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concentration in painting or drawing, ecuador precolumbian art, exercises for strengthening art skills, learning to block out sound when painting, museo bahia de caraquez, paintings of precolumbian pottery, Timeout for Art- How Did I Do That?
“ET” – Watercolor – Working from life/Museo Bahia de Caraquez/Ecuador
I do not know myself how I paint it. I sit down with a white board before the spot that strikes me. I look at what is before my eyes, and say to myself, that white board must become something. (Vincent van Gogh)
Anyone who has spent time drawing or painting will remember times of awe, when one steps back from the work and asks, ‘How did I do that?’ If one blocks out most all other thought processes and plunges entirely into the soothing waters of drawing or painting, expect success!
When something is weighing heavily on my mind, or if others are chattering while I am working, my concentration is scattered, and my work suffers. In order to magically transform that white paper into a ‘keeper,’ I block out all else and become one with what I am painting. Stopping at inopportune times – for me – is like awakening from a dream. It’s hard to resume at the same level of concentration, and my brush makes a few wrong turns before I get back on track.
Studying artifacts in a quiet museum is a joy!
Those ‘How did I do that?’ moments usually don’t happen when I’m painting in the company of society! When others are talking, my attention becomes fragmented, and my concentration wavers. In serene settings, my senses are enhanced, and I am much more aware of subtle nuances of sound, wind and aromas that somehow enhance my ability to concentrate.
Try drawing or painting while others are talking, and then go somewhere quiet and draw for the same amount of time. Are you uncomfortable with complete silence? If so, play some non-obtrusive music in the background and see if that helps! I’d love to hear what is your ideal environment for drawing or painting!
Senorita Valdivia – stages of watercolor
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
I painted today with lots of talking going on. I tuned them out, but I think you are right that it still creeps in. Maybe, next weekend. Amazing artifact paintings by the way. 🙂
yes,whenthere are people around, and conversations and such, that painting will always record the memory of that day, what happend, what was discussed.. viewing that painting later — even a dozen or more years later – is like opening a container and letting the memories out!
I can really notice your full concentration in your work. I wonder how you do if you had to draw people? Happy 2014 Lisa! Wonderful blog you have.
your comment makes me smile; drawing people spooks me! it’s as if i become a voyeur and know their soul by the time i am finished. it feels like i’m spying on them.
when people ask, ‘do you do portraits?’ and i tell them that story, they usually drop the interest; they don’t want someone seeing their dark side, and i certainly don’t want to be spying on them!
That is exactly what I love, spying on them. 😀
that made me laugh! z
I prefer quiet , but most important is my state of mind. If there are thoughts or worries randomly bouncing around “upstairs”, whatever I’m working on needs to be redone.
Would love to be able to listen to background music, but being a musician then takes the forefront and my fingers start tapping out the rhythm.
that is so funny, your fingers tap-tapping the rhythm while you paint! no, that would not be a god practice, though perhaps if you painted in impressionism, it would work well!
Quietness and concentration work best for many things in my life; even cooking. I made such a mess of the meal tonight because my mind was elsewhere. 😦
you are right! i’ve ruined many things in the kitchen because conversations pulled my attention elsewhere! my loved ones always joke about my talent of burning the bread. a friend wrote a little ditty about eating at my house, and there’s a line, ‘burn the brownies burn the bread!’
LOL. I spent ages cooking a ham yesterday and the very first slice I carved landed on the floor! At least it wasn’t the whole ham.
It’s much the same with writing — it’s hard to break away and return and pick up the thread of thought. Many thanks for a most interesting post!
good morning, hugh! yes, i remember when i stayed with a friend and was working on a project; every time i found a cool quiet slice of time to focus, she interrupted – much like a young child who would do anything to get mother’s attention! i finally put my items away and decided that she was in greater need of my attention than my project was! until i made that decision, i was internally frustrated a lot.
work will always be there, but friends and loved ones might not be!
thanks!
z
It is the “quiet” ones who keep us moving forward…
you’re right; though when i ponder the chatty ones – who have the gift of distracting – are also our cheer leaders!
do you listen to music when you paint?
Sista Z….if I listened to my favourite choice of music…I’d be dancing and not painting. I do, however, listen to Books on Tape…finding the bi-level of concentration stimulating and creative.
i have to hit rewind/back about 50 times.. after about five minutes, i drift off to never never land and realize that i’ve not heard a word that was spoken. mellow piano or guitar without lyrics and without extreme changes in tempo work well, though the best sound track is at night when all is quiet except the sublte sounds of the birds on the river.
thanks!
Lisa, I love the one with the eyes. It looks like a little alien. BTG
yes, i love that little artifact as well, and yes, it DOES look like ET!
i was just thinking of you when i read this about fracking: http://www.rodalenews.com/fracking-hormone-disruption?cm_mmc=TheDailyFixNL-_-1538610-_-01022014-_-Fracking_The_New_Hormone_Disruptor
Thanks Z. This jives with what Dr. Sandra Steingraber and Dr. Theo Colburn note on this issue. If you have seen Hugh’s most recent piece at http://www.hcurtler.wordpress.com piece on the legacy of disinformation, the global warming naysayers and fracking companies have taken a page from the tobacco industry. Fracking is too hard a process for it to be claimed safe. Plus, even if it were, you are only as good as your worst operator as BP and others have shown. There a neat documentary on a related topic about disinformation in “Toxic Seat” where flame retardant chemicals accomplish very little, but do far greater damage in expectant mothers (before burning) and firefighters (while burning). The industry data was misrepresented with intent and they poured millions in PR to fight people who had real data to show the flame retardants were killing people.
I don’t mind if others are talking as long as they don’t expect me to answer. 🙂
i laughed! yes, i sometimes tell others, ‘i can listen, but please don’t expect me to talk back…’
i also find that sometimes it’s like awakening from a deep sleep, and it takes a few minutes to adjust and make clear sense with my replies!
thanks so much for your feedback!
Beautiful watercolor work! And I love your ideas. Mostly I paint alone in the studio. I play non-obtrusive music (no words) while I work, but I also have stacks of VHS tapes and DVDs–documentaries and interviews with artists. I often play those and listen to the interviews, listen to the critics, listen to the discussions of art. I feel that those “muses” are keeping me company as I work. All I can say is, when I’m “in the zone”, I really don’t know if I’ve been painting for 10 minutes or 2 hours. Time elides when I’m engaged in making art.
beautiful comment! thank you so much for transporting us into your studio and giving us a glimpse into how you work! having a room full of muses would surely be a comfort!
These look so real. I mean, I know they’re real, but, well, you know what I’m trying to say. Sadly, I’m more of a stick figure kinda girl. 😦
Love your work, Liza.
thank you! when the inti raymi mask was on the bodega floor, my friend xavier came in and saw it, then later loked down again and said, ‘it looks so real! it looks like you could touch it…’
thanks!
z
For me, many tasks require concentration and distractions just don’t help. I like your comments on not doing portraits.
thanks, amiga! i’ve always respected the privacy of others and try not to ‘eavesdrop’ – to the point thta i walk away when people are talking about sensitive issues.
i loved your ‘knock on the head’ post, but was unable to get a comment to go through. it’s the slow connection, and that happens about 80 percent of the time i try to comment.
now let’s see if this goes thru! thanks again!
Wonderful body of work here Lisa – soft, gentle blends! I paint in silence and sometimes the radio or music is playing in the background. To be honest though I don’t hear anything as I paint.
Painting or sketching, for me, is like making love. LOL I have to be in the right mood…all the distractions must be removed, and my house must be clean. Only then, can I let go. 🙂
si; same for me; all obligations have to be out of the way so that no nagging thoughts are tap tap tapping for my attention!
I love reading your posts about your techniques. I would love to just sit back and silently watch you work.