Friday, January 16, 2015

Teaching a SLOW Student!

Have you ever tried to teach anyone something?  It can be difficult!  Its even more difficult if the student you are teaching is just NOT getting it, now imagine you are doing all that, WHILE you are trying to teach something you don't know!

That is the struggle of the self taught artist, trial, and error, and more error.

Lots of error.  I am trying to get the sky in a painting just right, that is how I am seeing it in my mind, it is taking a lot of error.

Here are some of my practice sheets where I practiced different techniques to try to get the results I wanted:



Real quality art there, right?

But its all part of learning without a teacher.

Eventually I moved back onto my canvas, and its not perfect yet, but I feel like I know what needs happen now, its just that the paint I already put down needs to dry before I can do more, otherwise my colors will mix and I will end up with a green sky.  I also keep reminding myself that it won't just be a sky, there will be land and a bridge, and water, the sky will end up being only a backdrop for everything else.  I keep telling myself that, but I want to get the sky perfect anyway. It is getting close to what I see in my head, and I think I'll be able to bring it around to that point in t the next painting session.



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8 comments:

  1. I just got into photography, and am struggling with perfectionism as well....I feel ya!

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    1. Yes, it is a constant struggle, I also do photography, and I encounter the same thing there!

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  2. The best way to learn is to experiment. Sometimes the hardest lessons are the most helpful. Keep at it.

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    1. Yes, knowledge learned through trial and error tends to stick with me better, while someone can show me something and whether I remember it when I need is basically a crap shoot.

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  3. Keep going at it, I think they look lovely, but don't give up until you attain the perfection that you desire :)

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    1. Thank you, its getting close, but not there yet!

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  4. I teach at a local college so I understand all to well about teaching. I've never been much of an artist and this post gave me a better understanding of what you have to go through to get to the finished product.

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    Replies
    1. Some day maybe I'll pick up a canvas and easily get the sky I want, right now it remains the most challenging part of a landscape or seascape.

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