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Sharon Knettell · 03-14-2003, 09:40 AM

Denise, Peggy, Karin,

As I have contributed to the thread I hope I have not been mean-spirited. I think you have rather proved the point that you have been willing to go the exta mile, find instruction, take risks, work your butt off, listen to your inner voice.

I have been an artist in one way or another my entire life. I think some of us on this forum have given the impression that the way to have success in the portrait world is to take pictures and then keep copying them until we are better picture copiers.

I do not think we have emphasized the tremendous amount of preparatory work that has to be done before you even begin to use color. I think when you point out the proper steps to people things become easier for them, and their efforts less frustating.

I think there has to be a dose of reality here. The web is loaded with portrait sites. The web is also where many people get their ideas of what portraiture is. To many people it looks like just rendering photos successfully is what it is about.

I think we have to take what we do here seriously. We are experimenting with a new form of communication and people's lives.

I love communicating about art and helping people. I do think we have to seriously encourage people to do the initial hard work.

My path was very serendipitous. My first teacher was a master draftsman. We did figure drawing every week. The main thing he encouraged was originality, honesty and a strong point of view.
We did cast drawings in plastic, worked from double exposures, made Maroger, used combinations of media that would probably blow up Iraq.

I taught myself portraiture, with tapes and a lot of hard work. But I did have the basics. I had been a fashion illustrator, so there is not a fabric I cannot render. I know from being in many fields, just how difficult and unforgiving the art world is is.

I do not think that a totally classic atelier approach is for everybody. As a matter of fact I find a lot of it stifling.

I think we have to make room, somehow here, for the aspiring pro and the interested amateur.

I think we can go on helping people, but we have to keep in mind what an awesome responsibility it is.

Sincerely,

03-14-2003, 09:40 AM	#70
Sharon Knettell Approved Member Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,730	What to do? Denise, Peggy, Karin, As I have contributed to the thread I hope I have not been mean-spirited. I think you have rather proved the point that you have been willing to go the exta mile, find instruction, take risks, work your butt off, listen to your inner voice. I have been an artist in one way or another my entire life. I think some of us on this forum have given the impression that the way to have success in the portrait world is to take pictures and then keep copying them until we are better picture copiers. I do not think we have emphasized the tremendous amount of preparatory work that has to be done before you even begin to use color. I think when you point out the proper steps to people things become easier for them, and their efforts less frustating. I think there has to be a dose of reality here. The web is loaded with portrait sites. The web is also where many people get their ideas of what portraiture is. To many people it looks like just rendering photos successfully is what it is about. I think we have to take what we do here seriously. We are experimenting with a new form of communication and people's lives. I love communicating about art and helping people. I do think we have to seriously encourage people to do the initial hard work. My path was very serendipitous. My first teacher was a master draftsman. We did figure drawing every week. The main thing he encouraged was originality, honesty and a strong point of view. We did cast drawings in plastic, worked from double exposures, made Maroger, used combinations of media that would probably blow up Iraq. I taught myself portraiture, with tapes and a lot of hard work. But I did have the basics. I had been a fashion illustrator, so there is not a fabric I cannot render. I know from being in many fields, just how difficult and unforgiving the art world is is. I do not think that a totally classic atelier approach is for everybody. As a matter of fact I find a lot of it stifling. I think we have to make room, somehow here, for the aspiring pro and the interested amateur. I think we can go on helping people, but we have to keep in mind what an awesome responsibility it is. Sincerely,