7 Steps for Better Paintings: Change Your Art, Change Your Life!
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Watercolor Success! 7 Steps to Improve Your Paintings & Your Life
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Transcript of 7 Steps for Better Paintings: Change Your Art, Change Your Life!
Watercolor Success!7 Steps to Improve Your
Paintings & Your Life
Artist Angela Fehr20 years' watercolor painting experience
www.AngelaFehr.com
Question: What are your core beliefs regarding watercolor? Question: How are you approaching the medium?
Many people have told me...
● Watercolor is the hardest medium.● You can't fix mistakes in watercolor.● Watercolor isn't taken seriously in the art world.● Artists are born, not made.● You can't make a living as an artist.● Serious artists don't paint flowers.● I don't have time to learn to paint.● Don't embarrass yourself by trying to paint.
But I believe...
Watercolor is a unique and rewarding medium. ● no other medium is so dynamic● transparency absolutely unparalleled● it's practical: affordable, portable, easy to set up and clean up● it is enjoying a revival in our culture (see my pinterest board, next slide)
● watercolor people are the some of the best kind of people● there are no rules except those in your head
http://pinterest.com/angelfehr
A look at my Pinterest board demonstrates the versatility & modernity of watercolor, not to mention its popularity!
My first “good” painting – this is the one that gave me the confidence to say, “I am an artist.”
Teaching watercolor helped me learn to articulate watercolor techniques and processes.
Not every artist is a good teacher! Find a teacher who is a good fit for your style & teaches well.
Artists must wear many hats. I paint, teach, do my own marketing, framing and web design to earn an income from my art. Painting sales are only a small portion of my income.
There is an unseen element to creating art that is crucial to success. When I began pursuing that unseen element over everything else, my career began to grow.
I won awards; shown here accepting “People's Choice” for “Huckleberry Hill” (painting shown at left) in 2013. I sold more paintings, saw my reputation increase.
In 2011 I started filming painting tutorials for YouTube.Despite the poor quality of the early videos, there was a great response and my channel grew.As of August, 2015:2 million views25,000 subscribers63 videosAd revenue creates monthly income –that one income stream alone pays for my art supplies.Http://youtube.com/angelfehr
In 2013 I created my first paid course:● Opportunity to connect with YouTube audience to provide
– Better content– Personalized critiques & guidance– More in-depth, targeted teaching based on students' needs & requests
● Grow my teaching career outside of my region, create an online “classroom”
April 2015:● 3000+ students● 5 courses
– Loose & Fluid Watercolor Painting I
– Color-Drenched Florals in Watercolor
– Composing Basic Landscapes in Watercolor
– Basic Techniques in Watercolor
– Holiday Mini Watercolor Course
Success Step 1:● Technique
– Study & refine your technique; this is a lifelong process
– There is no shame in learning. Serious artists know that there will always be more to learn. Embrace the stage you are in; be proud of your best work no matter how far you have yet to travel.
– There are levels of readiness; you cannot learn all techniques & principles at once. Give yourself time to learn new concepts before moving to the next.
Success Step 2:● Play
– Reject guilt over your paintings. Enjoy the time you have to devote to painting, rather than feeling guilty you aren't painting more often.
– Don't feel like you have to be structured or scientific in learning if that is not your style. Learning doesn't have to be work!
– Breakthroughs happen when we experiment, explore, PLAY! If you are feeling frustrated, often that means a breakthrough is just around the corner.
Sucess Step 3● Adjust Expectations
– Who are you comparing to? You cannot gauge your growth by looking at someone else. You don't know their journey.
– Remind yourself: 1. I am learning. 2. no one else can paint like me!
– Take time to look at how far you've come.
Success Step 4● Good Instruction
– Be choosy in finding instructors you can learn from.
– Take advantage of resources: books, magazines, videos, online courses
– No instruction available? You can be your own best teacher. It is possible to learn technique through trial & error (it just might take a little longer).
Success Step 5● Materials
– Your art deserves the best you can afford.
– Great paper is critical for responsive washes.
– Consider it an investment in your mental health – you are worth it!
See my list of recommended supplies at: http://bit.ly/1FkQf5p
Success Step 6● Break the rules!
– Our inner critic & fear of failure constrains us more than anything else.– Be a rebel!– Trying new things that go against
what you've been taught gives you courage.
Success Step 7: M0st Important!!● Redefine Success
– How will you know you've succeeded?– Using tangible goals creates a sliding standard.
“I'll be successful when I show in a gallery/sell a painting/win an award.” The goal is always changing.
– Whose art is it, anyhow? Are you letting others dictate your success?– Pursuing pure self-expression creates the opportunity for deep satisfaction
whatever the outcome.
Testimonials:● I am drawn to Angela’s painting style because of the fluid, relaxing
flow. I love to watch her videos and feel her love for this medium and respect her talent for teaching. She is clear with her instruction and generous with her knowledge. I look forward to more from this extremely talented artist and feel blessed to have discovered her. – Deb
● Angela is a great watercolor artist and very competent teacher. Watercolor is a media difficult to master. She knows how to pass important information, her explanations are clear and easy to follow. I have been learning watercolor only from watching videos, her tutorials are the best I have followed. Angela painting corresponds exactly to the style I want to express: fluidity. – Annick
I have always painted detail, but my desire is to paint “feeling”. This class has shown me how to “think” and plan. I’ve never know how to use a photo, but now I can try it because of Angela’s instructions. The lessons are very informative and they inspired me to try loose painting techniques and to try to get a mood and feeling in my artwork. I look forward to trying to accomplish these things. I won’t hold myself to perfection as I usually do, but rather, feel free and “express” my feelings in my art.- Deborah
● I am drawn to Angela’s painting style because of the fluid, relaxing flow. I love to watch her videos and feel her love for this medium and respect her talent for teaching. She is clear with her instruction and generous with her knowledge. I look forward to more from this extremely talented artist and feel blessed to have discovered her. – Deb
● I am new to watercolor and Angela's course has helped me to learn watercolor techniques and the vocabulary of watercolor. It's all beginning to make sense to me, and Angela is always available with pointers and critiques that are helpful. Also, I've enjoyed meeting other painters as we share our Projects. Most of all, I like Angela's clear, precise, instructional approach to the art of watercolor!- Patricia
Course Promotion:save 50% off one course of your choice
Email me: [email protected] Include the name of the course you want to buy
and the subject “SLIDESHARE”.
