Jeni Caruana
  • Portfolio
    • Live Music Paintings
    • SKIN
    • Art in a strange time - 2020/1
    • Landscapes
  • Tuition
  • Blog
  • Contact Me!
  • About

Drawing Matters!

8/6/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
“An amateur gives people what they want; a professional gives them what they need.”

I really can’t remember where I heard that quote, but it always comes to mind whenever I think that I should be producing work that people might like, rather than following my own meandering impulses.

Which brings me to muse on the term ‘amateur’...... It is often used as a derogatory description for someone not considered 'good enough' to be a professional artist. Professional artists are often defined as those who derive their income solely from their art. 
Both descriptions are open to debate of course. Who judges ‘good enough’? And it’s more than difficult for most people, however ‘good’ they are, to survive entirely on producing artwork. 
Perhaps a better distinction would be to evaluate the merits of the work itself and not who produced it. But, again, who judges that? Art is notoriously subjective and the opinions of art critics are often criticised themselves. 

To be considered an amateur wasn’t always a bad thing. At the beginning of the last century an amateur could be extremely talented, but practised their art for love rather than money. Professionals relied on wealthy patrons and commissions to support themselves. London’s Royal Academy of Arts was one of the leading institutions of the time. Being accepted as an Academician brought respect and recognition, and allowed members to exhibit and teach as esteemed artists. 
Picture
Picture
Drawing and technical skills ceased to be taught in Western art colleges in the 1960’s in favour of ‘self-expression’. This led to an explosion of other genres, such as photography, film, installations and abstraction. Collectors such as Saatchi and Saatchi supported and encouraged the movement, although many viewers found the works challenging at best. Art, which had generally been an expression of beauty or at least a reflection of reality, became a sometimes shocking baring of the artists' soul. 

The distinction between amateur and professional was blurred even further, as anyone could produce anything and call it ‘art’ in the name of self-expression. Traditional techniques and approaches were frowned on as old-fashioned and unnecessary. 

Over the last decade or so there has been a strong movement back towards basic skills. Drawing is now taught in most art colleges, including the Royal Academy. Representational art, especially watercolours, is in high demand. Highly detailed work indistinguishable from photography is greatly admired. Perhaps this is the popular backlash to the wild shock factor of art using human faeces, cow-dung and dissected animals. 

This has of course made it even more difficult to differentiate between good or bad, amateur or professional. We can be guided by a critic’s opinions and value their assessments, but ultimately we have to make up our own minds. 
Picture
Knowing a little about drawing, whether we practice it or not, should help us to see when, say, the perspective in a picture is innacurate or the tone is flat. Teaching children to draw should be mandatory in schools, as it gives them life-long insight. Learning to draw as adults is a gift everyone should give themselves. Amateur or professional doesn’t really matter. Good or bad drawing does!

Picture

Classes Update

The next Friday class at VIlla Bologna will be on the 19th June; the next Tuesday class at Le Meridien in Balutta will be on the 23rd June.

Contact me for more details!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Jeni Caruana

    ​

    Picture



    ​


    ​I love to paint - and draw - and help others to discover their creative side too.....

        Be the first to see my latest work and hear of new classes by adding your email address below. Thank you!

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Art And Business
    Artist
    Classes
    Courses
    Creativity
    Dancers
    Drawing
    Drawing People
    Emotion. Ideas
    Exhibition
    Fifty Shades Of Grey Nudes
    Figures
    Fun
    Gallery
    Images
    Inspiration
    Jazz
    Jeni Caruana
    Landscapes
    Malta
    Maltese
    Motion
    Nude Models
    Nudes
    Originality
    Painter
    Painting
    Painting Holidays
    Pictures
    Sketchbook
    Sketching
    Students
    Teacher
    Tips On Drawing
    Tutor
    Watercolours
    Workshops

    Archives

    February 2019
    July 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    August 2017
    June 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    October 2012

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Portfolio
    • Live Music Paintings
    • SKIN
    • Art in a strange time - 2020/1
    • Landscapes
  • Tuition
  • Blog
  • Contact Me!
  • About