Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
It's one thing to look at a painting and estimate how well it matches the reference photo, but if my goal isn't photo-realism, how can I tell if my abstract or semi-abstract painting is any good?
I'm sharing a new video every day for #worldwatercolormonth ! Subscribe to my channel so you don't miss an episode!
When it comes to loose watercolor, opinions are going to be all over the place as to whether a painting is successful or not. Some artists will insist that good design or composition is the number one thing you should look for when you are evaluating a painting's success. I disagree. You have only to look at contemporary art for the last hundred years to know that there are many paintings that were created with different goals than merely good design. You are free to make decisions about the success of your work based on more intuitive criteria - on your own reaction to the work and whether it satisfies your desire for self-expression.
This is a hard subject to talk about because people will read that last paragraph and think I am advocating for an "anything goes" kind of ethic that casts aside ALL standards of excellence in art. I'm not. But I would argue that an educated artist - one who spends time viewing a diverse range of art, who thinks deeply about what emotion they want to convey in their work and commits to pursuing that - is an artist who will hold high standards for their work, even if composition isn't the first priority. While I don't prioritize composition in my work, I am always thinking about how a viewer will experience my painting (that includes composition) and I am unwilling to settle for less than a strong emotional response when I view my own paintings. This is my first criteria for whether I have created something of value to my body of work or not.
Visit my web site for a download that will help guide you in your own creative success and a link to my current workshop schedule: angelafehr.com
It's one thing to look at a painting and estimate how well it matches the reference photo, but if my goal isn't photo-realism, how can I tell if my abstract or semi-abstract painting is any good?
I'm sharing a new video every day for #worldwatercolormonth ! Subscribe to my channel so you don't miss an episode!
When it comes to loose watercolor, opinions are going to be all over the place as to whether a painting is successful or not. Some artists will insist that good design or composition is the number one thing you should look for when you are evaluating a painting's success. I disagree. You have only to look at contemporary art for the last hundred years to know that there are many paintings that were created with different goals than merely good design. You are free to make decisions about the success of your work based on more intuitive criteria - on your own reaction to the work and whether it satisfies your desire for self-expression.
This is a hard subject to talk about because people will read that last paragraph and think I am advocating for an "anything goes" kind of ethic that casts aside ALL standards of excellence in art. I'm not. But I would argue that an educated artist - one who spends time viewing a diverse range of art, who thinks deeply about what emotion they want to convey in their work and commits to pursuing that - is an artist who will hold high standards for their work, even if composition isn't the first priority. While I don't prioritize composition in my work, I am always thinking about how a viewer will experience my painting (that includes composition) and I am unwilling to settle for less than a strong emotional response when I view my own paintings. This is my first criteria for whether I have created something of value to my body of work or not.
Visit my web site for a download that will help guide you in your own creative success and a link to my current workshop schedule: angelafehr.com
