Trust Your Own Taste, but We Paint for Others - artist advice

In this video I discuss the importance of following your own taste only, but also I discuss how I find purpose in my art by painting for others.

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FULL COURSE in text form:

[bertmunoz]

I was in 9th grade and toke part in my first ART exhibition. I painted a full size copy of Édouard Manet's "The Fifer" my art teacher stood in front of the painting and said BEAUTIFUL. Even then all I could see was the mistake. Today after 46 years I still have the painting. I look at it and think; Not bad for a 14 year old boy and than I look at the mistake.

I enjoy your videos, Thank you for creating this channel.

[asalundberg]

Just now found your youtube-channel. Amazing stuff, got me really excited to paint more. Thank you!! 🌻

[JGalegria]

Just because your painting winds up on someone's wall, doesn't mean you painted it for that person. You painted it because it sprang from your own inspiration and motivation. The only exception is a commissioned work.

[sarahkaiser]

You are so right--listen to your own voice and stop trying to impress people.

[claytonandredesouza]

Best content about art. It's a shame not to find people with such good conversation to sit down, have a coffee and talk. Congratulations.
greetings from Brazil.


Melhor conteúdo sobre arte. Uma pena não encontrar pessoas com essa boa conversa para sentar, tomar um café e conversar. Parabéns.
saudações do Brasil.

[bluetulleart]

Always good sound advice. Thank you Mark.

[beanalog]

Very true. I also struggle with trusting myself which brings indecisiveness which is also a curse. I decided to paint how I feel or what I feel about the subject. Easier said than done.

[franksliwa]

Great advice! I paint how I paint is what I tell myself. I know some will like my work, and others won’t. I don’t really care though.

[stevecarmean]

Perfect timing for me, Mark. I’ve recently found that I’m on a roll creating paintings that I like and seem to be enjoyed by quite a few others. I even won first place in a recent exhibit among 55 others and I still am stunned by that. I admire several styles of oil painting but my own is a graphic style. My intention is always to paint looser but for now that isn’t usually the end result. Maybe I will eventually but for now I’m taking my daughter’s advice which is “Why don’t you just paint the way that YOU want to paint, Dad?”

[christianlombardo]

I love your videos very much! I learn sooo much from these! Your style of speaking is awesome 🙏🏼

[oliverhill]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It was very helpful to me. (I started painting again now I'm retired. The last time I really painted was 40 years ago.)

[ty]

would have loved to have Mark as a mentor from a young age. if only.

[HelenNorton]

Merton - "No man is an island". But if we as artists do not tease up the viewer and elevate them beyond their own limited vision through our natural skill for seeing life as magnificent, pregnant and full of possibilities, we are nothing more than decorators and cameras. We deny our audience our insight and gift. If we do that, we may as well scrub dishes. The key I have found is to constantly send out trial balloons and observe what pulls out that magic inside the viewer, but to never emulate the viewer's vision. All artists die in the water when they do that. We all know, after decades of being in the game - the horrific result of 'commissions' where we do the bidding of the viewer. So be careful.

[gary]

A few months ago you said you would release a unique palette box that kept paints usable for days. When is that coming out?

[PRADEEP-sp]

RESPECTED SIR 🙏 AS USUAL YOUR VALUBLE INSIGHTS AND ADVISE IS A VISUAL TREAT NEVER WOULD LIKE TO MISS UR VIDEO'S

[deelynn]

I'm just starting on the journey, of painting. But I have to like it first, then hope others like it, and if not, figure out what they DO like.

[Ulujmf]

I am a semi pro sculptor potter painter. Yes it is nice to think that people own your art. Also it is true i don't do what people want.this is why I rarely do commission unless we agree of the outcome.

[sheerattitude]

When I started my art journey I had absolutely no idea what I was doing but I had so much fun and my friends loved my art! THEN I took an art class and all I heard was I’m doing this or that wrong and that gave me a lot of self doubt .

[itsallaboutlight]

I wish you still sold the color checker. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[sonnycorbi]

My Heart doesn’t know what i want to or like to paint or draw and doesn’t care what I think - I die from the shoulders up - it’s hand spirit coordination not hand eye - I have achieved photo realism with my system - technique takes care of itself by way of repetitive application - ART, is such a nebulous word