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Deanna D Northern Studio (1 Viewer)

This is a WIPof a juv. Finch, he is in just the base layers while i let it dry... in the end i hope to have him looking very fuzzy and commical (ref if a friend of mines photo, used with permission but is copyrighted so i cannot post that here) What I am wondering .. I really want to make him pop the b/g is very busy and ment to look like a rough representation of the rocks he was sitting on while waiting for momma to bring him a meal and im a little concerned about loosing him in it, Any tips?
 

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Hey Suvi.

Perhaps you could push the background down a tone or two? The very dark darks and very white whites tend to come forward and compete with the main subject. I think it was Robert Bateman who described using the extremes of the tonal range as his 'aces in the pack', pulling them out at the last minute for maximum effect.

Mike
 
Bateman will also frequently apply a thin wash of gesso to backgrounds to push them back. (Someone called it "Batemanizing). If this is an acrylic painting, you might try that to reduce the competition between background and subject.

Sid
 
Thanks everyone! I will add more detail to the bird then might give that wash a try! - Hope to get back to it soon.. will post soon! (i hope..)
 
Hi Suvi - I'm joining in on this thread rather late, and you don't know me (hello!) but I just wanted to add to the "go with your individuality" chorus. Having some professorial experience in a past life I fully endorse finding your own path. ;) You seem to be doing just that, and it is really nice to see, so thank you!
 
Birdspot - Its never late to join! Thank you for the encouragment, As im not at the moment trying to make a living at this but I find it very hard to change my style and what i paint in order to make more sales - which has been suggested to me. It is wonderful to hear you say that i should stay with doing what i want. It might take more time to sell but at least then I will feel really good about it!

Thanks!
 
I finally made it back down to the studio to get to work on this little guy, I am undecided on what to do with the background... I kinda like the contrast but Im a bit worried its too busy for the juv Finch.. I will sleep on it and see what I think in the morning... any thoughts or suggestions? is the value getting better?

Thanks!

:smoke:
 

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Colleen - Thank you! I am happy to be finding my own style and to have it noticed and told not to change it.. :D something that can be a struggle sometimes..

Thank- You!
 
it depends on where you go and what major you choose, Illustration would be different than fine art say...an atelier in Florence would be very different that a college of Design, or an art academy.

here is a link to an online course that would cover everything you'd want for becoming a painter, the best and most complete I've found.

Right now you are a naive painter, ie untutored, like a Grandma Moses, once you start up classes you can't really come back to that, so think carefully before you do as the unique way you paint will change. One is not better that the other, but they are each very different approaches.
 
Thanks Colleen - I am debating wether or not Art School would be worth the time... on one hand I am really enjoying what I am doing right now, painting naively, painting what I really enjoy and just loving it.. I was in a fine arts course in university a few years ago but dropped out because I just didnt have the focus I needed and didnt think the education at that perticular location was worth the $... latly talking to some of the artists here it seems like its impossible to make it far as an artist without a degree of some kind behind you, Ive been rebelling -for lack of a better term- against this theory believing I could make it on my own taking courses to expand my knowledge... Eventually I would like to be able to make a decent amount of money from my work, I would love to make it a career but I know this takes alot of time, I have been making connection and have found a few places to display my work.. But Im starting to wonder if Im not just being stubborn about the school thing.. (not that Im known for that :-O)
 
I think you'll find a variety of personal experience with art school here as well as a variety of opinions. And as Colleen says there are different types of art schools, so the experience can be really different.

My first painting course was at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. I hated it and it was almost enough for me to give up on art. But then I happened to sign up for some courses at City College of San Francisco and loved them, particularly because of a painting teacher, who made his living as an illustrator, who just loved painting. His enthusiasm for painting was infectious.

More than anything else it has been teachers who loved what they were teaching that influenced me. But almost none of them made a living from their art. That's why they taught. So that's another question to consider. What is more important: becoming a good artist, or making a living as an artist? It's probably good to know right off that they don't always mesh. On the other hand there are a number of artists here who do make at least part of their living from their art. Since I never have I don't feel I'm the best one to say anything about it.

But I can say that I've always loved doing art and that art school has encouraged that love and has also taught me discipline and persistence, two very valuable things. Once you get out of school you no longer have the daily feedback that you got in school, though there are places like here that give you feedback today. When I got out of school that wasn't the case though so it was really important that I'd learned discipline and persistence. You need that if you're going to keep working with little personal contact with other artists. There's no guarantee at all that you'll learn that in school but I did and so for me art school was definitely worth it.

I also know there are all sorts of successful self-taught artists. My guess is that it reading about better known bird artists I've found that the split was about even. So it really depends on the individual. All you can do is consider what others have to say about it and then make your own decision. And of course you can always change your mind. Try art school and drop out if you don't like it. But do some research about the school and find one that you like before signing up.

Good luck!
 
Solitary,thanks for taking the time to tell me about your experince, Its a tough call when it comes to the art world, its not like many other jobs or careers that you actually need the education to be able to achieve your goal. Im still on the fence if having that 'degree' would help or if I would simply be in the same boat trying to find locations to display my work and push it personally - just with alot less $ in the bank.. and a few years behind..

:S
 
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