"The way that can be told to paint is not the way to paint"

It occured to me as I was driving into work this morning that I should have added a preface to my previous post.

A while ago in my Understanding Asia course we learned about Daoism and a phrase from the Dao De Jing that always stuck with me which was (this is a rough approximation), "the way that can be told is not the way". Translate this to painting terms and we get, "the way that can be told to paint is not the way to paint." Some of you may be confused by this statement, but I assure you there is reasoning, experience and thought behind it. This idea came to me a few years ago in the midst of a personal attempt to expand my painting skills.

I felt very strongly that my figures were not to the level I wanted them to be and that my painting skills had platuaued. My highlights weren't as crisp as they should be, my shading was too dull and my figures looked very flat and uninteresting. They were dull. I was so worried about transitions that I built every thing up so gradually there was no contrast whatsoever. My paint was also inconsistent. It was too thin or too thick and not as smooth as I wanted it. I was discouraged. What did I do? I started looking online to see how everyone else painted and tried to copy thier methods to improve my work. I failed miserably. I would try one technique that worked for someone else and have disastrous concequences. Paint additives others used wouldn't work for me, wet blending wouldn't work for me, unique methods of highlighting wouldn't work for me. It was a trying time for myself as a hobbyist. I tried to master the two brush blending method and obsessed about it for a long time. Now, I should mention I use this method presently, but only after developing my own techniques.

It got to a point where I sat down one day and just started painting. I painted and did nothing else. To wax hippie for a bit, I let the paint do what it wanted to do. I simply painted how I felt I should paint. I had in mind what I wanted to do and tried my best to accomplish it anyway I could. And thats where I had my breakthrough. Instead of trying to replicate exactly what others did, I did what I felt was right. I took bits and pieces from the other techniques and made them my own. I found out what worked for me and used that to achieve the results I wanted. What happened then? My painting skills took leaps forward. My figures no longer looked dull and lifeless. I had broken through the wall that was holding me back. In the course of developing my own technique I also learned that not every mistake will ruin your figure. Sure, some technical mistakes may mess your figure up when it comes to blending, but others lend some realizm to your figures. Real life tanks and people aren't perfect, why should your figures be?

The point of this long post is that though I may have told you how I paint my blues, develop your own way to paint your blues. Take what works for you from my process and make it yours. What I tell you, and what any other painter may tell you should only be a guide to let you flex your own creative muscles and work something out that is yours alone. Sure basic techniques can be taught, but the advanced stuff that really makes figures come alive has to come from you. If you try to keep copying the techniques of others exactly, you most likely will end up frustrated and discouraged like I was. But with that said, we come back to the title and theme of this post, do what works for you. No one can tell you what that is. If exactly following someones elses technique works for you, then it works for you. All I can tell you is to keep your enthusiasm up and keep on keeping on.

I hope some find this advice helpful, and see thier work improve because of it. Remember, "the way that can be told to paint is not the way to paint."

Happy painting!