Monday, September 7, 2020

Painting Rut

 



It is easy to lock yourself in a same old same methodology as a painter. I know painters who have used the same palette, same size format, same medium, brush work, and subjects for years. You will not know when they painted a painting, because their style never evolves.

 

A lot of pros get into this rut because they have gotten a market for this work. It is very slick and well done. If you do the same thing all the time, you get very good at it. I can understand their reasons, but there are high risks too.

 

Style quickly becomes stale and less marketable in terms of repeat collectors. Collectors love new work. If your new work looks like your old work, they tire of it quickly. If work doesn’t grow, anything new is unattainable, because the artist has not developed further with new skill. Some of my collectors like the struggle paintings I do, while studying new technique and new subjects. The efforts are far from perfect, but there is a fresh quality to the effort.

 

My most advanced work is trees and agricultural lands, but by trying other subjects, I feel excited to go back to my beloved trees after trying something new. Painters need to stay excited to grow and thrive. Give yourself permission to do bad paintings if they help you to learn and grow. I do.

 

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