IMC Notes

Here's a collection notes and things that I learned while I was there. This is, by no means, the complete list, but it's very useful information:

1) Draw the shape, not the object

2) Great idea to copy the masters. Not just the old masters, but people's whose work that you admire. Check out their brush strokes, how they composed the painting, their value range, etc.

3) Learn to know how to see. Don't use symbols.

4) Think always in terms of foreground, middle-ground, and background.

5) warm shadows -> cool light, cool shadows -> warm light

6) When drawing, the thinner line is facing the light and the heavier line is facing the shadows.

7) The best paintings tell a story. What's the story? Figure out the story and then the emotion and then the painting will fall into place.

8) Artwork is about pushing yourself. Do what you want to do and be passionate about it.

9) Clients do not hire you because you can do everything, they hire you because you can do something no one else can do.

10) Find your motivation. Have to want it. Not give up. It's not fun. Get over it. Get back to work.

11) Be your own toughest critic. There are no perfect first draft. All drawing is re-drawing.

12) Beware of the dark side. Bitterness and Blame. Failure is good. It's what you do with the failure that determines how you do.

13) Identify your limitations and then ignore them. Time is a crucial input to excellence.

14) Delay gratification and reset contentedness. Embrace small accomplishments along the way.

15) Have Heroes. Study other paintings that you admire. See how they did it. The brush strokes/pen marks, the compositions, the lighting, etc.

16) Embrace failure. Train. Stop. Analyze Failure. Improve. Move on.

17) A picture is more articulate with a light on a center point, rather than on all of it.

18) Be Courageous. You must show conviction in yourself, if you want to convince others.

19) Write down the core emotion that you want to have for the painting.

20) They wouldn't call it bottom feeding if there wasn't food down there.

21) If you don't know what emotion you want to convey in your work, you will feel... nothing.

22) You want to reach someone's heart and hold it. Make them feel the emotion.

23) You have to be prepared to open your heart.

24) You want them to fall in love with what you've given them.