Painting Tip: Paint Naturally

South on Highland
Oil on Canvas Panel
8 x 8 in/20.3 x 20.3 cm
Copyright 2013

Today's blog is to give you a tip I attempt to practice, not always successfully, that is, to paint naturally.

"Paint naturally? What do you mean?" you ask. I mean you must allow yourself to be yourself and let the way you paint come naturally to you. That's not easy.

That means you must try not to paint the way anyone else paints. It's one thing to watch and learn how artists paint through workshops or by DVD or even private lessons or by just looking at another's paintings. Emulation is one thing.

Slavishly copying the color palette or materials or the routines or how he/she holds an arm/wrist/hand or makes a brushstroke or sits or stands, etc. will not make your paintings (much) better. Nor will that allow you to express your natural style.

I agree with the publisher of one of the art magazines who recently noted the sameness he sees in painting as he travels around to events.

If we're all trying to paint the same way, oh my, what a boring, boring outcome. Paint the way that's natural for you--the motion you're comfortable with, the colors you love, and let your application and brushstrokes look the way you paint--naturally.

Then you will be expressing your natural style.