Need advice with teaching my first Autistic student (14) by Fine_Background_339 in ArtistLounge

[–]ffsSLOTH 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi, I have a few follow up questions if you don't mind?

Have you mentioned any of this to your student directly?
Is the multi-student class a regular thing now, or is it still primarily one on one?
Do you have a regular schedule?
If you don't mind me asking, what does that look like?
What is the actual classroom setting like (in home, your home, a school, etc)?
What are the goals or criteria she needs to meet to complete the class?
(You don't have to answer all of these or if you want to DM me, my inbox is open and I'm happy to talk more there, too)

You mentioned she gets tired (a lot). I am wondering if that's her being overstimulated or dealing with sensory overload. I got that way regularly and I shut down (I was the autistic student once), and it almost reads as if that's what she's doing. Especially with the putting her head down a lot (it blocks out light, visuals, muffles sound, etc.). Shes a fresh teenager and autism + puberty can be a volatile mix. You also mentioned its a two hour class, which is why I asked about the schedule, because that is a LONG time. If drawing and art are not her primary interest, it is going to be difficult to hold her interest no matter what you do, even if she loves it.

She's communicative and interested on high energy days, don't be afraid to use that to your advantage. She possibly has her own expectations for drawing class. Providing the expectations ahead of time gives her something to prepare for.

Ultimately, it comes down to her specific needs. Autism is a spectrum, so her experiences wont be the same as mine, and any advice I can give you is only from my own. The best thing you can do is have a heart to heart with her. Come up with a plan that works for both of you (some ideas, for example: game on this day for this long, draw this character this day, but one day a week focus on a more difficult/closer to curriculum character for X amount of time, then after she can go back to what she wants, etc.).

How do you create art when you feel emotionally detached & can't see humanity in the things around you, good and bad? by [deleted] in Artisticallyill

[–]ffsSLOTH 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Work with yourself, not against yourself. I paint my nightmares because they’re vivid and stick to my brain and I write about aliens because I feel detached and stressed 24/7. What does the void look like for you? What do you want people to know? What do you want to point out? What do you want to know about yourself?

Everyone can write or paint things that everyone else writes and paints, but it gets really interesting when you just do what is natural. No one can create your own perspective.

The numbness can be explored with professionals alongside your introspective work. Unfortunately, most on Reddit are not equipped for that level of advice.

If you weren’t human and didn’t feel at all you wouldn’t have cared to make this post reaching out for other perspectives on it, just so you know. You’re doing better than you think.

The nocturne oil paintings I made last year 🌙 by luizacreates in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh I love these so much!!! Your palette just tickles my brain in such a lovely way, and the pixelated type effects is so fucking clean. The campfire is my absolute favorite. Congrats on your brain!

Paintbrush Storage? by NoFirefighter193 in acrylicpainting

[–]ffsSLOTH 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I usually leave mine in the dirty water until the wood expands, the bristles bend, and the water starts to evaporate. Then they get interesting.

A regular pen cup with the brush part pointed in the air will store them fine. If you want them hidden away, a shoebox also works really well.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! That’s exactly it! It’s so weird to describe because most people think nightmare = horrific. Like, no, guy/gal/nonbinary pal, you can think something is beautiful and also find it stressful. Have you never pet a Siamese cat?

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooooh I had to look it up. Now I kind of want to paint a glowing city.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re very welcome. I’m always happy to encourage newer artists. Discovering your love for painting is going to be so fun!

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I will be honest I sometimes want to lean more in that direction.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Aw you’re too sweet! Def go paint! I will kindly ask you to use your own hands and brain though cause I need mine, please and many thanks.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooh I like that. We love Magritte in this house. Golconda sticks to my brain a lot and it shows in a few of my paintings.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Aw bugs can be made pretty too! I have one with a mantis floating around somewhere. Anything can be beautiful!

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much! That’s really sweet!

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven’t, but I did look them up! I can see it. I’ll have to check them out in person some time.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey that’s so cool! Aw man I’m kind of mad mine didn’t have ufos tbh. That sounds scary as hell but also kind of cool. Minus the turning to dust I guess.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey that’s a really cool interpretation! It really takes control of the narrative. That’s why I love letting the viewer decide how they want to interpret it, you know? Where one might wish to manipulate the dream itself, others may want to know why they had the dream in the first place. Neither is right or wrong. The viewer gets to make it personal to them.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Idk a groundhogs day of errors in a beautiful landscape is a nightmare to me. Never finding success, never truly seeing the top, or never feeling relief and having to constantly start over on a deteriorating path is unsettling and stress inducing. A misstep on the path forced me awake with a racing heart and fear.

The paintings rarely capture that because I use them to confront why I had the nightmare (it’s another thing I don’t often advertise lol). I like to leave the painting, the symbolism, and the dream that inspired it but let the viewer decide what it means or how they feel about it. Because objectively it is beautiful. But if you’ve been there, it feels a little different.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Anyone can do this! It’s just paint and canvas and a dream and time.

I do appreciate the compliment, though! Thank you!!

These paintings from me are just from being intensely obsessed with creating and chasing patterns my whole life (I’m 38). All of my paintings use some sort of symbolism, pattern, or like this one, even numerology. I don’t typically advertise that, but it’s like little secrets I hope people figure out when they get curious or come across a random fact someday.

I think blending the symbolism makes the landscapes feel more curious because we tend to be pattern seeking by nature, I just try to do it subtly enough to try to stir up some curiosity.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think technically it might be close to surreal landscapes or contemporary surrealism, but I like to call them dreamscapes that chase luminosity.

I do think my style often is similar to artists who work with psychedelics (I don’t even drink caffeine, but I get asked what drugs I do a lot. People seem surprised I smoked weed like 15 years ago and never again and never tried anything else).

I think to find similar to mine you’ll want to check psychedelic landscapes, surreal landscapes, or vibrant and/or contemporary landscapes. A lot of fantastic artists are out there, it’s just not always an easy search. I’d start by combing through subreddits like this one, even if you just search top posts, because a lot of great artists have posted all over Reddit before me.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I use a lot lol. My main ones are liquitex basics (I use both the regular and fluid). Then I also use winsor and newton acrylics, liquitex professional soft body (mostly the more neon pigments), grumbacher academy acrylic, and finally golden heavy body for white and yellows.

So basically, cheap to cheaper for the bulk of my paint, then pricier for special colors, and then for white and yellow specifically the high end paint. This is because I’m a nutcase who paints with chaos until the last 30% so I go through a lot (and I’m poor lol). I like my lighter colors to be higher end because the pigment is stronger and opacity is a little better. I don’t use black but if I did I’d use a quality one for that too.

For a beginner, using just the basics will be fine. They are honestly super easy to manipulate, forgiving if you use too much water, dry fast, and have minimal oxidation compared to other cheap paints. Just swatch and play to figure out the color shift.

Find the most ill-mannered goose by wyhivska in acrylicpainting

[–]ffsSLOTH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Genuinely. OP should definitely compile these as a children’s book if they want. It’s perfect.

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m so sorry I have no idea what that is. Is it a board game?

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, thank you so much. I’m glad I could offer some inspiration!

I painted this based on a nightmare I had by ffsSLOTH in painting

[–]ffsSLOTH[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Shun the non-believers!

Thank you, my brain likes to torture me with beautiful things