The best part of being able to create is probably that we only depend on our intentions and goals. There are no limitations in subjects or ways to create something. It is almost an absolute freedom, and pretty much nothing but only our personal situation can set us back.
Freedom in creation means doing what one wants and prefers. If it is technique that doesn’t work for you yet, you will just have to practice more.
I meet sometimes people who think creating a painting is extremely easy. Most likely, instructions that say: paint like a master in one hour or time-lapse demos where a few hours of work are squeezed in just 1 minute make one believe that a decent size art takes only a few minutes. Well, try to paint just a wall or better start with smaller surfaces like a door. Even that takes time, not to mention creating art layer upon layer with targeted and fine-tuned brushstroke.
Creation takes time and efforts. When somebody looks at painting they sometimes doubt how that can possibly take 2 or 3 weeks working every day for about 6 hours. It depends on medium, definitely. Acrylic is much slower medium than watercolor. Whenever some part is dry, it is almost as if starting everything from new. Acrylic is much slower than oils also. That is why it takes a lot of layers and building up color and value.
When somebody tries painting on their own, they can feel how everything takes work. Some believe that the messy first layers are a sign of a hopeless art. That is simply wrong. I sometimes demonstrate how we layer, change and improve any painting by just adding dark colors and highlights, or modifying perspective and number of details or elements. In that regard, acrylic is very forgiving and very user-friendly. The only limitation is time we spend on painting and time we are willing to spend on it. Our personal attitude and preferences change over time, as well. It’s no surprise that we might not like subject we adored a while ago or we like colors we hated before.
That is normal. That is progress or another direction.
Having flower paintings all around makes one feel fantastic. Even when my health is giving glitches, it’s a pleasure to be in the gallery and enjoy the elegant lines and uplifting colors.
If you never tried to create any art, it is a wonderful time to start. The sketching season will be on soon, and that is just a pure pleasure being outdoors and literally absorbing the surrounding life, nature and beauty.
I hope to get some followers back since I lost of all of them while migrating the blog. I don’t think I have set up even all buttons yet, so, everything will come, just give it some time.
Thanks for reading!
Beautiful creations Inese.. as is all of your art.. I hope the rest of your migration over is without further problems.. at least your Like button is now here and your follow I subscribed again..
Much love my friend
Well, I will repost whatever is worth it!
My goal this when I finish unpacking is to sketch from outside and try to learn how to layer properly. Your flowers are so beautiful … Diane
Thank you Diane! That is definitely the best way to refresh painting skills. Nothing compares to outdoors!
I have read that Van Gogh practised a lot before starting to prepare a painting. For exemple he drafted dozens of hands before painting people’s hands in a final picture.
I think that’s just a standard when we do not paint from photography. One has to explore the best solutions for their idea. Although, Van Gogh never reached the level of drawing skills what some others exhibit, he still managed to capture a lot of subject’s essence in his paintings. If you want to see what extraordinary capture of subject using drawing skill for painting is you have to check out old Russian masters. They are sort of not that well known globally, but that is something fantastic. Also moods and feelings, they are visible very well even in landscapes. I so much regret I could not return to oil painting since I became allergic to oils and solvents, I still believe that the only medium which allows creating real magic is oil. All other stuff is fine, but nothing compares to oil. I do regret this. I get quite frequently annoyed that I cannot use pastels for sales paintings (but that’s what I am really good at) or oil, and that’s what I was really good at. Neither watercolor, nor acrylic gives the same depth and choices of color shades.