Artists

Diebenkorn's 10 Rules for Painting

Alex Kanevsky and William Wray discuss: "Notes to myself" — Diebenkorn’s 10 rules for paintingcarmelvisualarts.com

  • Attempt what is not certain.
  • Certainty may or may not come later.
  • The pretty, initial position which falls short of completeness is not to be valued.
  • Do search.
  • Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities.
  • Consider them absolutely expendable.
  • Don’t “discover” a subject.
  • Don’t be bored.
  • If you must, use it in action.
  • Use its destructive potential. Mistakes can’t be erased but they move you from your present position. Keep thinking about Pollyanna. Tolerate chaos. Be careful only in a perverse way.

“The above list was found among the papers of the painter Richard Diebenkorn after his death in 1993.”

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Aubrey Levinthal On Receiving Art Criticism

"In teaching art, it is critical to both hold a strong point of view but also allow for all viewpoints to be valid."aubreylevinthal.blogspot.com

  • Always try to make a painting you have never made. Never try for cohesion. Always try to be making a weird one. Boredom is the real studio practice killer.
  • Criticism from a painter, professor, or someone with a trained eye deserves being heard. It is helpful to hear what is being seen when the work is looked at by someone other than you, the maker. Consider the source before agreeing with the diagnosis. The person may have a very different aesthetic or intention for painting, that is other than yours. You can hear the feedback but not agree with the suggestions. Think about the perspective of where that insight is coming from.
Posted by supriya