Painting By Me
This is not my first time blogging about painting, and it will not be the last time either. But anyway, in the past few weeks, I have thrown my acrylic paint aside, and continued my painting path with oil paint, and let's say that it is a challenge that I still have to find my way in. My goal? Perhaps very ambitious, but I am completely impressed by Hyperrealism. And yes, as I often do, I set my goals high. So, that hyperrealism is where I want to go eventually. Now you probably feel it coming, but as with every big dream, this turns out to be very complicated in practice.
For the past few days, I have been working on a small painting of our Lana. The result is nice, no doubt about it, and in a way, I am quite satisfied. It is not as realistic as I would like to see it. But okay, can I expect that of myself at this moment? Probably not, but yes ... that dream, and an innate characteristic to set the bar very high for yourself. And the many obstacles, because I have encountered so many things while painting! How do I build up such a painting properly? Which layers belong where? And the mediums… let me not go into that too deeply yet. In short, I have not yet mastered the technical side of painting, and I notice that all too clearly.
W So Much To Learn
Yet that urge to paint realistically keeps pulling at me. I look at the work of hyperrealistic artists and am simply impressed by how real their work seems as if you are looking at a photo. I want that too! But when I look at my work, I see and while I am painting I feel that I still have a long way to go. There is still a lot missing in my opinion. So the execution is still far from what I have in mind. And yes, my biggest critic is probably myself.
It is a fine line between challenging myself and talking myself down. Especially because my self-confidence has never been very high. I want to remain critical because that makes me better, but too much criticism also makes me block myself. What I want is to keep growing, keep learning, and certainly not talk myself down. So every time that critical voice gets a little too loud, I try to remind myself that I am not a camera. It is okay that it is not perfect yet, but it is not okay that I can just do whatever. No, I do need to see improvement and also get the feeling that I know what I am doing. That feeling is also sometimes missing ... Knowing HOW to achieve those hyperrealistic results is still missing. And that bit of technical information is what I am looking for.
Despite all this, I must of course not forget that I have only been painting with oil paint for a month. And I also have to realize that hyperrealism is a style that people work on for years before they reach that level. It is so easy to shout, "I want that too", and then also want to achieve it quickly. Yeah, sure, right! Keep on dreaming! Of course, I know that I still have a lot to learn, and then I can only be very happy that YouTube exists! Fortunately, some artists share their knowledge and explain how they work. No one shares all the techniques he or she uses, but by following multiple artists you still gain new insights. I still have to find my favorite channels, but it is nice to know that there are people who share their knowledge. Just by watching how others work, I learn something new every day.
But of course, watching alone is not enough. The real work happens when I pick up the brush myself. And that means practicing, practicing, and practicing again. Only by putting in the hours can I get better. And that requires patience, something I sometimes have a bit of trouble with. Yes of course I know that it is part of it, and yes I know Rome wasn't built in a day. I will not suddenly be able to paint hyperrealistically from scratch. No way! I still have far too much to learn for that.
Another important point that I have to work on is not thinking, but looking. Now this is a tricky part for me. Quieting my brain is not something that comes naturally. But I read and hear time and time again that this is crucial in the painting process, especially in hyperrealism. You have to paint what you see, not what you think you see. Sounds logical, right? But executing it turns out to be a lot harder than I thought. Instead of seeing an eye as ‘an eye’, you have to see the shapes, the colors, and the shadows. Observe the details without your brain translating them into something familiar. This requires focus, and that is something I have to work on.
Still, I try not to only criticize myself. Even though I see more than enough room for improvement, and I still have many bumps to overcome and take before I get any further, I am somehow happy with how Lana's painting turned out. The people who have seen it recognize her immediately, and that is a sign that I am doing something right. And that is enough for now. I cannot expect perfection. And of course, it is not only about the result, but also the pleasure I get from painting is important. Nevertheless, I want to achieve results!
So if anyone has tips to improve my technique, I am open to everything. It is just very nice to get feedback from people who may already be a bit further on this journey than I am. Every tip is welcome! For now, I will just keep going. No matter how I look at it, painting gives me peace, focus, and a chance to create something beautiful.
