Kline Academy of Fine Art Blog: September 2015

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Three biggest mistakes artists make… Thomas Garner

Thomas Garner

Kline Academy Instructor

Venetian Painting Techniques

Wednesdays 10:30am to 1:30pm

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Dostoyevsky opened Anna Karenina saying that all happy families are alike, but all unhappy families are unhappy in their own way. So it is with artists, we all make mistakes in our own way.

But if I must choose the three biggest mistakes artists make,

they are: drawing, drawing, drawing. You can’t make a good painting if your drawing is off!

Included in the above three (assuming we are talking about figurative realism) are:

1 Not getting proportion, perspective, and composition right.

Not respecting value areas.

Not getting a good balance between mass, detail, and edges

As to three things the artist can do to create better paintings:

All the above drawing skills can be improved by learning how to observe.

Develop a sensibility to color and texture, learn color and design theory.

Develop good practices such as brushing technique, brush care, palette order and order of paint application.

That is kind of generic advice but I would also add the old maxim: “Know thyself.” Hear the inner voice. Be aware. Art is always mixture of heart and mind.

And while you are at it, study anatomy!!!

To learn more about this class, visit our website at www.klineacademy.com or come by the studio and see the quality of art our students are learning to create in our non-competitive, creative environment.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Three biggest mistakes artists make… Julio Labra

Julio Labra

Kline Academy Instructor

Foundations in Drawing and Painting

Every Saturday 10am to 1pm

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3 of the biggest mistakes artists make in creating their art in my class...

1. Resolving the measuring stage of the drawing. Making the drawing as accurate to the subject matter in simple line before moving into shadow and form. It's essential to have a handle on the placement on the objects shape and angles before progressing into the final stages of a drawing. Painting can be a little more liberal with the drawing, but an accurate drawing is the key to gaining a keen reproduction of what is observed.

2. Pressing too hard with the drawing materials and creating dark hard lines. These are hard to erase, and make it difficult to make corrections. If the artist wishes to apply a heavy hand to their mark making that is all and well, but I will advocate a soft patient hand in the beginning for accurate drawings.

3. Sitting for too long. I believe that drawing and painting is a very physical undertaking, and should be approached as a physical activity. Stretch, breathe, and move around during your practice. Keep the blood flowing so that the drawing doesn't suffer from loss of focus. Keeping your mental and physical self alert and healthy are key to the practice of drawing and painting.

3 things artists can do to create better drawings and paintings…

1. Study other painters. Learn how they solved problems that you are facing in your own work, and don't limit it just classical painters. One can find many new ideas and solutions in any form of painting.

2. Remember to step back and observe what you've done. It's great to be absorbed by what your painting, but it's nice to get the big look from time to time. You might find something needs to change that otherwise is lost from being too close to the work.
3. Paint what you want to. The passion for painting must come from the love of what you are doing. If you do this it will show through in your work.