Which do you find helps most to improve your art? Focusing on quantity or focusing on quality?
I recently read about a study in which a pottery class was split in two groups. One group was assigned to produce as much pottery as possible and their grade was based on poundage. The other group was assigned to produce one perfect pot. According to the study, the poundage group produced some of the best pots.
Seems suspect to me!
On the other hand, there's the saying "Only perfect practice makes perfect!"
Mark's method is very exacting and I've learned a lot from trying to follow it. So, I tend to make each painting as perfect as possible within limits.
What are your thoughts?
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i would say when starting quantity is important because that’s the only way you will learn brush handing and composition. I think I would have gotten nowhere if I’d just kept tinkering with some of my old pieces trying to turn trash into gold. Now I do quantity when sketching & planning and quality when painting.
However I relate about what is said about sketching.
Also.. thinking "I could stop now, but what else can I do to improve it?"
Make every effort to make the piece you are working on the best you possibly can.
Having said that I can also appreciate the positives in quantity, but more in terms of practice.
A couple of years ago when I did a painting a day for 30 days I still did them the best I could but there was not the luxury of time to focus and get them to be as good as they would be if I had a couple of days for each.
Other positives came out of doing that like trusting my abilities and myself more. I also didnt do any pre-drawings for any of them and I had always done pre-drawing before. I would sometimes only come up with an idea of what to paint right before it. Probably over two thirds turned out ok.
But its not how I would or have continued to work.
I find that there is something deeply meditative about taking the time to get it to where you want it.
There's so many options and choices and subjects and... that spending ages on 1 artwork is counterproductive.
Once you nail some skills, find styles you enjoy and subjects that inspire you, that is when quality can take the lead.
Ed to add, sometimes a quick work has a spontaneity to it, which is quickly ruined by overwork. More often it is the reverse!
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