Thanks
 

[QUOTE=Julie Deane]Doreen -

A few folks may be full-time professionals, but there are a lot of us struggling artists who work at other jobs to pay the bills.[/QUOTE

Thanks Julie, Chris, Steve and Enzie for clearing that up - in that case I'll submit a few things for jurying and see what happens - I'll be trying to paint more in 2008 and hopefully that will include some portraits. My newest venture into professional picture framing might be an asset to people on the forum too.

Doreen E. Lepore
www.doreenelepore.com

It's a real hazard, and good to be aware of it. There are a lot of nuggets out there, but panning for them can be a lot of work and sometimes you just wind up wet and cold. Or you log on next morning and find yourself having impulsively signed up for a piano tuning course when you were really just looking for advice on cleaning brushes.

This site has a "Search" function, which sometimes calls up a lot more than you wanted to know, but after rapidly skimming the thread titles in the Search results, you would in this case eventually find an informative and unusually extensive presentation of observations and advices on this topic:

http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...ighlight=teeth

For the price (free), you can't beat it, but good time management requires that you do kind of have to get in, get what you're after, and get out. Or else add "Piano Tuning" to your "Portrait Artist" business card.

Poll response
 

I am one of your unregistered users. I want to say "THANK YOU!" for allowing me to read your posts, even though I am not a member of your esteemed group.

Deep in my heart, I harbor a secret desire to be a portrait painter. In my dreams, I paint beautiful paintings filled with invigorating color, brush stokes that are "alive" and inspiring composition. I paint works that capture the essence of our humanity and the human condition.

Then cold, harsh light of reality hits me; I live in the sticks, drive 100 miles, one-way, each day, to a job I hate, and have never been able to find an instructor or someone to mentor me. I even ran ads in a few art magazines and wrote to a couple of very well-known artists to find someone I could work under--all to no avail.

I want to apply, but am too embarrassed by my work. Your site says it's for professionals. My uninstructed, uninformed attempts to paint are not suitable for view by such wonderful artists. And at this point in my life and in light of my skill level [more like lack-of skill-level], it has to remain a hobby.

So, on nights when its quiet and I am alone with my thoughts, when hubby has gone to bed, and I am away from the pressure and stress of work, I grab a glass of wine and settle in to read your Web site. I have been reading it for years, and it has provided me with much joy and elation. It's my escape into bliss. I feel like I know many of you from having read so much about you and from looking at your work. I have LOVED looking at the critiques--it has been the closest thing to instruction I could get. I live for looking at those new critiques!

I hope you continue to leave the Web site open for view. You all are my idols and, through your posts, have allowed me to vicariously experience the thrill of being an artist. I am eternally grateful for your openess, your willingness to share your knowledge and your inspiration!

May God Bless you all, and may your work continue to prosper.

I'm sure many of the contributors to the Forum will take great satisfaction in your gracious comments. They form a weighty counterpoint to some of the complaints about the moribund state of the Forum.

If the portrait work doesn't come to fruition, you should pursue writing, at least at a freelance pace. Your generous and thoughtful post was openly from the heart, articulate and artistically crafted. Writing is also something that can be managed logistically from "the sticks," given the availability of both the postal and internet mails to either submit work or even to participate in very high caliber online instruction. It is not difficult to understand why someone who writes as you do also craves a similar facility with expression in paint.

Progress in portrait painting is undoubtedly impeded by a lack of access to instructors and models or subjects (though there are many excellent instructional DVDs available). Don't overlook the value of honing your skills through still lifes and landscapes. Years before I ever thought of doing my first life drawing of a human figure, a classically trained painter and friend retrieved from her library and gave to me her copy of John F. Carlson's "Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting ." [Aside to Cynthia -- I'll change that to an SOG URL, if available, when I get to my work computer.] That book, still available, incredibly, for about $10, is very often cited by excellent painters as containing the simple but essential fundamentals of any kind of realistic painting, landscape or other genre. Try it. I re-read it at least annually. If you would be willing to email me, I'd be happy to offer additional suggestions. ([email protected])

I grew up in the "sticks" and have now spent the past 30 years or so in metropolitan areas. In a few minutes, I'll begin a commute to work that will take much longer than my old trip from remote farm to nearest small town. Part of my daily fantasy is how to get back out of this human gridlock called the city. I suppose that what we're both looking for, in our own way, is an interior life with breadth and depth, and whole lot less driving to get there. And I suppose the secret is that it's closer than we think.

Good luck.

Your words of appreciation have forced me to respond. I am sure that many of us understand and have been there. Even from a youth, I have longed for the chance to express my self through the art of drawing and painting. My day came and I am exceedingly happy and grateful.

Today, I paint portraits of people, figurative works of my choice, landscapes, still life's, old master copies and many every day cafe sketches. There are also commissions and students that occupy my time as well, which in turn give me grate pleasure.

I, also, have a number of long distance on line students. These students receive instruction how to draw the Bargue plates, paint still life's and how to paint a portrait. Landscapes are an option as well. My fees are quite reasonable and work on the barter system. I do not accept cash, credit card or pay pall.

So, if you truly would like to study, contact an artist from this forum, that you prefer, and give it a try.

All the best to you.

I was very moved by the post of the unregistered lady and just wanted to reach out and give you a hug. My motto is it is never to late and always think outside the box.

We all face obstacles in our lives that prevent us from following certain dreams we have. As a young teen I wanted to be a ballerina . Well, I guess my parents took a good look at my stature and thought that's never gonna happen! So, I did the next best thing. I talked a friend into joining me to enroll in ballet classes. We convinced our sport teacher, who also gave ballet classes to give us a try. At the time she taught 5-8 year old and the two of us stuck out like over sized bean poles. Once we progressed enough to try getting airborne reality settled in amidst lots of giggles, that maybe I was not cut out to be a graceful swan.

Then came the next dream. I really, really wanted to have a piano. This dream stayed with me into adult hood and eventually turned from a cheap keyboard into an upright. I will never be a pianist and perform, but I learned enough to drive my family crazy and totally enjoy my time at the keys!

I am telling you this, because I think you should hang on to your dream and think outside the box. Be creative and start by dragging around a sketch book. Doodle in it while you are on your coffee break, while you are sitting around waiting.... Invest in the DVD's as Steven suggested. I love those because you can pause 1001 times if needed and work at your own pace. Before you know it you will get better and people start to peek over your shoulder. With the built up of confidence you might even start to draw or paint someone.

Just never give up on your dream - where there is a will, there is always a way! :)

A suggestion
 

Hello unregistered!

I've also been lurking for some time now and am also largely self-
taught.

I noticed you had tried to find a mentor which means that you would have time for instruction in addition to your job and private life. My question to you: is there no community center in your neighborhood that offers basic classes in drawing or painting. Just to get you started? It wasn't clear from your post if you'd also investigated this possibility or just looked for private instructors, who might be much harder to find.

Just a thought...

I was just reintroduced to this site (having lurked in the past, though I did not try to register) at the William Whitaker workshop last week in Scottsdale - where I also had the pleasure to meet Linda Brandon and Chris Saper (thanks again for the nummy cookies, Chris!).

I have no problem with the way the registration is set up, it's helps concentrate the professional conduct of the forum. It's also wonderful that you still keep the forum open for others to view - a lot of great info that obviously a lot of artists find useful.

I might still try to register, though I'm not sure my work is up to par. Also, I haven't done many people, though I've done steady work in horse portraits over the years. I'm not sure if non-human paintings are OK to send the jurors. I'm also not aiming to get into doing primarily people portraits, but being better able to paint people adds to what I can offer with equine commissions and original work.

Either way, I should have something human to show soon enough, seeing as I'm now fired up thanks to the workshop. Aside from a large commission of a local physician astride his lipizzan stallion, I'm planning on starting a self portrait, and might even bribe my kids to model for me.

Carole
www.caroleaharris.com

Carole,

You could always post your horse-and-rider pictures - other participants here have done that. I think think they would be lovely to see.

Thomasin

Thank you, Thomasin! I might give it a go at it soon - I'm almost finished with my self portrait and it isn't horrific, so maybe that will help!

Carole
www.caroleaharris.com