Practice, practice, practice

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  There is no doubt that the answer to developing as a painter requires a lot of perseverance and practice, practice, practice. Small studies from life are an excellent means to improve painting skills and focus on the simple truthful depiction of the thing observed.

 

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I learn a great deal from repeating subjects, I have no idea how many pears or apple I’ve painted. But each time I paint one I feel I have seen something new and unique and tried to express that in the final image.

An artist must be engaged with the image in front of them. It is that personal direct experience with a subject which will develop the thinking process and aesthetic sense in a artist.

 After nearly twenty years of “wall dogging” advertising art, I am pretty certain that paintings done from nature are at a minimum more interesting and beautiful than those done from photography.  However I am completely certain that painting from life is a thousand times more challenging than painting photorealism.

After all that “is” just paintings of photographs.

I think we forget that this is hard work and a tough road at times.
That only by perfecting our understanding of the craft of painting, learning traditional methods and techniques and pushing our skill level, will an artist develop the language necessary to express themselves.

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 We see nothing truly until we understand it. 

                                                                       (John Constable)

 
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                                                                  Explore - Question - Learn - Enjoy, Jim