Paint The Things You Find Difficult To Paint
The best advice I got from an art class was, If you find something difficult to paint, paint it over and over again, until it’s less hard.
We often avoid painting the hard things, for some people that could be faces or clouds or horses. Avoiding the thing you don’t like to paint doesn’t make painting easier. It just means you’re now coming up with ways to not paint those things. I, personally, used to find hands very hard to paint, so I would often paint or draw people putting their hands in their pockets or placed behind them or under things. It was obvious, to me, that I was avoiding hands.
Then I decided to tackle hands.
• I painted them over and over again. I even created a painting that was focused on hands so I could practice.
• I dedicated a whole sketchbook to hands.
• I bought a hand mannequin to help with different positions and perspectives.
• When I paint someone, I try and always include the hands. No more hiding hands!
• I’ve observed that a resting hand vs an active hand. If someone is just standing there, the fingers are not often straight.
Painting those difficult things over and over isn’t easy. You’re going to not enjoy the process, especially in the beginning, but the more you do it, the easier it will become. Don’t just do something 10 times. Do it 100 times. It might still be difficult but you’ll understand it so much more and even accept all your imperfections.
What do you find difficult to paint?
I hope you find the courage to try and master the thing you avoid.
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