The Painting thread

[LiveOVErdrive]

It's amazing how much better at stuff I get when I actually practice. I started practicing guitar daily a couple weeks ago - not even that much per day, and I'm already way better. Same with art recently.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Yeah I work with computers too. And I like computers! I like art more, but oh well. It's nice to be able to do it for enjoyment only I guess. The main reason I wish I was a professional or at least got a double major in art is just so I'd be... Better at art.

most art schools/majors do nothing for you from a technical standpoint (i have a bunch of fine arts/illustrator friends with expensive art degrees that basically grumble about it any chance they get). I took a lot of art classes in college despite being a microbiology/nursing major and I honestly got more out of practicing on my own than I did from most of the classes.

It never hurts to read some art books and practice constantly though. Figure out what you specifically suck at and seek out resources on how to get better at that. For me it was figure drawing and hands, so I spent ages just trying to get better at drawing them from life and reference.

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

most art schools/majors do nothing for you from a technical standpoint. I took a lot of art classes in college despite being a microbiology/nursing major and I honestly got more out of practicing on my own than I did from most of the classes.
It never hurts to read some art books and practice constantly though. Figure out what you specifically suck at and seek out resources on how to get better at that. For me it was figure drawing and hands, so I spent ages just trying to get better at drawing them from life and reference.

Good call. Yeah I do that kind of stuff. What I really wish I had was some structure to keep me focused. Like school or whatever. Because like I said I improve a lot when I practice but it's hard for me to consistently practice with only myself as a motivator.

 

[LunatiqueRob]

most art schools/majors do nothing for you from a technical standpoint (i have a bunch of fine arts/illustrator friends with expensive art degrees that basically grumble about it any chance they get). I took a lot of art classes in college despite being a microbiology/nursing major and I honestly got more out of practicing on my own than I did from most of the classes.

It never hurts to read some art books and practice constantly though. Figure out what you specifically suck at and seek out resources on how to get better at that. For me it was figure drawing and hands, so I spent ages just trying to get better at drawing them from life and reference.

What school you go to makes a huge difference. One of my buddies majored in fine art at Berkley, and that is NOT a school known for its art department. They didn't teach him anything about how to actually draw and paint proficiently, and he spent the entire time there learning how to wax poetic about a blank canvas with a smudge or a splatter on it like a pretentious modern art douchebag. That is what happened to many schools after modern art took over. But there are certainly still schools out there that do teach classical art education, and they wouldn't even accept you unless your portfolio was up to snuff. Those schools turn out deadly artists who can draw and paint at very high levels.

In this day and age, you can just teach yourself using the countless tutorials online and instructional books, for free, or very cheaply. I'm self-taught in everything creative I've done professionally, and I did that before the Internet. If I had the resources today's kids have, I'd have leveled up even faster.

 

[spudmunkey]

What school you go to makes a huge difference.

This seems to be a huge factor. At least that's been my observations of my girlfriend's observations of my drawing class in a community college compared to her drawing classes at California College of the Arts. She's so mad at my class when she overhears the lessons. Ha! I do really wish I could attend in person...

 

[LunatiqueRob]

This seems to be a huge factor. At least that's been my observations of my girlfriend's observations of my drawing class in a community college compared to her drawing classes at California College of the Arts. She's so mad at my class when she overhears the lessons. Ha! I do really wish I could attend in person...

For those who learn best in formal classroom situations, the school can make a big difference, but even in that context, the students that do very well are almost always those who would have done well on their own anyway, as they are the ones with the drive and perseverance and discipline. I have been teaching for about 13 years, and I have taught all levels--from professional artists already working in world-class studios for games, animation, and movies and need to level up for their jobs, to total beginners, and all the levels in-between. What I have observed over and over, was that the students who have that innate passion and discipline will do well no matter what, unless they were just really lacking in the talent department (which is a different topic). Even with bad school and lazy/inept teachers, they will search out learning resources on their own and do a lot of trial and error to gain experience and insight. But with a great school and excellent teachers, they will level up faster and and higher than if they just fumbled around on their own.

 

[odibrom]

Regarding practice and being good at art, the evolution isn't necessarily continuous and even less linear. It jumps from conscience plateaus to higher or lower ones. Sometimes we have a conscience jump and we start doing things way better, but this doesn't happen without practice. How often and what to practice, well, that's very subjective. Personally, I like to know how things work, how they compare with each other and how to find references and links between different objects. I like to imagine a glass window where I draw lines over so to capture what I'm seeing. As with everything else, imagination is a super tool.

We should also take challenges, risk something that we're not comfortable with, because these help us to see things from a different perspective and that is a strong trampoline for these conscience plateaus jumps.

There are no formulas, but there are guides that help us to improve. It's as good practicing as is to investigate and learn theory about forms and shapes (anatomy and proportions, for example), art history, light and color and geometric perspective...

... as much as one wants to achieve technical proficiency, the visual arts are far away from the "beautiful" concept and work more on the disruptive approach to society's and culture's cannons and rules, hence the apearence of "works of art" difficult to understand. Truth be told, most of these are a play with the audience/spectators that the author doesn't disclose at all and keeps it secret. Those who can argue best, probably sell best, it's not in the technique at all, not anymore, the more outrageous the better.

... or maybe not?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I finished this recently.

 

[odibrom]

I finished this recently.

You're getting better at this, congrats!...

 

[BMFan30]

I finished this recently.

Nice one, top talent!

 

[LunatiqueRob]

I don't do landscapes that much, but here's one painted in Procreate with iPad Pro, done as class live demo for students.


Here's a timelapse of the painting process:

 

[odibrom]

I don't do landscapes that much, but here's one painted in Procreate with iPad Pro, done as class live demo for students.
View attachment 122938

Here's a timelapse of the painting process:

... very very nice, thank you for sharing...

 

[LunatiqueRob]

Just finished a new portrait, painted in Rebelle 6 Pro.

 

[BMFan30]

Just finished a new portrait, painted in Rebelle 6 Pro. View attachment 122992

Damn, you guise is a talented bunch in here!

 

[LunatiqueRob]

Here's the timelapse video:

 

[narad]

Here's the timelapse video:

The time lapse takes me back through all my elementary school portrait backgrounds. Except laser.

 

[LunatiqueRob]

Latest portrait drawing.

 

[spudmunkey]

This assignment was to take a photo, draw a straight grid over it, then draw a skewed grid, and fill in the distorted shapes with the same coordinating square from the original grid. 17 assignments in to the semester and I think I'm finally *kinda* getting the hang of charcoal, though I still hate it. I think I'd like to try it again, this time without the skewed grid...just a direct copy.

 

[odibrom]

This assignment was to take a photo, draw a straight grid over it, then draw a skewed grid, and fill in the distorted shapes with the same coordinating square from the original grid. 17 assignments in to the semester and I think I'm finally *kinda* getting the hang of charcoal, though I still hate it. I think I'd like to try it again, this time without the skewed grid...just a direct copy.

View attachment 124234

Charcoal isn't easy to work with, but that one turned out nice even skewed...

 

[spudmunkey]

First attempt at a self portrait since the mid 90s. My eyes are too wide (spacing is OK, but the eye itself is too wide, my forehead isn't tall enough, and my nose is too tall...but overall, I'm way more pleased with it than I ever thought I would be, and think it looks mostly like a drawing of "me".





Though when I stopped after the first day...my girlfriend refused to come into the room again until I put it away, or added eyes.