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Planning and painting.

When I was at school, I was quite good at art. But I don’t paint now, since a teacher put me off and that was that. Sad but true.

When I did draw and paint, I was never happy. It was never quite good enough, I could never get it quite right and most of my work ended up in the bin. I’m a bit like that with most things and funilly enough I think it’s made me better at my job.

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I think planning can be beautiful. Great thinking can be like magic. When you know it’s not just about everything fitting, you’ve created something that’s new and interesting it can feel like alchemy. That doesn’t come from falling in love with the first thoughts that come to you. It comes from never being happy with what you’ve got and being very, very hard on yourself. It’s not ego really. It’s the joy of doing something well, not ticking boxes.

And that’s what’s great about planning. You can’t stay happy for long, it just won’t stand still. Not just the discipline itself, but the way the next project won’t be like the last.  You’ll can never say you know it all since nothing stays the same forever. Good that.

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9 responses to “Planning and painting.”

  1. Rob Mortimer Avatar
    Rob Mortimer

    Yes it is. Its why I hate ads that are poor, because its so clear that they could do better if they (or the client) just looked harder.
    Im exactly the same with drawing.

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  2. lauren Avatar
    lauren

    i failed art in year 8. every now and again i want to send an exhibition invitation to my year 8 art teacher. i know, i should really let it go.

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  3. Rob @ Cynic Avatar
    Rob @ Cynic

    Do it Lauren … it is bound to be libterating.
    Adam Clayton, the bassist from U2, bought the stately home next to the school he attended as a child … a school where he said the teachers were the most horrible people he had ever met.
    Talk about ‘making a statement’ …

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  4. NP Avatar
    NP

    Most of my teachers were great, just the bloody art teacher.
    Go on Lauren. Just don’t vandalize anything.

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  5. Rob Mortimer Avatar
    Rob Mortimer

    I nearly quit A levels because my teacher kept messing my project around.
    ( I was a week behind as I was waiting for someone I needed for my research, so he told me to scrap it and started me on something else which three weeks and much work later it turned out I couldnt use! I then had to find something else… when I would have been much further ahead on my original project!)
    Oh, and the deadline was over a YEAR later.
    He expected me to fail and I got a C. Not bad I think…bastard.

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  6. Marcus Avatar
    Marcus

    I’ve got a stack of crap painting that no-one should ever have to look at. They happen to be my favourite ones because that failed me (or I failed them). They are proof that I need to try harder, think harder and do better. When ever a painting is goint to well I look at my rubbish paintings to make sure I’m not getting too cocky.

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  7. Marcus Avatar
    Marcus

    And your art teacher was a tosser. Give me the name…the sausage crew do the rest.

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  8. NP Avatar
    NP

    I’d rather give you the name of a former boss, but that’s another story.
    By the way, I only have to think of some very bad thinking I’ve been responsible for in the past to get the neurons firing..

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  9. Helen Avatar
    Helen

    This is a lovely post.
    I’m glad you’re back!

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