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October 04, 2005
Dancing Man
I was taught to color inside the lines. I was told by my 1st grade art teacher that my pictures were ‘wrong’ because I would leave the inside of the picture white and color outside the lines. She went on and on about how wrong my pictures were. Finally I believed her.
Later, after being told I wasn’t talented enough to take art at high school I gave up drawing and painting completely.
About twenty years later, I started drawing and painting again. The echo of the teachers voice still governed my painting. I tried very hard to paint within the lines. I still find myself doing that sometimes.
Then I went on a trip back home and tried to do some simple watercolor studies in public. When you paint on location there is no time to think because you have to move fast to freeze a scene and capture it on paper.
That’s when I realized, sometimes, you don’t even need no stinkin’ lines. (And if you really want ‘em, you can add them in later.)
For those of you who shy away from painting because you feel you can’t draw well enough to establish the basis of your picture, why not forget the lines altogether. Try 'painting' the picture without drawing it out. Firstly you’ll be surprised by the result and secondly you won’t believe how much fun it is.
Posted by trevor at October 4, 2005 09:24 AM
Comments
This painting is fricking gorgeous.
Posted by: rachel at October 4, 2005 02:14 PM
This is gorgeous. I think you are a very talented artist. Don't listen to those old voices!
Posted by: Leta at October 4, 2005 03:03 PM
In 1st grade my teacher took away my recess time one day because I could not draw a pig 'right'. In high school, an art teacher criticized one of my paintings, saying that certain colors just don't go together. Luckily, i didn't take any of that to heart in my art (but I have shied away from any art classes since). An enthusiastic and encouraging high school art teacher who loved everyone's art made up for all the other negative and critical teachers. Interestingly, in my life, most (not all) of the positive, supportive teachers have been male and the negative critical ones female.
Posted by: Nicole at October 4, 2005 04:13 PM
Well Trevor I think your teachers we wrong you're amazing!! And I bet they're kicking themselves now!!
Posted by: your little sister at October 4, 2005 06:04 PM
My guess is that you really captured the exuberance......I can feel the joy of the dance. Alas, I am too inhibited......my head won't let the dance that's in my heart manifest, but I'm a great observer!
Posted by: jane at October 5, 2005 11:18 AM