The Rules of Art
(Originally Posted on 09-05-2010)
I’ve been thinking about the rules of art recently. Mostly, I think, it is because I learned the rules that I know through individual study, watching and talking to artist about their process. Why does an artist do what she does or the way he does. I’ve searcher a great deal on the Internet for a concise set of accepted rules and, of course, there is none. Now, just to be clear, I am talking about the rules about the creative process of art, not methods and activities that surround it. I believe we have learned rules such as the danger of solvents or other materials and it is wise to follow what has become established safety rules.
Just about as I learn one rule from one artist, I find another who dismisses it completely. Here is an example: an artist friend who stretches and preps his own canvases does so because he can not find any commercial outlet that does it to his satisfaction. Because he produces a large number of painting for several galleries and shows each year, a good amount of his time is taken up making and prepping canvases. He has a rule that he will never gallery wrap his canvases – the corners are under too much stress and will eventually break down and tear. Okay. But I have not yet found anything online that supports that position so he probably learned it from some master artist when he studied in Europe (Italy) for his Masters of Fine Art.
I paint abstract subjects in oil. Some of my paintings have a reasonable amount of representation of the real world but I do not paint realistic landscapes or other scenes from the visible world. Because of that, I suppose I am in little danger of breaking the rules of art. I warp perception on purpose. I combine colors not normally put together on a canvas and I use and apply my paint by employing some unusual techniques. Often my brush is little more than a shovel. I’ve created one painting with the left over paint from another completed project using a wide variety of tools I can find in my studio which is also my wood shop (now that’s a rule breaker in itself). Chisels make interesting painters knifes as do various pieces of wood or plastic.
I’d like to know what some of the more creative ways rules have been broken by other artists.
I’ve been thinking about the rules of art recently. Mostly, I think, it is because I learned the rules that I know through individual study, watching and talking to artist about their process. Why does an artist do what she does or the way he does. I’ve searcher a great deal on the Internet for a concise set of accepted rules and, of course, there is none. Now, just to be clear, I am talking about the rules about the creative process of art, not methods and activities that surround it. I believe we have learned rules such as the danger of solvents or other materials and it is wise to follow what has become established safety rules.
Just about as I learn one rule from one artist, I find another who dismisses it completely. Here is an example: an artist friend who stretches and preps his own canvases does so because he can not find any commercial outlet that does it to his satisfaction. Because he produces a large number of painting for several galleries and shows each year, a good amount of his time is taken up making and prepping canvases. He has a rule that he will never gallery wrap his canvases – the corners are under too much stress and will eventually break down and tear. Okay. But I have not yet found anything online that supports that position so he probably learned it from some master artist when he studied in Europe (Italy) for his Masters of Fine Art.
I paint abstract subjects in oil. Some of my paintings have a reasonable amount of representation of the real world but I do not paint realistic landscapes or other scenes from the visible world. Because of that, I suppose I am in little danger of breaking the rules of art. I warp perception on purpose. I combine colors not normally put together on a canvas and I use and apply my paint by employing some unusual techniques. Often my brush is little more than a shovel. I’ve created one painting with the left over paint from another completed project using a wide variety of tools I can find in my studio which is also my wood shop (now that’s a rule breaker in itself). Chisels make interesting painters knifes as do various pieces of wood or plastic.
I’d like to know what some of the more creative ways rules have been broken by other artists.
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