Lessons I learned by making art
There are three:
- Mistakes can be the catalyst for something beautiful. The piece above is a perfect example. I was going for an entirely different effect when I realized it didn’t look so good. So I took a paper towel and wiped off the layer of burnt umber I had just painted. It two left streaks that were in line with the look I wanted to achieve. What started off as a mistake propelled me on a new — and I think better — path.
As importantly, making art has taught me that the effects of mistakes can be mitigated. On the canvas, what isn’t working can usually be scraped away, wiped away, or painted over. The mistake can’t be unmade, of course, but neither is it a disaster.
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Remember to step back and consider how this affects the big picture. With larger canvases, I find myself focusing on one 4″-by-4″ squared patch at a time, without considering the entire composition. But when you paint, you need to be aware of how each stroke of affects the piece’s overall balance and symmetry. It’s hard to do that when you’re standing a foot from the canvas. So I step back. Literally. The change in perspective helps me avoid making a mistake that can throw the whole piece off.
- Sometimes waiting is the best thing you can do. It’s trite to say “painting taught me patience.” If I’m being honest, I don’t think it has.
What painting has taught me, however, is this: some things require time. I would love to create an entire work in an hour or two, but the paint has other ideas. Acrylic products — my primary medium, though I also draw — usually dry in minutes. Thick layers can take several hours. Really thick layers can take an entire day. What’s more, if you try to attempt to hasten the drying process, say, with a blow dryer, you may damage or distort your work.
No, sometimes it’s better to walk away, wait, and let it do what it does. <murs />