THE PAINTING METHOD
Painting isn't merely copying what the eyes sees. It is using your imagination to discover the painting hidden among what the eye sees. More is imagined than what is seen. Painting is a way of playing with shape, color and composition, using what the eye sees as a mere hint of the hidden painting. The artist isn't supposed to be a camera. Seldom does the artist even know what the final image will look like. The process of painting reveals it... bit by bit. Often, more mistakes are made than not. But if you take the time to correct the mistakes, and possibly make new mistakes to later correct, then the pure painting emerges to finally be seen by the artist. What can look quite ugly and unrefined to start off with, is a necessary step to the making of a piece of art. The artist can't give up when things look bad, for seeing all your mistakes is necessary to the discovery of what looks right. The artist must persevere and see the diamond hidden among all the flaws. If the artist is honest enough to admit the mistakes, and takes the care and the time to correct them, than you may discover the beauty of a masterpiece. Here are a few pieces that I am still working on. As you can see, it isn't always pretty to start off. But if you see promise in any of these pieces and want further information, please feel free to contact me and I can complete any of these as a special order if you like. I will not, however ever accept any more commissions other than being requested to finish my own work, so please do not ask. brucebodden@yahoo.com
My Take On Mistakes
The paintings process is very much like sighting in a rifle scope. First you shoot, not knowing exactly where the bullet will actually hit. Then you examine the hole on the target and make adjustments on the scope in the direction of accuracy,... and repeat until it is true. It is not a mistake to miss the target. It is an absolutely necessary part of getting the rifle scope set true and accurate. It can not be done any other way. The same is true for painting. First, you lay some paint down. then you examine it to see if it is true or not. It most likely isn't. Then you adjust to correct the flaws and repeat until it is true. Only with a painting, every square inch has to be zeroed in from scratch. And with a painting, it is not just accuracy of location that is important. How every single spot relates to every other spot in the whole design is important. Color, value, line, shape, texture, form and space... all the elements of design in every location of the painting has to work and be appropriate with every other spot of the painting for the entire piece to work. The most important part part of painting is done without the brush in hand. It is the part when you examine it for mistakes to find what is not true so you can adjust it until it is. Painting is accomplished by making "mistakes," examining what is wrong, and correcting them until they are right. One must do this one aspect of the painting at a time until the entire painting comes into proper focus and alignment. Therefore, mistakes are not mistakes at all. They tell you where to go to accomplish your aim. They are an absolutely necessary aspect of doing a painting right, and therefore should not be criticized as some form of incompetence. You can not sight in a rifle with one shot.
The paintings process is very much like sighting in a rifle scope. First you shoot, not knowing exactly where the bullet will actually hit. Then you examine the hole on the target and make adjustments on the scope in the direction of accuracy,... and repeat until it is true. It is not a mistake to miss the target. It is an absolutely necessary part of getting the rifle scope set true and accurate. It can not be done any other way. The same is true for painting. First, you lay some paint down. then you examine it to see if it is true or not. It most likely isn't. Then you adjust to correct the flaws and repeat until it is true. Only with a painting, every square inch has to be zeroed in from scratch. And with a painting, it is not just accuracy of location that is important. How every single spot relates to every other spot in the whole design is important. Color, value, line, shape, texture, form and space... all the elements of design in every location of the painting has to work and be appropriate with every other spot of the painting for the entire piece to work. The most important part part of painting is done without the brush in hand. It is the part when you examine it for mistakes to find what is not true so you can adjust it until it is. Painting is accomplished by making "mistakes," examining what is wrong, and correcting them until they are right. One must do this one aspect of the painting at a time until the entire painting comes into proper focus and alignment. Therefore, mistakes are not mistakes at all. They tell you where to go to accomplish your aim. They are an absolutely necessary aspect of doing a painting right, and therefore should not be criticized as some form of incompetence. You can not sight in a rifle with one shot.
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