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Why???? (1 Viewer)

nickderry

nickderry

C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
Very philosophcal question (nearly finished a whole bottle of wine - again! - nice stuff this time, an AOC!) Why do we paint, why do we seek to put what we see into images? Probably posting this question because for the first time today I came back from birding with NO sketches!
 
A sober reply I'm afraid this evening because I've been painting and it usually but not always goes better sober. I'm painting this evening to earn a crust - a commission. As a pfofessional ( I am sober) painter - not so sure about the artist bit - I do paint to earn a living so that is one reason. I suppose in reality I paint because I like to create. I didn't go to art school and earlier on in life I used to knit!!!, sew and crochet and spin and do all sorts of crafts. It was only later on when I was about 40 that I discovered painting and haven't stopped since. I don't feel right if I'm not drawing or painting for love or money.
 
Maybe a desire to share, to depict or capture the image that fired your imagination..Somehow to capture moment for eternity in a form that others can appreciate.

Of course quite often we fail miserably, but we keep trying nevertheless!
 
Nick - I think it is a question we ask ourselves maybe when things aren't going well and probably don't think about when work comes together.
 
don't know why I'm asking the question, as at this moment I've got the watercolour out and splashing it everywhere and having a jolly (drunken) time. Interesting you mentioned knitting Wendy, I got my Mom to teach me as I felt it was lacking from my repertoire, now I have some ugly handmade scarves for winter! Certainly as Alan says there is the desire to share and capture a moment, but why not photography?? Hmmm, wish this paint would dry!
 
I'm the worst 'artist' in the history of the universe, but I do like to draw or paint stuff (health and kids permitting).

The reasons for me include; that I get stress relief from the act of painting/ drawing. And that during the painting/ drawing act I relive my experiences or am carried away on flights of fancy by the subject, it's just a shame to have to come back to earth hohoho!

Whichever combination of the above occurs leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy 8-P
 
Isn't it like the butterfly collector? To be in the presence of nature, so wonderful, enthralling and beautiful, the urge is to capture it somehow. I don't think I paint 'my own stuff' for an audience (although I'm always thoroughly chuffed if the work's appreciated), rather to see if I can, I think. Photography is, as discussed elsewhere, a true art form in its own right - and if you took photos, you'd still be an artist - just one that uses photography as 'his' means of creating. The fact is you're a painter - therefore you paint! The fact that you didn't today only means you didn't today. Even Rembrandt had a weekend off now and then.
 
painto, ergo sum! It's odd, because when I see something, it's almost as if I feel a compulsion to paint it. I can't relax until it's painted, and instead of painting to relax, I paint because the stress of not painting is unbearable. Though tonight, I think I'm painting cos I'm drunk and that's all!
 
Interesting Nick, and something I'd never even thought about. I remember I started watching birds as a form of stress relief and felt the urge to paint them not long after, all I know is it changed my life, left the rat race, discovered the joys of University life, met my future wife, now have two young kids, live in a beautiful area surrounded by wildlife, I've never been poorer but I've never been happier, so I think best not to question it, I might think "WHAT HAVE I DONE???"

PS Have you ever tried knitting a bird? now there's an art form that needs exploring!
 
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Why do we do anything? I draw and paint because it's another dimension to my birding, it's a relaxing thing to do, it makes me look at the birds properly rather than just 'tick and run', it's nice to have something (sketchbooks, notebooks) to look back at and so on.

And the thought of going home and birding and sketching after a day being stuck on a checkout copping grief from Joe and Jane Public keeps me sane!! Birding and sketching keeps me sane.
 
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Nick its not really something I've thought about much either, however
There are times for me when I can't go near the pencil or brush
usually when I've hit a problem with something in the piece and can't resolve it straight away. I have to force myself to tackle it sometimes.

On the flip side the desire to paint is alway's there if I cannot for some
reason,family holiday Etc!! when work is forbiden!!

I've also come to the conclusion that when it becomes a job that can
have very negative results on creativity, especialy early on
in your career, having to paint commisioned pieces , They never as a rule
turn out to be as fulfililng as a finished piece inspired by something you've
seen, or desired to paint.


This desire to capture the likeness or spirit or mood even of a place
or living creature is a true blessing and as much a curse. I remember
reading a passage from Ray Ching 's book where its discribed if I
remember correctly, how someone brought Ray a Razorbill
fatality on christmas eve.Then how he couldn't stop himself from making
a full watercolour study of iton Christmas Day!! , much to the anger
of his wife! A clear example of the painting monster within us all it seems.

On that note...... must do some Painting!!
 
I can certainly relate to the razorbill, my mother used to dread me coming home bringing back dead birds to make studies from, a severed crow's head and a shot sparrowhawk being the worst (appalling that it was shot - and probably iffy that I took it home - but seemed such a waste I couldn't leave it.) The worst was a juvenile dunnock that I found on my way to the pub, stuck it in my pocket and went drinking anyway. Much to the horror of some of my friends.
 
Painting like most thing is a form of self expression. If you are a creative person then odds are that at some time or other you will try painting. Throughout my life I used to do an awful lot of painting and I made a living as a portrait artist. It was a way of venting my moods and often the moodier i was the better the painting. For me though it all stopped about 3 years ago. I was very ill and from nowhere i was inspired to paint the spanish lady i showed you. In the end it almost became my swansong. I put so much into it it burnt me out and I havent picked up a brush since. And that then leads onto one of your other questions. Why not photography? well for me my creativity was then chanelled into photography and I havent looked back since. I cannot seem ot be able to paint any more and I dont know why not. So as well as having the passion you can also lose it and for me that really feels quite sad but my photography compensates so that at least makes up for it a little bit.
 
I painted and drew a lot as a child, although I was always told by my mum, stepdad and teachers that I was wasting my time. I dropped it throughout my 20's and only came back to it in 1999 when I was 29, struck down by severe depression and stuck in a hospital for two months.
However, until now, my sketching and painting has only been in fits and starts - bit here and a bit there, nothing definitive - and just recently I have done more sketching and painting in a couple of weeks than in the previous eight years.

Psilo - your photography is superb. I love photography too, but my photos cannot even begin to match yours.
 
Thankyou vectis birder. That is very kind of you to say so. Whilst photography does satisfy me it still saddens me that i dont seem able to be able to paint again. I dont know whether i just dont want to or whether there is something deeper stopping me nad given the right lead I will get back into it again.

What an awful thing to say to someone! That you are wasting your time painting! Whatever the talent it is a wonderful way of being creative and should always be encouraged. whilst it has to be said that some people pick it up easier and have more of an eye for colour and composition I believe anyone can learn to be a decent painter. It just takes commitment, a passion to learn and a good teacher.
 
It's impossible to say when we're going to paint, when I was at school, I'd be doing 5 pictures a week, then when I started uni, I was still painting a lot, but nowhere near as much. When I moved to France as a student, well I was homesick, lonely, broke and drunk half the time - it was my first creative peak and quite an experimental phase. My last year at uni I hardly painted at all, though I suppose 8 hours of lectures, 30 hours of chip shop and reading and writing to do didn't leave much time to paint. Since moving back to France, I've been painting non-stop, probably as a distraction to stop me from missing home so much. (Even if France is home now.)
 
What an awful thing to say to someone! That you are wasting your time painting! Whatever the talent it is a wonderful way of being creative and should always be encouraged. whilst it has to be said that some people pick it up easier and have more of an eye for colour and composition I believe anyone can learn to be a decent painter. It just takes commitment, a passion to learn and a good teacher.[/QUOTE]

[QU


I whole heartedly agree, no one should be discouraged from painting.
It nurishes ones spirit if nothing else.now back to work:-C
 
I'm enjoying this philosophical thread!

Two quotable quotes that define why I paint are these:

"If I haven't drawn something I feel as though I haven't really seen it."

"Expression improves impression."

Not sure who said either, but they both capture for me why I draw/paint - it's a way of interacting with the moment, etching it on the memory.

I realised a long time ago that, although I am absolutely enthralled with all of nature, it's too overwhelming to take in everything. So I've always needed a kind of 'key' to unlock the experience. Birds are the main one for me - they get me out there when it's cold, wet and windy - or burning hot and humid as it is more often where I live now! But painting/sketching works the same way. It helps me see.

Dave
 
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