Most profitable use of art study time?

Hello,

Does anyone have any opinions as to the most profitable use of one's study time for art. That is, for the serious amateur/hobbyist art students of us? Is it better to spend more time working through art instruction books, or drawing/painting practice from real life. What about concentrating on the use of one or a few media? Or bouncing around using different media as the mood strikes? What about drawing vs painting, should drawing strictly come first? I would like to take some art courses at the local college here but circumstances never seem to allow it so I have to be content with what I can pick from books. What do you think?

Do only what the circumstances allow. Do trust 100% in yourself doing it YOUR way (that means your own special way of doing and thinking with your skills and 'progress' at your prefered tempo and method and when ever you can or feel like it) Produce only what you love or like to produce (be true to your own personal style in a relaxed and enjoyable way) 'Educate' yourself and have fun while you're at it.

Do eat cheap but healthy food (rice, pasta, fish, etc ...) . Do listen to music you like. Don't drink, don't do drugs, don't smoke. Don't buy unneccesary things. Go to the library for books and music if you want and can. Sleep and rest when you want and/or need to. Listen to the radio BBC world service and other goodies on short wave if you have such radio (earphones are nice less noice at night time). Try to be as independant as you can. The less you spend the more independant you come. To bike around saves you money and is enjoyable if you are able. Don't take art seriously. Art and religion are the two biggest lies in the history of mankind. Made up to make life a tad more interesting.

I wish you luck and great success,

Mr.Block (Kafka The Trial)

It depends largely on what you hope to accomplish. Are you painting for your own pleasure? Do you want to sell your paintings? Do you want to make a living at art? Are you interested in competitions? Each goal may have a different approach. The one thing they have in common is 'practice.' The more you do it, the better you get at it. Probably the most satisfying experience of art comes when you build yourself a solid foundation of art principles, including drawing and design, and paint what you know and love. No matter what your goals, you can do it. It just takes time, patience and practice.

You can paint without learning to draw, but your paintings will be more convincing if you can draw. You can use different media if you like, but you will accomplish more if you concentrate on one medium at a time until you have mastered it. You can use books or paint from life, but be sure you pick subjects you have personal experience with. You can set yourself a course of study or just play. In other words, do what works for you, but whatever you decide, practice is the main thing. Just do it.

You're going to get as many opinions as there are people lurking out there. Just do what YOU like and want to do and forget about what others think you should do. If you pick up any of the hundreds of 'how to' books on art they all walk you through their own lesson plans. As for the question of whether or not one medium should precede another, you'll get an equally frustrating array of answers. People are painting away who never learned to draw and vice versa.

In today's art scenario the credo is 'Just Do It!'

: Does anyone have any opinions as to the most profitable use of one's : study time for art. That is, for the serious amateur/hobbyist art : students of us? Is it better to spend more time working through art : instruction books,

Sorry, but I've never seen a good one. If I were a beginner I would probably tape some PBS painting shows just to get the feel of the material and get comfortable about painting.

or drawing/painting practice from real life. What : about concentrating on the use of one or a few media?

My advice is to try a few. Why limit yourself at the start?

Or bouncing : around using different media as the mood strikes? What about drawing vs : painting, should drawing strictly come first?

I strongly recommend drawing. You can do both.

: I would like to take some art courses at the local college here but : circumstances never seem to allow it so I have to be content with what : I can pick from books. What do you think?

Trial and error, live and learn. Only advice I have is to not lock yourself into a certain style for a long time. Experiment. Read. Read. Read. See what has been done and who *clicks* with you and your interests. Keep learning. Keep doing it, even if it is just doodling in a notepad. Get some art friends. Go to art openings, galleries, museums. Subscribe to an art magazine.

yourself doing : it YOUR way (that means your own special way of doing and thinking with : your skills and 'progress' at your prefered tempo and method and when : ever you can or feel like it) Produce only what you love or like to : produce (be true to your own personal style in a relaxed and enjoyable : way) 'Educate' yourself and have fun while you're at it. : Good points above, BUT:

: Do eat cheap but healthy food (rice, pasta, fish, etc ...) . Do listen : to music you like. Don't drink, don't do drugs, don't smoke. Don't buy : unneccesary things. Go to the library for books and music if you want : and can. Sleep and rest when you want and/or need to. Listen to the : radio BBC world service and other goodies on short wave if you have such : radio (earphones are nice less noice at night time). Try to be as : independant as you can. The less you spend the more independant you : come. To bike around saves you money and is enjoyable if you are able. : Don't take art seriously. Art and religion are the two biggest lies in : the history of mankind. Made up to make life a tad more interesting.

I feel like I'm watcching one of those self-help gurus on TV. What a crock! Some of the best artists I know are SEVERE alcoholics! BUt their art is GREAT! Do you think lots of leafy green vegetables are going to excite the senses? Maybe the bowels... David Hockney is deaf and Vincent van Gogh heard noises, so your auditory stimulation is nonsensical as well.

But congratulations for making me smile

Try the above with music it will be far worse than your art. The just do it school of art always looks like they just did it and you would just prefer to look at something someone else did. Ignorance seems to be in fashion. It is what most Modern Academic Art expresses perfectly.

Mani DeLi

Modern Academic Art is incompetence in search of an idea. ...no skill no art Tired of Modern Art? Check out my web page! http://www.interlog.com/~hugod/

I'll second those sentiments. I think if there is one piece of advice that I feel comfortable giving someone who is just discovering art, it would be to 'imitate life' in the beginning when first learning to draw or paint. Copying from life MAKES you see nature. And the one benefit of becoming an artist that I doubt anyone* will disagree with is that you begin really seeing things around you for the first time when you become interested in recreating nature in an art medium, regardless of the medium you choose.

(*of course someone will just to be contentious)

Telling somebody not to listen to others opinions... If the person follows your advice, then they wouldn't be allowed to follow your advice. Ha!

Hello All,

Some interesting answers here. Some leaning more to what the concept of art is, and some toward the development of the technical skills, which is more in the way of what I'm thinking of. Or, said another way, having something to say and just how are you going to say it. One needs the technical skills to be able to express what one has experienced, but then of course, if you don't have anything to express, then all you have are the technical skills. At times it gets rather boring going through the art books and drawing their examples. Actually, I believe I have just had a great boost from having started drawing standing at an easel, compared to sitting at a table with sketchbook etc. And using larger paper sizes as well. It seems that I am making the most progress drawing from real life rather than from pictures in books. However, I don't discount the value of the books in the least. I belive there is a great deal of technical knowledge one really needs if one is going to go far. I enjoy bouncing around with different media somewhat and have developed a sense of things I like and don't like. I do want to paint watercolor and oils but I don't do much very seriously with them yet as I believe the study of color mixing etc will be quite a task. I'm doing more with drawing right now. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to maximize the results of the time I have for art. As it is all for my own personal interest and entertainment I have no pressures other than the desire to achieve excellence. If I am one day good enough to sell something so be it, if not so be it. The doing is reward enough right now, but I must achieve my own standard of excellence, or perfection.

Farmer!.....you're the man!