Interpreting your vision when painting

Art and creative side of us relates to our ability to interpret our vision, our perception, our emotions about what we create to a great extent. I personally strongly disagree that everything is art, for the simple reason that it isn’t. Empty frame isn’t art, and a piece of wallpaper, just because it’s in frame isn’t art. Are a few paint blotches and a few unrelated brushstrokes art? Is our vision that poor or our ability that degraded that we are fine with not only animated and undeveloped shapes, but practically nothing?

The ability to draw and paint reflects our ability to interpret the world, our life, the planet, the universe as such. Our universe at that. While modern art tries to convince us that the shapes, forms and interpretation of a five-year-old is all there is what we call art, it isn’t true. When somebody starts learning manual writing, their lines and shapes are never perfect. They are all over the place. Some people never get beyond that. Why? They have no interest in perfecting it, they are simply unable to because their brain doesn’t process multifaceted things in more than one dimension.

What is a normal painting process? We have an idea, maybe view, maybe image and the next step is to figure out how we turn this vision into an image perceivable not only by yourself, but others, as well. That means planning underpainting, background, choosing our personal color palette. That is not what somebody tells you, but how you feel about it. Normal painting process involves composition, the most important part, feature or color which will be dominant, the abstract layers and the well-defined front ground. It also involves volume, contrast, values and all tools which create that: perspective, atmospheric and linear, shadows, direction of light and so forth.

Many art teaching sites say: no experience required. That would be fine, you start somewhere. However, if it is just a painting in one sitting, there’s just way too much information to be absorbed. Secondly, painting greatly relays on our physical ability and knowledge how to move brush, how much paint or water to use, what brush to use and the mostly neglected – brush cleaning step. Don’t clean the brush? All colors will be muted, muddy and not bright. It is an automatic step; we develop it over time.

Therefore, I always advice to start with a simple image which allows developing brushstroke, use of paint and color. One thing about people who just started to paint is – they never use enough paint. So, I repat numerous times, use more paint, use more paint. You cannot paint with empty air or water. The other problematic area is that we paint at first what is behind and underneath. We don’t use the final color, we build it up, layer by layer.

Nobody can learn turning their vision into decent art within a few hours. It’s just not possible. We allow our brain to process all information, and we also have to develop the automatic movements of hand. It takes time we get our hand to do what our brain and vision tell us. Therefore, at first, everybody paints like a small kid. No flowing lines, no great color transitions, it’s all rather very animated, simplified and sort of rough. Do you want to go further than that? It depends on whether you want to create something which says – you, your subject, your vision.

Deep down, we always paint ourselves. Even when we are painting a landscape, a still life, a floral, a building or portrait. It should be us not only by the choice of subject, color palette or type of brushstroke. Basically, it takes time to learn how you can turn your vision into artwork which is yours, start to finish. My experience says, it’s better to learn from your own errors and achievements than trying to copy somebody else’s work. The only way to be you also in your vision is simply to do things what are close to you and your personal perception of the world.

The attached images are of paintings created over longer time, not like yesterday. I have had hard times posting recently because of my health issues, but I still think these paintings deserve attention and maybe can inspire somebody else to keep trying until it all works. Every painting probably should be the featured image, unfortunately, with so many, I cannot choose just one.

Enjoy!