Mike Barr Art Blog
100 paintings in 100 hours
by paintingsuccess , March 10, 2009—12:00 AM
The title of this blog may raise a few incredulous eyebrows, but seriously, there is no better way to improve your painting skills than spending more time with the brush.
For those of us who are happy with where we are in our painting skills this is not for you, but for those who would like to improve and do so in a measurable way - read on.
So, what does more brush-hours really mean?
What it doesn't mean, is spending inordinate amounts of time on 'one' painting. I recently met a painting aquaintance who told me that he had already spent 100 hours on a commissioned painting for a freind. I confess to being quietly horrified by such tales and think what could be achieved in that time.
How about 100 or more paintings in 100 hours!
Does that sound totally unrealistic to you or have I got your attention?
Firstly, take off your serious-artist hat - this is going to be fun!
Next, don't imagine that any of the paintings that you are about to do will be 'keepers' - this will loosen you up straight away and you will find that many of the paintings 'will' turn out to be 'keepers'.
Stick to one subject matter and keep it simple. Repetition of the subject will have you improving. It will give you a confidence with the brush that will spill over into whatever else you paint.
Paint small, but big! That means paint on small canvasses but use a bigger brush than you would normally use. Paint on 10×8 or smaller. Use a minimum 1/2 flat brush (for oils and acrylics) to do the whole work - if you do want to use a small brush, do so for 'one minute only', right at the end of your allotted hour.
Avoid using a pencil to draw any outlines before you paint! Use a brush to draw with. This will stop you from getting bogged down in needless detail and have you looking at the larger shapes. Apart from that, it's a wonderful feeling to draw with a brush - it will make you feel like an artist!
Your hour time limit is a maximum, aim to finish early and even go for two paintings in an hour. Have four or five canvasses or boards ready to go in any one sesssion.
This is no doubt not how you would normally paint, but try it, it's a joyous experience and one well worth trying before embarking on a full-days painting of a larger work.
So, what do you do with all these little paintings you produce? The world is your oyster! Sell them on eBay, give them away as gifts, frame them and put them in shows or even have an exhibition of small works.
How do I know all this will work?
Well, it worked for me by producing hundreds of little beachscapes that sold on eBay. After years of dabbling a few times a year, the many small works for eBay set me on the course I am on now.
The painting at the head of this blog is one of hundreds that I have done of similar subjects. It's a half-hour painting done as a demonstration at an art show, but totally saleable.
Next time - setting up a 'small works' blog.
Happy brushing!
COMMENTS
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07/02/2009 * 10:16:23
This is a great idea for loosening up. Sometimes we lose the artistic outcome of a piece because we claim up and worry about all things that will come on their own if we just work. I have had students in my art instruction classes do 60 second artpieces. They come out beautiful, airy and very artistic. I am with you.
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03/11/2009 * 20:11:44
Peter - your point about increased truth to the moment is spot on and something I didnt think of when writing the blog! I know im preaching to the converted when it comes to the plein airists! I like your methods.
Millie - thank you for your comments. Ive had thoughts of doing the girclee thing too but havent quite got there!
Kelly -
Hope you enjoy your 'petite' artworks.. they are like little artistic nourishing snacks...and good for buyers too!
Mary - I hope you can cure the tickling! And good luck with the small works.
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03/11/2009 * 13:52:06
I am going to try that, limiting myself to an hour, maybe that will help me stop tickling the painting the death. Since I am working tiny I should be able to do that. I'll let you know!!
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03/11/2009 * 12:40:06
Mike -- Very timely post! I just posted a new "gallery" on ArtID and christened it "Mini Artworks." My blog post about these petite works talked about the need to just work quickly, not agonizing over each stroke, letting the process and the materials guide you. It was enervating and made me feel as if I hadn't lost touch with my art, especially during the work week.
I'm galso going to practice my signature. I tend to sign on the verso because my last name is cumbersome, but you've given me incentive to try again.
Cheers!
03/11/2009 * 10:33:52
HI MIke, I wrote you but not sure it got through. So-I wanted you to know that I love your blog and also your work. I am one of those fast painters with a big brush. I love your paintings with all the people in them. I never do much with people, but do admire them. Your work is very elegant. I have thought of having giglees made of my work but never know where to get them and etc. Keep up the good blogs and work. Milliegiftsmith/artid
03/11/2009 * 10:25:09
Hi Mike,
As a plein air artist, you are talking my language. The need to get things down on canvas quickly before everything chnages has brought me to many of your conclusions. I now work for only about an hour on all outdoor works, up to 18" × 24"; for larger indoor works I will block in for an hour and then return. I always draw with the brush, rference lines than will be absorbed in the work, and I always paint on a toned ground so that I can see light and color relationships more quickly and accurately. My primary goalis not improved technique - though I'll take it! - but increased truth to the moment.
Carole Huber ( homepage )
04/09/2010 * 12:55:39
Couldn't agree more! The amount of time spent laboring over a painting doesn't add merit. Learning to trust you instincts and recognizing that not all paintings have to be finished to the same degree are two things you learn only after doing lots of work. After all consider how little Vincent Van Gogh painted and how masterfully he painted. It's estimated that Picasso painted over 50,000 works. You can bet that when he didn't labored 100 hours on a painting it was all about size. For me the act of painting is my real subject and I try to trust where it leads.