Summer Trees
5.5"X3.5" Watercolour in Moleskine
"Use it or lose it" they say. It certainly seems to be true in my case. I have been drawing and painting so infrequently recently that I find it hard to know even where to begin. I find library books and trawl the internet looking for inspiration, but I am not sure that that is such a good thing. I have so many subscriptions in Google Reader that I can't possibly keep up, so I end up deleting most of them unread. And when I do look at other peoples work I seem to flit around from one enthusiasm to another. I see something I like and think, "I could do that", then I see something else, completely different in style, subject and execution, and I think "I could do that too". I don't mean that I want to copy, just that so many different styles appeal to me, that I still don't seem to be able to settle on one. I have become really bored with working from photographs, although I have only ever used my own photos, they seems stilted and false somehow. Anyway, I am not giving up yet. One day soon, I keep thinking, I will find my muse.
Hi Sarah
ReplyDeleteI understand your words so well. When I returned to oil paints, I didn't know what style I would do since I came from such a realistic style in acrylics. First of all, you must decide which medium you want to paint in. Then, as you say, look at the internet to see which artist style really grabs you. You may not know why...you just know that their work inspires you and you could see one of their paintings on your wall. Then, research them, learn how to do their style, and stick with it until you have achieved success. If you want to do plein air, find a plein air artist you want to "learn from". Often you can find process videos as well. For plein air in oils, I found Jennifer Mcchristian to be a good source of info.
Anyway, I did that with about 5 artists and I sometimes "think" I know where I want to be artistically. It is difficult, but worth it.
Lovely summer feeling in these trees. Nathan Fowkes is a good source for doing small quick studies plein air using water color and gouache.
Anyway, just some ideas!
All good advice, but first I have to find enough time to paint. With a very full-time job and a big old house in constant need of attention I find it very hard to grab more than an hour here and there. As for internet inspiration, I think my problem is that there is almost too much of it. I know all the artists you mention and follow them. I am just not single minded enough to stick with one style, and I am not sure that I even want to. My current obsession is much more with composition than with technique, medium or style. Never mind, onward and upward, it is the journey that is important.
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