I've always loved art. Always admired people who could seemingly with ease turn out wonderful looking paintings and wished I could do it. My own experience with art consisted of a few art classes while I was at school. These usually ended with disapproving facial gestures and body language from the teachers, leaving me to believe that I didn't have that mysterious "gift" that only a certain few could possess. I left school believing that artists were born not made, and that I could never join the ranks of painters or turn out a good drawing.
The need to express myself through art never left and I couldn't pick up a piece of paper without doodling on it. I had been conditioned to believe that I could never draw or paint and quickly forgot about trying to do so. I got on with my life and raised my children, losing myself in work. But the urge to paint was always in the background, gnawing away at me.
With age comes greater confidence. And as I grew older I began to question everything I'd been told about needing a gift to paint. Who were these mediocre teachers that were destroying the urge to be creative in children. Sending them into the world with false beliefes about their lack of competence to acquire certain skills. What was this so-called "gift" referred to by a few smug people?
Once my children had grown up I decided to challenge the belief that I didn't have the abiity to paint. I looked for an art class but because I work shifts this made it difficult for me to attens so I bought a few books and practiced the techniques and discovered that I could turn some good pictures out.
Books are great, I love them you can learn lots of wonderful information from reading them. But they lack the competence of showing you how to perform a certain technique. If you are interpreting something the wrong way, you have no way of knowing without being able to see the artist perform the technique.
The best way would be to attend a class but this is not always possible if you have a heavy work schedule. This was frustrating. Then I discovered a whole new method of instruction. The Dvd. I discovered the art instructional DVD and I suddenly started to learn faster than ever. I love Art instructional DVDs . You can watch your favourite artist on the screen showing you how to perform certain techniques. And the best thing is, if you don't understand it the first time, you can replay it until you grasp the technique.
Through books and DVDs I have been able to realise that I did have the ability to paint all the time. It was always there, suppressed in childhood by mediocre teachers and held down by a false belief. Now I love to paint. For my own pleasure no one else's. I don't need anyone's opinion to tell me what's good and what isn't because as long as I'm happy with what I do, and as long as I enjoy doing it that's all that matters. I know I'm not brilliant, but so what.
It's the same for many people. They would like to try painting but are afraid because of negative experiences. They are afraid to join a class because they believe that everyone will be better than themselves, a belief that is usually wrong.
Author Info:
I started my business http://www.artscraftsandhobbies.co.uk an online art store to gather a wide range of quality Dvds and books catering for the learning artist and have built up quiet a large customer base. Don't be afraid to have a go at painting. If it's something you've always fancied doing but are afraid to start. Forget your fear it's illusionary. Just have a go. You'll surprise yourself.
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