Visitors' poll

[Enzie Shahmiri]

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!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

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.

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

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

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

The reason - well, one of the reasons - why this place is so slow, is that people who aren't registered aren't allowed to post. Some of us would like to ask questions and join in some of the discussions. I know, I know, this is a place for professional portrait painters only, and members don't have time to help others - perhaps that's another reason why the place is slow.

One reason some of us haven't registered is that we have full-time jobs, even though we are very interested in becoming portrait painters. I, for one, do weekly life drawing sessions and plein-air paint during the warmer months, yet find it difficult to find the time to hire and paint from models. As a result, I haven't attempted to register.

Even though I've just started a portrait class with live models, I'm not sure if I will register, because of the elitist attitude here and the taste it's left in my mouth. Oh, by elitist I don't mean quality of work. I find a lot of contemporary portraiture to be quite substandard, looking like poor attempts to imitate photography - subjective call, I know.

Unfortunately, nothing in this poll will influence or change the rules here.

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Unfortunately, nothing in this poll will influence or change the rules here.

Actually, feedback on the perceived "painting/drawing from life" registration requirement has led to repeated advisories -- more than once in this thread alone -- that such a requirement has long been removed for application. It's a non-issue as far as posting membership is concerned. So an inability to secure or afford models isn't an impediment (to registration, I mean -- hoping to become a professional portrait artist without learning to work from life has its own built-in brick wall.) The administrators have actively sought input through this sometimes painfully open thread and have worked to respond in many ways, often in the background, in considered, subtle ways that may not be apparent. And really, it's quite remarkable, I think, that the tireless owner of the site would provide this access to the Forum so that those who wished to critique it could freely do so. I may not have been able to muster so much grace and equanimity. Who wants to be told that their kids are ugly? Kudos are in order.

Anyway, yes, it is slow. All sites that matter are. Not much of a kaffeeklatsche, usually, but in fairness, it isn't intended to be; lots of other sites do that, and there's no need to replicate it here. More of a library and a reference site. Some cheese and wine is taken, but that's all off-site, and is occasionally reflected in posts.

I assume that by elitist you mean "attitude" and not quality. Hardly unique to this site are a few who misguidedly believe that aspersions cast upon their perceived adversaries and lessers will naturally steer sentiment toward the strident vocalists' preferences, but it always backfires, eventually. Always. I wouldn't spend a lot of time there. When you hear "shrill," adjust the equalizer on your set. Perhaps you've noticed that I don't always follow my own advice. I can be like that.

If by elitist you mean that the ideal is vainly pursued, well . . . the point of the site is to achieve facility in execution as "the best and the brightest," if you will, who are carrying on the traditional portrait tradition. It's a standard worth holding up. Admittedly, it's fairly muddied of late -- which I think accounts for some of the pace of participation -- and visitors could be forgiven for a little confusion about the focus.

As for having a full-time job, that's also been so much addressed in this thread. Almost everyone here has a full-time job, and almost all of them earn their living and their expense accounts in a vocation other than portrait painting. It's always been so. The ones who want it, will work to get it. The rest -- and I include myself in this group -- will stand outside the mansions and the galleries, looking in the windows, and wishing we had been invited to the party.

But -- we were. It's just that many who hold invitations in their hands never show up.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The reason - well, one of the reasons - why this place is so slow, is that people who aren't registered aren't allowed to post. Some of us would like to ask questions and join in some of the discussions. I know, I know, this is a place for professional portrait painters only, and members don't have time to help others - perhaps that's another reason why the place is slow.

One reason some of us haven't registered is that we have full-time jobs, even though we are very interested in becoming portrait painters. I, for one, do weekly life drawing sessions and plein-air paint during the warmer months, yet find it difficult to find the time to hire and paint from models. As a result, I haven't attempted to register.

Even though I've just started a portrait class with live models, I'm not sure if I will register, because of the elitist attitude here and the taste it's left in my mouth. Oh, by elitist I don't mean quality of work. I find a lot of contemporary portraiture to be quite substandard, looking like poor attempts to imitate photography - subjective call, I know.

Unfortunately, nothing in this poll will influence or change the rules here.

i'm a lurker too who similarly has little time and will not be registering any time soon for that reason. but i do think it's strange you qualify this site as being elitist. have you visited other sites, where moderators can be really rough? i think sog members and moderators are polite and respectful. just wanted to counterbalance your negative view...

[Cynthia Daniel]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The reason - well, one of the reasons - why this place is so slow, is that people who aren't registered aren't allowed to post. Some of us would like to ask questions and join in some of the discussions. I know, I know, this is a place for professional portrait painters only, and members don't have time to help others - perhaps that's another reason why the place is slow.

There are many members and moderators who over the years and despite their busy schedules have given untold hours helping others. If you look back on the history, you would see that there are a shameful, but appreciated few who have made huge contributions. But, everyone has their limits on time and contributions that don't put food on the table - unless they are independently wealthy.

Even though I've just started a portrait class with live models, I'm not sure if I will register, because of the elitist attitude here and the taste it's left in my mouth.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

Do you have a bad taste in your mouth when the Portrait Society has a competition and makes awards? Or when the old American Society of Portrait Artists had Signature status for the more accomplished artists? Don't the most prestigious universities have requirements for entry? If this were a Forum for professional nurses only, how would you feel about being rejected if you were just a nurses aide?

The difference with portrait painting is that there is no formal program of certification to say that one has studied, learned, been tested and earned the right to practice as a portrait painter. Anyone who wants to hang out a shingle and say they are a portrait painter can do so. So, if you had seen some of the portraits that were posted for critique before the requirements were instituted, you would understand why we needed to do this.

All organizations that address the professional have requirements for membership. But, our requirement for a certain level of competency is not elitist. Rather, it's defining the purpose and scope of the Forum. As has been said many times before, this Forum was never created to be all things to all people.

And, if you had met some of the talented and generous artists here who have contributed greatly and spoke to them face to face - you would probably change your mind.

Unfortunately, the Internet has led many to a sense of entitlement - anyone should be able to post anywhere and it should all be free. Yet, most of these people have little clue as to the huge investment in maintaining such a Forum.

Hi Guys,

Whilst I would like to take part in some of the discussions, sadly my work is not up to the required standard for membership, which I can understand.

However there have been topics particularly in the photography section, which, as having been a professional photographer for some 25 years, I feel could have helped with, and which to me are fairly straight forward problems, simple to resolve and give advice about but alas I cannot help because I cannot post, which makes me wonder who's missing out, because I can read, digest and make use of the help and tips given by far more experienced artists than I, but I cannot reciprocate to those professional artists who need help with their photography be it exposure, lighting, copying or help with Photoshop.

Mike Renney