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WIP. Heat haze/Mirage.
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Message
Posted
I appreciate everyone's input. I've been painting over a year now but when I think, I've spent that time equally on each medium I use.So it can't be more than four months on each medium. So, I'm still practically a novice. I often think I should stick to one medium then I would become competent much more quickly in that medium. I do enjoy working in watercolour for a few weeks, then oils, then pastels and so on. It's probably not the best way to work but it's a way I enjoy. So everyone's input is important to me because the only artists I know, are on here. I really do appreciate all the advice because I have tons to learn and explore.
Posted
Do we ever get to where we want to be . I don’t think we do or will, simply because as individuals we will never be fully content with what we do and always strive to do better. Should we stop trying , no way , that’s part of the fun of painting, learning is always so refreshing and rewarding. I would find it difficult if someone I was talking to claimed to be a perfect artist , even the worlds all time greats had their doubts and continued to learn . What is good these days is have a forum like this where we can express concerns and seek help . It’s a life long journey full of ups and downs but is so much fun as well.
Denise I think your progress as an artist has been tremendous over the last year, and it has been fun sharing it with you and all the other artists on the site as well. Your thought, of concentrating on one medium is a good one , but I don’t think it would work for you , you seem to enjoy the changes of medium and have a good time working with them . Don’t change what works for you , and most importantly continue to enjoy your progress and art in any medium you use.
Posted
Exactly, Paul. Do what works for you, Denise. Although I seem to work mostly with oils now, I do vary what I paint. I would find it boring to concentrate on one subject area, eg landscape. If something awakens a response then I’ll paint it. Re the shaper and pastels Alan, if you use soft pastel, as I do, then a pencil, which is hard, cuts into the surface. You would have to work on a “ thin” pastel layer for a pencil to have an effect. I have 2 shapers - a chisel shaped one and a pointed one. They do the job for me.
Posted
I have one whole colour-shaper - when they were still made by Forsline and Starr, who I think have been taken over.
Mine is useful for smirring oil or acrylic together - (smirring isn't a word, but it's still descriptive) - and for 'carving' into paint, for particular effects. It is very easy to overdo those effects, and as Alan suggests, the wrong end of a brush is just as good - perhaps a little less subtle? I've found my one shaper of use, anyway: if I'd found it THAT useful, I'd have bought more, though. It can apply paint - not much at a time, but then, there are times when you don't need much. I have used it a little with pastel, but as I rarely use pastel I can't vouch for its usefulness with any great confidence - though I have also used it with charcoal, soft pencil, or carbon pencil/conté crayon - to carry a line or shape a little further without actually applying the pencil or stick itself. If I lost mine, I would replace it; but I'm in no hurry to add more of them.
Posted
Oh, and Denise - I have restricted myself to oil, acrylic, watercolour, drawing with any implement that comes to hand, occasional coloured pencil, and gouache. But that's mostly on grounds of cost - you can't buy everything (well: I can't...).
Would it benefit you to stick to one medium? Maybe - but would you restrict yourself? I can't! I don't paint as often as some people here, nowadays - but I don't see myself concentrating exclusively on one medium: I'd get restless, if not actually bored. You seem to be doing fine in all the media you've tried so far, so I doubt that you'd find restricting yourself easy, or pleasurable.
As to getting to where you want to be - I don't believe any of us ever do: if we did, we'd probably bore ourselves stiff with the repetition, and sink into a rut. That doesn't mean we can't occasionally be reasonably pleased with a picture - it's not ALL frustration and thwarted ambition; but the urge to get better is always there: I think we'd all say that.
Posted
Denise, I really admire you for trying out all sorts of mediums, and you indeed have produced some fantastic pieces along the way.
I don't think that a few months on each medium means you haven't progressed - you've learned about other things (eg composition) continuously throughout your artistic journey, so it doesn't matter what medium you're using at the time.
I, on the other hand, have kept to acrylics as my medium of choice for the past 11/12 years.... I feel that there's still a lot more I could do with them, and I do enjoy the medium.
I lack patience! (And time, lately..) So oils would be too long-winded for me (though I do appreciate the differing textures and effects that can be achieved with oils vs other mediums). And with watercolours I wouldn't be able to cope with not being able to correct a mistake. I guess I'm stuck in my ways, but I really don't mind that 😂
Posted
Wise words from everyone. It's very difficult to judge your own work or be pleased with it. I think the enjoyment in painting is continually trying to improve and expand on what you did the day before. The enjoyment is seeing a scene develop before your eyes like magic and whether is good or bad, that's part of you that's developed that blank sheet into a picture. If you know what I mean.
Posted
Even after a long time of painting I’m still thrilled at how I can change a blank paper into a piece of art, whether it’s good or bad is a different matter. Some paintings or drawings just seen to come rights, and what a great joy that is, like everyone who paints some you have feeling about , due in part I suppose to the amount of emotion involved in it production . What ever good or back it’s a great hobby, and if they were all good we would never know when we had that special one. My hope and wish is to produce more of the better ones , having the odd fail keeps you in your place and your feet on the ground ( what a load of bull). As long as we enjoy what we do then we should keep doing it, after all for most of us it the doing it that we enjoy ,as much as the outcome.