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Am I good enough?
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Message
Posted
Hi, my name is Mark Annison and have contributed to the gallery several times. I have been painting for decades and occasionally am asked for specific art work. I have not usually charged (not even for materials) and am unsure if I am good enough to be semi professional. I am very self deprecating about my work and would like to have some feed back. I work in watercolour, acrylics, oil, pastel and charcoal. Any comments would be gratefully received.
Posted
Hello Mark. This is not easy to answer . Let me tell you a bit about myself. I too have been painting for decades and like you I have given away artwork for free. I have never asked the question of myself “ am I good enough?” Good enough for what? As good as someone else? There are certainly many out there who have too much confidence, based on very little talent. I would say that I have a certain confidence in what I do. I don’t ever claim to have the answers, it’s a constant evolving thing for me - sometimes I get satisfaction, sometimes I don’t. Do you belong to a group of people interested in art, a club perhaps. You haven’t mentioned that. It’s worth searching one out where members are as interested as you ( not all groups will be, some function more as a social group). Or enrol in a course which will take you forward. As for your work, I like it very much, you have a sensitive touch. I would say it’s very saleable. Belonging to a club which holds exhibitions provides a good opportunity to put your work out there.
Edited
by Marjorie Firth
Posted
Welcome Mark, It’s difficult to make any assessment based on just these two submissions, and of course art is subjective…but I can see a certain degree of drawing competence, particularly in the figure, albeit a pose in shadow so there’s very little, if any, facial detail which could be taken in several ways! I’m guessing it could be a lack of confidence in your own ability, and it has the static look of having been copied from a photograph rather than drawn from a life model.
Saying that, it does have a certain charm…albeit not my thing…
Drawing is everything in art, enrolling in a life class at college would be my suggestion - you’ll sit, stand and change positions in front of a living model and produce around 20 or so different short-pose drawings in a couple of hours… invaluable practice, I know because I did it myself for four years!
Marjorie has offered up a few good suggestions for you, but whatever you do, to progress further you do need to be in some kind of an artistic community. Mix with like minded artists and immerse yourself in painting and drawing…Evening classes, art groups all offer this!
Confidence in your own abilities will follow, and it’s great to be able to mix with, and see first hand, other artists at work.
With regards to animal portraits, the market is flooded with them! This gallery alone is often flooded with animal portraits of all standards, up to the highest professional levels achieved by one of our own members, Sarah Eden… well worth looking at her gallery!
Have a think about these suggestions, a difficult leap perhaps if you’re lacking a bit of self doubt or confidence in your work, but once you’ve taken the plunge, you’ll love it!
It’s worth remembering that not everyone in these classes or art groups are necessarily brilliant artists, far from it from my experience!
Posted
Good enough? Do you mean should you charge someone money if they ask you for a commission? Yes you should. It's entirely different if you paint something that you want to paint and decide to give it to a friend. Presumably someone has seen your work before asking for a commission and so they have already made a judgement that you are good enough. If you are not trying to make a living from painting then the alternative (which is my choice now) is to say no, I don't do commissions. Just paint what you please.
Posted
Welcome Mark, It’s difficult to make any assessment based on just these two submissions, and of course art is subjective…but I can see a certain degree of drawing competence, particularly in the figure, albeit a pose in shadow so there’s very little, if any, facial detail which could be taken in several ways! I’m guessing it could be a lack of confidence in your own ability, and it has the static look of having been copied from a photograph rather than drawn from a life model. Saying that, it does have a certain charm…albeit not my thing… Drawing is everything in art, enrolling in a life class at college would be my suggestion - you’ll sit, stand and change positions in front of a living model and produce around 20 or so different short-pose drawings in a couple of hours… invaluable practice, I know because I did it myself for four years! Marjorie has offered up a few good suggestions for you, but whatever you do, to progress further you do need to be in some kind of an artistic community. Mix with like minded artists and immerse yourself in painting and drawing…Evening classes, art groups all offer this! Confidence in your own abilities will follow, and it’s great to be able to mix with, and see first hand, other artists at work. With regards to animal portraits, the market is flooded with them! This gallery alone is often flooded with animal portraits of all standards, up to the highest professional levels achieved by one of our own members, Sarah Eden… well worth looking at her gallery! Have a think about these suggestions, a difficult leap perhaps if you’re lacking a bit of self doubt or confidence in your work, but once you’ve taken the plunge, you’ll love it! It’s worth remembering that not everyone in these classes or art groups are necessarily brilliant artists, far from it from my experience!
Posted
Many thanks for your comments and insights. Yes I do lack a degree of confidence and I am unable at the moment to join an art group though I have done some life drawings and plein air painting. At my age (73) maybe I'll just jog along as I am, painting what I like and what inspires me. Thanks again for your time and thoughts.
Posted
Good enough? Do you mean should you charge someone money if they ask you for a commission? Yes you should. It's entirely different if you paint something that you want to paint and decide to give it to a friend. Presumably someone has seen your work before asking for a commission and so they have already made a judgement that you are good enough. If you are not trying to make a living from painting then the alternative (which is my choice now) is to say no, I don't do commissions. Just paint what you please.
Posted
Many thanks to you also Collette. I think you are absolutely right and I shall continue to paint what I like and to paint for friends. If they want to pay me something for my work that will be a bonus. at 73 I'm not interested in making a living from as precarious a career as art, I shall just sit back and enjoy rge process.
Posted
Hello Mark. This is not easy to answer . Let me tell you a bit about myself. I too have been painting for decades and like you I have given away artwork for free. I have never asked the question of myself “ am I good enough?” Good enough for what? As good as someone else? There are certainly many out there who have too much confidence, based on very little talent. I would say that I have a certain confidence in what I do. I don’t ever claim to have the answers, it’s a constant evolving thing for me - sometimes I get satisfaction, sometimes I don’t. Do you belong to a group of people interested in art, a club perhaps. You haven’t mentioned that. It’s worth searching one out where members are as interested as you ( not all groups will be, some function more as a social group). Or enrol in a course which will take you forward. As for your work, I like it very much, you have a sensitive touch. I would say it’s very saleable. Belonging to a club which holds exhibitions provides a good opportunity to put your work out there.
Posted
Sorry for the delayed response Marjorie. thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately I am not very mobile so joining an art group is not an option at the moment. Personally I feel a degree of confidence based on others responses, but I have decided that art is a precarious, subjective and often judgemental area I would be better off pursuing my current course of just enjoying the process (at 73 I don't need a career move!). Thanks again and I enjoy your art work when it crops up on the gallery.
Posted
I understand your situation a bit more now Mark! I agree, It’s probably a bit late in the day to take up my suggestions, but I didn’t have any knowledge about you before…
If I had, I’d have gone on a different path.
I would suggest that you post your work on the gallery, that’s a good confidence booster when you receive positive feedback, which I’m sure you would!
Also, post your work here on the forum under the heading Work in progress - ask for comments or advice, there are members on here who can help, myself included!
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