Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

"I'm not an artist, I'm a painter"

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Showing page 1 of 3
Author
Message

Kay Devlin

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 126
Posted
I was away working with a colleague on the Isle of Lewis a couple of weeks ago and he came across a lady taking of photos of some rocks. She explained that she wanted to use them in a picture she was painting. He asked her if she was an artist, to which she replied "No, I'm a painter." I've heard people say this before and it leaves me a little confused. To me, anyone who makes art is an artist. Why don't some people like to be called this? Am I missing something? I'd sooner be known as an artist than a painter, as not all of my art is painting. Thanks for any insight Kay.

Sylvia Evans

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 16928
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4788
Posted
A painter in my book is someone who Paints and Decorates. Id consider her a daft lady....shhh don't tell her .

Kay Devlin

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 126
Posted
That's what I thought too Sylvia! Kay
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 24825
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 8654
Posted
I too have encountered this before - some people go to such lengths not to be precious that they end up being precious. http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk

Adele Elgood

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 886
Posted
I feel embarrassed if I say I am an artist, in case people think I am pretentious, so up until recently I have called myself a painter. However, on a recent visit to my doctor, he asked if I had any hobbies and I said I was a painter, to which he replied "oh what room are you decorating?" I have now changed my "career" and have become an artist!
Front page

Alan Green

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 557
Posted
Painters paint walls. Artists paint things to hang on those walls. Undercoat vs Underpainting 😉
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3863
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1556
Posted
I always said I never wanted a silver car - who wants a car painted in undercoat I asked. Well I've just bought a new one and its silver so what do I know?

Adele Elgood

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 886
Posted
I've been pondering this question and I am with keora as I am a hobby painter. Now I understand alang23 but I have a question: an actor has an art, and that is acting and so he is called an actor - a sculptor has an art and so he/she is called a sculptor - a designer has an art and yet they are called a designer so why isn't a person who has the art of painting not called a painter??

Adele Elgood

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 886
Posted
Well maybe Michael - but I have always called them "painters and decorators" - anyway, what's in a name?

Alan Owen

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 255
Posted
you needed to serve your time ,for five years to be painter and decorator .I did as lad ,,and had time off to go to art school ..and I am a painter .. ..people I know call themselves artists and can't paint a door ,

Alan Bickley

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 11904
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4496
Posted
From my own worldly experience the term 'painter' is used by those of us who think that they are superior in some way, it puts them in a higher bracket somehow, a more specialist bracket perhaps, unlike myself who is a Jack -of-all-Trades... I like to dabble with a bit of everything.

Michael Robinson

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 2904
Posted
<title></title>I have always thought of an 'Artist' as someone who lives and breathes mainly for their art, so I call myself a painter because I draw and paint as a pleasant hobby with never any compulsion to have to paint today, tomorrow or next week, or ever if I don't care to, I don't paint to sell or for glory and its a good job cause I get extremely little of either :-). If that makes me a precious plonker, well I have been called worse. From Wikpedia:- <title></title>The Oxford English Dictionary defines the older broad meanings of the term "artist": <ul><li>A learned person or Master of Arts</li><li>One who pursues a practical science, traditionally medicine, astrology, alchemy, Chemistry</li><li>A follower of a pursuit in which skill comes by study or practice</li><li>A follower of a manual art, such as a mechanic</li><li>One who makes their craft a fine art</li><li>One who cultivates one of the fine arts– traditionally the arts presided over by the muses</li></ul> So perhaps after all every one is an Artist?

Edited
by poble

Showing page 1 of 3