[Mamzelle]

Do-it-yourself art education....I agree with the author of this article that art profs seldom bother to impart real techniques, but are famous for their nastiness and criticism. The implication is that your art should arise without any technical help from a master, that the master only dispenses contempt when you fail.

Private ateliers are the best answer, but anyone aspiring to create art can find a helpful master at a well-stocked book dealer/superstore like Barnes and Noble.

You would be AMAZED at the beauty and helpfulness of these art technique books! They are fabulous galleries of art even for those not exploring technique. For instance, the humble colored pencil is the best recipient of this blessing. Astonishing what can be done with this inexpensive media. I encourage any Freeper reading this who just loves to look at excellent, realistic, contemporary art to peruse what is offered on your nearby bookshelf.

[Sabatier]

You are so right. Also, more and more museums and galleries are on-line with parts of their collections and that's worth checking out, too.

[buffyt]

....I agree with the author of this article that art profs seldom bother to impart real techniques, but are famous for their nastiness and criticism.

I found that to be so true in college art classes. The Art History teachers were great, but the oil painting, sculpture, water color, ceramics teachers were bullies. My ceramics teacher looked like the devil himself. MOST of them were only teaching at college until they were discovered for their great talents. I saw their work, none of it was even GOOD!!!!! IT STUNK!!! They were rude and unhelpful as teachers. You never knew if you were doing things the way they liked them or not. I did have a teacher in calligraphy and commercial poster design and he was good. My 3-D art teacher was OK. He was good friends with Paul Winter of Paul Winter Consort, that is the group who recorded the music you hear at beginning of the SURVIVOR shows. Check them out....

And on the other hand, Spanish teachers were GREAT.

[mr.pink]

I agree with the author of this article that art profs seldom bother to impart real techniques, ...

I was very lucky when I went to art school as there were still many profs who taught technique, and I made a real effort to find the ones who would teach, (as opposed to merely talk or spend the class trying to hit on the co-eds), and get in their classes. A lot of what they tried to teach me didn't sink in until I was working for a restorer in NYC, and it all came together. The discipline of the restoration process combined with magnifying glass interaction with the old masters made me appreciate the importance of a sound process.

Astonishing what can be done with this inexpensive media.

You betcha'....the current series of paintings I'm working on are based on a set drawings I did armed with a PaperMate Flexigrip Ultra™ ( universally acknowledged as the most sensual of the economy class ballpoints).

[jimt]

You would be AMAZED at the beauty and helpfulness of these art technique books!

Thanks for the tip ! I took your advice (and my daughter the budding artist) to Half Price Books and bought five !