Recently I posted a workshop video on facebook. The first comment I received was something like, “Do you really think this helps. I think we need to pay our dues.” My first thought was that this was an individual who thinks he is self-taught and wears it as a badge of pride. He may think education will stifle his self expression. Now, you may disagree here, but I don’t believe any of us are self-taught and why would you want to be.
We are living in a world which is inundated with images, especially with the advent of Facebook. It is up to each of us how much we want to take in and absorb. To me (and this may be another disagreement), I believe that artistic talent is like any other attribute someone may have. We all have a gift or propensity toward something and it is to some degree inherited. Some families have mathmeticians and some have artists. It is what we do with that gift that is important. Any other profession hones their skills. Even though a bookkeeper is good at numbers, that doesn’t mean they don’t need to go to school or at least learn their profession from a mentor. No one comes out of high school with all the skills for their given profession. Art is no different.
However you gain that education is a self-directed path. You decide the best learning experience for yourself. Being an artist is different in that there are no clear guidelines to being a professional, which is good. We aren’t people who ordinarily like to be fit into a box. And often our way of absorbing an education is different that the “norm”.
You may disagree with me again and say that art is an individual expression which education will stifle. Yes, it is individual and it is your expression. But, are you sure that you are expressing yourself clearly to the audience that you want? Can you say what you want in a more direct, clear or concise fashion? I believe that educating yourself will in the end give you a better voice in the art world.
There are hundreds of years of art history. I don’t understand why anyone would want to ignore that history and I say, that it can’t be ignored. We live with it all around us. Using that history as a learning tool will add to the dimension of our art. Why waste time trying to relearn it. Learn what has been done before us and build on it. Add your own voice to that history.
As with any education, we are influenced by our teachers and often project their ideas instead of our own. At least, in the beginning. but, as we gain more knowledge and confidence in our work and ourselves, we begin to find more of who we are. We become our own unique selves with all that history and influence behind our work. We are able to communicate with our audience in a concise and voice through our artwork.
Paying your dues through mileage with the brush is definitely important, but take the road in the right direction. Self-direct your education. Learn what has been taught before us and begin to build on that foundation.
Should we just paint and pay our dues or should we take workshops and educate ourselves?
Hi Becky,
I think that person is a fool. yes you have to paint acres of canvas to get to be a good artist but I have taken many classes and workshops too. Those have been invaluable to me in my progress as an artist. Why wouldn’t you want to learn from any method possible? You can always have your own style.
I agree with you on this. No one is self-taught. That would suggest that a person picked up a pencil or brush and started painting without any input from any other source and I doubt that there are any artists with any talent that would fall into this category. Has this artist ever picked up a book on art and studied any of the lessons contained within? Have they ever watched an artist video on YouTube or bought an art DVD and followed along with them? Have they ever attended a workshop? If so, then they are not self-taught. Like you said, they have self directed their art education. They have decided what to watch or listen to and have decided what to use for their betterment and what to leave by the roadside. All a “self-taught” artist is saying is that they haven’t been through the formal art education process, which after looking at the current university and college art programs, is a good thing. Most of the college level art teachers couldn’t teach you anything about how to make art if their lives depended on it. The best art education is finding artists making art that resonates with you and buy their books and DVDs and take workshops from them. Oh, and don’t listen to ANYONE that tells you that your chosen style of art is irrelevant and should be abandoned. Listen to the art voices in your heart and follow them. You will never go wrong that way.
thank you Dave for your comment.
Thanks Linda for visiting and commenting
Becky, I agree with you that there is always more to learn. I think being self-taught is ok but in reality I don’t think anyone is totally self-taught. There are influences everywhere and they are hard to avoid.
I love taking classes and workshops and meeting other artists to share ideas. I have learned so much that way. You probably don’t remember me but we chatted a bit in January at the tent show. I love your work and your blogs. I especially enjoyed this short clip of painting clouds. I am not a landscape painter and keep saying I will give it a try and I will . . . one of these days.
Please keep posting your videos. They are always so informative. Hope to see you again next January.
Best,
Joan
thank you Joan for stopping by and commenting, appreciate that.
Hi Becky, I agree with you. You have to learn your techniques, just like someone who is playing the piano!
If you master your techniques you don’t have to worry about them. You can concentrate on your creative proces.
Last year I started to paint again after 20 years! I had to learn all my basic skills again and it’s so great there’s internet and youtube now.
I live in the Netherlands, so I’m not able to visit your workshops, but I learn so much from your website and easelnotes.
Thank you for sharing your insights
Thanks Paul for leaving a comment. It really helps to get some good information and habits to practice. I fumbled with my art for far too many years and wish that I had gotten a better education when I was younger. It would have made the process much more rewarding and quicker. I’m glad you are enjoying the blog.
I consider myself a “self taught” artist. I have been creating art for over 10 years, I even have been employed as a professional in-store artist for a major record/video company. But I never learned the basics. I sit in my studio now and struggle mostly with color mixing. Ive recently printed your lesson on using a limited palette and plan to incorporate this into my future paintings. I find this information incredibly informative and I needed it. Thank you for what you do!!
Michelle, I started much as you did. I was “self-taught” and did illustration work for years. I thought I was a lot better at painting than I really was. Eventually, I realized different and found a lot of holes in my education. I’m glad you are finding useful information here.
We should do both: paint and take classes & workshops, read and experiment, and paint some more. I don’t know of any good artist who is satisfied that they’re “done” growing, learning, and developing an ever-greater artistic voice. I agree there is no such thing as self-taught; only self-directed and formally educated artists. Anyone who asserts otherwise is kidding themselves and not giving credit to their unnamed teachers. The work is ours, but teachers and inspiration are important to achieve real skill in art.
Great article, Becky!
Sandy, thanks for the comment. You’re right they are only kidding themselves and not giving credit to those that they learned something from
I love work shops, I love to learn new techniques and apply them in my own work, I am not an artist but a hobbiest I love to paint and am always trying new things, right now I have an obsession with learning abstract art, I find it so different than just painting landscape or floral, I am trying to get looser and put less detail, because if I want realism I can take a photo, Just my opinion. Love your skies Becky the sunsets just glow. thank you for sharing your insight into creating beautiful art.
Thanks Margene for your comment