I confess I'm rapidly approaching my eighth decade on this earth, with close to six of those as a teacher. One payoff of all that experience is noticing the kinds of things that
trap emerging artists' progress, such as how we unconsciously label things.
I hear it repeatedly in questions like "How do I paint a rose?" or "How do I paint ocean waves?" These kinds of questions tell me that our
schools need to teach us how to ask questions. Wouldn't a better question be, "What do I look for when painting a rose?"
Would a single "how-to" formula be sufficient to paint each of these?
On the other hand, if you ask what to look for, then I could offer you a handle on how to approach any rose
you see, any shape, any color in any light. Think about it: when you are drawing or painting, you thoughts are guiding your hand. If you are thinking "rose," what is your hand going to do?
What if rather than asking "how to", you ask these questions?
- In what direction are the edges moving?
- How long or short are those movements?
- Are those edges curved, straight, both?
- Where are the shadows?
- What are the values within the shadows"
- What are the values within the lights?
- What colors live in the shadows?
- What colors live in the lights?
These should get you headed in the right direction. I've learned that when you learn how to ask the questions,
more questions come to mind.
Enjoy an unquestionably, superb weekend!
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