Category: Newsletter

Anyone who puts serious effort into painting has run into this – comments about how nice it must be to spend so much time painting. Yes, that is true. I am the first to admit that I’m incredibly blessed in my profession and truly love what I do. That said – it’s still not easy sometimes. Sometimes the vision in your head or heart doesn’t form on the canvas. Sometimes the atmosphere you want eludes you, and the shapes seem to fight with each other rather than working in harmony. The frustration and disappointment are tangible. Even when it is working out as you hoped, there are still many hours at the easel that represent discipline and perseverance – just plain work – to bring the whole thing to completion. Painting is a skill that needs to be learned, and continued to be practiced for an artist to be able to express themselves well. I get what Michelangelo was saying. What do you think? Is being creative sometimes work for you? 

  When people are learning to draw, they get tired. We all do when concentrating hard on a task. Like building up your muscles in weight training, the ideal time to keep at it while learning is just a little bit longer than you feel like. With drawing class homework, I recommend using the clock and a timer. If you find that you can work comfortably for 15 minutes, then try setting the clock for 20 minutes for the next 2 days. Continue this on until you reach about 35 minutes. For intense concentration, this seems to be a good maximum to aim for. A 5 or 10 minute break is likely good if you want to go back to it again. Get up and stretch, get a glass of water, and continue on. It really is like exercising, even if the brain is not a muscle. You are learning  patience and perseverance  as your ability to concentrate grows, and that’s a good thing.