Perfect Paint Syndrome

Have you ever heard of perfect prose syndrome? This is when writers are afraid to put that first word or phrase down on paper for fear that it may not be perfect at first try. We all know, of course, that there is such a thing as a rough draft that can be tweaked and refined until it becomes perfect. But, there is still that fear nonetheless.  I think that artists also experience this same sort of fear with their work and projects. For example, I am starting a new painting today and have found myself staring at a blank canvas with paint by my side and paintbrush in hand. What is keeping me from making that very first brush stroke? Maybe it is perfect paint syndrome.

When this happens, I often wonder if Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko ever experienced this same fear. You can never tell by their end products, as it looks, to me, that they just went with the flow of creation and put all other thoughts out of their minds. I think this is what makes an abstract painting so mysterious, because the calculating and planning of the piece doesn't usually show in the work itself. Any observer will wonder how and why a certain piece was created. Which is why artist's often get asked the question "What were you thinking about when you created this or that piece?" Well, it is time to get over the perfect paint fear and put brush to canvas.  Happy painting!

How To Look At Abstract Art

Art, to me, is very personal. Certain colors evoke special feelings and emotions for different people. A brush stroke applied with paint to canvas in a specific manner can relay a subtle meaning to the observer that someone else might miss. This is why art is so special, one piece has as many meanings as there are people looking at it. Because of this, when asked what to look for in a piece of abstract art, I always tell people to go with whatever pleases their senses the most. You are going to be living with and around the artwork that you choose, so choose something that, in all simplicity, you like to look at and makes you happy.

There are those, however, that want more specific guidelines. For those of you who would like a more technical explanation, this is for you:

Principles of Art:

• Movement- is your eye drawn around the canvas and not in just one spot? Do you get a sense of action or movement from the colors and brushstrokes?
  
• Unity- do you get a sense of completion? Does the painting come together full circle?
• Variety- is there a contrast between the different colors? Are there different shapes and sizes of these shapes to add depth?
• Balance- is the piece symmetrical or asymmetrical? Does one side or area overpower the others?
• Emphasis- is there a focal point that draws your attention?
• Contrast- is there diversity within the piece? Is the piece arranged so as to show contrasts between each element?
• Proportion- how do the smaller of the sizes of elements in the piece compare to those of the larger sizes?
• Pattern- this correlates to movement; is there a pattern that emerges giving the piece a sense of movement?

Although these principles of art are universal, what you see may not be what the next person would. So, even using these technical guidelines, your evaluations will be coming from a collection of your own personal experiences thus making the beauty of any piece uniquely yours.

Hello and Welcome!

Hello everyone. Thanks for visiting my brand new blog. I am excited to finally have this site up and running and to share with you my work, thoughts, and experiences.

My name is Stacey and I am an artist. I have been painting for many years and absolutely love what I do. I am the mother of three adorable boys and am a proud Navy spouse. Please take a look around and feel free to comment on what you see. I look forward to talking with you all!!