Developing your Own Style in Painting

Many students tell me that they can "copy" an illustration or drawing well, but fail to make a painting from their own imaginations. Their mothers ask me how to get over this hurdle, and how to improve in their art.

Those are really easy questions to answer, but the answer is not one many want to hear :)

Simply answered, there are no shortcuts! NO SHORTCUTS to becoming a better artist. None. To borrow (and slightly manipulate) words in that swoonworthy bass voice of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan from the forgettable Mohabbatein, "Parishram, perseverence aur anushasan" vo teen stambh hain, jinse aap better artist ban sakte hain.

Paint, Paint Paint

And then paint some more. And why not? It's only paint, and only paper. If the painting is good, it gives you a high. If it's not, tear it up and throw it away. Or better still, paint on the back-side of the paper. Paint your heart out, like nobody's watching or judging, especially not yourself. The more you paint, the better you get, it's as simple as that. We've all had to learn; some happen to be more skilled from the start at interpreting what they see or visualize onto paper, the rest of us just have to work a little bit harder at expressing ourselves.... what's wrong with that? There's place for everyone here... welcome! and join the gang!

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best."

Henry Van Dyke

Paint what you love

If you paint what you love, you will love to paint. Simple formula! That is what will make it your work, because your fondness for the subject will imbue the artwork with your own unique personality; upon maturity, it develops into what will be called "your" style. Use the techniques you like to experiment with, the colours and the textures that get you excited! (Ask my friends how many Goa seascapes I have painted!)

Goa in the monsoons...

Get inspired!

Instead of "copying" a drawing or illustration (which is but another artist's interpretation or vision) why not "copy" from nature herself? Sit outside by the seaside, or take a picture and paint it at home. There's no end to the amount of inspiration you will find! Now, let us replace that misleading word "copying" for the more palatable "interpreting", and immediately we feel better about ourselves and our artwork! Artists will portray beauty onto their canvases, or the world as they see it, or maybe wish it - and each artist sees it differently, feels the world differently, and expresses it differently on paper. No two can ever be the same. Each artwork and artist is therefore unique - like no other. How can you "copy" from nature? You can only copy another artist's vision, which yes, is unethical. A complete no-no! But nature allows you to get inspired from her freely... she loves featuring in your artistic vision!! She loves to see what magic you, with your unique vision and skillset, can create!

"Land really is the best art!"

- Andy Warhol

Do not judge!

And yet again in the words of the great Andy Warhol, the pop artist who made millions painting soup cans, “Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”

Need I say more?!

A great journey starts with baby steps

And finally, the best piece of advice that I ever got, recall often, and shall today wisely pass on to you, dear reader, is one that I got from an amazing watercolour artist in Florence, Italy. He simply told me to paint a little every single day. Even if for only 15 minutes, or while cooking chapatis (I haven't figured that one out yet!) You get so increasingly familiar with your paints and your brushes until they feel like such close friends that you can make magic together!

And that, to me, is the whole point of art - making magic!

Happy painting, people!!