Hi, I'm glad you made it!

The creative arts and I go way back. Sometimes they've been my trade, sometimes they've been my distraction. Regardless, they have always been a part of my life.

I've bounced around various disciplines. For the most part, I'm going to focus on the visual arts here. I'm not only going to present my best work, but also some of the works that have been stepping stones along the way. While it's generally the artistic destinations that garner all the attention, I like to cast a light on the journey.

Please enjoy the images and articles. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.

All images © CJ Carter

Why the Airbrush?

Posted on August 27, 2010 by CJ
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Most art-type people use things like brushes (AKA “hairy sticks”), pens, pencils, computers, arc welders, and other sundry items to extract what they see from their mind’s eye and fix it in some way that can be shared. That being the case, what led me to the airbrush, one of the most vexing of the arting tools? I’d been doing art stuff for as long as I can remember when the airbrush entered my life. Honestly, while I’d heard about … Continue reading →

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“Arachne Reborn” Is Finished

Posted on August 15, 2010 by CJ

The current work, Arachne Reborn, is now finished and signed (when I sign a work, I consider it done). Right now it’s in the process of getting its coats of varnish. Once that is done, I’ll take a pre-final pic of it for posting. After that, it’s off to the printer to get it properly photographed and ready for prints.

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Hummmm….

Posted on August 8, 2010 by CJ
CC ASA 3.0 - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Mdf

I was working on “Arachne Reborn” in my studio. The door was open. A hummingbird flew in and hovered near my head. It seemed to look at my painting. It then chattered for a bit before flying back outside.

Everyone’s a critic! Continue reading →

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Just One of the Reasons I Buy Ampersand “Bords”

Posted on July 24, 2010 by CJ
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Today, when I was prepping boards for acts of art, it was again hammered home why the higher price of Ampersand’s family of “bords” is worth it. I find the best surface for airbrushing is smooth but with some “tooth” — fine scratches that help the paint to adhere, but not coarse enough to make erasing, scratching, or wiping a problem. With a product like Ampersand’s Claybord, for most projects I find it to be too smooth for good paint … Continue reading →

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Reimagining My Easel Backing Board

Posted on July 20, 2010 by CJ

Because of the famously bad batch of frisket that has permeated the market for the past few years, airbrush artists have been trying to find ways to mask their works. The trick is: how to get masks to stay in place if you work on an easel? My preferred method is to hold them in place using strong magnets. To that end, I need to use a sheet of steel on my easel behind the boards I’m painting. Continue reading →

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What Your Stuff Reveals About You | Psychology Today

Posted on July 20, 2010 by CJ

This is a good article for artists to read. It provides some insight as to what you do and what you like. It also lets you peer into the mind of your audience: who likes your work, or what sort of work should you do to attract one group or another? Continue reading →

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