So, You Want to be a Better Painter?
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So, You Want to be a Better Painter?
There is no secret handshake, magic dust or password that will make you a better painter. The only thing that will, is spending time painting. The more paintings you make, the better painter you will be.
Here are the two pieces of advice I give my students to become better painters:
- Learn the fundamentals of art and design and learn how to implement them in your work. Knowing what they are, and knowing how to use and implement them are different. You have to know how to implement fundamentals in your work.
- Make more paintings. You will never become a better painter if you only paint a few paintings a year. You need to paint 50-100 paintings a year minimum. The more you practice, the better you'll become (kinda like anything else in life, right?).
One way to make more paintings is to set a weekly or monthly goal, something short term that you can meet for a "quick win". I did this for the first time many years ago. I typically was painting 15-20 paintings per year maximum at the time. I set a goal to do a painting a week for 52 weeks, and I did it. The improvement in my work over 52 weeks was dramatic, really dramatic.
The same thing will happen for you. Learn the fundamentals of design (I teach shape, value, color, edges and center of interest) and how to implement them. Then begin making more paintings than you ever have before. You will experience improvement quicker than you imagine. I can't wait to hear how it works out for you!
For those that are interested in a fun and engaging workshop experience, I have some workshops coming up that you will love: (You can see a full list of Workshops by Clicking HERE.)
- June 5-8, 2017 Dillman's Creative Arts, Lac Du Flambeau, WI. To register contact Stephanie 715-588-3143 or art@dillmans.com. Details HERE.
- June 19-22, 2017 Cuyahoga Valley Art Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH. To register contact Danielle cvac@cvartcenter.org or 330-928-8092.
- July 10-14, 2017 Cloudcroft Art Workshops, Cloudcroft, NM. To register contact Linda Shiplett at cawregistrar@gmail.com or 915-490-5071. Details HERE.
- July 28-30, 2017 Binders Art, Atlanta, GA. to register contact Preston Ferguson, preston@bindersart.com or 404-237-6331. Details HERE.
As always, thanks so much for your support!
David
P.S. If you cannot attend a live event, or prefer to learn online in the comfort of your home or studio, Abstract Painting Academy is my online workshop:
Abstract Painting Academy is the next best thing to a live workshop. You can learn more about the program by Clicking HERE.
