There are times when I question why I have decided to seriously add art into my life. Usually it's when children are cranky, or the house is a mess, or I'm itching to go to the studio while simultaneously making supper, answering the phone, and getting out a stack of books to answer my Thinker's latest question of how nomads in the stone age became aware of seeds growing into plants if they moved away from the plants as the seasons changed.
But then I step into my studio and all those concerns melt away. I'm drawing or painting. Nothing else matters for the next hour or even just 15 minutes.
The problem is that once I start painting, I start wanting to be better . . and better . . . and better. Well, you're never too old to learn, right? But where can I go to improve my skills? There is no class or workshop or atelier that allows for children to sit and play quietly at their parents' feet while the lesson continues. Ok, let's face it, children don't usually stay in that position - so I understand completely.
This is when I turn to books and the plethora of tutorials and informative websites known as the internet. I've been on a drawing spree to improve my use of perspective. And I've been watching tutorials about painting realism nonstop on Youtube.
But my latest inspiration is Paul Foxton. Of all the sites on the internet that describe drawing and painting - especially in preparation for classical realism, this is the best! There are tips on how to practice effectively, maintaining your mindset when you're frustrated, blueprints of how to go about copying drawings to learn more, and the best part - endless examples done by Paul Foxton himself. You can see his own journey toward bettering his art.
I have purchased the book of Charles Bargue's drawings so I can copy them. And am diligently setting aside 15 minutes to practice every morning. Someday it will be more - 15 is just what I can do consistently now. So thank you Paul Foxton, for letting me see I'm not the only one trying to do all this from home.
But then I step into my studio and all those concerns melt away. I'm drawing or painting. Nothing else matters for the next hour or even just 15 minutes.
The problem is that once I start painting, I start wanting to be better . . and better . . . and better. Well, you're never too old to learn, right? But where can I go to improve my skills? There is no class or workshop or atelier that allows for children to sit and play quietly at their parents' feet while the lesson continues. Ok, let's face it, children don't usually stay in that position - so I understand completely.
This is when I turn to books and the plethora of tutorials and informative websites known as the internet. I've been on a drawing spree to improve my use of perspective. And I've been watching tutorials about painting realism nonstop on Youtube.
But my latest inspiration is Paul Foxton. Of all the sites on the internet that describe drawing and painting - especially in preparation for classical realism, this is the best! There are tips on how to practice effectively, maintaining your mindset when you're frustrated, blueprints of how to go about copying drawings to learn more, and the best part - endless examples done by Paul Foxton himself. You can see his own journey toward bettering his art.
I have purchased the book of Charles Bargue's drawings so I can copy them. And am diligently setting aside 15 minutes to practice every morning. Someday it will be more - 15 is just what I can do consistently now. So thank you Paul Foxton, for letting me see I'm not the only one trying to do all this from home.
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