Advice on Demo Needed - HALP!

Karin Wells · 03-02-2007, 08:52 PM

I am seriously looking for suggestions. I plan to make a demo. Although I am a portrait artist, I think that a still life would be an easier way to teach the nuts and bolts of the craft of painting.

I am looking for suggestions on form; video, DVD/CD, eBook, PodCast? What in your experience is most useful?

And on substance

Grethe Angen · 03-02-2007, 09:49 PM

Karin,
I think your having some wonderful ideas here, I would think that making a downloadable e-book of pdf. files would be great. It is also possible to connect the file to a paypal system and people anywhere could get acess to it.Just my thoughts. Good luck with your ideas anyway.

Karin Wells · 03-02-2007, 11:55 PM

Grethe, thanks - all good ideas and this will help me.

Claudemir Bonfim · 03-03-2007, 08:51 AM

Hi there Karin,

It's just my personal opinion...

If I were to attend a demo, I'd definitely go to a portrait demo.

I hate photos, but I prefer to see a portrait demo done from a photo than from a still life.

If your public doesn't know how to draw, maybe then the still life will be a better option.

Karin Wells · 03-03-2007, 11:27 AM

Quote:

I hate photos, but I prefer to see a portrait demo done from a photo than from a still life.

Perhaps I am underestimating the skill level of those who wish to learn this method and a portrait would be as instructive. Painting a portrait would certainly be a lot more fun...but it is harder because of the "likeness focus" factor.

Enzie Shahmiri · 03-03-2007, 12:22 PM

Karin, doing a demo is a great idea. As a portrait artist, looking to learn more about portraiture, I would never buy a still life demo, simply because I relate what I see on the cover to what I expect the content to be about.

Ask yourself what message is it that you want to pass along and who the target audience would be. Portraiture is the hardest thing to learn, but with a teacher who can think like a beginner, pitfalls can be pointed out to help even the freshman along.

I would suggest renting a couple of videos and judging what you like or dislike about the varied teaching methods.

Also, you might contact Alexei Antonov and ask him about his success rate on his DVD's and down loadable instructional offers. I did buy his DVD on how to paint grapes, but that's because I really wanted to learn how to do that.

Claudemir Bonfim · 03-03-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Painting a portrait would certainly be a lot more fun...but it is harder because of the "likeness focus" factor.

You can sketch the model before the demo but only use this previous sketch if you get too nervous.
Sanden has done it for his video "Painting the Facial Features". He'd done a charcoal sketch and some washings previous to the beginning of the demo and the video is worth every penny.
Another solution is to not work a perfect likeness and make it clear to the public.
You don't need any luck, you're a great artist and I'm sure it will be a great event.

Karin Wells · 03-03-2007, 12:50 PM

Thanks for your input Enzie. I'm beginning to rethink that still life v. portrait issue.

I have watched a lot of videos and, although thoroughly enjoyable, mostly I felt like I was watching a virtuoso performance by someone who had developed an easy facility with a brush. Did the information I got significantly improve my own work? I'm not sure about that.

My ultimate goal in doing a demo (or demos?) is to add to the general knowledge of our craft in order to facilitate individual progress in the art of painting

Claudemir Bonfim · 03-03-2007, 12:51 PM

The link to your website on your profile is not working.

By the way, did you watch Morgan Weistling's dvd demo?

Karin Wells · 03-03-2007, 01:05 PM

Claudemir, here's another link for you to try:
http://www.KarinWells.com

Quote:

Sanden has done it for his video "Painting the Facial Features"...<snip>... and the video is worth every penny.

I have not seen Sanden's videos (or Weistling), but have heard good reports and will check them out. Thanks.

BTW, I am not worried about getting a likeness (and it does not make me nervous) - what I am trying to say is that I see students waste a lot of time struggling with this when they really need to learn things much more basic.

There are keys to a likeness...like defining the "keystone" in the face and the "wings" that Peggy Baumgaertner describes in her demos. But that is an entirely different subject altogether.

Skipping the basics and focusing on the"fancy" stuff is certainly an option for me.