What is a ‘self-taught’ artist?

One question that arises frequently during conversations with people about my work is, “Did you go to art college?”                                                                                                          When I answer that I did not they usually respond with the rhetorical question, “oh, so your self-taught then?”                                                                                                               Well, that is indeed how I categorise myself in my biography, basically because it is difficult to know otherwise how to best to describe my art education, but “self-taught” is definitely an over simplification.

There undoubtedly has been (and continues to be) a huge amount of experimentation, or ‘trial & error’ involved in the process of learning, but self-taught suggests that I am the only one contributing to any artistic progress that I make, and that could not be further from the truth.

Over the years I have amassed an extensive library (which I peruse regularly) of books and videos/DVDs which have examples of other artists’ finished work, as well as step-by-step demonstrations of techniques. I have sat and watched many artists working on their paintings and have talked with them at great length about all things ‘art’. I take every opportunity to view original work at exhibitions and to visit websites which display a variety of art from many genres.

It has to be said that a lot of what I see, or hear, during these activities may not be relevant to my own artistic style and development, but there are sometimes small pieces (gems) of information or techniques that I do feel have potential, so I make a note of them and try them out at the next available opportunity. Then, if they work for me, over time they will be refined and become part of my developing style.

So, although I never attended art college, or was fortunate enough to have an artistic mentor who could devote time to teaching me directly, I have actually had a large number of tutors (both direct and indirect) who have aided my development as an artist in small individual stages. Each of these facets of knowledge gained has of course required me to put in the work required to practice the techniques, but without all this extra help the question still arises:

Would I have made as much progress if I was only “Self-taught”?

 

Artistic expectations for the new year.

It’s that time again, the beginning of a new year.                                                                         Will it be a successful one for my artistic career? What opportunities will it bring? What new contacts will I make, or new clients will I meet?

The answers to all those questions is, nobody knows. As happened to me early in December, I may be contacted by someone who I have met previously who is now interested in purchasing some of my work or in commissioning me to produce a painting or drawing for them. Or an existing client may get in touch to discuss another purchase. Of course these opportunities are a valuable part of a successful art business and they should be treated as such, but they must also be supported by vigorous efforts to continue the progress already achieved in increasing the public awareness of the work that we (artists) produce.

Although this is sometimes an aspect that doesn’t sit well with those of an artistic bent, probably the most important word in the previous paragraph is ‘business’. Of course, the ability to produce images or forms that appeal and excite potential buyers and viewers is the fundamental requirement. However, that alone will not necessarily result in creating financial security. If only a few friends and family know that you are an artist, you will be hard pressed to sell more than a limited number pieces of your work. By a process of osmosis you may acquire additional clients gradually, but even they will probably have limited resources, or wall/shelf space and so their numbers will need to supplemented by a continuous stream of new collectors/purchasers.

So this begs the question, how do we find these new, interested people?                               By treating what we do as a ‘business’!

These days (alongside the traditional promotional methods of leaflets, business cards etc.) we have a wealth of publicity opportunities provided by the internet, that were not available to artists only a few years ago. Websites (both personal and group/society/business sites), social networking media (twitter, facebook, linkedin etc), which give people across the world the chance to view our finished work, find out what we are currently working on, see where we are going to be exhibiting/teaching or just to get in contact more easily.

Maintaining a presence on the world-wide web and keeping in contact with your potential buying public requires time and effort. Regular reports and updates from you are essential and prompt responses to any queries/comments that you receive must be viewed as crucial to building your artistic credibility. This of course is time that cannot be used to paint/draw or sculpt, but if it is used productively and in an organised way then the benefits can be huge and the small loss of studio time will be more than made up for by the increased exposure for the work that you do create.

2011 was the year when I finally dragged myself, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. The journey from Luddite to embryonic web user and social networker was not always an easy one, but I have already experienced a dramatic increase in interest, sales and commission requests from people who might otherwise not have known I even existed.

So, you can sit back and wait for things to happen (as I have been guilty of doing in the past), or you can change from being reactive, to adopting a proactive approach and getting yourself ‘out there’ for people to see you.

My number one new year’s resolution is to continue what I started in 2011 and my expectations are high.

An antidote to the artist’s solitary studio existence.

For many artists, working hours are spent in productive isolation, shut away in a studio, while they attempt to turn amorphous ideas into something more tangible and hopefully succeed in creating images that please both themselves, and subsequent viewers/clients.

These periods can of course be interspersed with reference-gathering excursions, but for wildlife artists this often also means sitting quietly, away from disturbance, waiting for opportunities to view and sketch/photograph their quarry.

Now undoubtedly there are some artists for whom this entirely fulfills their needs. However, for others (myself included), there remains a ‘need’ to actively seek out contact with people (other than their immediate family or partners) in order to receive feedback on their latest artwork.

So with this end result in mind, I have spent the last two weeks working in very public settings, demonstrating my painting and drawing techniques and talking at length with many visitors.

The first week was my annual  residency at Nature in Art http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk . During this time I met a good number of people who have an interest in art and really enjoyed the opportunity to find out what they thought of the work that I had on display. The studio is a quiet and peaceful place and the whole ambiance at the museum is calming and inspirational.

In complete contrast last week I moved to the almost overwhelming environment of the Art Materials Live show at the NEC. From Thursday I sat on my stand and worked on an acrylic painting, amidst the crowds (10,000-15,000 visitors/day), which I can only liken to painting in the middle of the M25 in the rush hour. However, the chance for feedback (both positive and negative) was immense and the whole experience has left me looking forward to next year and the chance to arrange more of these opportunities.

A number of the contacts I made over the last two weeks have already been in touch, giving me fresh ideas and motivation for future work. So now, back home in the studio, I can settle more readily into what I know is going to be another extended period of solitary work on commissions and other commitments.

The artist’s dilemma. Do we produce work to please the ‘market’, or ourselves?

For anyone who works professionally as an artist (regardless of genre) this is an important question, which has numerous potential impacts on our artistic and/or financial success.

There are two categories into which most artwork will fall:

1. Commissioned work (whether private or corporate) where the subject, format and sometimes even the composition are dictated by the client. Here the question (above) is often rendered irrelevant.

2. Work (subjects) we choose ourselves. This is where we have to seriously consider on each occasion down which route we intend to travel.

There is understandable pressure imposed on the resulting decision when the financial consideration of making a living plays such an important part in the eventual choice made.

So, do we choose a popular subject, style and format, because we can have a more confidence in the saleability of the finished art, but which runs the risk of creating a ‘same again, can’t beat it’ mentality, or do we take a ‘gamble’ on the chance of a resulting sale in order to try to keep our work ‘fresh’ and to try new ideas?

For artists who have succeeded in making a name for themselves, they have an advantage over those of us who are still endeavoring to do likewise, because their ‘name’ adds an extra element of saleability to their work and so the scope for ‘risk-free’ experimentation is increased.                                                                                                                                 However, this of course begs the question; Did they achieve their success just as a result of sales, by painting for the market, or because they were prepared to try new ideas and produce work that perhaps had greater artistic merit and stood out from the crowd, even before they were well-known?

I would have to admit at this point that I have probably been ‘tempted’ far too often when deciding on the next piece and have sacrificed artistic integrity in order to chase a potential sale. So when I mentioned this during a conversation recently with a friend, who just happens to own a gallery, he made the following suggestion, which I intend to try to implement.    

For every 5  paintings/drawings (exc. commissions) that you produce, paint 3 for the market, paint 1 for yourself (either in the choice of subject, composition, or both) and then paint 1 which tries new ideas.

The beauty of this approach is that it give us the flexibility to follow both ‘paths’  and the added support of a framework to help in the decision-making dilemma.

Time will tell whether or not I am  successful in implementing this suggestion into my work regime and also whether it results in positive reward, both artistically and financially.

“I can’t draw a straight line!”

I have lost count of the number of people who I have talked to over the years, at exhibitions, open studios or during my residencies at Nature in Art, who have said,”I would love to be able to do that, but I can’t draw a straight line!”

There seems to be a common misconception among many people, that if you are not born with the ability or ‘talent’ to draw, then there is no point in trying. An assumption is made that all ‘artists’ have always been able to create wonderful images from an early age, with seemingly little effort. While some artists, both past and present, undoubtedly do fall into that category, there are definitely many (myself included) for whom it has never been easy and who have to constanly strive to develop and improve their work.

So this brings me back to the initial quote. For me the important part of what these people say is not contained in the words “I can’t draw a straight line!”, but in the statement “I would love to be able to do that!”

I personally feel that the desire to create an image of a particular subject is the most important aspect of the drawing process. It underpins everything else, whether you have any latent ability or not. If you really ‘want’ to do it, you have something that will enable you to overcome the periods when you are struggling to match your results to your expectations and which will hopefully help to overcome the urge to give up when things are not going as you hoped they would.

It is for this reason that during my workshops I do not adopt a ‘follow my leader’ approach, with everyone working to a set format and producing their own version of a painting or drawing that I have already completed. For people who have succesfully overcome the initial conviction that they ‘cannot do it’, there is undoubtedly plenty to be gained from the structured, step by step approach, but for the complete novice there are potentially some major drawbacks.

I have, in the past, witnessed the difficulties that some people experience when presented with a subject that does not inspire them. In cases like this, all I have succesfully achieved is to create another hurdle for them to overcome among the many others that are already present for us all. Added to that can be the often damaging effect of comparison with the other participants results at the end of the day/weekend and the almost inevitable confirmation that they were absoutely right when they felt “they couldn’t do it!”. Whereas, if they begin the day with enthusiasm for their own individual chosen subject (however simple), we have something to build on and it is then down to me to maintain a level of confidence in each individual and to help them to achieve something that they can feel proud of. The fact that they have taken the trouble to book on the workshop in the first place indicates that they have an initial interest, so it is then my job to ensure that I do not crush that enthusiasm.

Essentially what I believe is that everyone who has the desire to draw, can draw, regardles of their feelings to the contrary, if they are given the right help and encouragement.  Of course, I’m not saying for one moment that everyone (myself included) will necesarily reach the level of achievement displayed by the likes of Da Vinci or Durer etc., but progress can be made and a huge sense of satisfaction can result from that initial desire.

So, for anyone reading this who has ever wished  they could draw or paint, but who has never pursued this wish, because they felt that they had no natural ability, I will say this:                                                                                                                                                  You already have the most important requirement to enable you make progress. You just need the courage to take that next important step.