One of my seascapes which by some fluke turned out OK.
Oil on panel. July 2002.
Things Artists Need to Do More Of.
I'm very good at procrastination. I'm constantly making excuses to do things other than paint or draw. The washing up needs to be done, floors need mopping, the kids need attention. The list grows and changes every week.
But instead of trying to be Pablo Picasso and painting masterpieces for 8 hours a day, I should set myself more reasonable targets:
Get out more (and paint or sketch - rather than sit in the pub). Its always a temptation to spend an hour painting in the glorious countryside, then spend two hours in the pub afterwards. I should at least reverse the ratio.
Care less about the cost. Being a bit of a miser, I do object to spending cash on equipment. However I probably spend more cash in the pub (see above) than on artists materials. So I need to get my priorities right!
Use a sketchbook. I love the sense of optimism when I open a new sketchbook for the first time. Those pristine white pages make me imagine creating a sketch book full of wonderfully exciting drawings people and surroundings. But my sketchbooks are more likely to contain page after page of abandoned scribbles, second rate portraits and telephone numbers (for some reason). But that doesn't mean that the process isn't good for me! Forget the quality, go for quantity. If the sketchbook is that bad, burn it!
Be less self conscious about painting. If I set up my easel and get a bit of a crowd (by which I mean one man and a dog) then I feel self-conscious. I avoid painting outside in villages or around town. Artists need to be involved with the community they live in, and for an artist that has to mean painting in public.