Advice to young artists

[Doreen Peri]

Never paint in the dark.

Or if you do decide to..... accept it!

I took a board, last night, drew an image on it, then broke out the acrylics and went at it.

I had candles lit and was listening to the fumbling piano recording I made of a Beatles medley. I was inspired! The music had loads of mistakes, but I was getting there. Michelle sounded pretty good. Your Mother Should Know wasn't bad. The other 4 tunes were riddled with mistakes, but still, I was studying my own work and I was inspired!

I selected several acrylic colors and put them on my pallette.

I decided I'd do a wash first, using a flesh tone, on various areas of human skin in my drawing.

When I woke up and saw it, the wash was bright orange.

YIKES!

I'll fix it somehow.

But take my advice.... Never paint in the dark....

Or if you do decide to..... accept it!

(I'm working on 2 paintings ... my first paintings in a lot of years.... what fun this is to come back to something I used to love! But boy oh boy oh man oh man, is it ever a learning experience!)

[judih]

good and gutsy, doreen

i also have been talking myself into a corner, escapable only by painting.

darkness or light - today's the day. i wanna see what images wanna come out

j

[Marksman45]

Don Van Vliet paints in the dark.
I think it comes out pretty well

There's images of over 100 of his paintings at http://beefheart.com/runpaint/index.html if you wanna see

[judih]

very cool exhibit

encourages (look ma, no eyes) expression

[mousey1]

Funny Doreen!!!

I just recently started sketching again....I think I've lost it, not that I ever really had it.

Alas, 'twould be better if I sketched in the dark and viewed in the dark!

I am a study in frustration......no.....

A STUDY IN FFFFFRRRRUUUUSSSSTTTTRRRAAATTTTIOOONNNNN!!!!

[izeveryboyin]

I'd love to see what it looks like. Take a picture of it and post it here. Don't get discouraged D, we all think you're the greatest anyway... even if your washes do come out orange.

[Marksman45]

mousey - I used to draw horribly awkward little sketches, all clumsy in proportion and shading and whatnot

I'm actually still not good at sketching. I just fake it.
It's all tricks.

Attitude is the first thing. Don't aim, just go. Accept "close enough for blues." Adopt the attitude of a child. A nugget of joy: children make up songs all the time. If they forget them, they don't worry about it at all; they just make up new ones. Give yourself that freedom.

Make your marks ruthlessly and fearlessly. Make marks with invincible aplomb and impeccability. Don't be afraid to reach. If a mark was wrong, don't kick yourself, just do it again. Don't erase unless absolutely necessary. The more ruthless you are, the more chances you give yourself to make the right mistake.
Make your marks like a drowning man desperately trying to reach the shore. Don't stop to think, there's no time to think, only time to act. And don't panic. And most importantly, keep going until you get there!

And remember this:
You dig a potato out of the ground, then you wash it off, and *then* you bake it.




Hmm... maybe I should write an article about this

[mousey1]

Do you hear my applause marksy me lad. Love your attitude!

Aplomb, that's what I need, aplomb. You should see my freaking eraser. I hate erasers, trepidatious little fuckers!

Hey Marksman, thanks for the grand advice. I shall attack my sketches with vigor and verve, fearlessly, I shall spare no quarter(whatever that means )

I need to find my vivacity!

And yay, do write an article.....your response has encouraged me.

EXCEELENT!!!!!!!

[Marksman45]

I am overjoyed that my advice has encouraged you, mousey!

I suppose I *will* write an article on this subject.

You know what I do with my eraser?
It's very rare that I erase with it.
Mostly I just get graphite or charcoal on one of its rounded corners and then use it to make marks. Very good for broad, soft marks, and spreading loose graphite or charcoal around on the drawing, for shading or texture purposes. Works much better than a thumb.

[jimboloco]

oh I use an eraser
i am eraser haed
reincarnate
flesh black and white and gray
yes
eraseesaseerase

but i start out with light gesture lines
then i can see the composition emerge
hit them heavier with more awareness and let the sprays of gesture lines go, or sometimes i do let them stay, more often than not, but
sometimes i goof
and my reassuringeraserererases quite well, thankyou.

err on the side of spirit, not control, then the control that emerges is more flowing.

may as well paint in the dark or dim light and see what the morning brings! cause you get a better sense of values in dim light, anyhow.

let it shine!

[mousey1]

Yes, erasers can be reassuring for sure. All cute and pink in their innocence....
and they bounce quite nicely off a wall too.

Yes, I am still frustrated....
I want perfection
perfection is for saps

Today would be a good day for me to crawl into my mousey little hole, pull my tail in after me and chow down on something decadently chocolate.....

Tomorrow be St. Paddy's Day, after work I'm toasting with half a glass of ye olde guinness....half a glass I say because anymore and I'll be swinging from the trees.
What's that got to do with painting in the dark you ask,
search me....

squeeeeking on outta here.

[Artguy]

What about advice to us old artists??? I love bein in the dark...