More

  ‘Art Interested’ people
     should be painting…

       ‘A voyage in self-discovery’

As a tutor for over 40 years Peter Turner’s thoughts on taking up painting stress individuality.

'Black and Terracotta'
Oil 12" x 10"

The ‘gift’ of painting – less a gift more a small step in adult learning which everyone can accomplish.

In a lifetime we all develop many of the skills needed to produce art; the ability to discern between good and bad composition, style, atmosphere, proportion, colour co-ordination, perspective. How often do you defer to someone else when choosing the colour of a coat, or cushion or paint for the living room? You don’t need help when deciding on the shape and style of a chair or a vase or indeed a picture.

In the process of observation we all make hundreds of mostly sub-conscious choices – ‘I like’ or ‘I don’t like’ – scanning a magazine, looking in a shop window, admiring or rejecting others choices of clothes, furniture, pictures and decoration.

Since school we have all become discerning individuals – we know what we like. What stops us from producing our own art is we have never applied ourselves to the mechanical process of learning to paint, which like learning to write, ride a bike or drive a car can be mastered by virtually everyone.

With this learning and a little sharpening of our powers of observation, we can all acquire the skill set to produce art much more to our taste than can be found in the average gallery. Of the many skills employed in the making of a painting, the painting process itself is the easiest to learn:

'Blue Boat at Lagos' 7" x 10" Watercolour

In each of these attributes everyone has a position on a scale from well below average to well above. In all cases their position on the scale can be improved, in some dramatically with little effort, in others only small changes despite great effort.

For the many who have not drawn or painted for years, the initial effort is a voyage of self discovery—how do I rate in each of these attributes? And how much effort is necessary to make real progress? Herein lays the challenge, how much improvement can be achieved by two days of dedicated effort? The answer, from a great deal of experience, is ‘much more than most people would imagine’.

In practice it is difficult for the mechanical processes not to be influenced by a lifetime of likes and dislikes as to style. However, from the word go everyone has their own style—which is to be encouraged, especially at the early stages.

To develop the confidence to produce what you want to produce, as opposed to happy or more often unhappy accidents, the initial efforts should be directed towards accuracy of both drawing and colour. ‘I meant it to be like that’ is usually a cop-out.

Only when the results are by design, and your own style has begun to emerge, should you consider what to paint and in what style. The deliberate adjustment of style to suit that which you appreciate most in the works of others is invariably a bad mistake.

The fascination for the tutor is the realisation that we all see colour as differently as proportion, tone and perspective, and our application of line and colour is as distinctive and diverse as our handwriting.

As handwriting mostly develops naturally, so, I would propose, should our painting. Despite the desire, the temptation to paint in the vein of Van-Gogh, Picasso, Turner, Dali and the like, should be resisted. This is not ‘you’. My proposition is first discover what is ‘you’ then work to make progress in as many of the above attributes as ‘you’ regard as valuable. By this process your work will develop as will its individuality.

The zenith for artists is to be recognised and paintings where the artist is recognised are often the most valuable.

Your choice of what to paint should be strongly influenced by your natural style. Good scores in drawing and perspective lead to architectural compositions. High colour and tone ability with average drawing to landscapes and flowers.

'Natalie' 7" x 11" Watercolour

Who needs criticism? If what you have produced is what you intended, I maintain it is beyond criticism. Unsolicited criticism, which most are tempted to offer you the benefit of, is rarely if ever of value. If you ask for criticism in an effort to improve mechanical issues which you are having problems with, that is a very different proposition and can be of significant value. I make this point to stress that your work is ‘you’; to modify it at the whim of someone else is invariably to step backwards in your development.

As everyone can ride a bike, everyone can paint. This is rich and fertile ground with something in it for just about everyone. If a change is as good as a rest, painting is the rest you need and the sooner you start the more will be the pleasure and reward.

For more information see  'Oil and Watercolour Demystified'  by Peter Turner.

Turner runs two-day painting workshops at Marsh Studio Hungerford.  see www.art-courses.org