Production

[Timothy C. Tyler]

One important aspect of acquiring skill as a painter has to do with how much you paint. Many artists through time have painted every day. Many of the artists most respected today painted more than 500 works in their lifetime. Zorn, Sorolla, Sargent and Bouquereau made hundreds of life size portraits.

By working many hours every day artists become fluent in the language of painting. If one speaks French once a year it is impossible to sound at ease. On the other hand, when you paint every day the colors flow from your brush with such ease. This concept is something many painters forget today.

N. Fechin; oil on canvas...another artist that painted every day.

[Julie Deane]

Hi Tim -

I feel that I am learning leaps and bounds by drawing or painting every day. The brushstrokes and knowing what to do come easier now.

I work full-time, like many forum members out there. There are some days I can't do much, but I am improving. Can readers share what you do to allow yourself enough time to paint? (Hopefully this is a subject that fits under the title of painting every day.)

One thing I have found is that I make appointments with myself and treat them as seriously as I would a doctor's appointment.

[Michele Rushworth]

My house is not as clean as it could be and I don't do any volunteer work at my kids' school. (Hey, I work full time at this career of mine.)

Two years ago I made a decision: if it doesn't have something to do with my family or painting, I don't do it.

I paint six days a week, about five hours a day. I wish it could be more.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Julie, it helps doesn't it? And yes Michele, 6 days a week is close enough to keep your eye keen. Even two hours a day will keep you connected and sensitive. That's why Sargent painted even while waiting for a train.

[Peter Jochems]

I think it's important to paint consciously. Sometimes I painted better after not painting for a long time. Because I thought about several aspects of the painting process, and changed certain aspects of my approach... Then it's good to forget certain mannerisms in your earlier approach.

In a certain way I learned more from not painting than much painting. But I thought about painting every moment of the day.

[Kimberly Dow]

I usually paint Mon thru Friday 10am - 4pm, then on an occasional evening or Saturday when I can get away.

Last week I was home with allergies for 2 days then forced to take off 3 days because of school holidays and company. I only painted about 6 hours all last week and boy can I tell! What I did yesterday and today in the studio would be much better if I hadn't had that break.

To give myself enough time to paint I have my hours posted as if it were any retail shop and I pressure myself imagining lines of customers waiting at the door. I am never late! Of course, there has never been a line waiting for me...

It's hard to get there sometimes when the house is messy or I need to go grocery shopping, etc., but once I am there I paint every minute. My husband complains that I won't leave and go to lunch with him.

When I can't paint, I think about painting. I look at books of Waterhouse, Bouguereau, Baroque painters.... just to keep the ideas flowing.

The past few weeks, my studio has been a cooler, about 50 degrees, and well, my models just wouldn't have it. Neither would I!

Painting isn't just a brush to canvas, the way I look at it, it's the activity of viewing life as a set of compositions and painterly problems.

There's always something productive to be had...

[Steven Sweeney]

Peter, that's an interesting observation. I also find that some fallow time can recharge and rejuvenate in surprising ways. I can, for example, be stuck in a pattern or repertoire of guitar playing for months, become bored with it and set it down for as much as many weeks, and almost without exception, compose some of my favorite instrumental pieces immediately upon returning to playing. And those original pieces are quite unlike anything I'd been doing before -- and unlike anything I could have done before. I don't know why that happens, but I'm happy to take it. (Just wish I could patent it, and at least generate some revenue from it.)

I also understand the value of daily, or at least ongoing, attention to the mastery of skills. Were I playing concerts, or trying to master some Chet Atkins tab, instead of just picking for my own enjoyment, it would be foolhardy to omit regular practice. There's an old adage about that, which I'll have to paraphrase, to the effect that, if you miss one day of practice, only you will notice. Two days, your friends will notice. Skip three sessions, and everyone will know. [Maybe Sargent and Segovia took a break once in a while, though. Who knows? (Self-styled "art historians", yes, but . . .)]

Sidebar to Kim: go to lunch. Tell yourself (not your husband) that you've been working hard, and the break will provide the incubation period for wondrous things to come when you return to the studio. Just tell your husband, "That would be great!" Then everybody gets something they need. (Don't talk about art over tacos. Let your brain shift to a different discipline or subject. That's often the kick-start for new energy and ideas later.)

There are Olympians on the field, yes, but it's okay for the rest of us to just do our own work and have a good game. Which requires practice and attention.

[Mike Dodson]

Tim,

I know you have mentioned the topic of "just plain hard work" on several occassions, and I for one appreciate you reminding us of that. I have met a lot of artists who think that if they buy enough books, videos and attend enough workshops that they will get it and it just doesn't work that way. You just end up trying to become whoever your watching or reading about and that doesn't allow you to be creative or just be yourself. That's not to diminish the importance of these,I own plenty of books and videos and they are tools for improving your skills, but as you've said many times it's much about hard work.

Julie,

I have two very active teenagers so it takes some doing for me to find time. As a general rule, I paint every evening (due to the day job) and most of the day on Saturday. I also get in a few hours early Sunday morning before church and sometimes during the afternoon on Sunday. I always give my wife and children priority over my schedule. I have found that by doing this I get the same in return. I must say that this past year I have worked more than ever and have found that to have contributed to my progress more than anything else.

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Breaks and health are good for us all, but as painters remaining sensitive to what we see by working is a lovely thing. There is a componant to this in workshops. Students get better because they paint everyday-all day-they often credit the teacher when the "doing" should get much of the credit. I think of how Sargent did 17 portraits in 6 weeks as inspirational.