I've been thinking alot about what the differences are between painting and photography as an art form. Since I took up painting again, I've had my share of failures. But sometimes it wasn't a matter of execution. I tend to paint from photographs and choose photographs that I like and that evoke a feeling of some measure in me. The problem with some of these failures is that though the photographic image may be lovely, powerful, interesting and beautiful etc, as a painting the image fails.
And so the question is why?
I've been thinking about it a bit. But haven't really concluded anything.
Some of it may be a lack of "focal point". Do we demand more of a painting when it comes to this? There must be a more obvious reason a painting was painted?
Posts
This is an email reply from a friend:
ReplyDeleteI think photography and painting should be held to the exact same
standards of art structure and applied design.
Because photography
can involve elements of luck (with timing and lighting), there are those
who would disagree. But they'd be wrong.
re: Inspiration:
Nothing is "art" until it's been both created and shown to at least one other person.
But many artists make the mistake of thinking that their inspiration or reasoning
behind the work is important to people. It is not. Only the results count.
The work must stand on its own, without explanation.
Inspiration or reasoning is part of the artist's motivation, but only the emotional
reaction of the viewer can complete the artistic process.
re: Focal Point: Abstract Expressionism was (thankfully) a passing phase, and now,
as it was then, people still look for a focal point in any art form, even sculpture.
As an artist, you don't have to appease this natural desire. But it's there.
Why individual paintings "fail" has to be analyzed on an individual
per-painting basis and factored in with the expectations of the artist.
(How they define "failure".)
Greg
This is my friend Leneke's view
ReplyDeletesometimes we must paint to Just paint ...we have no control over what flows out of the brushes...it just happens as it will... it's all good !
Leneke