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What If...


We as artists are ALWAYS challenging our work.  What did I do wrong?  This is awful!  What the h...!  Instead of perfection paralysis let's ask the question "What If".  I find that in my teaching work most of my students what to paint every leaf, every petal, every tree branch, in such a perfect way that it leaves no room for interpretation for the viewer.  Why do our brains go there.  That's a question better left for the brain experts.  We like to paint what we see instead of what we interpret what we see.   Everything is just shapes, shadows, and of course light.  If we break our subjects down into these forms we are less likely to paint every detail.  What if, instead of painting that specific tree, we blocked in a dark shape in a random form, and then carved in some light areas and maybe a shadow underneath.  What is the worse that could happen?  You won't like it?  What if instead of painting clouds you blocked in your blue sky and then wiped away the paint for clouds.  What's the worse that would happen?  You probably won't like it so you will go back in and rework it to the point of obliteration.   We all do that as artists.  We second guess ourselves.  So instead of perfection let's play.  Let's play with colors, shapes, water, alcohol, brayers, crayons, glue, and whatever else you can find, and ask yourself What If.   What if I put this crayon mark here, and add some alcohol to it.  What would it do?  What if I used some oil paints and then smeared over it with cold wax.   The What if's are what will make you a better artist.  You will be teaching yourself what works, what doesn't work for you, and you will know what your materials do and how to use them.  For me as an instructor, that will teach you more as an artist than any instructor could ever teach you.  I teach the principals of art it's up to you to develop your own style and technique and playing with your art materials is what will teach you.   Know the rules so you can break them like a pro. 


Comments

2 Responses to What If...

I love the cat painting above. I want to take your art journaling class but am unavailable on mondays. Do you think you will offer it any other day?.

This 'What If' mindset really resonates — as someone who works with color and light every day here in the Cicero/Chicago area, I love the reminder that loosening up and playing with materials teaches more than chasing perfection ever could. Thanks for the inspiring nudge to embrace the happy accidents!


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