Things I have learned from SVS

demotlj

I noticed today as I was painting that even though my execution continues to need improvement, my thinking as I’m painting has drastically changed in the two years I’ve subscribed to SVS and been a member of the forum. I want to thank SVS for everything I’ve learned including these mantras that now reside in my head.

Values, values, values. If the values work, the whole composition will benefit
Lines are formed by value edges. There are no lines in nature.
The last 20% of a painting will take 80% of the time, so when you think you are finished, you probably aren’t.
On the other hand, at some point you have to say, “Finished, not perfect,” and move on to the next
You should not compare yourself to others but compare yourself to yourself yesterday.

Thanks SVS for this and more. I’m curious about what others have you learned from SVS that has become part of your internal dialogue as you work.

Susan Marks

@demotlj This is so inspirational. I'm new'ish to SVS and so happy to be here. I learn so much from the classes, but even more you all--it's like you're holding a candle ahead of me on the journey.

And you take questions! Were there any particular places or classes here that drilled the Values Values Values into your approach?

Sarah LuAnn

I feel like the concept of Values was really driven home for me in the Creative Composition course. (Thats what it's called, right?)

demotlj

@Susan-Marks I think it was a color theory course where values first "clicked," either "Painting Color and Light" or "Choosing Colors for Storytelling." I knew about the importance of values in monochrome pieces but really hadn't understood how color and value related to one another. I remember Will Terry or Jake Parker putting a red square and a green square side by side and changing it to monochrome so that you could see it was the same value. It was really an "ah-ha" moment for me. I also learned from Simona Ceccarelli (@smceccarelli) how to make a layer that you can turn on to change your painting to monochrome to check the values. I use that all of the time now.

Amber Lynn Benton

@Sarah-LuAnn Me, too! It’s totally changed my thumbnailing process!

Judy Elizabeth Wilson

@demotlj said in Things I have learned from SVS:

You should not compare yourself to others but compare yourself to yourself yesterday.

Yes, I love this one and it keeps things in perspective.

One day at a time and you will see yourself improve. Well done!

Sophie Lawson

lol, I'll use a quote I just posted in the other thread just now … Keep it Simple Stupid!

Will Terry said that once, and I keep thinking it, not just in my art either, which is cool. In other areas of my life I hear that quote too!

The main thing I've learnt so far, is that it's ok to make mistakes. I love to bits the fact that the teachers, and Jake Parker especially, are ok with keeping their mistakes in the videos. This really inspires me, because I think, if the master is ok with mistakes … that means I can be ok with mistakes

Susan Marks

@Amber-Lynn-Benton @demotlj @Sarah-LuAnn - all good push to get me back over and finish the creative Composition Class!

Amber Lynn Benton

@Susan-Marks Do finish and join me in posting your worksheets in the new thread I started!!