Have you ever considered that knowledge can hold you back? Some people have come to depend on the knowledge they are accumulating - applying an even wash, ensuring no blooms, ensuring there is sufficient contrast, etc. yet they struggle to get their paintings to the next level. I don't dispute that technical knowledge is required to produce better paintings. That knowledge is necessary to give us the confidence artists needs. However, that knowledge sometimes needs to be kept in the artist's back pocket to allow the magic of letting go to happen.
The artists I admire have an incredible amount of technical knowledge but often times they seem to paint intuitively and don't over analyze what they are doing. They don't even realize what they are doing. It's like riding a bike, you don't think of the mechanics of moving your legs, maintaining your balance, you just ride it and enjoy yourself. This is called unconscious competence and is often sited as the fourth stage of learning.
To get to this stage where everything seems easy, an artist must first acquire the required skills and practice to master them. This stage is called the conscious competence. There are countless theories on how many hours of practice is required to master a skill, including watercolours. What is important to consider is that the transition from one stage to another is seamless. The more an artist who has acquired important techniques practices, the more they will be able to be less conscious of them and appear to paint intuitively.
New Workshop
Yesterday afternoon I posted one of my new workshops. This one is to paint rustic doors we see in Europe. You can find more details here: https://www.daniellebeaulieuwatercolours.com/workshop/26673/online-4-week-workshop-doors-of-europe
Note that there were only five spots remaining when I published this blog and that I will not be running a second session on Sundays of this workshop.
New Painting
This past week, I finally had the opportunity to dedicate some time to my big painting of a creek and beautiful reflections on the snow. Most of my painting time was spent absorbed in painting the water. First I played with different colours and mixes to ensure they felt right. Then I started painting the rocks by the shore. I've only just begun the trees. I should have plenty of time to paint in the coming week, since I don't teach for another two weeks.
Above is also a small photo of the lilac I am teaching this weekend.
Have a great week
Danielle
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