I'm approaching the finish line of the timeframe I've set for myself back in 2012 when I started this project. I'm almost at the end of my official training. Of course, that does not mean I will not train anymore. I will continue to do so daily, if all goes well, as I've been doing for the last 4 years.
My final big push is currently underway with Anthony Jones' "Painting with Confidence" class at Learn Squared
Today, I will post my notes from the first week of my Painting with Confidence class and show a couple of studies I did as part of my homework for the first week.
1. Stay focused on 1 or 2 things at a time
- do it well, as best as you possibly can; use precise, clean thick/thin lines and precise clean strokes
- after test, write down what you did wrong
- write down what you learned
- identify a shape precisely before you size it
- size a shape precisely before you place it
2. Test/ Focus, Correction (with everything from point 1 in mind)
3. Discover how to get it right, don't guess
- from biggest shapes to smallest + negative (see example in the image)
- always thin lines, except:
. ambient occlusion / contact shadows
. cast shadow side
. exact point of overlap
4. Overlap + cast shadow (thick/thin lines) go hand in hand
5. Rendering skill: 10 - 20 hours marathon to finish 1 painting
6. Knowing that push-ups make you stronger will not make you stronger; practicing push-ups without correct form and knowledge will usually be an ineffective waste of time and effort.
- doing studies is how you gain knowledge, but not skill
- doing careful practice and thoughtful repetition is how you acquire skill, but limited knowledge
Here are some of the 10 minute studies I did for this class
