Painting From Life vs. From Photos
Do or die list for artists
Art News Blog posted a great list of survival tips for artists. The one that made that warm, resonating tone in my head was:
Inspiration is found in the studio while you are working. If you sit around waiting for inspiration before you start creating you will have about 15 paintings finished when you’re 60.
How true how true how true! The corollary: don’t let a lack of inspiration bother you if you are not actually doing art at that very moment.
What a fool I am sometimes, walking in the evening and wondering if I am on the right track with my artwork. When I am painting in the studio, I know I am. That’s the opinion that matters.
In the post at Art News Blog, Dion asks what I will ask here: do you have other artist survival wisdom to share?
How to Store Oil Paints
How to Care for Brushes
Frames and Framing
Painting from Life vs. from Photos
How to Blog
Karl:
This post is hot!
In reference to another post, I would have to say that a key element in your audience is a hard critic and taskmaster who is constantly looking over your shoulder – even if only through your own eyes. This “person” must be obeyed, even when you are compelled to slash and burn and otherwise prevented from falling in love with your output. The worst thing is a second or third rate product, to which you have attached undue personal importance and which will cause you heartache in the end.
I believe that an artist, known to be self-critical, makes it easier on his or her audience.
So true. I have copied the list to keep and look at when feeling disheartened. I think that as long as you are happy and growing you are doing the right thing.
Carol,
You inspire me.
I’m glad it’s OK to steal, I seem to do that all too often. Generally with a significant twist. And always on long-term projects that are all about developing my own approach as I go.
Steve:
I sent you a picture of the Flume in the White Mountains. A thousand cameras had captured that scene this year alone. I still feel ownership of it.
Ah, now in the case of the waterfalls series, that felt like my own from the beginning, not that millions hadn’t done their own versions before, and your lovely Flume after. I was thinking of the junkyard weathered paint and the horses, also subjects done before by many, but I drew inspiration from those I credited in my first posts on those projects (Tom Ferris and Kathe Lesage, respectively). I do feel I’ve moved beyond the initial influences, though that might not be obvious to everyone. And the work is still in progress.
Jay,
You have this delightfully annoying habit of writing comments that surpass in depth and style the posts they refer to.
The worst thing is a second or third rate product, to which you have attached undue personal importance and which will cause you heartache in the end.
In the past I used to paint over a picture many times, applying a new layer of white oil paint to obscure the second or third rate product underneath. The surface became interesting with time. Dan Bodner was inspired by these canvases. Before he begins a painting, he applies a thick layer of cream-colored oil paint with a plaster trowel.