Comments on: Learning How to Resolve a Painting http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html a multi-disciplinary dialog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:07:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Bob http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3323 Bob Fri, 05 Jan 2007 17:19:25 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3323 Suni I know some artist that use an approach similar to yours and had promised myself to try this. Thanks for reminding me. Suni
I know some artist that use an approach similar to yours and had promised myself to try this. Thanks for reminding me.

]]> By: Bob http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3322 Bob Fri, 05 Jan 2007 17:16:09 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3322 Karl, I think I experience relief from what ever my issue/concerns are by writing about them and seeing the comments that come back. So I truly appreciate all the different points of view. There is always something that I learn or get to remember. Karl,
I think I experience relief from what ever my issue/concerns are by writing about them and seeing the comments that come back. So I truly appreciate all the different points of view. There is always something that I learn or get to remember.

]]> By: Karl Zipser http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3317 Karl Zipser Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:58:35 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3317 Bob, What goal are you trying to accomplish with a painting? If you could write that down for a given painting, then you could have some means of judging whether you have completed it. Think of the "painting a day" painters. Whatever their goals are, they have one overriding goal, to finish the painting in one day. Instead of asking, "have I finished the painting?", they can focus on "can I finish the painting in time?" At the price of limiting the time they can get to work on a piece, they gain the benefit of a valuable constraint that releases them from many problems that we "painting in more than a day" painters face. Setting a deadline might be a way to resolve your paintings, whether it is to finish the painting in a day or a week. Hey, that sounds like something I could use also! The key thing to remember is that the constraints you impose on how you paint (including how long you have to work on the picture) will fundamentally influence what your end product is. In a sense, that is a restatement of your post. Bob,

What goal are you trying to accomplish with a painting? If you could write that down for a given painting, then you could have some means of judging whether you have completed it.

Think of the “painting a day” painters. Whatever their goals are, they have one overriding goal, to finish the painting in one day. Instead of asking, “have I finished the painting?”, they can focus on “can I finish the painting in time?” At the price of limiting the time they can get to work on a piece, they gain the benefit of a valuable constraint that releases them from many problems that we “painting in more than a day” painters face.

Setting a deadline might be a way to resolve your paintings, whether it is to finish the painting in a day or a week. Hey, that sounds like something I could use also! The key thing to remember is that the constraints you impose on how you paint (including how long you have to work on the picture) will fundamentally influence what your end product is. In a sense, that is a restatement of your post.

]]> By: Sunil http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3316 Sunil Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:56:56 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3316 Very interesting post and the comments were very thoughtful... My style of painting is a little different and it might be sacrilegious to some, but here goes... 1. I take a photograph of a face (I primarily paint human faces – I do not call them portraits because they are not – they are faces) 2. I work on the photograph and transform it using the various software media that we have at our disposal in this information age 3. Using the sentiment expressed by the features on the photograph as a goal, I start my painting 4. As the painting progresses, the ‘soul of the painting’ builds up and in many cases may be diverge or converge from the ‘mood of the photograph’ 5. At some point, I just know that the sentiment expressed in the photograph has been captured by the oils on the canvas 6. At that point, I stop and rarely go back to the painting again… I have tried asking people (close family or friends), but they usually give wildly different opinions regarding the finish – nowadays, I just leave it to my own judgment and it usually comes out ok in most cases… You are your own arbiter when it comes to this… My humble opinion… Very interesting post and the comments were very thoughtful…

My style of painting is a little different and it might be sacrilegious to some, but here goes…
1. I take a photograph of a face (I primarily paint human faces – I do not call them portraits because they are not – they are faces)
2. I work on the photograph and transform it using the various software media that we have at our disposal in this information age
3. Using the sentiment expressed by the features on the photograph as a goal, I start my painting
4. As the painting progresses, the ‘soul of the painting’ builds up and in many cases may be diverge or converge from the ‘mood of the photograph’
5. At some point, I just know that the sentiment expressed in the photograph has been captured by the oils on the canvas
6. At that point, I stop and rarely go back to the painting again…

I have tried asking people (close family or friends), but they usually give wildly different opinions regarding the finish – nowadays, I just leave it to my own judgment and it usually comes out ok in most cases… You are your own arbiter when it comes to this…

My humble opinion…

]]> By: wolfbaby http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3309 wolfbaby Fri, 05 Jan 2007 01:35:15 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3309 When I work I like to keep several things going at once. If it be a written piece of work or a painting. When I get stuck in one area I move to another. this way I don't stop, and it gives me time to process what is wrong with another piece and fix it or to decide to leave it alone. When I work I like to keep several things going at once. If it be a written piece of work or a painting. When I get stuck in one area I move to another. this way I don’t stop, and it gives me time to process what is wrong with another piece and fix it or to decide to leave it alone.

]]> By: David http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3306 David Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:13:54 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3306 <i>I...am always stunned how quickly I forget everything I think I know about one hour after starting a painting.</i> I try to forget everything I know as early as possible in the process. I…am always stunned how quickly I forget everything I think I know about one hour after starting a painting.

I try to forget everything I know as early as possible in the process.

]]> By: Bob Martin http://artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3305 Bob Martin Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:06:13 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/01/learning-how-to-resolve-a-painting.html#comment-3305 Thanks all for your input. Brigit, I think all of our work is symbolic, It's hard to hide our personal life, it shows up in our work. Asking for opinions from others, you really have to trust and know the person. David, good idea! I work on 3 or more paintings at the same time but they are not a series and I don't start them at the same. I see the advantage in working this way. Rex, Deborah, Leslie and Steve. Thanks again for your insight. I know a little bit about painting and am always stunned how quickly I forget everything I think I know about one hour after starting a painting. Thanks all for your input.

Brigit, I think all of our work is symbolic, It’s hard to hide our personal life, it shows up in our work. Asking for opinions from others, you really have to trust and know the person.

David, good idea! I work on 3 or more paintings at the same time but they are not a series and I don’t start them at the same. I see the advantage in working this way.

Rex, Deborah, Leslie and Steve. Thanks again for your insight. I know a little bit about painting and am always stunned how quickly I forget everything I think I know about one hour after starting a painting.

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