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Message
This post has been removed as it violates our forum rules and guidelines.
Posted
Deleted the meaningless post; haven't removed the member, just in case there was supposed to be some meaning in it; but doubtless we shall see, in the fine fullness of time.
PS - there may be a language issue here - the member is in good standing and has posted his own work on the gallery. If he can try again, and say what he meant if possible, it may be helpful. Removed after three complaints because it really didn't make any sense as it stood: but glad I didn't remove the member, because I do think it was not meant as it's been taken.
Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA
Posted
I was hoping perhaps it would develop into a discussion about what members favourite art form form is - anything between cave drawings and modern abstracts?
A discussion along these lines with an explanation as to why a particular form is chosen would prove a welcome distraction from the preponderance of 'here's my latest' which is rather choking the forum at present.
Discuss.
Posted
Whilst I don’t have problem with how people use the forum and add to the streams myself, It would be good to have a discussion on art.
I tend to paint what I believe is known as photo realism, I suppose this works for me as I mostly paint or sketch old vehicles, ship and trains etc. I don’t slavishly follow what I’m seeing and often deliberately miss something out or embellish something else. I do use a lot of photographs for reference and a lot of these come from different sources. The majority of photos are black and white as they were taken years ago. My task as I see it is to research the shipping line etc and reproduce the view in colours that are a near to the real thing as possible. Of course I have to allow for fading, dirty and rusting metals as well. I find this challenge and rewarding at the same time. I use watercolour as the medium of choice, I have tried acrylic but don’t get the effect I want. I do paint landscape and paint outside when possible.
I don’t think I have a particular favourite art form when looking at other peoples work, I like what I see if that makes sense, be it abstract or what ever. Though I do sometimes find abstract a little difficult to understand, I wonder if this is due to not having had any formal art training.
Posted
I am currently working in watercolors, acrylics and have just started using charcoal. It's because I haven't been doing it long and want to try everything I guess. When I see a painting or sculpture whether it's good or bad, I'm not just looking at the art work itself. I want to know everything surrounding the piece. What the artist was thinking. Why the artist chose the piece. Where the idea come from. I want to know how the piece arrived. If that makes sense.
Posted
It might make sense (PP) but I'm still not at all sure that I could do it - what was I thinking; why I chose a piece; where the idea came from - ummmm.....
Even though I'm a person of words - e.g. I tend to think in words, not pictures - I really don't go through those questions at all. I see something that would make, or I could cause to make, a good composition, with a balance of light and dark, and go from there. Basically, feeble though they be, I keep my eyes open - the fact that I live in the country, and have for the past 20 years, probably informs much of my subject matter; looking at some of my older stuff though, I've always had a thing for trees, grasses, the effects of light on same. As a young man, I spent a lot of time on Tennyson Down, on the west coast of the Isle of Wight - many of the images from then, especially the colour of grass that is unlike anything I've seen elsewhere, are seared on my brain. But that's about as far as I can analyse it.
Posted
I’m not sure that this discussion is going the way that Michael would have liked , however it’s bringing up several things.
I must admit to never giving a lot of thought to what the artist might be thinking when they did a painting, maybe through my ignorance I look at the painting and like it , have no particular view or dislike it. I have to say that there are very very few painting that I have disliked. We have had the question on the forum before does where you live influence your art work, I cannot remember the outcome of the discussion but I feel sure that most people thought that it did. I feel sure that your upbringing had an influence on what art you like or dislike , I don’t mean that you like modern art or the old masters, it’s more of your feel and understanding of it. I was not exposed to art galleries, art works etc as a child, other than at school, and of course that was influenced by teachers and their views. I wonder if those who were exposed have a deeper understanding or have a preference say for the more classical paintings etc. Robert mentions he spent a lot of time on the downs, and that had some influence on him. I was brought up travelling around the world due to may father been in the RAF, most of my time was around machinery, aircraft and vehicles etc. I must have been influenced without realising as my favourite subjects to paint are boats, truck, trains and aircraft.
Posted
When I look at a piece of art I don't generally ask myself why the artist chose to do it. I either respond to it or I don't. Sometimes I may be reacting in a way the artist may not foresee. What makes me want to paint something is if it fills me with wonder or joy. It's an emotional thing but generally to do with what I see as beautiful, though not just in an obvious way - it could be a rusty nail! I do appreciate those artists who have something to say about the horror of war, for example ( Picasso, Stanley Spencer, John Nash etc ) but they are on a higher plane - I share the thoughts but I could never emulate them.
I've veered from Michael's original question here, but answered it in part. I would say that what turns me on " artwise" can be many things - colours, textures, atmosphere, and all these can come from abstract art, impressionism, expressionism but not from
art which is photorealism. The latter demands skill but it does nothing for my emotional response.
Over to you Michael - and everyone else.
Posted
There have been some great comments and whether or not they follow what I said above doesn't really matter as they are all interesting and valid.
My own preferences have changed over the years: I used to work solely in watercolour and some may recall, in the distant past I used to regularly post watercolour village scenes here on POL. I still work in this medium regularly undertaking commissions etc although this year the output has dropped substantially due to there being no exhibitions or open studios - I do find it hard to paint without an objective.
Whilst I still do maintain an interest in watercolours I have more recently found myself moving away from anything which I would describe as being predictable representational art. In this respect I am at one with Marjorie - when viewing galleries, museums etc I am now more drawn to abstract work: colours, textures, atmosphere, and, dare I say it, patterns (okay, composition if you prefer). To bring these together and to allow the viewers mind to work overtime is far more exciting than any representational work (to my mind at least). As a result I now spend more of my time on abstract work.
I don't go along with those who seek to understand what was in the artists mind - it's a painting - accept it for what it is! I have worked in many styles and with many mediums and I have never started out with some unwordly vision of what I was seeking to achieve. I am afraid the prententious twaddle of some artists (the 'I was inspired by ....' brigade) in describing their work leaves me cold.
One final word: I do get a bit peed off with those who keep insisting they are always exploring and trying out different things when, although this may be true in that they explore all the different choices of materials available, their work remains instantly recognisable. For goodness sake try out different techniques genres and styles - it's one of the best ways to improve and expand your expertise.
Edited
by Michael Edwards
Posted
I didn’t see the original post which has been removed so not sure quite how this started. However the discussion mentioned by Dixie above was started by me exactly a year ago and it was interesting that most people felt that where they lived influenced what they painted (probably obvious I guess). We have some very good artists on POL who are brilliant at painting specific subjects such as fast cars but in general I suppose we want to paint what we like to look at. I think that if you go to a class or group this will influence you greatly. Some like more gritty subject matter perhaps with more meaning, or at least a different meaning. Someone on this site introduced me to the work of Norman Cornish whose work I love. I also like Eric Ravillious and Kyffin Williams plus many of the Old Masters.
I do like to take the train to London for a day at the galleries and really miss the inspiration that gives me at the present time. Hopefully it won’t be too long until we are able to do that sort of thing again.