What you say?
Heads up. I have taken numerous classes from various artists that I really admire in my career. When finished I always summarize exactly what I learned . Then I evaluate their class/workshop so see if they delivered really what they said they would. Or if somehow I feel like my needs were not even met. New Artists can be very vunerable. Seasoned artist can be skeptics.
In the artistic community, advice is often valued, but not all guidance leads to growth. An artist who gives bad advice might universally declare that "rules are meant to be broken," without considering the necessity of understanding those rules first. This blanket statement can mislead aspiring artists into rejecting foundational concepts, which are crucial for genuine exploration and expression.
These are the things I have heard in the years of painting. I have a giggle about it now. This information can be conflicting if you are a new artist. Each artist has their own set of skills/ education or non-professional education i.e., self taught. They have their own idea of what “good art” looks like. They have their own ideas on what works and does not work on a substrate. These are straight out quotes from what others have advised me through the years.
You always need to use black and white on your canvas. This means add it first not last. Or mix a nice gray with the black and white. You know darks verses lights. Values people.
You need to just add medium gray to your canvas when you start. Please be sure to add this to all of your colors when you paint. Never use straight black. They meant medium gray straight out of the tub/tube. No mention of darks and lights or even shadows. Shadows by the way occur naturally in life. Gray after all is black mixed with white! ( I like black and white compositions) !
You need to only mix orange with black to get your gray. This will make the best gray you will ever see in your life. Just add white to lighten it up. Just add black to darken. (Remember orange is red plus yellow!)
You need to not add any black or white or gray on your artwork. That is uncessary. Be careful of mud. That is using more than 3 colors. Add white to rescue the mud but now you have used 4 colors!
You need to add yellow to black to get all of your greens. Don’t use green out of a tube. One said, ‘ I always use green out of a tube it is hard to mix.”
You need to add dark blue to your black. Never use it straight out of the tube. This will make the black much richer. When you add white it will have a blue hue base.
You need to tone your canvas in orange for warmth, red for warmth or blue for cool before you lay down one tiny stroke of paint. Or tone it with burnt umber. (or not?) Sometimes I don’t tone I use the white background. Those paintings have also sold.
You need to add red to your canvas. It is always a very cool color? (depending on the shade it can be warm or cool actually).
Varnish makes your paint look too shiny. (depends on the type of varnish ie. gloss or satin? )
You should never use to much red on your canvas or gold. (who says?)
The masters did it like this, black, white, one color and yellow ochre. (oK)?
Be sure to mx the mother color in all your paints when painting. By the way this was invented by the American landscape painter Edgar Payne in the 20th century. Try it you may or may not like the results. Artists today did not create the term ‘mother color”. It’s been around for ages and ages.
Just use the paint straight out of the tube. (?)
Buy good paints not cheap student grade paints. (true)
Biggest mistake as a new artist - not mixing enough paint. (true)
Biggest mistake as a new artist - buying cheap paints. (true)
Every class I have taken requires a huge art supply list. Then you are stuck with things you actually may not like at all. This includes brushes. Just buy them on sale. Take what paint you own to class.
Always mix your paints. Don’t use anything straight ouf of the tube except white. Even white comes in various shades. Sometimes I do this but not always.
Use warm colors and cool colors on your canvas.
You decide what works for you. Perhaps you try them all to evaluate? But this is how different each artist may teach or give advice. It’s what they have gleened from other artist’s. Just be aware of this while you create. Some contradict others. I know that in order for my art to pop (or catch the eye) it has to have various shades and values to the canvas. It has to have an area to rest the eye. It has to have a focal point and strong composition.
Another common piece of bad advice is the belief that "more is always better." This notion can lead to overly complex and cluttered works, overshadowing the beauty found in simplicity and restraint. An artist may suggest layering excessive details without recognizing that effective composition often hinges on balance and clarity.
Additionally, some might say, "stick to one medium if you want to be taken seriously." This advice is restrictive, not acknowledging the versatility and innovation that can arise from experimenting with multiple mediums. Each material has its own language, and combining them can yield extraordinary results. Or stick to the same artistic style over and over again. (How boring is that?) I don’t paint circles and dots over and over again.
Lastly, advising artists to create solely for commercial gain can stifle authenticity. The pressure to produce something solely for sale can detract from the joy and personal expression integral to the creative process. This pressure as an artist is real. We all want to sell - eventually. So we can buy more supplies and clean out old work. Finally to kill the “starving artist myth that still exists today.” Artist’s are persistent and dedicated. You can make a living with your Art. It requries hours of painting (time) , hours of failures, lots of supplies and the knowledge of your target audience along with marketing and online skills.
In art, guidance should encourage understanding, exploration, and authenticity rather than rigid rules or economic pressures. True wisdom lies in nurturing one’s unique voice and vision, not in following misguided advice. I hope I nuture each new artist I meet in my life.
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