Psychological back to school

It's been a long time since I posted a news. Unfortunately, my private health does not allow me to paint, test and compose new articles for my blog.

Meanwhile, managing the pain, I was able to push my research further by reading a lot and intervening on social networking sites.

When I started to recover making the end of the month doubt, I made a watercolor on order. Something I do not normally do, but that was unavoidable because it was a very close person who had asked badly. It was therefore rather a gesture of friendship than pecuniary interest. This person had asked me to favor certain colors that I do not normally use.

This order was certainly a restraint, but this allowed me to deepen how to proceed in stages to compose a harmonious palette From color and pigments I do not use regularly. I have recorded the steps that will be detailed in a future article.

It was a bit of history that is repeated because, in the past, many artists had to live on commissions and follow the instructions given by their clients, sponsors or patrons.

So I posted on Facebook a small report with the painting in question, without waiting for me to receive quite lively reactions.
Some C.G. posted two comments on this publication. I'm willing to share with you, what I think to be unfounded questions observing a lot of publication on social networks and on the Internet. It is thus about the remuneration of an artist and the questioning of his know-how.

 I hope you would like to give your opinion on the questions and my answers. Here is the Q & A I received from C.G.

• CG What is it worth to paint if it is to make a history of money damage in some prices of paintings are reserved because the prices are prohibitive .. fortunately, some painters are closer to people who love the arts and the creation and draw on occasion for the pleasure of making a gesture.

My answer :

For me, art is not about money, as for many artists that I frequent regularly. But as artists, and that's a big word because what is an artist? we must buy everything to create. After a while, we have so many canvases or watercolors that we must make room and also be able to benefit people who love our work.

If from time to time we accept orders, because the supplies are expensive, not to make money but to continue to create.

Sorry, but I find your reactions not very thoughtful and in terms of exorbitant prices, it is true that some famous artists ask for high prices, but we must also count the time they took to acquire their technique and the slow accession to get where they are now.

I can tell you that on average I sell my watercolors according to the format between 60 and 150 €. I use on average 180 sheets of watercolor per year at a price of about 5 € each. For painting and pigments, I pay more than € 2,000.00 per year in addition to about € 500 for brushes, pallets, and utensils. It's a budget of around € 4,000.00 per year. Entries are in the range of 3.000,00 € so I am 1.000,00 € from my pocket. I

n addition I do not count the expenses of displacements, participation in internships, exhibitions etc ... which are still digging the budget.

If I do not sell, I will not be able to continue to paint, do my research and feed my blog to help other artists who do not have access to all these products. But to everyone's opinions, know that it takes a lot of time and effort to achieve it and in my opinion, it has nothing to do with money.

Vincent van Gogh would have never been known if his brother had not supported him financially and this concerns many great artists, some of whom have become rich thanks to their art during their lives, but many have never been able to benefit of the value of their art, for celebrity only came after their death.

Then after I receive it's observations:

• C.G To see the number of watercolorists one wonders if it is such an art difficult to practice.

My answer :

Watercolor today is often practiced by many people as a hobby, it's a bit like the wave of coloring books, paint by numbers or mandalas. People try to follow step by step without deepening the medium. This is a delight for course organizers, step by step in magazines and the release of many books.

As I also paint with oil and Acrylic, I can confirm that watercolor is one of the most difficult media to master, we can almost recover a fault! In oil, pastel or acrylic we pass on it with another layer, in watercolor we can try to repent or to glaze, but we always see the intervention.

In the noble medium (oil) and a little less in the case of acrylic, the supports (canvases) are much more expensive than the watercolor paper which makes that the artists plan their works. In watercolor, most of the painters do a sketch on their sheet and attack, without sketching, studies or sketches beforehand and this often produces works whose composition, analysis of tones and values are misplaced. Conclusion, all artistic creation requires preparation and technique (acquired by oneself or through studies or participation in internships).

Watercolor has many different ways to make watercolors. The other mediums have more flexible black and white, and it is for these reasons that we can say that watercolor is one of the most difficult to master. And to conclude, watercolor is popular because you do not have to have a lot of material to practice it. It is a medium very dirty compared to oil painting or acrylic. We use very little paint and a lot of water, which makes painting watercolor cheap. And besides it is so easy to bring with you, it does not weigh much and a notebook is enough to express itself.

I am very interested to know your point of view as well as artists or as an art lover. But I know it's pretty heavy start the school year with a reflection psychological, but I promise you that in my next publication, I will return my technical observations.

The next post will cover topics that I would like to develop soon. In order to know your preferences, I will create a survey on my Facebook page, which I will join to know your opinion and preference for planning the order of publishing.

See you soon and keep your brushes ready.

Désiré