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Are we all underselling ourselves?
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Posted
I agree that he has a following, a huge following worldwide but they are all part of this 'cult', indoctrinated by his insular style of painting, a world as Sylvia says of copying instead of looking at nature itself and expressing yourself as artist's should, it's not for me thank goodness and we all have a right to express our views, that is my view.
A similar theme came up last week regarding Turner's work, I consider him to be our greatest artist but this view was not expressed by a few members who made their feelings known. Good for them, I don't have a problem with that, it is their right even though I don't agree with them.
Posted
We've been here before on Bob Ross - I think he should be allowed to rest in peace, he's been gone since 1994 or '95.
I often watch his videos on YouTube - and mean no disrespect by saying that they help me to sleep; he had an hypnotic voice, and even his constant repetitions of the same phrase are quite soothing. As an artist, he was un-rateable - one or two of his pictures turned out OK, but so many more didn't. He used a particular, very thick, oil paint - his techniques worked with that, but wouldn't work with conventional oil paint: look at his palette and you'll see the paint is like gel - but really none of this is the point. His techniques were specific to the paint he used, they were horribly unsound if you were hoping your painting would survive without extreme yellowing, or worse, but he knew all that; he knew he wasn't a great artist, but he encouraged people to have a crack at oil painting knowing that if they were serious they'd move on to better methods and materials, and if they weren't - well it didn't really matter, did it?
He was also a gentle and generous man who did a lot for wildlife and conservation. It's the massive industry that - of course - he encouraged that I have trouble with, and the carbon-copy paintings it produces. I remember many years ago now that Artists & Illustrators magazine published an article and painting which was supposed to represent a European forest scene: it was a complete Bob Ross-type mash-up - could have been anywhere in North America, but had nothing to do with Europe. They didn't repeat that exercise, and just as well. Take Bob for what he was - not as a serious artist, but as an encourager of others. He hadn't anything to do with the thread, really - but as soon as Alan mentioned him, I knew he'd dominate the rest of it: well, that's immortality of a sort!
I'm very glad to have Alan's view of the paintings I did mention - because I respect him as an artist, and really loathed the painting I saw on Facebook, whatever it cost. I did wonder if there was something in it that I hadn't seen, but Alan's and Annette's comments in particular have reassured me.... Yes, there's a market for it, of course there is; there was a huge market for Vladimir Tretchikoff; there's a big market still for Jack Vettriano (on whom I make no necessarily disparaging comment: he has his place) - the reasons differ, but have a lot to do with nostalgia, real or faked, or a yearning for escape; in some cases, you could liken it to the difference between Barbara Cartland and Charles Dickens ... Barbara C wrote like a robot, churning out identical plots and characters in hundreds of books, but they were snapped up by the likes of my grandmother, who was incidentally very far from being a stupid woman: it's just that she had had enough Sturm und Drang in her life, and didn't want it in her reading material.
Anyway -- I think the lesson here is put your prices up and don't accept chicken-feed for your work, as so many artists do who sell on E-bay and Etsy: it marks you out as an amateur, or "just a hobby-painter" - a phrase I hate, because many of us have had to do our artwork around our jobs, that doesn't make it a "hobby", a word loaded with negative meanings. Otherwise, it's our own fault if the likes of Mr Abrahams, or the numerous products of the Bob Ross school, get regarded as professional artists while we scrabble around in their shadow. I'm not envious, mind: oh dear me no - but it does get annoying when people think that Sviatoslav Richter is on the same level as Liberace - or, gulp, Bobby Crush (to be pronounced Croosh: irritating little twerp......).
Posted
Wow I feel a bit hot under the collar! If I could sell a painting for £999 I would think I'd won the lottery! I've had a look at the painting in question and yes, it's the Bob Ross style in my book but if he can sell them for that price I say good luck to him!! I have always been a spasmodic painter doing a little now and again but to be fair, I too started to paint landscapes with Bob Ross back in the 90s, bought the paint, brushes and book. He did make you feel that anyone could paint! And I did paint! But soon got fed up with it and life and work got in the way, so paints all dried up and the book went to a charity shop!
I didn't come back to painting until 2015 and now I can't stop! I've now found watercolours are the best for me, no smell etc., and I so enjoy it! Never sold a painting though!! Not that I've tried.
Posted
Probably you misunderstood me Sylvia - I didn't say I was a fan of him, just that he was enthusiastic. I never did follow him and I also completely agree with you about the teaching by rote. I steer well clear of any workshops etc. that teach in that way. There's nothing more off putting than seeing lots of the same painting being held up for inspection - it's like "parrot learning". I was just bemused by the remarks and didn't realise how he was viewed by so many people. The previous discussions on Bob Ross must have been well before I joined POL.
I shall now have to see if I can locate my video and watch him again with all your views ringing in my ears.
Posted
I know whom you mean - but we'll keep it to ourselves, eh?
Now look 'ere, all of us - there have been many demonstrators of artistic practice - one of the most prolific was Terry Harrison, who so very sadly died just a few weeks ago. A lovely man, a great teacher, but I don't want to paint like Terry did in those demo pieces, and he didn't either. Look at some of the paintings he sold to punters, and they're a whole league away from his quick demonstration pieces - TH could paint: but he was a teacher, and encourager: he, like Ross in his own way, taught people how to start - and after the start, well it's up to you. Look at these people in that way, and you realize how many they started off down the road of painting - be grateful to them, they awoke a passion. Terry was a much better painter than Bob Ross, I think - but he achieved a similar purpose: telling us we can do it, but then leaving it to us. I've great respect for that, even if I deplore Bob's methods (but not Terry's - because he taught basic techniques in established media and methods, and the only thing I ever had against him was his ready-made mixes: but he can be forgiven for those). RIP Terry - and Bob; you both did your bit.
Posted
I'll be honest i never sell my paintings for more than £40. Usually i sell them for between £10 and £20. Ive been told im underselling myself but i disagree. Not only that as long as i can afford to replace my tools due to sales im very happy and satisfied. I sold a portrait just the other day for £40 but thats rare for me. I also sold a painting again the other day for £5.