Learning to See

Inspiration and practical advice for aspiring realist artists

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Why 2020 Has Me So Scared, and Why I Think That’s a Good Thing

January 1, 2020 By: Paul98 Comments

Everyone who paints regularly knows that, on some level, painting means going willingly into the unknown.

To put it like that seems a little exciting. Romantic, even.

But uncertainty is anything but romantic.

It’s uncomfortable. It means constantly facing the spectre of failure, and sometimes living with it when it happens. Fear is not fun.

So why do we do it?

How You Know You’re Improving (and Not Just Spinning Your Wheels)

December 17, 2019 By: Paul16 Comments

We all want to improve our painting. But often, I think we try to do that by just…painting more.

I don’t think that’s the best way to do it. There is a better way. Here’s how.

Roses with St. John’s Wort

October 1, 2019 By: Paul20 Comments

I’ve been a bit quiet for a while.

As you probably know, I very often paint live, streaming on facebook and switching camera views, describing what I’m doing as I go.

If you’re interested, you can see all my past streams here.

But for the last couple of weeks, I’ve broken my usual habit and painted in private.

A Yellow Rose, Painting What you Feel – and Some Thoughts on the Use of Photography

August 30, 2019 By: Paul17 Comments

What matters most to me in a painting is feeling.

What do I mean when I use the word “feeling”?

Perhaps we don’t have the vocabulary in the English language to talk clearly about feelings.

They are elusive, mysterious, insubstantial.

Warm Welcome Roses and Blackberry Blossom

August 7, 2019 By: Paul10 Comments

Sometimes, good things happen by chance.

These roses are a small, rambling, climbing variety called Warm Welcome. Fittingly, they grow up the side of the house just before you get to the front door.

I’ve been looking at them and wondering for a long time. Could I hit that chroma? Would they translate well into paint?

Wild Roses, Freedom and Opportunity

July 31, 2019 By: Paul17 Comments

So much of painting is opportunity.

Opportunity – obviously – to paint. Painting and continually working on improving is demanding and time consuming.

You can do it part time whilst you have a day job. I did, for years. And I did make progress. You absolutely can too.

But it’s been brought home to me lately how much more time I can give it now, and the effect that’s had.

Red and Pink Roses

July 25, 2019 By: Paul9 Comments

It’s always a challenge painting flowers.

And I’ll let you into a little secret that has been kept just between me and my morning journal for the last few weeks:

I’ve determined to become the best flower painter I can be. Which means I’m going to be painting quite a lot of flowers from here onwards.

Why did I make this decision? Well, I’m not sure myself that I understand all of it.

Garden Roses, July

July 16, 2019 By: Paul23 Comments

Failure is an inevitable part of life.

It’s certainly an inevitable part of an artist’s life.

If your’e doing anything that you really care about, that gives your life much of its meaning, then feeling that you’ve come up short can be devastating.

It might be unpleasant to live through when it happens, but it’s also a sign, very often, that growth is happening.

Roses in a Ginger Jar

July 5, 2019 By: Paulcomment

I’m continuing with my promise to myself to paint what I find around me rather than buying flowers from the flower shop.

I’ve also committed to painting mostly flowers for a while.

This is partly because they’re a challenge, and partly (mostly) because the more time I spend here in the Cotswolds surrounded by nature, the more I want to paint only this.

The Most Effective Way I know To Improve Your Work

April 19, 2019 By: Paul15 Comments

You’ve heard the advice plenty of times.

Draw every day. Just paint.

It would seem to make sense – except that it’s perfectly possible to do that and not get any better at all.

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Hi, I’m Paul

I'm a (mostly) self-taught artist. I paint realism in oils, mostly still life. I share my work, my evolving process and what knowledge I've gained on my own learning journey here, in the hope that it might help you on yours.
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