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Frustrated with having to spend so many hours a day at a 9-5 job when all you want to do is work on your art? Confused about how to make the jump from working a full-time job into creative entrepreneurship? Wondering if making a living from your creative gifts is even possible to begin with? Becoming a full-time artist or artistpreneur is definitely possible, provided you establish clear goals for yourself, set up a realistic plan of action depending on your current life situation, and keep working towards your objective, no matter what. It's possible, and there are lots of amazing artists out there doing what they love for a living. Is it easy? Not at all. Will the first few years be tough? Absolutely. But as long as you stay motivated and focused on your end-goal you will get there. In today's blog post and YouTube video, I'll be answering three of the most recurrent questions that I was asked during my recent Ask Me Anything event over at www.amafeed.com, which was much more focused on the business side of becoming an artist and how I transitioned from being a full-time employee into creative entrepreneurship. This blog post and YouTube video are probably the most personal ones to-date and I will be sharing lots of tips and secrets that have allowed me to set the foundations for a successful art business. It's hard for me to believe that it's been a year since I left my last full-time job! I had been working as an employee for almost ten years after having graduated from university, and it wasn't until around three years ago that the idea of becoming a solopreneur started looking like something I could pursue. Even though the idea made me extremely nervous and I was very uncertain about what would happen, I decided to take the leap and have been working extra-hard on my art business ever since. Though I am not making an income I can live off from yet, I have learned a ton throughout this year and I have confidence that I'm slowly (but surely) building a business that will allow me to live life on my own terms. Aside from finally having time to devote to my personal artistic growth, this year has been full of new and interesting experiences, including meeting people from all over the world whom I share my passion for art with and would have otherwise never met!
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
Transitioning into Creative Entrepreneurship Questions
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Every free minute I had (even during work hours at this point!-woops!), I continued reading articles and watching videos to learn as much as possible from artists that were already successful.
I took mental notes of everything they had to do and how long it actually took them to make a living from their art, as well as many other things.
In regards to the second part of this question, I would say (as cliché as this sounds) I just felt it. I don't think the time is ever going to be 100% perfect, and you're always going to be nervous and feel uncertain when it comes to any big decision in life.
However, I knew I had prepared as much as I possibly could and felt that my time to take action was running out. If I didn't do it then, I would probably be stuck teaching art in a school environment for the rest of my life.
I spent the majority of that last year before leaving my job thinking about all of these ideas I wanted to make happen and anxiously waiting to get home to draw and paint and continue to develop myself artistically.
Even whilst at my job, my mind was already elsewhere!
I took mental notes of everything they had to do and how long it actually took them to make a living from their art, as well as many other things.
In regards to the second part of this question, I would say (as cliché as this sounds) I just felt it. I don't think the time is ever going to be 100% perfect, and you're always going to be nervous and feel uncertain when it comes to any big decision in life.
However, I knew I had prepared as much as I possibly could and felt that my time to take action was running out. If I didn't do it then, I would probably be stuck teaching art in a school environment for the rest of my life.
I spent the majority of that last year before leaving my job thinking about all of these ideas I wanted to make happen and anxiously waiting to get home to draw and paint and continue to develop myself artistically.
Even whilst at my job, my mind was already elsewhere!
2. What were the most challenging aspects of transitioning from a 9 to 5 job to a full-time artist? What were the first steps you took when you became your own boss?
I would say that, aside from all the financial preparations I had to make sure to make, it was difficult for me to accept in the beginning that artists ARE business owners.
As a business owner, I would only be actually creating art a certain amount of time and I would have to spend time doing activities that are tedious, boring and downright scary. For an introvert like me, this meant accepting that I would have to constantly push myself out of my comfort zone.
Another thing that was challenging was to create, and stick to, a weekly work schedule. As a solopreneur, there is nobody setting a schedule for me and I don't have to abide by anyone's timeframes (unless I'm working on a specific client project or commission-but even in these cases I have a say in the matter).
This may sound like a dream, but anyone that has been doing it for a while can tell you that it requires a HUGE amount of discipline and commitment. If you don't get up and check off those things you have to get done that day to move your business forward, you're backpedalling (at least this is the case in the beginning).
Throughout the months, my daily schedules have shifted around a bit as my priorities change and I discover at what points in the day I'm most creative. Nonetheless, I make sure to set my alarm to get up early, and stay as focused as possible throughout the working hours I have set for myself, every-single-day.
Another essential thing I did once I left my job was give serious thought to what I wanted my life to look like in five years and what kind of business I wanted to work towards.
There are SO many directions that an art business can go in, and it's very important to think about what YOU want, so that you can then set those strategies and commit to them. If we don't know what we want, we're never going to get anywhere.
And yes, goals shift and new ideas pop up, but you have to MOVE in order for things to happen!
Check out my blog post titled Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive to learn more about my short-term and long-term goal setting method, as well as how I schedule my days to keep my business moving forward consistently.
This blog post has a free goal planner and time-blocking worksheets so you can make sure you're moving forward yourself!
Lastly, but just as important as the previous points, I made sure to make self-care a priority. As a solopreneur, if I'm not well, my business is going to suffer. Especially in the beginning, it's essential to show up and be ready and able to put in the work.
3. Do you have any regrets? Do you wish you had left your full-time earlier?
In the beginning I kind of did. Especially because I was already over thirty and I felt drowned in a sea of amazingly talented artists that were a lot younger than I was. I felt that I would have to push myself to the max on top of everything I already had to do to start building a business just to catch up.
However, over time, I have come to accept and enjoy the phase I'm in. I also came to the realization that everything happens for a reason and I was exactly where I had to be.
Also, I think I had to go through those job experiences and the growth they provided so I would be able to do what I'm doing now.
I don't see those years as wasted time, by any means, and am incredibly thankful for those experiences that allowed me to grow at both personal and professional levels. They allowed me to prepare financially and mentally to be able to do what I'm doing now, building up my dream career.
5 Tips to Achieve Success as an Artist
1. Set up multiple streams of income for yourself.
Do not put all of your eggs in one basket. Stay open and think of different products and services you can offer using your talents and skills. As a creative being, there is a ton that you can do to bring light to people's lives.
Stay generous and never underestimate the connections you can make with people that are either directly or indirectly related to your end goal.
Stay generous and never underestimate the connections you can make with people that are either directly or indirectly related to your end goal.
2. Continuously learn from other artists that are already successful.
Research who's currently successful at doing what you want to be doing, and learn all you can from them so that you can do that as well, in your own way. Remember they started from zero, too and that, if they could make it, you could too. Learn from what's already working and keep paying attention.
3. Stay adaptable and flexible.
As an entrepreneur, there are a lot of learning to be done along the way before finding true success. As time goes by you're going to start finding out what works and what doesn't.
Try to find a middle ground between what you like doing and what your audience actually wants. Adapt to do more of what's working.
Try to find a middle ground between what you like doing and what your audience actually wants. Adapt to do more of what's working.
4. Accept (and embrace) that you are a business owner.
A lot of artists (perhaps even most of us) are introverts.
However, if we want to achieve sustainable success, we need to be open and willing to step out of our comfort zones.
Learn about marketing, accounting, inventory, sales and do not be afraid to put yourself and your work out there. Remember that it's as much about your artwork as it is about yourself.
Always stay professional and courteous, both online and off. Build up a solid and reliable reputation.
However, if we want to achieve sustainable success, we need to be open and willing to step out of our comfort zones.
Learn about marketing, accounting, inventory, sales and do not be afraid to put yourself and your work out there. Remember that it's as much about your artwork as it is about yourself.
Always stay professional and courteous, both online and off. Build up a solid and reliable reputation.
5. Stay inspired and motivated, no matter what.
This can totally happen for you but you have to remain patient and keep going, but it's going to take effort and it's going to take time.
It's highly likely that you're going to have to work a full-time job, but stay thankful and take these experiences as learning opportunities to grow at both personal and professional levels so that you can use these skills to set up a successful art business later on.
It's highly likely that you're going to have to work a full-time job, but stay thankful and take these experiences as learning opportunities to grow at both personal and professional levels so that you can use these skills to set up a successful art business later on.
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Have you ever gotten more and more disappointed with yourself as you see days, weeks, even months being consumed by daily obligations, and not having the necessary time to move forward artistically? Do you go through your days feeling completely scattered and oblivious as to how you're supposed to make any significant artistic progress with everything you have going on in life?
"Time is the single most important resource that we have. Every single minute we lose is never coming back."
-Tarun Sharma
I'd like to start this post off by saying that I totally, 100%, feel your pain.
Even though today I can call myself an artistpreneur, I worked as a full-time employee at extremely demanding office jobs and teaching positions for years before even considering this move.
Even though this article is primarily oriented towards the working artist and you may still be working a day job, most of the tips in this article will be useful for you as you plan for your end-goal.
That said, if you're still transitioning (or looking to start), it's important that you understand what it truly means to be a "full-time artist".
In reality, making a living from one's art and artistic skills, entails a huge list of tasks that take away a lot of time from actually creating art. At least this is the case for us artists who have no assistance and do everything ourselves.
And this is why it's so, incredibly important to be smart about how we're using our time! Whether you're someone still working a regular full-time job and dreaming of becoming an artist, someone working part-time building up the platform (and courage) to finally take the leap, or even if you're already making a living from your art.
It's essential for all of us to think about our specific goals, so that we can plan and put our strategies to use.
Effective time-management is an invaluable skill that will allow us consistent progress and, today, I'll be sharing the philosophies and specific methods I live by to stay productive and moving the needle forward every-single-day.
By applying these tips and techniques, you'll be able to go to sleep each night knowing that you've made progress towards reaching your goals and becoming the artist you want to be.
10 Tips to Master the Art of Time Management
1. Define your personal, professional and interpersonal goals
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
–Yogi Berra
I like to set general yearly goals that I then break up into monthly goals. I then use these monthly goals to plan out my objectives week by week. By having a weekly objective, it's easier to know what you should be working on any given day.
Think of where you want to be twelve months from now in ALL key areas of life. It's helpful to think about what daily habits you have now that require changing, as well as what things you must prioritize from now on in order to make those goals happen.
It's essential that you set goals for all of the following areas:
a) Personal level:
What changes can you make to be healthier mentally and physically in a year from now?
b) Professional level:
What skills do you feel you should improve to become more successful? Think of both cold AND soft skills.
c) Interpersonal level:
Who are those people you value most in life and what actions do you have to take daily/weekly to ensure that those relationships are kept strong and healthy? And, on that note, what people are not adding anything positive to your life?
Though we are talking about being productive artistically, I assure you, that all of these life aspects are equally important and bleed into each other. If you neglect your health and family, your work will undoubtably suffer as well.
It's important that the goals you set for yourself are measurable, attainable and realistic depending on your current life situation.
Here's an example of my long-term goals for the following twelve months:
Other examples of long term goals in the Professional area could be:
-Complete an online drawing course
-Learn how to draw hands
-Fill an entire sketchbook
-Finish 5 acrylic paintings on canvas
You get the picture! :)
Once you've decided where you want to be in a year, it's time to break up goals into smaller, sequential chunks!
Think about what specific things have to happen month-to-month so that you can reach that end goal twelve months from now.
In number 2, I'll be explaining what time-blocking is and how to create your weekly schedules using this method.
2. Schedule your weeks using time-blocking
“Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once,
whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.”
–Napoleon Hill
Time-blocking is a scheduling method in which you break up your day into...well... blocks of time. Within each block, similar tasks are grouped together so that you can focus on that specific type of activity in that specific period of the day.
For time-blocking to happen effectively, it's important to know yourself and what times throughout the day would work for you in order to best fulfill that particular kind of activity.
As artists, it's important to experiment until we have a good idea of when we're most creatively productive throughout the day. Once we figure this out, we can plan the rest of our daily activities around these times.
Leave the tasks you can do on autopilot (like clearing your inbox or organizing your studio) for moments of the day in which you find it difficult to focus or are generally mentally exhausted.
Personally, I don't follow the time-blocking method super strictly, as I combine it with daily to-do lists. I like creating my general weekly schedules so that I have a sense of what kind of tasks I should be doing at what times of the day.
These schedules allow me to have a routine/consistency in the chaotic world of creative entrepreneurship.
However, when it comes to specifics, I like creating daily bullet lists that I can check off and write on as things pop up.
Though the time-blocking method does require you to spend time doing initial thinking/planning, once you have your schedule set, it's all a matter of sticking to it and being as consistent as possible.
By investing some time in this initial planning phase, you'll end up wasting a lot less time in the long run.
So, make it happen!
Take the goals you have set for each month, think of what you have to achieve by the end of each week to reach those goals, and break your days up into specific tasks.
Set your weekly schedule and do your very best to stick to it for, at least, a month.
All this said, keep in mind that life is unpredictable. Though planning is incredibly important, things will pop up that you haven't accounted for and we constantly have to deal with situations that are simply beyond our control.
Stay calm! Remain flexible, be kind to yourself and keep moving forward.
Here's an example of how my ideal weekly schedule looks like currently.
3. Assess and improve your time management strategies every now and then
“Practice without improvement is meaningless."
-Chuck Knox
As working artists, we generally have to keep up with several different ways of making an income. As opposed to having only one "main" job, we have several smaller jobs that can fluctuate from month to month.
It's impossible to know when a new event, commission or opportunity for collaboration will pop up, amongst many other items that may require more attention one month than the next.
3. Assess and improve your time management strategies every now and then
“Practice without improvement is meaningless."
-Chuck Knox
As working artists, we generally have to keep up with several different ways of making an income. As opposed to having only one "main" job, we have several smaller jobs that can fluctuate from month to month.
It's impossible to know when a new event, commission or opportunity for collaboration will pop up, amongst many other items that may require more attention one month than the next.
Nonetheless, it's important to assess our strategies every now and then in order to pinpoint any improvements we can make. I usually like doing this at the end of each month, especially now that my business is growing and more responsibilities/opportunities are popping up. It's imperative to create at least some level of routine to stay sane and healthy!
We must avoid burnout at all costs.
I recommend doing a general weekly schedule assessment every month to two months, so you can create any changes and improve your productivity even more. Think about tasks that would perhaps work better in different time blocks, or maybe activities that need longer blocks than initially planned.
I know I personally tend to underestimate the amount of time I need to complete certain tasks, especially when it comes to creating art and planning new projects!
Assessing your systems regularly will allow you to keep improving your productivity levels over time. Improvement is the name of the game when you are building a business!
4. Identify personal time-wasters and cut down on distractions
“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks."
-Winston Churchill
In this world of constant distraction, it's imperative to think about whether those activities that take up so much of our time are actually helping us move closer to our goals or not.
Don't get me wrong, it's very important to have time for fun and relaxation, and I think these times should be scheduled in as well so that we make sure we're enjoying our lives.
However, we should be honest with ourselves! If you find you're wasting hours on end stalking people on social media, constantly engaging in negative small-talk with others, or spending valuable time on activities that bring nothing positive to your life, cut them out!
I'm personally completely unapologetic about cutting activities and even negative people out of my life at this point. I'd much rather be resting in order to be as productive as possible the following day, instead of staying up late and partying constantly.
If you find this too hard, at the very least avoid doing these activities during times that you should be productive. And also protect the time you should be resting because this will affect your productivity levels the following day!
I find it very important to be able to focus and diminish distractions at all costs when I'm in creative mode. Personally, I like shutting off my phone or leaving it in another room when I'm drawing or painting.
I also try to diminish multitasking throughout the day as much as I can (studies have found that what we do when we multitask is mediocre at best).
I really recommend giving some thought to what your personal time-wasters are and try to identify when it is that you find yourself getting sucked into them.
If there's anything you really enjoy doing or need to do, schedule it!
5. Learn to say NO
“We must say "no" to what, in our heart, we don't want. We must say "no" to doing things out of obligation, thereby cheating those important to us of the purest expression of our love. We must say "no" to treating ourselves, our health, our needs as not as important as someone else's. We must say “no.”
-Suzette R. Hinton
Remember, time is finite resource and every single minute that goes by is a minute you will not get back. Life is short and we have to make sure we're spending our valuable time doing activities that will get us closer to our goals and overall happiness.
Set your non-negotiables from the start and account for that time every day/week. For me, non-negotiables include time to work out, enjoy home cooked meals, and to get decent rest every-single-day. I also like having time to spend with my husband at the end of each work day.
If an "urgent" project pops up from out of nowhere, it has to really be something that will get me closer to my goals in order for me to take it. I rarely say yes to projects brought up by people that give me the impression of not respecting my time.
I respect other peoples' time immensely, and expect them to do the same for me.
Similarly, I avoid saying 'yes' to every single social gathering I'm invited to. Needs for social time vary from person to person, and as an introvert, I know that I have a limit.
Though it's important to have social time, I also need to rest and take care of myself. Any true friend will understand and respect that.
Another thing I like to do, is letting my loved ones know what I'm currently up to and how my schedule is looking. This way, they are aware of when you'll be available and there's less of a chance you'll have to say 'no' to those you really care about.
6. Make time for organization
“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned."
-Benjamin Franklin
A lot of time is wasted when we have to look for things. By keeping your work area, supplies and artwork organized you'll not only be able to find whatever you need faster, but you'll also avoid lost/damaged work, accidents and a lot of anxiety. At the end of each workday, I like to spend a few minutes organizing my studio/office so that the next morning I am inspired to start right away.
As artists, our computers, phones and other devices collect a lot of reference image files, scanned artwork, etc. I recommend keeping these digital files organized and labelled appropriately. Create back-ups every now and then!
Being organized is especially important because, being self-employed, you will have to stay on top of client projects, inventory, and accounting! Set systems in place for each of these that will allow you to waste less time doing admin work and more time actually creating.
7. Consider delegating tasks or investing in time-saving tools
“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do."
-Jessica Jackley
Like a lot of other workaholics, I'm guilty of burning myself out after thinking I'm perfectly capable of doing everything on my own. The fact of the matter is that there are only 24 hours in a day and there's a lot going on that we have no control over.
The sooner we accept that nothing will ever be perfect and that we're not superheroes capable of doing everything by ourselves, the better.
Whether it's house chores or business tasks, think of people that may be able to help you out.
What do you really have to do yourself, and what can be done by someone else in your current life situation? Is it possible for you to invest in hiring an assistant or in tools that can automize tasks that are taking away time you could be spending creating art?
Once your business takes off and/or you have the resources to get help, I suggest you do it. You can delegate the tasks that don't excite you as much like maintaining your website, cleaning your studio/office, scanning and organizing artwork, etc.
This will allow you more time and energy to focus on producing artwork and improving your skills.
Do your best when you can, and learn to let go of what you can't control.
8. Keep pushing and DON'T FORGET to celebrate your accomplishments
“Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best."
-Theodore Isaac Rubin
We usually tend to focus on everything that we have yet to do and don't ever take a moment to realize how far we have come since we started. Just like it's essential to keep moving forward, it's important to look back and take note of everything we've been able to accomplish.
Milestones, no matter how small, are important and acknowledging them will encourage us to keep working hard towards achieving our goals.
Do your best daily and stay focused on what is important to you. Be proud of yourself for acknowledging your passions and working towards them!
8. Keep pushing and DON'T FORGET to celebrate your accomplishments
“Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best."
-Theodore Isaac Rubin
We usually tend to focus on everything that we have yet to do and don't ever take a moment to realize how far we have come since we started. Just like it's essential to keep moving forward, it's important to look back and take note of everything we've been able to accomplish.
Milestones, no matter how small, are important and acknowledging them will encourage us to keep working hard towards achieving our goals.
Do your best daily and stay focused on what is important to you. Be proud of yourself for acknowledging your passions and working towards them!
It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one.
-Chuck Palahniuk
Have other people's comments ever made you want to stop creating art? Do you admire artists who share their drawings or paintings all-the-time and aren't affected by other people's opinions? Ever wondered how much more productive and successful you'd be if you didn't allow other people's opinions to interfere with what you want to achieve in life?
Criticism, whether constructive or not, will be a recurring element in any artist's career. The fact of the matter is that, in order to get recognized for our work and make any sort of income from it, we have to constantly put both it and ourselves out there. And, the more we put ourselves out there, the more we open ourselves to others' opinions.
It's important to learn not to take things personally, and not allow other people's words to keep us from producing the work we want to be creating. Realize that, no matter how skilled or well-intentioned someone is, there will always be people that do not agree with him/her. And also realize, that it's not your job to get everyone to like your work.
It is your job, however, to get your work out there so that the people that do resonate with it (and you) get to know about it.
In today's blog post, I will explain why criticism is an important part of any artist's career and when to actually consider taking other people's opinions. I'll also share some practical tips to apply when receiving critique that will help you maintain professionalism, and also gain respect from others.
This is incredibly important if we're serious about creating an art career for ourselves.
To finish up, I will clarify how to properly critique a work of art using Feldman's 4-Step Method. I added this final section for both artists and non-artists. As artists, it's very important to know how to both talk about our own work, as well as how to analyze other artists' work.
As non-artists, I feel it's important to know how to properly provide feedback to the creator or a drawing or painting, in a way that is actually constructive.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
What is Art Criticism and Why is it Important in an Artist's Life?
The term art criticism refers to the analysis, evaluation and discussion of an artwork. It requires the participant to reflect about a particular work of art and make a personal, substantiated interpretation of the piece.
The term was first used in 1719 by English painter Jonathan Richardson in his publication An Essay on the Whole Art of Criticism.
In his book, Richardson attempted to create a system to rank works of art based on drawing, composition, invention and use of color. Aside from analyzing the piece itself, professional art critics also question whether an artwork has importance within its historical context and how it relates to works before it.
Criticism (the constructive kind) is necessary in an artist's life because it is quite simply one of the best ways to improve our work. We should actively seek ways to better our skills, not only in terms of technique, but in how well we are able to engage and connect with the public.
Even though most of us create in solitude, we do it with the purpose of eventually sharing our art with the world.
Not everyone will react favorably, of course, but we should keep creating for those people that do find themselves in our work.
How to Take Criticism Like a Champ
Taking criticism is hard for anybody. However, as artists, we most frequently create in solitude and do not share responsibilities with anyone other but ourselves. This can make the experience a lot more personal and harder to deal with. Here are 10 tips that will help you receive and digest other people's comments in an effective way.
Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.
How to Critique Artwork Constructively
In his essay The Psychology of the Critic and Psychological Criticism (1962), author Philip Weissman argues that an art critic needs to have knowledge in the field in order to make a judgement. I'm including this final section because I want to encourage people to share their opinions about art in an intelligent, substantiated way that shows appreciation and leads to positive growth.
Constructive criticism is based on facts, and only after proper analysis can judgement be made. Negative opinions void of any objective reasoning should be ignored.
I will be using Edmund Feldman's method of critiquing for the purpose of this explanation. His proposed system involves four steps: description, analysis, interpretation and judgement.
You will notice how the first two steps of the process are the study of objective facts found within an artwork and the second half is more subjective in the sense that they require the participant to make connections, reflect and finally share a personal opinion.
How to Critique Artwork Constructively
In his essay The Psychology of the Critic and Psychological Criticism (1962), author Philip Weissman argues that an art critic needs to have knowledge in the field in order to make a judgement. I'm including this final section because I want to encourage people to share their opinions about art in an intelligent, substantiated way that shows appreciation and leads to positive growth.
Constructive criticism is based on facts, and only after proper analysis can judgement be made. Negative opinions void of any objective reasoning should be ignored.
I will be using Edmund Feldman's method of critiquing for the purpose of this explanation. His proposed system involves four steps: description, analysis, interpretation and judgement.
You will notice how the first two steps of the process are the study of objective facts found within an artwork and the second half is more subjective in the sense that they require the participant to make connections, reflect and finally share a personal opinion.
As an example, I will apply Feldman's method of critiquing to the following masterpiece by the great Edward Hopper:
1. Description:
-This piece is titled Nighthawks and it was created by American painter Edward Hopper in 1942, amidst the socio-political turmoil caused by the ongoing World War 2. It is also important to note that Hopper lived through the Great Depression, which was an extremely hard economic time for many countries.
-The scene is very American and set within Hopper's time judging by architectural design and the dressing style of the subjects. It portrays a sense of everyday life in an American city.
-Hopper has mentioned that he was inspired by a particular diner in Greenwich Village, where he lived and worked from the time he was 31 until his death. However, it is not meant to be a direct representation and, by the lack of detail, one gets the sense that it could be any diner in any city.
-The medium used was oil paint and the style is quite realistic but not heavily detailed.
-In terms of Elements of Art, what strike out most are use of color, shape, space, form and line.
-One could say that the subject of the piece is the diner itself. However, inside it we can see four different characters. Our eyes gravitate towards the only woman included in the piece, due to the bright color of her clothes and hair. Hers is the only face we can see almost completely.
-The composition in itself is quite simple but is visually very engaging.
2. Analysis:
-The composition is divided into thirds and the diner takes up approximately two thirds of the entire area.
-The use of color in this piece is quite striking. The bright yellow hue used inside the diner, which creates the effect of fluorescent lighting, contrasts with the colors outside of it and provides emphasis on this area of the painting, where the subjects are located.
-There is a sense of illumination created by the diner's unnatural light. It spills onto the concrete outside and creates a few stark shadows. We can easily tell that it is nighttime, but we understand this from the moment we read the title of the piece.
-Muted, dark colors are used on the facades of the buildings and street elements outside of the diner. Very few details are included in this area, which further draws the viewer's focus to the inside of the diner.
-There is almost no sense of movement perceived, even within the diner.
-There is an asymmetrical balance achieved in the arrangement of forms within the composition. There is just the right amount of form and detail within the small area outside the diner to balance it with the enclosed area of interest.
-There are various lines included within the composition. The vertical lines used to create the windows of the diner and the buildings behind it ground the piece. At the same time, strong diagonals create the form of the diner and lead to a vanishing point somewhere outside the piece, to the left (linear perspective).
-These lines also create a triangular shape containing the subjects, making it look like the front part of a ship.
-Windows, architectural elements, and bar stools, create patterns and repetition in certain areas of the piece, transmitting a certain sense of order.
-Hopper creates very smooth paintings, leaving out texture (probably deliberately). We are only able to tell that there is glass separating us from the people inside the diner because of the edge painted at the end of the building. There is no door to be seen.
3. Interpretation:
-Even though a lot of people consider Nighthawks an expression of Americans' feelings during the WW2 period, Hopper's wife once said that he deliberately chose to ignore the chaos going on around him, immersing himself in his work. The Pearl Harbor bombing occurred only a few days after this painting was completed.
-It is important to note that Hopper also lived through the Great Depression and did struggle economically for quite some time. Isolation and disconnect are present in many of Hopper's paintings even before WW2 started.
-This great artist was once quoted saying: "I don't think I ever tried to paint the American scene. I'm trying to paint myself." This tells us that Hopper used his work as a means of self-discovery and personal reflection.
-The emptiness in the piece, combined with lack of movement/expression, as well as the fact that these people seem close and yet apart (both amongst themselves and from the viewer), transmits feelings of loneliness and isolation. Even the couple sitting together seems detached. They could be married or they could be total strangers that just met.
-The stillness and silence make me feel like something is about to happen.
4. Judgement
-I believe this piece is extremely effective in both technique and narrative. For me, both are essential in an artwork and Hopper's painting definitely shows both.
-I really admire Hopper's painting style as he creates a specific level of realism but retains visible brushstrokes, leaving out high amounts of detail.
-He was also immensely talented in terms of being able to transmit specific feelings and ideas to the viewer. His work is simple, displays common scenes, and yet is extremely psychological, making the viewer think whether there is another layer to everyday life.
-With every piece, the artist incites us to connect the dots and come up with stories. His work is compelling, even today.
-Hopper is known for taking a long time to complete his works, and the effectiveness of his paintings really show a deliberate study and planning on his part.
-Personally, I feel like a lot of Hopper's work (Nighthawks included) is able to resonate with people even today. I think the modern world is so fast-paced and immersed in technology (especially larger cities), that we lack deep communication with one another. We can be surrounded by large amounts of people and yet feel incredibly alone.
-Also, the lack of expression in Hopper's subjects reminds me of how we are becoming more and more desensitized by violence and, at times, lack the humanity to connect with others. We are together in this world and yet, almost everyday, we ignore there are others beside us that may need help. Everyone is their own island!
Because you will likely by receiving both positive and negative criticism on a regular basis, it is vital for you to start training yourself to respond in a professional manner and, more importantly, to not let it stop you from moving forward in your artistic journey.
It's extremely unfortunate when artists never show their work out of fear of failure or criticism. Please remember that being brave enough to share work you have worked hard on is an accomplishment in and of itself!
To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.
-Elbert Hubbard
Have you ever had any particularly bad experiences receiving criticism? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.
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is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites
to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
www.erikalancaster.com
is a participant in the Shareasale.com Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Shareasale.com partner companies.