Important news about my blog “From the Palette of Life.”
For many years now l have been waiting, pondering and praying about a very significant breakthrough that is now coming to pass. This new breakthrough will ultimately involve a huge amount of my time and also means that unfortunately l will no longer have time to continue to create quality posts and insights for this Blog.
Let me say that l have been deeply encouraged to see all the positive comments which l have received from many people who have been helped by my insights, posts, drawings and demonstrations.

NB: My aim is to create another Blog. I will share more details when this is up and running.

Going deeper spiritually
Here’s some insights from my own spiritual journey of walking with the Lord Jesus Christ. No, I don’t share them to boast or be proud or show how good l am… Instead l do this in order to help others with the difficult choices that they may be facing in these increasingly difficult and uncertain times…

As a born again Christian since 1977, I have found through walking daily with the Lord Jesus that there have been times of growing closer to Him and receiving more of His love and Kingdom purpose for my life. Looking back l remember when l have been deeply challenged: OFTEN!!! These challenges have included times of difficulty, correction and my need to repent. These deep challenges from the Lord Jesus have also touched the things which l enjoy the most. They include my Creative Gifting, Finances, Career, as well as many other areas… OUCH!!! In spite of the difficult journey with Jesus, there have also been significant times of change and His release into a new thing. As l have continued to pray about this particular decision over several months, I believe that once again this is a very “significant time” in my life.

The process of maturity and how to avoid hasty decisions
When l have been challenged by the Lord Jesus Christ and facing a major decision, l have found that on a few occasions it has been a clear and definite call. YES! Immediately l know what l am called to do. BUT in the majority of times it has been difficult to work out what to do or when to do it. Result: This process of waiting can take weeks, months or even years to resolve.

Here’s seven things which l have found very helpful on my spiritual journey. Hopefully, they can also encourage and help others as well.
1). Am l pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ, or man with my decision?
2). Important choices: It’s really key to take time and write down what l have received either immediately or as soon as possible. Reviewing later what was written down can bring greater clarity. NB: This process may take a few days or weeks. End result of waiting: it can make the decision much easier to understand. Writing something down also means that l have a clear record. This avoids the problem of forgetting what’s received!
3). Taking time to discern whether l heard correctly from the Lord Jesus Christ is definitely not wasted time.
4). Avoid trying to reason something out. NB: Don’t forget that praying to the Lord Jesus Christ is a great privilege.
5). Allow the decision to settle in my heart. It’s better to wait than later regretting a bad decision which was made in haste!
6). Avoid responding out of fear or anxiety.
7). Knowing His Peace in my heart: This really is the right time for a major decision.
Sometimes, l have found the only way to resolve these conflicting facts and emotions is to pray it through, ponder (to think about something carefully, to consider, to contemplate) and continue to wait for clarity about these decisions, until l have the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Summary
The purpose of my final post is not just to announce my decision publicly, but also to help others. Don’t forget the advice which l have often shared on my blog posts: It’s really important to take time in our busy schedules to help others = beyond ourselves. That way we can live a deeper, richer and more meaningful life.

sincerely
Peter Fincham
Born Again Christian | Fine Artist | Writer
Copyright © 2012 Peter Fincham. All rights reserved.

Want to copy any of this original copyright writing? Look first at my Terms and Conditions post… It’s in my FAQ’s category.

There’s more than one way to start creating art.

The hindsight of my own art experience
It was more than twenty years from my boyhood dream, to creating my first fine art painting.  It would have helped when starting to paint, to also understand the other side of art.  Aah… hindsight is always the perfect answer.  My eyes were opened much later when l began to understand the importance of learning about different types of art that one could create.

Valuable experience doesn’t have to be expensive
Yes, valuable experience can be gained by creating different kinds of art and experimenting with different art effects and styles.  Children don’t bother with research, they simply start drawing, colouring in, and painting! However, when we want to achieve a higher skill level things can become more difficult and challenging. Don’t forget: Not all art materials suit every different style of art.  Making mistakes with good art materials can become very expensive.

Here’s a way to shorten the creative journey
Art really is a huge subject to understand because it’s been around for thousands of years.  So my suggestion would be: Before running out immediately and buying all those expensive art materials we love to buy, rather begin the journey by also understanding and appreciating some different styles of art.  This research could inspire us (hey, l never thought about that type of art before), and help us shorten the long creative journey and achieve even better levels of skill.

Decisions could give us more insight
1). DECISION:  Take time to research which style of art we like.  Because we may have different tastes, our personal preference is important.  We don’t have to conform to what someone else likes.
2). LEARNING CURVE:  Find artist’s who have created that kind of art.  Learn from them.  Get inspired: why did they choose to paint this way?
3). DECISION:  Knowing what kind of art we would like to create could save a lot of time.  Then we don’t have to waste time struggling and searching for what style we want to paint.  It also avoids using up a lot of expensive canvases and then throwing them away because we’re not happy.  When starting to paint and create, we also don’t have to start reinventing the wheel.  That step comes much later…
4). LEARNING CURVE:  Guessing about what we should create, and which style to use, can cause a lot of stress.  Deciding on one direction, we then save time and money and also get to the best part: really enjoying the pleasure of creating art.

RESEARCHING OTHER ARTISTS
Here are some links to a few famous artist’s work. The list illustrates each artist’s individual styles of creating fine art.  It also inspires us to see what can be achieved.  Take time and explore further via search engines like google.com and discover what kind of art you would like to create.
Realism: The artist Andrew Wyeth  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wyeth  He used very accurate and careful details to create realist paintings.

Impressionism: The artist Monet  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet  was the father of Impressionism. He used looser, more bold brush strokes, to create an “Impression” of what he saw.

Cubism: The artist Picasso  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso  painted two or three different views within one painting.

Abstract Expressionism: Jackson Pollack  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Pollock  applied dripped paint with lines and spots onto a canvas.

Pop Art Movement: David Hockney  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hockney  was one of the contributors to the Pop Art movement. He is seen by some as one of the most influential painters of the twentieth century.

Best Wishes for learning, practicing and developing your art.

Peter Fincham
Fine Artist  |  Writer
© Copyright 2011:  Peter Fincham.  All rights reserved.
See the artist’s figurative realism paintings: wwwpeterfincham.co.za
Want to use any part of my original and copyright material?  Look first at my FAQ’s category and my post “Terms and Conditions.”

The challenge of childhood art.

When my primary school class heard about our “art competition” set by the art teacher there was a loud groan. Most of the children simply wanted to go home. Others spent time counting the remaining days to Christmas. A few daydreamed about how many Christmas presents they would receive. Yet over in one corner, two young artists (one of those keen boys was me) were reacting very differently from the rest of the class, because they REALLY enjoyed art and were taking this “competition” very seriously.

This important battle included a surprisingly steep learning curve
Our primary school art class was given the challenge of portraying a full sized king, without using any references. It was a very daunting and intimidating task. Before starting to paint, l looked around the rest of the classroom to see who my real competition would be. All l saw was my closest rival standing right next to me. Set out on our desks before us, was a motley arrangement of tired art equipment including “school quality” brushes, paints and water pots. But the rivalry between my classroom rival and me made us both look eagerly past these minor irritations. We only focused on the next challenge before us, relishing in the pleasure of creating art, undisturbed, for the next couple of hours.

Creating a painting of a king was a serious challenge
There was a buzz of conversation as we prepared ourselves and thought about this creative contest. Nobody in class, or even in our school had ever met a real king. As this important fact was discussed and then digested the teacher called for us to settle down and begin. Normally my rival and l tried to avoid any contact, but out of desperation we whispered to each other. This insurmountable problem forced us to communicate and ask each other what to do? We tried to begin but the nagging unanswered questions continued. What did a real king look like? Was he young or old? Did he look handsome? Rugged? Plain? or Ugly??? Was he tall? Or fat? Or even thin?

With limited time to complete the task, the competition started. Some did so sluggishly. Others tried to make the best of it. But my rival and l, urged on by our desire to win, had simply to start to paint, without knowing enough or the answers to these important questions. With all the problems we faced, we both knew our task would require more than a bit of luck. Winning was the only option, so every effort would be taken to create the best painting that day.

Time passed very slowly as a few of the less enthusiastic classroom artists simply gave up on their paintings even though they hadn’t finished. Others kept painting diligently, but instead of making their paintings better, they were simply muddying all their colours and making them much worse. However the two rivals were caught up in the excitement and enjoyment of creating art. Their time seemed to go way too fast.

After an hour or so of painting, the teacher glanced at his watch. He slowly stood up and walked around the classroom hoping for some glimmer of hope. He had tried to sit still for all that time not wanting to intimidate his class by showing his displeasure or disappointment. He knew that pursing his lips and sucking in his breath when he saw the struggling pupil make their art worse, would not help the children achieve a better result. Certainly he had known throughout that year that this particular class didn’t have much talent, but surely they could have tried harder and done better?  Their feeble efforts continued to irritate him immensely.  He had really hoped to see glimpses of better work… Some were a little better, but still not good enough!  He was supposed to be a good teacher, but look at the embarrassing results they were achieving!  He always set the highest standards in his art classes, yet none of his pupils were ever able to rise to his challenge.  He wanted to show all the other teachers how good he was, but this art competition was yet another dismal failure for him.

There was so much that these two competitive boys wanted to include, but they simply hadn’t been taught properly because the teacher lacked valuable art skills, and subsequently didn’t know how to make their art better.  But still the two boys were enthusiastically going at it, as they continued to wrestle with their works of art.  Winning the class contest was everything for them, so without hesitation they grabbed ideas and copied from each other as they worked side by side.  Their intense fight was on a battlefield of paper.  As time passed and as the deadline drew near, some who had become mere spectators begun to sense the tension in the classroom.  It became even thicker as the two boys both tried to finish their large portraits.  Finishing touches were added with a victorious smile and a flourish to their painting.  Each one knew they were definitely going to win.

For the disappointed teacher there was a glimmer of hope over in one corner where the two rivals were painting. For these boys time seemed to go at a different speed.  The clock seemed to go faster and faster as the two young boy artists struggled side by side to finish their important project on time.  They had to continually improvise, as they thought about the very basic and limited lessons the teacher had given them throughout the year.  He had shown them how to draw a generic eye, mouth, nose and face, and the odd hand, but not much more.  He simply didn’t know how to teach them more effectively, to observe better, to include more character, and avoid making all their figures and expressions look the same.

The art teacher thought he was great. But throughout the year all the art pupils at school had moaned and complained about his lack of skill and his poor teaching methods.  All the pupils wanted to do was to succeed and get better grades.  However he simply didn’t know the subject he was teaching well enough to impart to the children the skills they needed.  The only problem with this “art competition” was the teacher’s lack of ability which he had been demonstrating throughout the year, as again and again he failed to give the art clases some basic insights and skills.

Unfortunately his constructive plan to waste time that afternoon, looked as though it had really failed. Earlier that day the exasperated art teacher had decided out of desperation to be very bold!  Yes, an impromptu art competition would work.  This final year end competition would be to paint and portray the best king that the children could paint.  That idea had seemed at the time to be a good way to fill the remaining time.  No prizes would be given, but hopefully a few children would be inspired to concentrate and keep quiet.  Who was the best artist in class?  Which boy or girl would rise to the challenge?  Which painting would deserve to win this art competition and make the art teacher look good?

As the afternoon wore on, time passed more quickly.

Finally time was up.  The competition ended.  The teacher deliberately spent a lot of time weighing up each child’s efforts as they sat with their paintings.  He had thought that the decision would be easy.  It seemed to the whole class that teacher was taking far too long to make up his mind and decide.  Children wriggled in their seats as the teacher kept returning again and again to the two boys and their paintings over in that corner.  His problem was that both their paintings looked almost identical, as though they had copied each others work!  Their art was simply not acceptable.  They should not have copied each others work!
Eventually, as time ran out, and to save face, the art teacher finally chose the winner.  His decision was final.  HIs choice for the best painting was one created by one of the two rivals.  That’s right, those paintings which looked almost identical!  The disappointed loser who came second shed copious tears.  He wasn’t supposed to lose!  His painting was better than his rivals painting.  He knew that even though he had tried his best, both paintings did look very similar, but he felt that his own painting had achieved a small advantage over his rivals painting.  However the teacher had failed to notice or acknowlege this fact.  The teacher was adamant and his final choice would not be altered in any way.

What happened to the artist who came second (that was me)?  I went on to become a graphic designer running my own studio for twenty four years and then became a full time fine artist.  The deeply painful experience l had gone through that day, many years ago, taught me two valuable lessons.  I simply had to find a way to learn to create better quality art and l had to stop copying what others did.  Throughout the rest of my school career l was unsuccessful, as my school marks showed.  They remained stubbornly average year after year because all l ever achieved were straight C’s. Ad nauseum.  Yet my many failures at art provoked me, making me even more determined to succeed, no matter how long, or how much practice it took.

Be encouraged as you spend quality time improving your art.  May you have courage, no matter how long it takes.

sincerely
Peter Fincham
Fine Artist  |  Writer
© Copyright: Peter Fincham 2011.  All rights reserved.
To see how much the artist’s work has improved, view his website: www.peterfincham.co.za
Want to use any of my original material?  Look first at my “Terms and Conditions” post, It’s in my FAQ’s category.

Many might say: Hey! Isn’t that just old fashioned… or is it?

<!–more–>

Our world is certainly becoming more uncertain and stressful.
Difficult bosses, tighter deadlines, impossible clients, heavier traffic, losing one’s job and facing a mountain of unpaid bills that require urgent payment, can cast a very long shadow of despair over our lives.  Because of what we face, it’s easier to lock the door behind us and find a quiet corner to cry in private and then recover our composure. Yet there is hope :-)

Unexpected setbacks?
An experience that has shaken us to our very foundations can destroy our confidence. It really does help to read again notes of appreciation, from those who we’ve helped.
1). This simple action can help us feel deeply encouraged, strengthened, and help us not to give up.
2). It reduces the pain and heals the sting from another person’s severe criticism, especially when we are criticised unfairly.
3). Don’t forget that there’s hope and life beyond today’s problems and pain.
4). Reflecting on what others have written about us gives us a more accurate and deeper perspective about our lives.
5). When we receive kind and encouraging words, they really can assist to help heal our hearts.
6). Encouraging words from others tell us that we have not and will not always be a failure. They give us hope and greater courage to face tomorrow. No matter what we face.

Keeping the notes of appreciation received
Yes, I keep notes of appreciation that l have received, in old shoe boxes. When l reread notes and letters from others, they bring back precious memories and they are a reminder of the lives l have had the privilege of helping.

Is it a competition to see how good we are?
Keeping score, to see who has received the most appreciation or praise from others really misses the point. Our own selfish ways make us become very short sighted, selfish and conceited. Another point to remember is: Congratulating ourselves on how good we are, without thinking about others and hearing their desperate cries for help is not only hollow, but unfulfilling, and very empty.

The way of wisdom
When looking back over our lives, has everything that we have done been only about self? Or can we look back and remember with a smile the many people we have had the privilege of helping? Acknowledging that “Yes, it has been difficult but by grace our lives and effort have not been wasted.”  This important truth that when we help others, we are also enlarging our own lives can revolutionise our effectiveness. That’s how we reach beyond ourselves and our own difficulties and focus on the bigger picture and greater good  ie: the needs of those around us who are less fortunate than we are.

When we have deep certainty and assurance about our action and beliefs, uncertainty and fear will not deceive us. No matter what we face, knowing we made a difference to another life, gives us greater perspective and hope. It also makes our self-confidence grow deeper and stronger in the sacrificial love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Summary
Don’t forget to give notes of appreciation to others as well. They are like fresh water to dry soil. They refresh one, especially in the midst of a great trial.

Sincerely

Peter Fincham
Fine Artist  |  Writer
Copyright© Peter Fincham 2011. All rights reserved.
View the artist’s amazing fine art and be encouraged : www.peterfincham.co.za

Want to use any of this original copyright material? Look first at the post “Terms and Conditions.” It’s in the FAQ category.

Colour highlights the hidden objects within my drawing.

<!–more->

When l did this original drawing, I had thought just adding one hidden image would be sufficient for my “Art Quiz.” However, after getting some honest feedback, l saw that l had made my quiz far too easy.  So to make it more challenging l changed my drawing again, adding two more hidden objects.

1). OLD MAN SMOKING: is highlighted in Red

On my drawing, l’ve highlighted this hidden object in red to make it easier to find.  Sometimes we can fail to see something that may be very obvious to other people.  However, once it’s highlighted we might say – of course! Why didn’t l see that?

IMPORTANT: l personally do not approve of smoking.

2). AGGRESSIVE DOG: is highlighted in Blue

Tip: The dogs nose is pointing down which makes it a bit more difficult to see.  Please note that l did emphasize the eye of the dog to make it easier to spot.  If you are still struggling, here’s another tip:  The ear of the dog is very close to the woman’s right arm… Got it now? Good.

3). MASKED “OTHER WOMAN:” is highlighted in a light, sky Blue.

Problem: This “other woman” is probably the most difficult object to spot within my drawing.

3.1). Because the one woman’s headscarf is also the “other woman’s” face mask.

3.2). The “other woman’s” eye is within the subtle shading of the first woman’s head scarf, and may not be immediately apparent or easy to see.

3.3). That’s why highlighting this “other woman” with a light, sky Blue colour helps to show exactly what l did.

SUMMARY

So as you can see, drawing is not only about hard work, where the perspiring artist gets seriously criticized because they battle to accurately represent what they observe.  Instead drawing can actually be fun, humorous and also playful.  Once again, developing this skill: seeing what may be hidden, can be learned and then applied to all kinds of other things as well.

PERSPECTIVE

In our world of seven billion people, we certainly need more inventors: people who can actually see the potential in what is still hidden.

WHY???

New inventions can make life more bearable, giving dignity to the disenfranchised, especially for those who are marginalized and live in poverty.  Inventions can create more jobs which can benefit and do good for all people, in every nation, from East to West, and North to South.  Now that’s a really big challenge, but it’s also possible and achievable.  So get your pencil’s out, sharpen them, and start drawing.  You may never know what you can achieve, until you start. :-)

Keep looking to learn and observe more, because we may really surprise ourselves – what we can do!

Sincerely

Peter Fincham

View the artist’s paintings:   www.peterfincham.co.za or www.peterfincham.com  to see what hidden messages l have purposely hidden within them..

Would you like to use any of my original copyright material? Please contact me first to let me know, so that l can consider your request and possibly approve it.  However, please note that all of my original work including my art, cartoons and original writing is Copyright.  Please look also at my “Terms and Conditions” post. It’s in my FAQ’s category.

Spot the humour and improve your skill of observation.

Can you find them?
l got inspired and laughed out loud when l had added some humour to my sketch. I started off with just a normal drawing. My sketch was OK, but then l got inspired and added some humour that really brightened my day.

Technical problem
After getting feedback and seeing their reaction, l found they had found what l had done too easily.

Hmmm! Let me make it more subtle…

So l hid the humorous object even deeper within my drawing. Then, to add even more interest, l added two more elements as well.

1). RELAXED TASK:
Take time and have a good look at each different element within my sketch. Can you see those three hidden elements yet?

2). FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY A SERIOUSLY COMPETITIVE RACE!
Time yourself and see how long it takes…
Share it with a friend and see who was fastest.

Still looking?
Time taken is really no problem because it’s actually not a race. Apologies to all those who really thought it was a competition!  Sometimes we can learn more by taking time and carefully observing, learning and thinking as we look at an object more deeply.

If you’re still struggling?
Put it down and come back later, or the next day. Or even ask a friend for their help. If you still can’t see what l did, don’t worry because l will post the answer on my blog within a week.

SUMMARY: So what’s the point of this exercise?
This is not just an example of making something funny. It can also help sharpen our ability to both observe and see beyond a casual glance.

This skill can help us get more out of each day. It can make our whole day more interesting and enjoyable wherever we go, when walking, sitting, reading, traveling.  Observing at moments through the day develops a greater sensitivity to things around us.

Seeing the hidden potential
Taking time to observe things that most people wouldn’t bother to look at twice, could also help us see the hidden potential in something that may be very ordinary.  l believe this is where a “creative spark” can be very effective. It might even lead some people to consider a new idea that could become a very useful invention.

Let me know what you learned from this exercise.
1). Was it too difficult, or too easy?
2). When did you change, and include this exercise into your life?
3). What results have you seen by looking more closely?
4). Enjoy the journey of learning with humour.

Peter Fincham
Fine Artist  |  Writer
Copyright: Peter Fincham 2011. All rights reserved.
Want to use any of this original copyright material? Look at my post “Terms and Conditions.” It’s in my FAQ’s category.

Look for hidden messages within my fine art: www.peterfincham.co.za

Every artist dreams of a REALLY BIG STUDIO, yet a small work area can also be effective.

Try and be realistic
Every artist really wants a huge, luxurious studio, but all that’s needed is a small desk and a fairly flat surface. If you can squeeze into a corner by a window then you are very lucky.

Finding space can be a problem
During my career I have created art in a number of different places.  They include a laundry, a kitchen, a lounge, a study, a flat, a dining room, a servants quarters room, a spare room, a garden, a darkroom, a back porch, in my office, a store room, and then finally my very own studio.  It was a very long journey, but after waiting many years it made me appreciate all the space l finally achieved.  So based on the number of places where l have practiced my art l do think that l have some experience and can give some advice.

What others think about an artist’s studio
The American artist Charlie Russell, circa 1844-1926, knew that his mother really had some very unrealistic and weird ideas about where he worked. She thought Charlie painted in a salon, with beautiful silk drapes and a stunning muse.  However, Charlie’s real studio was a lot more humble. In a humorous comparison in the 1890′s he sent a postcard to a friend showing a sketch of what his mother thought about his studio, then he drew another more honest sketch of what it was really like. See the National Geographic article on artist Charlie Russell: January 1986 page 78.

Finding some creative space
The main thing is just start and find somewhere, because almost anywhere will do.  Try not to complain about all the difficulties you face.  Other people probably won’t appreciate the artist’s need for some real creative space.  Later when you have sold some paintings you can find a bigger place.  Hopefully it may even mean that you won’t collide with a piece of furniture, or someone else’ anger because you have invaded their space!

The privilege of creating art
It can be very tiring to try and create fine art in cramped, and difficult conditions. Instead of getting cross or jealous at what other artist’s may have achieved, rather focus on the privilege we have to actually create art.

sincerely

Peter Fincham
Copyright © Peter Fincham 2011. All rights reserved.
View the artist’s work on website: www.peterfincham.com or www.peterfincham.co.za

Want to use any part of this original copyright material?  First look at my “Terms and Conditions.” It’s in my FAQ’s category.

What was happening… The **^%$# neighbours dog had chewed up my fine art brushes AGAIN!

Save money and time with Brush Maintenance
Problem: When l started fine art painting even expensive brushes wore out quickly. My brushes became useless after just a few hours because l just focused on my painting, trying to squeeze every last brushstroke out of them. I definitely had no idea how to either extend their lifespan or save myself some money. Here’s the secret l learnt which can help you too.

This expensive problem led to a great detective hunt as l searched for a solution.
Artist’s normally show only their very good quality brushes. Their older brushes are invariably hidden away from sight. Top Pic shows five brushes, But only two of them are really worth keeping and using again.
Brushes #1 & 2: Had been “pressed” overnight. NB: As you can see they do not have to be perfect to remain very effective.
Brush # 3: Is just about worn out.
Brushes #4 & 5: Are definitely beyond help or rescue…
NB: The technique shown is suitable for flat brushes only. l use flat hog hair brushes with long hair. Also can be used for flat watercolour brushes. Technique is not recommended for round brushes…

The secret l discovered
It came by accident while l was working and struggling with a mural for my children’s Primary School play. One parent who was helping make sets for this play mentioned that her dad, who was a sign writer, always used soap to clean and then shape his brushes after use. Hmmm… l thought that’s a good idea!

Use weight on Brush to keep it’s shape
After l had successfully used soap on my hog hair brushes l was still not 100% happy with the result. l then went further and began to use a weight on top of my brushes after cleaning and shaping them. Picture shows how l had simply pressed them overnight under empty water bottles. I use this technique because hog hair bristles are tough and without proper care can become very unruly.

Summary
This simple solution saves money and ensures that the next day, or even months later, the brushes are still ready to use. The cleaned brush, even with the dried soap still in it, requires no further cleaning when using Acrylic paints.

Don’t forget that regularly cleaning and shaping your fine art brushes, will definitely save you money.

Sincerely
Peter Fincham
Fine Artist  |  Writer
© Copyright: Peter Fincham. All rights reserved.
Visit the artist’s fine art website to see how good brushes have helped him create great paintings: http://www.peterfincham.co.za

Want to use any part of my original copyright material? Look first at my post “Terms and Conditions,” in my FAQ’s category.

Here’s the answers: How l fixed a road and improved the overall effect within a painting.

<!–more–>

Quiz Answers
This demonstration shows seven specific steps and why they solve the problems. Achieve your goal by transforming a problem painting into one that is much better. Process: Take some time to think about the creative problem you face, then spend sufficient time to fix it. Don’t forget that when you have more experience and insight and know what to do, your task becomes easier. Result: you can create much better paintings :-)

1). My painting (top picture) had these major problems
2). My road was far too straight.
3). It was also far too long.
4). And far too predictable…
5). Road goes towards a horizon that is about 1/3rd way up the painting.
6). Road goes away from the house which was supposed to be my main focus point…

7). Answers (bottom picture)
Second pic shows comparison: I spent just a bit of time using Photoshop to show the potential of what can be done, when facing a problem like this.
8). Lower the horizon to about 1/5th in the painting. That’s so that the road doesn’t carry on up the painting, and spoil what you are trying to achieve.
9). Look at some other narrow gravel/dirt roads in your area. Or find an old country road via http://www.images.google.com   Roads like this are often not graded and smooth, but over time they get worn and wander a lot.
10). Add character by making the road shorter. Break up the monotony of a long straight line by maybe making it disappear behind some bushes for a bit.
11). Make road go towards your focus point. Don’t let it wander in the wrong direction, away from what you are portraying.
12). Avoid making the horizon line straight. Don’t forget to make the house a lot smaller, and more distant.

FINAL RESULT: Yes, when you know what to do, and after a bit of effort, you can create a much better painting.

Be encouraged and keep trying :-)

Peter Fincham
Fine Artist  |  Writer
Copyright: Peter Fincham 2011. All rights reserved.
View the artist’s work:  www.peterfincham.co.za

Want to use any of my copyright material? Look first at my Terms and Conditions. It’s in my FAQ’S Category.

Try my quiz to understand some important principle in art.