Thoughts on painting, from an artist

[Avelorn]

I think something like Magmatrax is still possible if you want awards. Ie putting in insane amount of work on one mini, carefully studying techniques etc. and being very deliberate when practicing. I'm not sure it necessarily makes you a great painter though. Depends what we mean.

Somehow I think coolmini gave more tough love earlier. Think it's very supportive and encouraging now, which I guess is good but it's bordering on I don't know. If you call everything amazing and mindblowing what words have you left for a guy like Kirils Kanevs work? Or maybe I'm just becoming a sour old git.

 

[Bailey03]

I think what Jessica is saying in this blog is that open your eyes to reality we don't get success handed to us on a plate. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears and plenty of practise were her, and still are our, companions on the journey.

I definitely agree with that!

Avelorn, I know what you mean. Over on PlanetFigure people were complaining that they'd post work and then people would only respond with posts like "great work!", "love it", etc. but never any real constructive criticism. Not that they wanted anyone to be mean and tear them down, but they just wanted honest feedback so they could keep improving. That site eventually created a separate part of the forum called "Brutal Honesty" just for that sort of thing.

I feel like the forum here, especially the WIP section, has a decent mix of positive comments and constructive criticism. We tend to tailor it to the skill level of the painter (I have different expectations for a beginner painter than for an experienced pro). But, if you ask for help on improving or what should be fixed on a project, I think you usually get a decent response on the forum. Maybe we tend to wait too much before giving the constructive criticism, but some people want more of that while others may just want the encouragement. I guess we tend to err on the side of being nice rather than being critics.

 

[MAXXxxx]

Avelorn, I know what you mean. Over on PlanetFigure people were complaining that they'd post work and then people would only respond with posts like "great work!", "love it", etc. but never any real constructive criticism. Not that they wanted anyone to be mean and tear them down, but they just wanted honest feedback so they could keep improving. That site eventually created a separate part of the forum called "Brutal Honesty" just for that sort of thing.

maybe a brutal honest wip would be good here too
Or maybe I should just open a 2nd wip from me for brutal criticism. (this one is a lot less work for the admins )

I feel like the forum here, especially the WIP section, has a decent mix of positive comments and constructive criticism. But, if you ask for help on improving or what should be fixed on a project, I think you usually get a decent response on the forum.

I feel only the positive comments are here. I asked in my wip multiple times for criticism. Last time I got something was from you and 10Ball on the GoT-Tywin bust. And that was in 2014.
So I basically gave up posting anything substantial in the wip. All I got was either the positive comments or quite often nothing. Killed the motivation in me enough, that since 2015 Nov I painted less than 8 TTQ figures, nothing worth uploading to gallery or putting in a display cabinet.

 

[KruleBear]

Interesting article Jessica and thanks for sharing the link gohkam.

I agree with Bailey on the wips here, seems the responses are adjusted based on the level of the painter and what they have expressed they are hoping to accomplish with their painting. I often feel like an ass providing the constructive criticism as most painters are more skilled than I...I suspect mostly due to my lack of painting time as Jessica mentions. But If something looks off ar someone is trying to compete at a higher level, I try to provide my thoughts.

If I want sugar coated pats on the back, I check out the Reaper forum which seems more geared to the tabletop family community as opposed to taking your painting to another level.

 

[Mdlbuildr]

You get out what you put in.

I've been very impressed with this forum that it seems to be be helpful to those that needs it (like me!), and also very critical of those that are at the next level.

I'm personally here to learn and get tips on how to improve, but ultimately, I paint for me.

That being said, if you are looking to do this as a career, you need to know that the career path you've chosen is an exceptionally difficult one. There are tens of thousands of very talented artists out there, and sometimes, incredible success has little to do with actual skill. Sometimes the most successful aren't the most skilled and just being at the right place at the right time is all it takes. Those "overnight successes" everyone reads about have had a very long "overnight". Sometimes 10-20 years.

 

[khavor]

Good article and an interesting discussion. Thanks Jessica and Gohkm. And I think DR and Bailey have hit the nail on the head:

I think what Jessica is saying in this blog is that open your eyes to reality we don't get success handed to us on a plate. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears and plenty of practise were her, and still are our, companions on the journey.

It's up to each of us to decide what we want out of this hobby, and invest accordingly. If you only want to paint a few hours a week, then just paint a few hours a week, but don't be upset if you never win a crystal brush. If you want that type of success, be prepared to put in the time.

I think it's interesting that the discussion has turned to the forums, and specifically the WIPs though. This can be a lonely hobby if you are stuck in the middle of those 10,000 - 75,000 hours. While I think we all need some encouragement at times, and that's one of the reasons for posting, most of us do want honest feedback. Even if you don't have the time for a full-blown critique of a mini, it doesn't take a lot of time to give one good thing/one bad thing you see. I do agree with KruleBear that it's daunting to give feedback to someone more proficient than you, but even just saying 'I like this' and 'I don't like this' can give someone an idea of what works, what catches the eye, and what needs improvement.

I'm personally here to learn and get tips on how to improve, but ultimately, I paint for me.

Agree, nice sentiment. I was away from the hobby for a few years and found I really missed having that artistic outlet, which I really didn't have a replacement for. I've also made a lot of friends in this hobby too though, and missed sharing that common interest.

 

[TheLost]

Jessica, excellent article!

I love the part on awards and how a painter should not be defined by public validation. And yes, opinions are like a$$ holes...everyone has them! lol

I also love the theme of your article, which to me, is just go paint!! I'm gonna keep this article as motivation... I'm not sure if it was a bitchy rant or not (didn't sound like one), but I got a good chuckle out of it, and felt motivated to pick up a brush again.

And Jessica, your comment on NMM...freakin classic! That's exactly what I think... Sorcery I can't rap my brain around lol!!!

Keep it up, and hope to see you at ReaperCon in October 2016!