that I am currently working with in the Love Art, Happy Life course from Bloknote Academy, the expansion of this idea to other aspects of life is appropriate.
What do I mean by that?
Duplicate for Confidence and Skill
Well, I have noted throughout my learning and career, that where I might stumble to find my own words or way of teaching an idea or providing therapeutic guidance, I can duplicate the behaviors one of my mentors. It’s like a real-life WWJD, except I think of how I have seen a mentor handle a situation and I apply the behaviors they would use to the problem at hand. I have used this tool so often, that I am now comfortable in applying myself to the situation and while the threads of my mentors still are visible, I have my own style.
I am confident as a counselor.
One can also consider the application of duplication in cooking. For example, you can read through a recipe and follow it by the letter, but your outcome is often disappointing if you don’t know how to apply the steps. I learned the basics of cooking from my mother, but I learned the application of cooking methods from watching FoodTV programs and noting how different chefs were nuanced in the application of the same method. I chose a couple I liked and duplicated them.
I am a skilled home cook.
Duplicate as an Artist
The prompt from Sarah Trumpp used inspiration from Basquiat and I decided that I would use it as well.
I like it, though I can’t put my finger on why. It might be the scribbly nature of the piece or the absolute abandon I feel when I look at it. No matter the reasoning, it is something that I sought to duplicate and from the effort to the right, we see how that went.
A Note on Materials
I sat down to start my duplication process and picked the colors that were either what I needed or close. This is what I thought anyway. Clearly, I was incorrect.
The point on materials that I would like to make is manifold, but is succinctly stated as such: Cheap brushes, paints, etc are cheap for a reason. They lack quality and still cost you hard-earned money. My best advice is: Don’t be cheap, purchase quality materials at a discount and be happy.
