Why do you paint the subjects you paint?

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Permalink Reply by kathieballard on July 14, 2008 at 3:28am

Frankly, I have no idea, just what strikes me and what turns out. I just added 4 pictures to my site, and you can see they are all very diferent. I'm now trying to learn how to do a decent portrait because I was bored with everything else. Some things I try and they just don't turn out, and some things do. Like my Grandson requested the wolf drawing and I just grabbed scrap paper and it worked. I have tried to draw or paint our pet cats and dogs, and never like them and end up throwing them away.
I did do a whole series of butterflies with paint and pencils this winter because I was so sick of winter. I wish I could get more organized and have everything I try work. I don't know why it works that way. Kathie

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Permalink Reply by Mary L on July 14, 2008 at 10:13pm

I do what I have done so far because it is what strikes my fancy. I have only been doing this seriously (to learn) since March of this year. The pelican, grandparents, butterflies, and magnolia were all requests.

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Permalink Reply by Donna on July 14, 2008 at 10:33pm

I think its the voices in my head, seriously, some of my drawings are inspired by things that I am doing or weather. Like when it is really hot I find that I do seascapes. Sometimes its just a place I would rather be.

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Permalink Reply by Eli on July 15, 2008 at 1:43am

I love people ...... its as simple as that !
other things........ I labour with.

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Permalink Reply by Maria on July 15, 2008 at 2:28am

Hi Lesly,
This is a good question. I have a lot of books with very nice pictures and some of this pictures when I see them I want to paint them. I don't know why, maybe because I like them so much. Unfortunately I never manage to paint them like in the book because I still learning and in this process of learning to see , to uses my hands and to be disciplined.

If I chose a motive like a landscape I can change some elements and nothing happens. If there is a tree more or less is OK, but if I paint free hand picture copied from a photo like the Canale Grande in Venezzia from the the Challenge Bridge it hapens somethink like this. It makes a lot of fun but aI do learn anything. So I use thetechniques from other painters and I make a mix from copy and change the elements as I like them to be.

Know I try to paint thinks that have a special meaning for me, it helps me to work on it.

By the way, I like your questions. I am waiting for the next one.

Maria

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Permalink Reply by Helen on July 15, 2008 at 9:03am

Hi Lesley - good question. I always paint landscapes because I'm inspired by all the natural beauty. I've always got a painting in my head wherever I go and am never without a camera to try and capture the scene. Im attracted to strong colours whether it be an autumn day full of gold and orange or summer scenes with bright blues and greens. I'd love to try more varied subjects like portraits or urban scenes but just dont get inspired as much. Im finding the D&P challenge really hard because theres no trees!! so yes I think landscapes must be my comfort zone too!

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Permalink Reply by Jes on July 15, 2008 at 9:34am

Hi Lesley, for sometime i would only do so called portraits, namely faces seen in papers, (not that they were an exact likeness) and like you i only drew what i started with, then i went to an art lesson, for 2 hours one day, and the teacher got me to draw boxes and tins, but that gave me the confidence to branch out to other things, so now il try anything, apart from landscapes, absolutely crap at them, but ive got to like and want to do the subject im doing, otherwise, there no good. I could never do a commision, 1=im not to good 2=i might have to do something i have no feeling for, so i will never make any dosh from this hobby, i just draw for the love of it.

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Permalink Reply by Caroline on July 18, 2008 at 1:39pm

My favorite things to draw/paint are pictures of horses in motion. I just love the way horses move, with their bulging muscles and surface anatomy. I also have a love for horseback riding, and I think being able to know how your subject moves and acts and reacts to things in "the real world" is really helpful.

I also like to draw and paint dogs, because of the variety of breeds, and because I just really love them.

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Permalink Reply by Thomsi on July 18, 2008 at 2:27pm

I would love to able to paint a decent landscape, but I find them difficult so the negative thoughts creep in and tell me that I am no good at them so I do not try them very often. I look for photos of different things and if it takes my fancy I try and paint it, result being that I have not yet found a style or medium that really suits me. I would love to paint from my imagination but do not seem to have one, I need a reference to work from. I really admire all the artists who can just paint something that comes inot their head.

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