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There is a secret, but I'm not tellin'
Geniuses are thus designated, not because they can successfully negotiate the intricacies, but because they can identify the obvious. We scratch our heads when describing the great breakthroughs in history, wondering that if the answer was so obvious why everyone overlooked it.
To the painter, developing and harnessing a real understanding of visual perception is the key to creating masterful paintings.
The secret is that every successful realistic painting is essentially a big lie: the viewer is deceived into believing that a two dimensional surface represents three dimensional space.
This premise is so obvious that the vast majority of artists simply gloss over it looking for the big truths, genuine tricks or alchemistic secrets.
Anyone looking to "copy nature" is heading the wrong way down a one way street, a falsehood perpetuated by far too many.
The ability to incorporate ones understanding of visual spacial phenomena with the accuracy of one's perceptual acuity distinguishes great artists. They were just flat out smarter about painting.
Looking to imitate the color schemes or value structure of the masters is missing the point. You've gotta get into their heads and think like they did. Color schemes and value structure will automatically conform to successful models because the truth is the truth.
Anyone looking at the work of Bouguereau should see a shining example of true genius at work. Although working in a seemingly limited oeuvre, he was able to reinvent his solutions with infinite variety and great vitality. Best of all he never imitated himself.
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