The Learning Curve – It’s Essential

                          Jan Ellen Atkielski

Some people expect to be professional artists as soon as they get their fine arts degree. It doesn’t work that way. Nothing happens over night. There is always a “learning curve.”

Of course, there are those who are gifted with talent and the ability to see at a young age. But most of us have to improve our skills over time. Combine practice with continuing education, and you have a winning formula. I’ve photographed one of our guest speakers, Jan Ellen Atkielski, who spoke to our art league about marketing, goal setting, preparing portfolios and statements, and how to exhibit. There are many components to continuing education. This is one of them.

Diane Carmen and Bonnie Wolff

I’ve always claimed that my first art teacher didn’t teach me how to paint, she taught me how to see. But I’ve discovered since that the learning continues. Just when I think I’ve overcome the tendency to fill-in-the-blanks with my brain, I pull the same stunt again. The perfect example: I submitted one of my paintings to an online critique at FAA. I sensed something was wrong with the painting, but couldn’t quite figure out what it was or how to resolve it.
 
 

Pat Papa

Boy did I get critiqued! It is a humbling experience, to say the least. There were those who for the sake of showing off their skills nit-picked to the point of over-kill. At that point, I was ready to dump my painting altogether.

Jan and Annie St. Martin

Then there were the serious artists who really wanted to be of help, but they were somewhat timid. The rest were extremely helpful. One person showed me what I’d missed in my original photo and one other artist nailed it by pointing out what had been bothering me from the first: a glaring discrepancy that the others skirted around to avoid embarassing me. I’ll share their critique and painting 1 and 2 on one of my future blogs and get your input.

Learning to draw and to paint is difficult. If you’re really serious about it, you must sketch, draw, or paint every day. Using a variety of media is important until you find one you know and love. Practicing various brush techniques can help you use the right brush in the right place when it’s needed. Knowing how to mix colors and make values is critical. I’m still having trouble with values and perspective, but I know it will come with practice.

I enjoy doing quick sketches like this young girl playing soccer. I like to capture the energy of movement and then carry that forward in a painting. Is my sketch perfect? No! Her head is a little too large and her extended arm was too long. When I shortened it, I lost some of the detail. I do think I nailed the foreshortening of her legs as she manuevers the ball, but you be the judge.

Don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up. No matter what your skill or profession, there is a learning curve. You can’t get away from it. If you want to be successful bad enough, you will achieve your goals!



Rainy Day Blues

Today, the Painters and Artists League of Gateway (PALS) had planned a special trip to Sarasota to visit the Salvadore Dali Art Museum. I planned on filling my blog with photos of Salvadore paintings and facts about his life. I have long admired his edgy style and delightful use of space and color.

All of us were looking forward to spending the day together exploring art galleries in the Sarasota area and getting to know each other better. But alas, a severe weather warning and impending rain broke soon after we left and sent us scampering closer to home. But what started out as a disappointing day turned into one of discovery.

We headed over to Bell Towers, a local shopping mall, where a new art gallery called “Gallerie Unique” had recently opened. President Shelby Ward was our gracious hostess. She allowed us to linger, study and enjoy her collection of artwork from both local and international artists such as Carol McArdle, Art Fronckowiak, Laurie Snow Hein, Neil Walling, Echo Chernik, Richard Johnson, Tadeo, Jennifer Vrane, Ken Miduch, and Ed Takacs to name a few.

Tucked under a black and white striped awning a few steps across the black and white checkered tiles from a small coffee shoppe, Gallerie Unique was anything but quaint. An air of sophistication and professionalism captured our attention as we moved into the gallery.

The variety of artists represented and the wide range of offerings was a delightful surprise. Well placed rack lighting captured the highlights and brushwork of each artist’s unique style showcasing color and detail that might otherwise have been missed.

Afterward, we discussed the artists and their work at a local restaurant called Mimi’s, and then drove to The Alliance for the Arts on McGregor Avenue. Who said you can’t vacation at home? We had a wonderful day exploring Fort Myers wonderful art community.

The Fingerprints of God -- Artwork Sublime

Random Thoughts, Tidbits and Truisms

Life is made up of small bits of knowledge, built up over time; increments of learning that cling together and form a picture, a memory, a smattering of trivia and truth.

Where does this knowledge come from? Everywhere!

Yesterday, I was taking my walk and there on the sidewalk was a crawfish miles away from the nearest pond, struggling along on the dry pavement.

On closer inspection, the poor crustacean had only one front claw. The right one had been torn off.

Like a detective, I formed a scenario in my mind: the crawdad had likely been picked up at the pond by a feeding ibis or egret and carried to a waiting nest. In transport, the struggling crayfish  had literally escaped and lost a claw in the process. Sadly, being miles from any water, he’ll probably die looking for his “home sweet home.”

Speaking of which, we have two martin houses in our neighborhood. As soon as March 1st rolls around, they appear and stay for almost three months. I’ve heard it’s difficult to attract them. My two neighbors seem to be pros at it. But tell me, If you could choose between a dingy motel with last year’s leavings or a clean room in a luxury suite, which one would you choose? There’s no such thing as a dumb bird!

Somewhere I read that “drones make more noise and are more in a hurry than the bees, but they make no honey.” I’ve known people like that. They scurry around, bark and bluster at everyone they meet, and when they’re finished you can’t see the results of their presence nor what they’ve accomplished. It’s called “Seagull Management.”

I read the other day that a town in Ohio is changing their annual Easter egg hunt to a Spring egg hunt because they don’t want to be exclusive or offend anyone. If we continue down this road, pretty soon we won’t recognize any holidays or religious celebrations at all. What we’re doing is cutting off the roots that give human beings a sense of history and personal identity. We’re cheating them out of their cultural and religious traditions.

Remember Alex Hayley’s epic “Roots?” We all need them. Without roots we become lost in a maize of merging cultures, man-made religions, and changing values. We lose our identity and the things that make us unique. Instead of thinking on our own, we adopt “group think” and the values of others. We become puppets, manipulated by the whim of those in charge.

But let's get back to art. I read a couple of my old “tweets,” and thought they were quite revealing:

“A blank canvas dares the artist to defile its virgin face. One brush stroke unleashes a vision of intensity that doesn’t stop until the artist’s passion is vanquished.”

“It is a ritual, painting; a dance in the mind of an artist that ends only when the visual statement comes to fruition on canvas.”

And so life goes . . .

Do You Tie Yourself in Knots?

I do it all the time. I stress over a project or painting and feel I’m not up to the task. Before I know it, I’ve tied myself into a bundle of nervous insecurity.

Oh, I know the drill. I’ve read all the self-help books, spouted the mantras and prayers, and given myself the countless pep talks geared to pull you from a tail spin. But I’m also an expert on dismissing them.

Take my latest painting. Remember the little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s clothes? I’ve been avoiding it like the plague. I had so much going on in my mind that I wanted to do with the painting that I became overwhelmed with the details. So I took it to my art league last week; truly feeling inadequate for the job.

Work in Progress -- Playing Dress Up

Thanks to a team of like-minded artists who gave me a pep talk and an intellectual kick in the butt, I regained the necessary “spunk,” if you will, to continue this enormous task.

One of my favorite artists on facebook is Suzi Kahler of “It’s all in the details.” She thrives on painting and detailing even the smallest items. When she’s finished, her paintings never look too busy because she skillfully weaves every detail into her plan. Aha! My first clue: taking time to relax, reassess and plan.

Sometimes pressures of time and urgency drive us into forging ahead when we’re not ready. A painting is like fine wine. It needs to age and mellow for awhile in our mind’s eye before we can see our image clearly enough to define it on canvas.

I’m not knocking “going with the flow” and the feeling of the moment. But before that happens, we need to have a sense of what it is we want to accomplish. Sure it’s vital to open ourselves up to surprises and inspiration, but we must stay grounded in the things we’ve already learned. Knowledge and experience are the foundation that allow your brush and your imagination to soar.

I found some old drawings and sketches I had tucked away. I was amazed at how good they were for such quick studies. I decided to upload the one you see above to my online gallery. Much to my surprise, the charcoal sketch titled “Through Her Eyes” was featured in one of the groups.

The elderly woman is looking forward as she must, but her alter-ego is also looking backward at where’s she been and what she’s accomplished (good advice when you’re feeling insecure). It’s not a perfect sketch by any means; but it shows that with a little knowledge and experience under your belt, your mind, heart, and hand can work together to achieve much more than you think.

So next time you tie yourself in unrealistic knots. Step back and re-evaluate where you’ve been and what you’ve achieved before pressing forward. You might be surprised at the end result!

WINGS -- Good Background Music

The Photograph – A Critical Component

My friend and photographer, Kelly Bell, author of The Sorry Gardner @ http://thesorrygardener.com/ suggested I write a blog about photographing artwork since many artists consider this a challenge.

The “Catch 22” is knowing when and where to get a good photographer at reasonable rates, or choosing to do it yourself and learning how the hard way. I chose the latter, so I’ll share with you some things I’ve learned along the way. I'll start with a photo of my completed Easter painting.

"He Lives"

You may be a professional artist, an amazing painter, but if you don’t know how to photograph your paintings, no one will know it but you. To make prints or giclees from your artwork requires the utmost care in taking, uploading, and using a digital image of your painting. Here are some basic necessities:

1. Have a good high-resolution camera. If you don’t, you’re better off hiring a professional photographer. Without high-resolution images, the fine details of your painting get lost, and the ability to reproduce quality prints or giclees is next to nil.
     a.  Do your homework, do your shopping. There are many medium priced cameras that will do the job.
     b. Explain to the salesperson what you need in the way of a camera and why you need it. They will help you find one in your price range.
     c. If you take a low-resolution picture and try to increase the resolution and enlarge it to uploaded, your image will be blurred and your print unsalable.
     d. Avoid photographing your painting in its frame. Even when you’re trying to be careful, a part of the frame always shows up and makes your image unusable for making prints.

2. Buy a tripod. Don’t fudge! Everyone shakes a little when they point and shoot. Even a tiny tremor can blur the image, tilt the camera, or produce poor quality results.
     a. By steadying your camera on a tripod, and checking the image in your viewer, you can usually get a fairly good picture.
     b. I take several pictures once I’m certain my tripod is placed in the right spot.



3. Good lighting is a must! We can’t all go out and buy the kind of lighting professional photographers use, but we should make certain we have at least “adequate” lighting.
     a. I take my pictures early in the morning when light is streaming in through the windows.
     b. I use a table to make certain my painting is level. I use overhead lights and table lighting in addition to the daylight.
     c. I enhance my lighting with the picture software on my computer. I simply use an automatic adjust, nothing more. I don’t want to change the tone or hue of my original painting.

4. Yes, you need some kind of photo software on your computer. Most computers come with a basic program.
     a. You may want to re-size your image, enhance color, if necessary, or at least make certain it has enough lighting to look its best.
     b. You may need to “crop” your image, especially if you haven’t placed your tripod close enough to avoid background images.
     c. You may need to “straighten” your image. If that doesn’t work, go back and adjust your tripod and take another photo.
     d. I usually make my image the same size as my painting i.e. 16x20, etc. That way, when I make prints the image is clear and beautiful.

5. When uploading, follow the directions of your server host. I upload to my blog, my online gallery, and to several other sites. I store my images in one place on my computer, so I know where to get the photos that have been edited and prepared beforehand.

"Work in Progress" some weeks ago.

Why are these steps so important? To avoid some of the errors I’ve seen on online galleries:  too small an image, parts of frames showing distracting background objects, crooked pictures; a result of a “point-and-shoot” camera and no tripod; faded, lifeless color that has not been lighted or enhanced.

If you want to sell paintings, cards or prints, you need the proper tools to show-off your talents. I invite you to ask questions or offer your own self-discovered tips in your comments. Thanks!