Artist Strong
Artist Strong
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How to Develop Your Style as a Self-Taught Artist: The Hidden Power of Proficiency
Reclaiming What's "Easy": The Forgotten Power of Proficiency
As artists, we often associate growth with discomfort. We're told that only when we struggle are we truly improving. "Get out of your comfort zone!" is advice we're all familiar with, and advice I share regularly!
But what if the very thing we’ve mastered-what feels “easy”-is precisely where our unique voice is waiting to be discovered?
Links:
📺Workshop (watch for free): www.artiststrong.com/workshop-how-to-create-art-from-your-imagination/
📖Full article with text: wp.me/p6Xq2T-4rd
📕The Big Leap: bookshop.org/a/103108/9780061735363
📕Ebook ArtSpeak: www.artiststrong.com/art-speak/
🗓️ Book a time to learn more how I can help: calendly.com/carriebrummer/30-minute-1-1-call-stsc
🎨Carrie Brummer art: www.carriebrummer.com/
🏫Class (watch for free): Drawing Drills: artiststrong.teachable.com/p/drawing-drills/
Переглядів: 2 527

Відео

How to Draw or Paint Anything: Building the Foundations for Artistic Freedom
Переглядів 330День тому
Ready to draw or paint whatever you want? Start here, beginners! The dream of being able to draw or paint anything you want is shared by almost every artist. It’s the creative freedom to bring any idea to life without feeling limited by skill or technique. But here's the secret: the path to achieving that freedom isn’t necessarily about mastering every subject or copying every style. Instead, i...
Handling Feedback: What Every Highly Sensitive Artist Needs to Know
Переглядів 33014 днів тому
Thriving as a Highly Sensitive Artist: How to Face Criticism and Rejection Have you ever been told you're "too sensitive"? Or maybe you find yourself easily overstimulated by loud noises, harsh lighting, or too much screen time? If so, you might be a highly sensitive person (HSP). As someone who identifies as HSP, I want to talk about something that can be uniquely challenging for artists like ...
Debunking 5 Popular Beliefs About Art and Creativity
Переглядів 1,1 тис.21 день тому
What if everything you've been told about art... is wrong?" As artists, we are constantly bombarded with "rules" and expectations about how we should approach our craft. From drawing fundamentals to the idea that certain techniques are “cheating,” the art world loves to set standards that can sometimes feel stifling. But the truth is, many of these rules are meant to be challenged, questioned, ...
3 Ways Procrastination Hurts Your Art (And What To Do About It).
Переглядів 3,2 тис.Місяць тому
Do you find yourself avoiding your art, even when you want to create? Suddenly, your studio feels too messy to make art, so you decide to clean it instead, or you remember those bananas turning brown, and making banana bread feels more urgent than pulling out your paints. Maybe your garden or that pile of laundry suddenly seems like it needs your immediate attention. Sometimes, our studio reall...
How facing brain surgery helped me create my best art ever
Переглядів 180Місяць тому
How brain surgery helped me create the best art of my life… Brain surgery. That’s not the answer you want to hear when you’re sitting in an ER being pumped with painkillers for a headache that won’t quit. But it became clear what was coming when the CT scans revealed an unknown mass on my pituitary. It was my second year of teaching high school art. I was 24. And I had no idea that brain surger...
What artists can learn from athletes
Переглядів 487Місяць тому
As a child I played soccer. And in high school: field hockey. Sport was a great way for a kind-of only child (kid with much older siblings) to have connections with peers, be physically active and play. Recently I started thinking about the connection between sport and…art! How can we use the strategies employed by athletes to improve our art? What can we learn from sport that will help us get ...
How to Study an Art Style: An In-Depth Look at Julie Mehretu
Переглядів 519Місяць тому
How do you study an art style? How do you learn a specific art style? How do you analyze art styles? How do you find your art style? In this Style Study Session, we will use the 6 qualities of style to not only better understand the artist we study but also to apply these ideas to better develop your own unique style in your art. For this Study Session, I chose an artist whose work challenges o...
Batching Explained: How Artists Can Save Time and Boost Creativity
Переглядів 3792 місяці тому
Ever feel like there's never enough time to create? Or that the blank canvas stares back at you, daring you to figure out what's next? Batching might just be the solution you need. Batching is a strategy artists can employ to make more art more quickly and to help develop ideas and ultimately, our voice. In today’s video, I’m creating a follow-up to one of my most popular videos: "Why is Batchi...
How to study an art style: Paint like Monet
Переглядів 3792 місяці тому
How do you study an art style? How do you learn a specific art style? How do you analyze art styles? How do you find your art style? In this Style Study Session, we will use the 6 qualities of style to not only better understand the artist we study but also to apply these ideas to better develop your own unique style in your art. For today’s Study Session, I chose an artist whose work has defin...
10 Resources for Lifelong Learners: Books, Articles and Podcasts for Artists
Переглядів 3042 місяці тому
I have a series of books, podcasts, and articles that have completely transformed the way I show up as a teacher and how I look at, and make, my art. They have helped me stick through my current dry spell of applications, helped me upgrade my teaching to help students show up and get results, and changed the way I live outside of my art and teaching, too. Something I love about you, the amazing...
How discomfort can help you become a better, stronger artist
Переглядів 8322 місяці тому
It’s time for artists to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable Just last week, someone asked, "Now what do I do about pricing my work?" They continued, "How does one get past that imposter glitch that makes one give away art and start to believe it’s worthy of attaching a price to?" First, thanks, Kitty, for sharing. It can be so hard to show up and ask questions that feel vulnerable and unc...
Why you *should* be all over the place with your art
Переглядів 2,9 тис.3 місяці тому
Am I all over the place with my art? I regularly joke that I could stock my own art supply store. What about you? One of the most common things I hear from fellow artists is, "I feel all over the place with my art." But what does that really mean? When I break down the idea of being all over the place with one’s art, it's about lots of art materials, playing with many media, and juggling variou...
Why is batching your art important? (And what IS batching, anyway?!)
Переглядів 53 тис.3 місяці тому
As artists, we often fear that we don’t have a unique style or voice in our art. It’s a concern that is hard to define and style typically evolves over time. Many artists argue that they don’t want the restriction of being subject to one style or message. But who exactly said you have to have the same style? Picasso was successful during his lifetime and he certainly had multiple styles and for...
What does it really mean to be an artist?
Переглядів 2723 місяці тому
Since I was small, I longed to be an artist. I would observe my peers effortlessly drawing characters from their imagination, jealously wishing to create my own works that would make friends and adults gasp in delight. Today, I still feel a yearning in my bones to create. It's a feeling that will stay with me for the rest of my life. To make art is to be me, and I will continue to create, wheth...
How to study an art style: Paint like van Gogh
Переглядів 4094 місяці тому
How to study an art style: Paint like van Gogh
Crafting artistic legacy: Reclaiming your time for art
Переглядів 2834 місяці тому
Crafting artistic legacy: Reclaiming your time for art
Do you struggle to finish your art?
Переглядів 9734 місяці тому
Do you struggle to finish your art?
Why you shouldn’t make art *every* day: focusing on this (instead) changed my life.
Переглядів 1,7 тис.4 місяці тому
Why you shouldn’t make art *every* day: focusing on this (instead) changed my life.
From Imitation to Innovation: Finding Your Artistic Voice
Переглядів 5185 місяців тому
From Imitation to Innovation: Finding Your Artistic Voice
From Stuck to Successful: How to Improve Your Art with These Mindset Shifts
Переглядів 5505 місяців тому
From Stuck to Successful: How to Improve Your Art with These Mindset Shifts
Is Art a Skill Or Talent? Breaking the Art Myth
Переглядів 5455 місяців тому
Is Art a Skill Or Talent? Breaking the Art Myth
Experimenting with Your Art Style: How Structure Helps You Improve Your Art
Переглядів 3255 місяців тому
Experimenting with Your Art Style: How Structure Helps You Improve Your Art
Ask Me Anything: Creating art goals, fear of making your art, and keeping momentum after deadlines
Переглядів 2526 місяців тому
Ask Me Anything: Creating art goals, fear of making your art, and keeping momentum after deadlines
Answering the call to create: 3 ways to show up for your art
Переглядів 2476 місяців тому
Answering the call to create: 3 ways to show up for your art
Break Free From The Culture Of Comparison: 4 Steps To Celebrating Your Unique Voice
Переглядів 1576 місяців тому
Break Free From The Culture Of Comparison: 4 Steps To Celebrating Your Unique Voice
Art and Willpower: Strengthening Your Creative Practice
Переглядів 3686 місяців тому
Art and Willpower: Strengthening Your Creative Practice
Discover Your Artistic Voice: A Roadmap to Unique and Original Art
Переглядів 3017 місяців тому
Discover Your Artistic Voice: A Roadmap to Unique and Original Art
5 Signs of Artistic Voice: How do you know when you have a unique artist style?
Переглядів 1,1 тис.7 місяців тому
5 Signs of Artistic Voice: How do you know when you have a unique artist style?
Spark your creativity: How to draw and paint from your imagination
Переглядів 7577 місяців тому
Spark your creativity: How to draw and paint from your imagination

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @carolbailie9897
    @carolbailie9897 День тому

    Soft pastels are easy for me, but I avoid using them because of the difficulties with framing or preserving the artwork

    • @andyhamilton9459
      @andyhamilton9459 День тому

      Commit to finding easy solutions for these. They DO exist. You’ll be so glad you did.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong День тому

      @@andyhamilton9459 I second this. You’ve got this @carolbailie9897!

  • @NadyaBabichArt
    @NadyaBabichArt День тому

    This is truly something I haven't thought about enough. I have found abstract / expressive art to be easiest. But I'm always feeling like my expressive art looks unfinished. Sometimes I paint very intensely and very quickly like I'm in a frenzy but then I don't feel satisfied with the work even when it comes more naturally.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong День тому

      @@NadyaBabichArt perhaps sticking with it would allow you to dig deeper and spend more time figuring out what finished means for your work?

  • @normapadro420
    @normapadro420 2 дні тому

    I have grown into visual, audio arts. I was a bit discouraged when I saw other people's art work, or heard their music. I thought I needed expensive synths, and wall racks of mixers. I didn't. I thought I needed an expensive digital audio work station to create master pieces. I didn't. I use my phone camera to capture images. I also create art work with certain applications. I draw simple things then use color pencils, or water color paints. I use magic markers too. Someone told me my art work reminded them of Paul Klee. I didn't even know him. I just create art that I'm comfortable with. Complicated things are not my thing. I stick with what I know, and build from there. I only use paper for my art work.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 2 дні тому

      @@normapadro420 love this for you! People assume it all has to be super expensive but we can always find a way.

  • @donnadrialo3990
    @donnadrialo3990 2 дні тому

    I call drawing my "wheelhouse" because it's the art I've been doing since childhood. Currently, I'm using my wheelhouse skills to expand my skills in other areas, to learn to draw with a brush as the beginning of a painting.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 2 дні тому

      @@donnadrialo3990 sounds wonderful 🥳🥳🥳

  • @evonb4543
    @evonb4543 2 дні тому

    I agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. Thank you now I have a direction in which to go.

  • @KaciCreates
    @KaciCreates 2 дні тому

    I used to try to make realistic paintings because that’s what everyone else in my art club was doing, but I hated it more and more. I started making abstract mixed media work and I finally like to sit down and make art again. I never get bored and never have to struggle for ideas, never stress about what it’s supposed to look like. I don’t know that I’ve ever mastered anything, but it’s way better to make art that I love because I will make more of it. Thanks for this video, it makes me feel less guilty for doing what’s “easy.”

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 2 дні тому

      @@KaciCreates mastery (if that is something you want because it isn’t something we all have to strive for or towards) comes from making. And it’s a whole lot easier to make when we enjoy it! Thanks so much for sharing.

  • @mistys7170
    @mistys7170 2 дні тому

    Such great advice. I enjoyed making pictures out of recycled paper. It always felt too easy. Maybe I’ll explore it again.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 2 дні тому

      @@mistys7170 oooh yes!!!

    • @normapadro420
      @normapadro420 2 дні тому

      I use mail paper. If the back is empty then I create art on them. Once I done coloring the art work I turn them into digital. Throw away the paper, and save it on my flash drive. I don't like clutter so I just save things on flash drives. 😊

    • @creativebeanart
      @creativebeanart 2 дні тому

      I do this as well, plus a healthy dose of acrylic paint. It brings me great joy 😊

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 2 дні тому

      @@creativebeanart sounds fab!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 2 дні тому

      @@normapadro420 that sounds like a fun process

  • @mbalberts
    @mbalberts 3 дні тому

    This is such a profound truth and like you said it’s pervasive……and I have never applied it to my art. Thank you ❤

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 3 дні тому

      @@mbalberts yay!!! I’m so glad this could help.

  • @rosemarypilgrim4589
    @rosemarypilgrim4589 3 дні тому

    Really appreciated this video. I'm about to rethink my own practice... timely advice. Thanks.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 3 дні тому

      @@rosemarypilgrim4589 I’m so glad this could help.

  • @kenneth1767
    @kenneth1767 4 дні тому

    Style, like handwriting is not to be sought after, but rather comes through endless application and discovery of process that suits the individual temperament. People say 'I love your style'. I'm like 'what?'. I don't see it. It's grown with my development as an artist.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 4 дні тому

      @@kenneth1767 you can absolutely, strategically develop your voice and style. It can also be part of an organic process. There is not one way to find your style. As I say in here, your style is part of you and you can become more aware of what you do that’s making your art uniquely yours and double down on it. Thanks so much for watching and sharing!

    • @RachelJacksonArt
      @RachelJacksonArt 3 дні тому

      I disagree with this hugely. I chose my style consciously and made efforts to bring the design in my head onto the page. It didn't come naturally at all.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 3 дні тому

      @@RachelJacksonArt thanks Rachel. I too have been very conscious in my choices to communicate style. It’s one reason I think it’s important to talk about this - we have agency to make the art it doesn’t have to be something we wait to see.

  • @johnestock7283
    @johnestock7283 4 дні тому

    I can’t say that anything really comes easy for me. But there are subject that come with less mental effort. I may be bored of portraits, but I can lean into the familiar subject matter and just focus on the medium (watercolor, inks, marker etc)

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 4 дні тому

      @@johnestock7283 that works too. I like how you use the conversation here as a starting point for your own reflection and action.

  • @atcgirl5034
    @atcgirl5034 4 дні тому

    It appears to me that you have a visitor. A second after you say 'Picasso...' there is a very deliberate orb that moves into the frame from the top left ( YOUR right). It is not dust, as I can see a noticeable streak and its trajectory is not that of dust falling. Just found it interesting!😊

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 4 дні тому

      @@atcgirl5034interesting… thanks!!!

  • @Mallowolf
    @Mallowolf 8 днів тому

    I had this video on my watch later playlist since I watched your first one on batching and forgot to come back. Batching practice really works wonders. And also the tip about preparing your canvas with color. Thank you!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 7 днів тому

      @@Mallowolf I’m so glad it could help. Thank you for taking the time to comment and share!

  • @writersfederationofnb7563
    @writersfederationofnb7563 9 днів тому

    I'm a writer, and I find writers struggle with finishing their projects, too, whether or not they have lots of projects going at once. Many writers do, but not me. I'm sort of a one-thing-at-a-time type. So it's torture when I don't finish! :) I'd like to finish everything. I also paint for fun. I'm not educated in visual art, or even particularly good, and I have one painting of my kids that I just cannot finish. It's because I'm not good at faces, and I can't finish my daughter's face in way that pleases me.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 7 днів тому

      @@writersfederationofnb7563 you have choices here: try to do the face with the skill level you have, and be at peace learning more in the process; practice the face and develop your skill in portrait to then do it; my biggest concern is if we wait forever to finish until we feel more qualified to do the task and work only consecutively we are actually learning much more slowly and much less total. It stymies our growth. Thank you for sharing!

    • @writersfederationofnb7563
      @writersfederationofnb7563 7 днів тому

      @@artiststrong Good thoughts, thank you! I want to keep trying until it's at least something I can live with, because I stare at it every day behind my dining room table! :)

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 7 днів тому

      @@writersfederationofnb7563 you’ve got this!

  • @markbaigent8373
    @markbaigent8373 10 днів тому

    Drawing from the minds eye is impossible for those of us with Aphantasia sadly.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 9 днів тому

      @@markbaigent8373my true point in this conversation is that you don’t need to see anything in your minds eye to make great art. Thank you for sharing that important point - there are people where picturing anything in their mind isn’t a possibility.

  • @paulanorris9722
    @paulanorris9722 11 днів тому

    U eloquently explained what we all aspire to do. I’ve always copied art & found it satisfying, using oil crayons, colored pencils, pastels, acrylics, & now watercolors. I’m 71 & I’m trying watercolors. It’s quite different from those mediums, & I can’t loosen up- as that’s the type of watercolor I love. I can do botanicals…. I enjoyed ur talk n will b looking for more of ur content. U absolutely kno Art I hope ur journey is fruitful. Thanx!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 10 днів тому

      @@paulanorris9722 I’m so glad this was helpful Paula! And I love hearing you explore new media like watercolor.

  • @johnestock7283
    @johnestock7283 11 днів тому

    Excellent ArtTalk! #artistStrong powered by #purposefulPractice

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 10 днів тому

      @@johnestock7283 thanks John! I appreciate your support.

  • @EarthenVessel5
    @EarthenVessel5 12 днів тому

    Thanks for this. It's liberating.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 10 днів тому

      @@EarthenVessel5 oh I’m so happy to hear that!

    • @EarthenVessel5
      @EarthenVessel5 10 днів тому

      @@artiststrong I have a bunch of finished works. But a lot of unfinished things that lost steam. The unfinished always weighed against starting something new when a new idea came along. Like I wasn't allowed to start it unless I had all the commitment to see it to the end. But I like the thought of just learning through everything. And some things will get finished. I don't need to be burdened by the unfinished work or let it stand in the way of a new idea.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 9 днів тому

      @@EarthenVessel5 yes!!!! Love hearing this.

  • @BarbaraTristan444
    @BarbaraTristan444 12 днів тому

    Hello Carrie I recently started watching some of your videos and decided to go back in time and start at the beginning! ❤

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 10 днів тому

      @@BarbaraTristan444 thanks Barbara for being here!!! Please comment with any questions you have and I’ll do my best to support you.

  • @BarbaraTristan444
    @BarbaraTristan444 12 днів тому

    I Love to Work on Multiple Projects all at the Same Time! ❤️

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 10 днів тому

      @@BarbaraTristan444 me too! It’s really freed this recovering perfectionist up.

  • @notclagnew
    @notclagnew 17 днів тому

    “I am not looking for feedback at the moment is very helpful. Thank you. One woman I was in a workshop with was very bluntly saying that “she couldn’t see x” or “it didn’t look like” y - I thought it was a very rude behaviour in a studio setting. I realised later I was working upside down as I was finding it hard to get into the right frame of mind, but still, it was a thought better kept to herself 😡

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 17 днів тому

      Ugh. People sometimes mean well and come across rude, and sometimes they just are rude. Imagine if she had delivered it to be in true service of the work, what would that have looked like? (How would she have said it differently? Body language? Tone?). It's a good exercise in thinking about how we deliver feedback, too. I'm so sorry for your experience. Thank you for sharing, and I hope that go-to phrase never needs to be used, but you have it ready should someone else shows up in a similar manner.

    • @notclagnew
      @notclagnew 16 днів тому

      @@artiststrong I asked the instructor if she had a tip too and she said "that's fine it's not meant to yet". Thank you for the tip to rethink what it could have looked like in a supportive way, I'll journal about it. I also just thought I could say with a chuckle something like "I don't even know what it will look like yet" because it really isn't that important it was an underdrawing; I think the comment was a dart that hit my underlying sensitivity about getting it right when I would like to be in the process more and less about the outcome.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 16 днів тому

      @@notclagnew really reflective and observant comments here. I totally have that "getting it right feeling" getting in the way of my process, which I also want to be my focus. This will absolutely help others -thank you for taking the time to share here!

  • @MADGuy248
    @MADGuy248 17 днів тому

    14:38 ‘My value and vision for my work are greater than discomfort I feel and the moments I receive critiques.’ What a powerful quote. My art journey got ruined by my secondary school art teacher, who always give unhelpful feedback that fits into what he think would give us good grades. Since then, not only have I struggled to make art, I also struggle to take criticisms, especially because I’m currently struggling to land a job and most feedback are not helpful. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, I will keep your advice when I’m struggling with these again.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 17 днів тому

      I'm so sorry. Too many people have stories like yours. Thank you for taking the time to add value to this conversation. May we all feel less alone with this issue!

  • @KittyKeypurr
    @KittyKeypurr 18 днів тому

    😢 I have destroyed so many things I've made because someone said something negative about it

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 18 днів тому

      @@KittyKeypurr I’m SO sorry to hear this. There is magic in your art! Don’t let anyone dim your shining 💜💜💜

    • @KittyKeypurr
      @KittyKeypurr 18 днів тому

      @@artiststrong I've gotten better about it but I'm sure it's part of that whole imposter sydrome thing 😂

    • @johnestock7283
      @johnestock7283 18 днів тому

      That’s horrible. I can’t imagine anyone taking the time to attack someone making art. Probably their impulse to mock because they have their own inferiorities. Please resist that urge to destroy your art. I’ve never had that yet. Not that I havent felt like I don’t belong. I do enough of that to myself. 😬 But sometimes, sometimes it’s fun to tear up something . I’ve even taken a step and recreated a torn up piece via collage. Stay strong. Keep going

    • @KittyKeypurr
      @KittyKeypurr 18 днів тому

      @@johnestock7283 most of the time, I don't think they mean to be critical. I'm sure I've probably upset another artist accidentally myself and I'll kick myself if and when I remember doing it 😂

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 18 днів тому

      @@KittyKeypurr your art is important! And I’m glad to hear it’s getting better. 🥳

  • @gustavgeelarsson
    @gustavgeelarsson 22 дні тому

    I’m not an artist if I don’t follow my own heart and soul. I would for example would not be happy tracing or griding! Because I would not enjoy that! Simple as that!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 22 дні тому

      @@gustavgeelarsson know thyself.

  • @JohnTravena
    @JohnTravena 22 дні тому

    Enjoyed that. I definitely have gaps in my learning, some skill in drawing, and sometimes my vision in my mind’s eye is beyond what I can do. I can improve my weaknesses or I can make a compromise in my vision of my work. Bonnard’s drawing was sometimes sloppy but his paintings are deeply soulful.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 22 дні тому

      Keep making that art John. Our world is better for it. Thanks for watching!

  • @rosemarypilgrim4589
    @rosemarypilgrim4589 23 дні тому

    I really appreciate your videos. Excellent content. This one hit a spot. Thanks!

  • @WillN2Go1
    @WillN2Go1 23 дні тому

    Good video. Never let the scolds keep you down. I've worked with many artists, some famous. I remember the whole 'cheating,' nonsense when David Hockney's Secret Knowledge book came out. Those who insisted, "Renaissance artists didn't cheat!" were all academic art historians.... no artists. The artists I know? If using a camera obscura or a camera lucida or sacrificing chickens at the new moon would lead to better work, they wouldn't hesitate. I've also met many amateurs, some of them Fixed Mindset. Know what the fixed mindset artists say? I mentioned to one that Robert Graham uses 8B and 9B pencils. They flew into a rage, "How dare you compare me to....!" This wasn't the first neurotic outburst. I thought it might benefit them if I shared one more of Bob's practices. " If I told Robert Graham that 'anonymous amateur' artist used X in their work, he'd be curious. If there was an interesting result? He'd want to know everything he could. At minimum, he'd be curious. If it might help him in some way? He'd absolutely want to know. He'd insist." Another artist I met was working in metal body art. They'd started to make shapes that stood away from the body on wires. So I asked, Are you interested in some of the techniques and tools of Alexander Calder? No. Where to get piano wire straightened? No. (Piano wire comes on spools, there are two different twists in it. I know the one place in the U.S. that straightens it. Straightening it on your own, as this artist was doing would always lead to uneven shapes, or take a lot more work. I never worked with Calder, but I've spent a lot of time with his work and figuring out how to make them.) Vermeer is a great example. He clearly did use some form of lens projection. But it's not just a cheap trick. It was a powerful tool. There's a terrific video called Tim's Vermeer. A tech guy set up a replica of Vermeer's studio and used what he deduced was Vermeer's method. And I think he proved two things. First, this is how Vermeer did it, but also that Vermeer did so much more. Tim's Vermeer looks 'true' in the video, but I've heard that in real life it's a lot of daubs of paint, clearly not the same thing - but still marvelous. One thing common to amateur plein air painters. Often colors and shapes, push out of or into the image in odd ways. The water in the background pushes forward of the foreground, the fronds on a palm tree seem to be behind the water. Field Ground Reversal. It's common. (It's also wonderful. Go out just after sunset and look up at the branches of trees.) I was just at a street fair. An artist showing her work. Bright, colorful, pleasant. In some paintings this field ground reversal bothered me, but in a couple of others it wasn't a problem and made for a more interesting (and still pretty) painting. She can paint like this for the rest of her life, no problem. If she really engages in her work and keeps reaching for 'more,' she will eventually turn this 'problem' into a strength and her work will soar. A friend's mom gave me one of her plein air paintings. I've only see two of her paintings. The one I have is absolutely wonderful. A rowboat pops, the sea cove recedes. At first glance it looks like a tourist shop painting, but it's so much more. It's not that she 'got it right,' it's that she painted something in a way that no photograph could capture. It's not better, it's different. I never tire looking at it. Some of the work painted by serious amateurs I've known could hang in major museums. One woman used to have me come to her studio every six to twelve months. At least four times she asked me to re photograph the same painting. The second time I said, Don't bother, paint something else. But then I Iooked at it. It was better. It kept getting better. Abstract, and wonderful. If that painting was hanging in a Hans Hoffman exhibit, it would be a standout. In honor of the painting and her efforts I wouldn't charge her for re photographing it. I'd drive just to see it again. The drawing a dog made me remember another artist. The first few years he was pretty bad. He was trying to draw portraits and they were just not good... He absolutely would not give up. He didn't have limitations, he was going to keep at it. He got to be really good. I know of at least one well known museum that has his work in their collection. The life and career of an artist is the pursuit of positive feedback loops that keep the work and the working moving forward. This can be in almost any direction, and it can start from almost anywhere, any level. Maybe there is a rule for art and creativity. Keep working, keep pushing.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 22 дні тому

      "or sacrificing chickens at the new moon would lead to better work, they wouldn't hesitate. " this made me laugh out loud. Yes to the endless pursuit of growth and learning!

  • @crownprincesslaya2
    @crownprincesslaya2 24 дні тому

    Great video, thanks for sharing!

  • @MrsShirotora
    @MrsShirotora 24 дні тому

    If anyone gives you grief for tracing or using a grid, offer to share your outline with them so they can reproduce your finished work. Oh no, are they not up to the task? Could it be that there's way more that goes into a good finished painting or drawing than just accurate outlines? Interesting. Also, like every single class on realistic art I watch from professional artists is like "okay, here's how you draw this... and now in the next lesson we find out we're just going to trace it to save time."

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 24 дні тому

      Haha - your last line. Mike drop. Thanks for sharing and for taking the time to watch and contribute to this conversation.

    • @crownprincesslaya2
      @crownprincesslaya2 24 дні тому

      Yeah in my intro to design class in college like a decade ago (for Comm. Degree) we were encouraged to experiment with using the light table and even had a lesson with it- the idea of not tracing anything is bonkers lol (Edit to add: I think some ppl can’t tell tracing for art theft from just like tracing as a concept, and get hung up on it bc of that)

  • @cat-annechats5362
    @cat-annechats5362 25 днів тому

    Just do art!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 24 дні тому

      @@cat-annechats5362 that’s it! Let’s make more art 🥳

  • @anjapinkau3737
    @anjapinkau3737 25 днів тому

    I'm not an artist... until I make art a priority. Until I found your channel, I didn't dare to call myself an artist. Per general definition "artist" is a profession. I'm not a professional artist. Per my own definition an artist needs to have skills, needs to know and master his materials and should be able to express with his art what he wants to express. By this definition I'm not an artist either. But I'm learning. So I accepted a new definition that I also found somewhere and that I can identify with: An artist is someone who has made art a priority. That being said: I don't think tracing etc. is cheating. Who would be cheated? But since my own understanding of being an artist involves being able to express what I want to express, I need to learn the skills, the materials, the techniques.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 25 днів тому

      @@anjapinkau3737 who would be cheated? Exactly my thoughts. I’m so glad you feel more permission to connect to your practice and think of yourself as an artist. Thanks so much for your thoughtful contribution here.

    • @anjapinkau3737
      @anjapinkau3737 24 дні тому

      @@artiststrong I'm very grateful to you! Feeling allowed to call myself an artist although it is not my profession is so liberating! And surprisingly enough since July I have been making art every single day! Sometimes when I was too tired to come up with something original of my own, I re-worked a sketch or coloured something. But more often than not did I paint or draw for half an hour, an hour or longer. And I'm so happy about it. I wrote on the first page of my latest sketchbook: "Proudly call yourself an artist!" So thank you for making me an artist! Together we are artist strong!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 24 дні тому

      @@anjapinkau3737 I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that you are making art most days. That is AMAZING!!!! Here's the thing though: YOU made that choice. YOU did it!! Not me. I'm so glad to help though. And yes, Together we are Artist Strong. <3 Congratulations and keep making! Your art is important.

  • @johnestock7283
    @johnestock7283 25 днів тому

    So I’ve used the term crutch before but not to dissuade people from using an approach at a difficult problem. Left unchallenged we may never learn a topic and limit our ability in the long run. That said, there’s nothing more limiting than avoiding the problem altogether. Because that’s a path to not doing art at all. Let’s substitute the term “crutch” and “cheat” for approach, make art and keep challenging ourselves to grow as artists. #artiststrong

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 25 днів тому

      @@johnestock7283 love it! Thank you John.

  • @anappleiam4214
    @anappleiam4214 26 днів тому

    Thank you so much

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 26 днів тому

      Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful enough to comment.

  • @The_Winsome_Pixie
    @The_Winsome_Pixie 26 днів тому

    Thank you for this. So much helpful information

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 26 днів тому

      I'm so glad to hear it! You are most welcome.

    • @The_Winsome_Pixie
      @The_Winsome_Pixie 25 днів тому

      @@artiststrong It really inspired me. I actually started working on a project right away. I watching your video made me realize I could do a little bit and it still had value. This after months of art avoidance.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 25 днів тому

      @@The_Winsome_Pixie whoop whoop!! I love hearing that!

  • @AuDHDID
    @AuDHDID 27 днів тому

    Batching is a very neurodivergent friendly strategy because we struggle so much with task switching! I am currently doing 11 paintings at once. Love creating that way!

  • @AuDHDID
    @AuDHDID 27 днів тому

    Neurodivergent artist here 👋 for me, art and mental health are are my special interest topics 😊 they help me access joy. Procrastination is a way of regulating the nervous system to reduce dysregulation. If art is your special interest then doing it will give you the joy you need to regulate. However art requires our front brain to be online so we can make judgments on composition, colour etc. When we are dysregulated we are stuck in survival mode. A few things can help, 8D music and butterfly hugs for grounding. They use something called bilateral stimulation that coordinates the right and left sides of the brain/nervous system bringing them back in sync. Next I usually watch art videos to get myself into art mode whilst I prep canvases/pages. Then I usually get in hyper focus so try stopping me 😂

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 27 днів тому

      Thanks so much for adding this nuance. I appreciate it!

    • @anyariv
      @anyariv 3 дні тому

      I'm the same, have ADHD. For me the greatest pain comes from knowing that once I get into the zone, into flow state, I will have to stop because I have a family and responsibilities. That intense discomfort I feel when I have to get out of a flow state and hyperfocus state is exactly why I procrastinate.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 3 дні тому

      @@anyariv thank you for sharing.

    • @AuDHDID
      @AuDHDID 3 дні тому

      @@anyariv Yeah I totally have the same issue, I have to break it down into stages so canvas prep on busy days, maybe a bit of inspiration surfing/making a reference and then on painting day I put a sign on the door that says 'keep out art in progress'. No one can interupt me unless the house is on fire. Everyone needs a day off or afternoon off to themselves and it's ok to ask your family for that 💜

    • @anyariv
      @anyariv 2 дні тому

      @@AuDHDID I wish I could do that. I have a hard time tuning out when I'm at home. I'm also a control freak so it's hard to let things be... I'm going to try.

  • @connieebinger6343
    @connieebinger6343 28 днів тому

    yep, that’s me all right! Afraid to show up, putting off actually doing anything. I tell myself I don’t know where to start. I watch a lot of videos and get inspired and sit down and don’t know where to start. I don’t wanna copy other people I want to be original, but I don’t have anything inside of me, which of course isn’t true. Thank you so much for the video! I really do need to show up and work through the discomfort of not knowing what to do and getting past that.💕

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 28 днів тому

      @@connieebinger6343 start small and it’s ok to start with images where you mainly copy. But then maybe, stop using them half way through… or find another way to help you start to explore your own ideas. You’ve got this!

  • @Music-ct4cj
    @Music-ct4cj 28 днів тому

    I think is not that we don’t like “being all over the place”. It’s just that we feel we aren’t making anything meaningful with any of the mediums. I think that if we were “progressing” as much as we’d like, we’d enjoy the mess of several types of pursuits at the same time. We feel like we’re loosing time and money investing in things that we abandon half way.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 28 днів тому

      That's an important nuance to consider. Did I suggest somewhere to abandon things half-way? I have three, maybe four series going right now. When I don't feel progress I make a commitment to one of those series for a while to get things moving again.

    • @Music-ct4cj
      @Music-ct4cj 28 днів тому

      @@artiststrong I don’t think you did. I’m speaking only from personal experience.

  • @ArtnCornbread
    @ArtnCornbread 29 днів тому

    ❤❤❤

  • @korukiwiarts
    @korukiwiarts Місяць тому

    Thank you

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      Thanks for watching and taking the time to reply!

  • @dorothygladsjo3510
    @dorothygladsjo3510 Місяць тому

    You nailed it! Then I took a few minutes to look at my UA-cam history, countless hours looking at how to videos on painting! And I know that when I’m watching those videos, there’s a huge part of me that just wants to turn the video off and start painting! But I don’t. But now, I will. I am going on a Mediterranean cruise and I want to art journal every day, but I have been looking at UA-cam and I think I have been sabotaging myself thinking that I want my art journals to look just like theirs

    • @ashleyredloh1307
      @ashleyredloh1307 Місяць тому

      As soon as you have the urge do it, or you won’t ever do it .

    • @dorothygladsjo3510
      @dorothygladsjo3510 Місяць тому

      Truth! I don’t know why I couldn’t see how I was sabotaging myself by NOT following my urge.

    • @Eovielle
      @Eovielle 29 днів тому

      I feel you. I have the urge while watching UA-cam videos trying to figure out how to do what I have the urge to and 90% of the time I end up procrastinating. On my recent holiday I also wanted to sketch everyday and I ended up doing it just one day. I hope you are not like me and keep strong and manage to show up during your cruise! I'm still trying to find out how to follow this urge, so thank you for this video. I think it gave me a nudge in the right direction.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      What about creating your art journal and then reflecting on what you would change or do in your next one? The making is where we can start to decide what we want things to look like! I hope you have an amazing trip and let yourself have fun in that art journal you create.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      @@Eovielle I'm so glad it could help in some way. Thank you for watching and taking the time to contribute here in the comments.

  • @jammuna1
    @jammuna1 Місяць тому

    I resonate with everything you have said.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.

  • @magnoliannaart
    @magnoliannaart Місяць тому

    I suppose another way to look at it could be that if we didn’t face discomfort in order to bring something new into the world, everyone would do it. Great video!

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      Thanks so much for watching. And for taking the time to comment.

  • @jekalambert9412
    @jekalambert9412 Місяць тому

    Procrastinating about making art while I watch your video. Studies have found a correlation between procrastination and creativity. Creatives tend to procrastinate more than other people because they have so many ideas floating around that they find it difficult to commit to something then move forward.

    • @itsgoingtobeok-justbreathe4808
      @itsgoingtobeok-justbreathe4808 Місяць тому

      if that's the case then I am the world's most creative person! (not much to show for it though)

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      All the more reason to have this conversation. Thanks for sharing and for taking the time to comment.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      @@itsgoingtobeok-justbreathe4808 harness those great ideas! What's something small you might do that could help you dip your toes into the things you think about doing?

  • @jennbutterfly4448
    @jennbutterfly4448 Місяць тому

    Ah, resistance to expectations, my nemesis!!! I'll try recording when I actually show up rather than make lists that I don't follow through on.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      Resistance sucks. I'd love to know how it goes! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.

  • @christopheralcantara4378
    @christopheralcantara4378 Місяць тому

    Thanks

  • @jaclynrachellec
    @jaclynrachellec Місяць тому

    I love this video. I feel like you articulated many of the problems I've had and made some great points about how to improve.

    • @artiststrong
      @artiststrong 29 днів тому

      I'm so glad to hear it! Thanks for being here and taking the time to comment.