The Myth of "Natural Talent" & more - Ep.16 Oil Painting Q&A with Mark Carder

If you have a question for me, post it in the comments below. I'll answer as many as I can in the next episode. Here are links to each question answered in this video:
00:05 - a talk about the myth of "natural talent"
12:53 - Could you talk about "maintaining the abstraction" and how to avoid oversimplifying what we see when painting?
15:29 - Most of your videos show you painting with a small size 2 brush. What are your thoughts on bigger brushes?
17:17 - When creating photo prints to paint from, what type of lamination do you use, and what do you recommend for subject matter, lighting, type of camera, resolution, etc?
19:28 - Many artists use mirrors located about a room's length behind them when painting. Have you ever done this?
22:58 - You said "I've learned to take criticism"… can you expand on that?

[@PMoney365]

I studied art once upon a time and now I am pursuing medicine. I find it hysterical that no one thinks a person has natural talent in medicine. People see doctors and see the years of study that goes into it but somehow people don't think artists study anything. Somehow artists just have it. Art is like anything else in life. You have to study and you have to practice. With enough study and practice anyone can be an artist. Very good video. Thanks.

[@bretislavstejskal8907]

Philip Bohlmann bullshit. just like there will be doctors and doctors. just because some dickhead has a need to place himself into artist circle doesn't make this video valuable.

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

Philip Bohlmann Talent exists. Also in medicine. If you can't calculate the right dosage of a medicine you rather find something else. also if you can't hold your arm steady, it's a bad idea to hold a shyringe or a scalpel.

[@diamondmidnightgardener]

Interesting... in my opinion there has to be at least a little bit of talent to work with in anything. There are people who in certain fields have none... There are tossers who believe that there is no such thing as being 'tone deaf'.... Well if there isn't then there are folk who I know who are so low on the tonal hearing talent scale then any incremental increase is imperceptible. I have worked with truly talented hard-working doctors and I have worked with dud doctors who I am not sure about why they were lacking.... but I know 'where' they were lacking.... The thing I see with anyone who has the basics down [a huge set of basics in medicine] and then has years of experience is that their intuition has become an active component in their assessment and decision making process......

[@aeyb701]

Philip thanks for sharing. I too went from art school to med school, finding in art school I too much waited for inspiration that never same. Med school was just go,go,go; learn one thing and move on to the next. Inspiration didn’t figure into it. Just do the work and cover the ground, at least in the first couple years. Looking back I see that art school wasn’t about waiting for inspiration but rather, like medicine, just get in there and practice, don’t wait for the right subject matter magically to appear, just DO, repeat, and move on. Art to me doesn’t require (so called talent); though thinking one has it might drive someone to develop it through art school. 90 percent work and. Ten percent talent, trite but true, which is why it’s cliche. Nice to hear from a fellow traveller. I read w.somerset Maugham,s “Of Human Bondage” years ago and it was about one in art school who goes into medicine, with the surrounding drama that gives it a plot, etc. You said my thoughts exactly.

[@hmmmph3578]

Sorry, Philip. I don't mean any disrespect, but no one is born able to do a successful operation, but many people are born able to draw - which is the basis of all art. I agree anyone can learn to draw with enough practice, but some, me included, were just born with a tendency to see the world as it is, and translate that onto paper.

[@Guez_art]

Every time I hear "your so talented" or "that person is so talented" I see how they unintentionally dismiss all the years of hard work, the many hours we had to stay up all night trying to get better at our craft.

[@raylin2057]

Oscar Rodriguez yea I agree. They dismiss constant diligence of hard work when they say things like that.

[@hmmmph3578]

They say it's driving passion that makes one good at this, but I have to question where that lifelong passion comes from. For me it was because I was NATURALLY good at art. I don't remember a time when other people didn't stand around me while I drew and asked 'how do you DO that?'. Kids in pre-school and kindergarten included.

[@kelcritcarroll]

Its a compliment, not meant to be taken in a bad way

[@Guez_art]

@@kelcritcarroll I understand that and I appreciate their innocent gesture.

[@Guez_art]

@@hmmmph3578 absolutely! You need to have passion for it. That's the motivation to become better at it and the joy of creating art!

[@aeyb701]

You hit the nail on the head: fear. Fear of failure, hence fear to try, even when all my life people called me a good drawer. I’m an art school dropout. It was more demanding than I thought. Now I’m 55 and don’t want to finish my life without trying to paint. Your videos give me courage. Thank you for giving of your time and experience .

[@lucyroleff]

The comment about art teachers withholding information rang so true for me. I studied Fine Arts in University and desperately wanted to be able to paint realistically. My teacher would avoid any question about technique and would constantly divert the conversation to concepts. Seeing your student's first and second paintings is so inspiring and the first time i've ever heard anyone discuss this natural talent myth. Thank you!

[@drsangameshwarg226]

This is one Guru who is so selfless in his pursuit of art. Sharing and generosity isn't a trait with many artists but Mark is a wonderful exception to this. You do inspire a whole generation of upcoming artists. Do please continue this and if possible get many more artists along you who you have groomed. Art can be a saviour for humanity 🙏🙏🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️

[@ronanthem]

I'm very glad to hear you say that natural talent amounts mostly to diligence, perseverance, long hours, truly observing things, learning from your "mistakes", ignoring detrimental "self talk", etc...etc. The spark that ignites that treacherous journey would be the true talent, I suppose. I have been told by many people how talented they think I am when they see me sketching or observe one of my paintings. The acknowledgement is great to hear. But, simply condensing hundreds of hours of labor into "talent" is kind of an insult. I have only heard personally, two artists actually say how much work it took to achieve this "talent"! You are the second one. Thank You for speaking the truth......Your videos are a blessing to many people and you are appreciated by many, including myself

[@trace6402]

Damn! After seeing the 1st & 2nd attempt paintings from your family and coworkers, its "back to the drawing board for me".

[@Webering]

Thanks for sharing, Mark! That's so generous of you.

[@claygreen4723]

I grow roses as a hobby and have a garden on a corner where hundreds of people drive by every day. Lots of folks stop and tell me how much they love seeing the flowers. The thing I hear constantly is that "I can't grow flowers like these. YOU MUST HAVE A GREEN THUMB." I simply tell them the green thumb starts out brown and kills lots of plants and they are looking at the results of a lot of work. I agree with you Mark- anybody can do anything if they want to put in the work.

[@beckyg9831]

I have natural talent, but lack the instruction and practice with painting. All the talent in the world cannot replace instruction and practice! I decided to stop trying to figure it out on my own, with many failed unfinished paintings, and instead take some time to study painting techniques. Your videos are extremely helpful, and I am going to start from square one and follow your advice. Thank you!

[@amysbees6686]

I prefer the term "innate aptitude" to 'natural talent'. Talent implies an almost magically bestowed gift. Aptitude must be cultivated. Dedication, discipline and diligence are the essentials necessary to achieve proficiency in any endeavor, whether it be creative or athletic. Of course finding a superior teacher/coach/mentor is crucial, especially when self-taught.

[@zuzu_1]

Wow their first paintings are better then anything I’ve painted , I’ve been painting for two years in acrylic and now I’m trying to move into oils, but it’s really hard... I am “self taught” and trying to learn from your videos and other people offline, I really hope that one day I can become really good.

[@supersal3391]

You deserve more recognition because you are a great artist/teacher.

[@danielleethier9026]

Hi, I dabbled in painting as a self-taught... with some ok results and have always said: I wish I could take courses (despite everyone always saying that I have "natural talent") saying that I only felt like my "satisfying" results were "accidental" and that I believe that despite there being many roads that lead to Rome, there is ONE true route that will lead you there without detours. So I have spent the past year just trying to find the motivation to paint without finding it because I have never felt like I was doing something "intentional" and only feeling like it was accidental. I have discovered your videos and can't get enough... I can feel the desire to pick up a brush again, building up inside and the detail with which you explain the techniques to achieve what we seek is also helping me feel a build-up of motivation, THANK YOU! I am slowly starting to prepare in order to follow your course, for example, I am making a proportion divider, and getting my palette ready, which brings me to my question about the foundation stain. You say that you use Holbein's quick dry white to make the mix. I am in Canada and can't find that brand. I may find it at some point but if I don't, what exactly is the difference between the quick dry (is still an oil-based paint?) I would like to mix up a little bit of the white and burnt umber for the foundation stain but I only have Rembrandt titanium white and Pebeo zinc and titanium white. I can't find the video in which you mention that the zinc and titanium whites do not suit the purpose for making the mixture of the stain so I am trying to figure out what I need to look for on the labels at the store. I also am limited by the language of my province which is French so I need to deal with translating your terms which doesn't always lead to easy answers but I am bilingual so I can work around it if I understand CLEARLY what the differences are and what I am looking for. I wanted to order the essential palette and the canvas stain, but the first is out of stock, and I would prefer to order both items at once which is why I want to try to make my stain in order to begin learning. So if you can give me a bit of information that I can pass on to the salespeople where I go in order to choose the correct white paint it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you SO MUCH for offering such detailed, enjoyable, and valuable information to us (I am nearly embarrassed to mention that they are even free of charge). You have two new loyal and satisfied followers because my sister is as much a fan as I am. Hopefully, we will be privileged to enjoy more of your videos. 🙏 you are very generous

[@anetam9829]

Thank you for your lessons. You give me hope that maybe one day I will overcome my fears and will start painting instead of watching and admiring works of others:) Regads from Poland:)

[@blancaartgallery]

Absolutely agree with you that anyone can draw or paint. I try tell my students that, and sometimes I can convince them its true of themselves. A good teacher with love of making art and knowledge of how to teach it helps. learning some core things, just like anything you don't know about, take it step by step, then practice, practice, practice.🙂

[@chadfoster2858]

Ive been an artist for more than 35yrs,i agree that anyone can be taught to paint and copy.I also believe in natural abillity and creative geniuses are born. Passion is what its all about either you have it or you dont and being creative beyond the canvas or whatever your into that really cant be taught. You're a fantastic realist man,and you have that eye for subject matter naturally. Not everybody has an eye for subject matter. Thats my 2 cents

[@ShunyamNiketana]

This is an interesting video. On one hand, it says that passion and hard work are the essential ingredients to making good art, but then it shows examples that are the very first and second paintings of the artist. And all of the second paintings are very impressive, even professional in appearance. I can thus conclude only that these family members and the one friend have talent, or the instruction is so good every step of the way that they didn't need to do much original thinking. They make a strong selling point for Mark's painting program; the improvement is so pronounced from painting one to two that I scratch my head and wonder in what form the hours of practice came in between. I know people with both practice and passion who don't paint this well by the seventeenth painting--and never will. What's missing? Masters in any field combine gifts and, yes, preparation, passion, focus, etc. That doesn't mean one can't learn to paint well, but not everyone will reach the summit.

[@stevenknight6393]

I am not an oil painter by any means but when I 1st saw your tin cup,I was hooked.I also loved the way you can match color by *messing around*. Thank You for being an instructor/mentor,endless inspiration(to say the least).

[@Glic2000]

This happened to me again this weekend. I followed a youtube video, painted along with the artist, and ended up with a lovely painting. I posted a picture of it to facebook and immediately got a message from someone I barely know: "wow you're so talented". I guess I could tell them I just watched a video, but they probably wouldn't believe me anyway.

[@amandalenza4670]

I tell everyone it's 100% hard work and years of practice. No talent needed. I'm more proud of the effort I've put in than any innate talent

[@Dr10Jeeps]

Very impressive. And I totally agree with you that most, if not all, people can learn to paint if they are passionate about it. The paintings you showed by your former students is dramatic proof of that. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and talent.

[@itsallaboutlight]

The author of "DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN", Betty Edwards, goes about teaching and accessing the right side of the brain in order to draw and she says anyone can learn to draw. She and Mark have a similar view about art. I learned to draw from that book and went on to paint without knowing what I was doing. I stopped painting when my grandchildren started getting old enough to get into my oil paints and I am trying to get back into it now. Mark has helped me get over my fear of failure. I feel like I can move forward because of his encouragement in videos like this. His educational program is remarkable.

[@user-wt5if6rx8m]

This channel changed my life when it comes to painting. Thank you so much. Wish that one day I could attend to a lesson or a workshop in person. Best regards.

[@hmmmph3578]

I have natural talent. Sorry, I don't believe that it doesn't exist. Otherwise my whole artistic life wouldn't make any sense. However it is true that only training can bring it out and lead it in the RIGHT DIRECTION. Love you, Mark. I will continue to watch your videos, but I could already draw before I even found you.

[@RobertHopkinsArt]

Thanks for the pep talk Mark! Passion, passion, passion!

[@charlied415]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion with the world. I appreciate this so much!

[@vickycurtin5622]

I am once again blown away with your advice and your attitude in regards to art. new artists really need to find that confidence in their own progress and you offer support with such generosity. I'm so grateful for all your time and wisdom.

[@reglindiseckhardt9777]

I really enjoy your videos because you really tell it like it is. There is no mystery to art. If we spent as much time working with paints as we do learning to read, we would all be Michelangelo-s..

[@myavatar9590]

Wow! Very impressive! Thank you for posting this!

[@AbleCarpetDyeing]

really appreciate your honesty

[@melenis4339]

Mark you are so so kind and generous, thank you, big thank you for sharing with us! you are a great human being and a great artist and teacher! thank you!

[@NancyLynn]

God bless you Mark for opening my eyes "wide" about ""the myth of natural talent"!

[@aarthik2312]

Mark, you make the world a better place! Soo soo generous and humble...

[@rickypollock9100]

Excellent video! Passion is the key word here. I'm an air brush artist but really want to get into oils. You are very inspiring.

[@vidyawitch]

Thank you so very much. Very kind and generous of you. Prayers.

[@roryurquiola]

Mark, you ve been very motivating! thank you for sharing it.

[@riverlandart]

Thank you so much, your honesty, authenticity and willingness to share is admirable I am most grateful, and a pleasure to watch and listen too.

[@NightOwl11]

Thanks again, always appreciated. 🎨

[@beverlybryce7591]

Hi Mark, I stumbled upon your videos and my first impression was that this method is too much work and no fun, but I kept watching. As I watched, something clicked in my mind, and I think I see what you're teaching. I plan to follow your steps, (even if it seems like the steps may be "overkill") and trust your teachings. I'm looking forward to my new direction in painting. Thank you in advance! Oh, and in reference to the subject of this video...I have dabbled in art all my life and people tell me that I'm talented. I always say that I am NOT talented, the secret is that I am not afraid to try!

[@deborahking7482]

Thankyou so much for sharing your knowledge. I have always had a natural passion for art. X

[@lisasternenkind6467]

When I was a teen, I realized, that those who had talent, actually only had another view of things. They were able to see two dimensional shapes in three dimensional objects. They most often weren't able to visualize the other way around, like for example have a look at a room and get an idea of how it might look with certain furniture placed in that room. So I thought that I would be able to learn to see these two dimensional shapes in three dimensional objects if I'ld work on this skill. Yet I didn't do so until I started watercolor only two years ago. I now am a freelance illustrator. I invested lots of time and did drawings every single day. I started photoghraphy in elementary school, 5th grade. We had a darkroom at our school and a fantastic science teacher, who would teach me development of films and photographs after school. So I learned a lot about composition from photography, although of course composition in photography sometimes is not the same as in paintings, especially with black and white photographs, which I did. In photography you play around a lot more with contrasts, light and shadow with hard lines, etc. But it still helped me understand composition in painting. I meanwhile have a set of rules I follow, yet without really thinking about them too much during the process. After I have done my alpha composition, I check on my placements of the objects and then place them a little away from the original space to make the composition better. Fibonacci is practically what I rely on.

[@kateobrien600]

Dear Mark, You are my hero! Now, I can see a way forward. Thank You.

[@mike7gerald]

The advice rings true. Very generous too. Mark is a Great teacher.

[@SuperDantastic1]

Thank you for posting this and putting together your website. I plan on buying the full portrait painting video in the future.

[@getzapt743]

Excellent series...and site. I appreciate your generosity with all the free info.

[@ronhochhalter3491]

I completely agree with your statements about "Natural Talent". Anyone can learn to paint, especially if you have a reference. Still life, portraits, photos, plein air are all just a form of copying what you see in front of you. Although learning to be an artist that can create something completely original without a reference, is a lesson I'm waiting to find. I'm sure you could teach me to copy what you do, which is noteworthy in all respect, but if I said "Mr. Carder, please teach me how to be the next breakthrough artist, that will show the world something they have never experienced before in art", that is a tall challenge. Another thing about your thoughts. I'm getting to the stage where people want to buy my artwork. If I tell them " anybody can do this" doesn't that diminish my value as an artist? Not everyone has the time to invest in creating artwork, so by this theory, what people are paying for is the artist investment in their craft. This becomes a more complicated subject concerning art. If value is set on creativity, then the pendulum swings more towards talent to be imaginative, not necessarily natural talent. Just a couple thoughts. I really enjoy your videos. Thanks for making them available on this channel.

[@publicopinion3596]

All artists use reference if their not using it from life or a photo it's a reference from their head.

[@NickRossi]

You are truly doing amazing work for artists in this world. Thank you so much.

[@claireonlinex]

you are a wonderful person to give this information for freeee I wish you good health and happiness Mark!

[@Ruby-wise]

Thank you so much for giving your years of experience, knowledge and skills,,,to us, (even in our Seasoned Age).,who have a passion for art!

[@bryanmcc8834]

Mark, thanks so much for all of this. My work does not measure up to that of your students. But I know that you are spot on with this. A retired architect friend of mine, who happens to be a very successful landscape painter, encouraged me to start. He said exactly what you say here. Follow proven methods, keep at it and have no fear. I love your products by the way!

[@ekaly23]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and give us hope to the ones we did not learn earlier. Sharing is the right thing so you will have a happier life as you are doing so.

[@shirleypolo6272]

I purchased your painting method a few years ago, and I still have it. The color checker..and the steps..is that a good step or a bad step. Mixing correct values of a color. Wonderful. I agree Mark, painting and drawing is a learned skill. Thank you for the videos and the great information.

[@poojapandey613]

You're a blessing sir. Thank you. :)

[@gracie30ish]

thank you so much for this I've been trying to paint and i love it and i wish i could do better..the photos of your student's paintings are so inspiring.

[@koolaidimmunity4032]

The world needs more art teachers

[@anitadavis5430]

thanks for responding to my questions. I didn't realize photo questions were already addressed. Thanks again.

[@Chirmanickityville]

Thanks for this encouraging video.

[@thisvagabondlife7132]

Mark I really appreciate your honesty. It always bothered me when people know more than they want to tell just so they can feel superior. I've seen it in all kinds of situations. I believe in spreading the knowledge.

[@IbrahimYounes]

mark is a legend.. thanks for sharing all these free videos.

[@r.rodriguez4991]

I just recently decided to take up oil painting and I'd been watching videos of other artists, paying attention to how they work. Just as I was starting my first real painting that wasn't just messing around with the paint I found your video on mixing colors. I think that video was the catalyst for that painting coming out good. Without that video I would have had no clue how to get the colors I needed. I still made a ton of mistakes because I didn't do really anything else you mention in your videos because I was using another artists method as my example. But even so the painting came out so much better than I expected. Since then I've been watching your videos every day and the knowledge you provide is so helpful.

[@missswintana]

GOD BLESS YOU FOR SHOWING US THIS FOR FREE

[@DominaterDom]

Simply inspirational.

[@zazadem7729]

What a generous share! 👍🏻❤️

[@jacksutherland8749]

God Bless you Carter family!

[@Krisjennewein]

Thank you for being non exclusive with the Truth of the Laws, Disciplines, and Practices! You are one of Art History's first great pioneers to be enabled to 'give' the lessons that elucidate long traditions, layered over the centuries with innovation and triumph. Salutations: I am 3 years late for this, but, now that I have watched you teach a few things and then I saw this video, I am thoroughly involved. I am celebrating your body of work and I will utilize it to help the people that are bugging me to instruct them forward. I appreciate your sensibilities, and decisions on focus. I am busy, but I intend to absorb everything you have up. I love no bullshit soooo much. I am 59; and a hairstylist all my life. I had just enough 'Art School' instruction as an adolescent to keep me learning and practicing making art my whole life. Recently I have had the opportunity to spend 4 years in atelier with a great master teacher: Paul MIssal, here in the pacific northwest. I also had an exceptional career in the beauty industry as an educator. I love your presentation skills and how you make a point, with respect for other perspectives. Gratitude for your work.

[@sketchum1959]

SO INSPIRATIONAL!!!!!!!!!!! TY! I now have more confidence.

[@kalinamasash1137]

Grate. What I can say just grate teaching :) Thank You Hello from Poland .

[@raulrubencolunga5284]

This is so ridiculous. I'm talking about the channel (which I have been watching for, maybe 2 months by now), everything you share in general, and above all, the kind of person I can clearly feel you are. I feel like you lack completely of ego, or keep it to the minimum and I cannot even see a glimpse of it. This video in particular made me feel that and I'm really glad that such a cristal-clear person like you is able to exist. :')

[@reginadaria6282]

It’s has been for me such an eye-opener! I literally cried when I heard you saying "natural talent is passion to learn how to paint”, every time when I paint I get so frustrated as in my head it looked differently. So what’s the point of spending all this time, money, effort etc. painting and ending up with a lousy result:-( You give me hope. Thank you so much for sharing all this knowledge. I have already learned from you a lot about color mixing. It’s amazing how you know what problems would-be-artists are struggling with. Thank you so much. Greetings from Poland!

[@NatanEstivalletPaintings]

Your students' paintings are astonishing!!!

[@africo9104]

These paintings by your friends and family are amazing.

[@tonyrhoden1]

Really motivational to keep on improving 👍

[@shushimushi]

You are amazing artist and person. So intelligent and charismatic. This channel is giving me lot of information and the right advices. I wish someday to be able to visit your classes, although I'm so far away in Europe. Take care, Mark

[@brandoncornwell52]

Thank u mark- your videos have been a great help. This from a no talent painter that has put a thousand passionate hours of practice in and more

[@piorism]

Thank you for yet another insightful video ! I just recently received my first order of Geneva paints and I am extremely excited to try them out.

[@richardseekins24]

Thank you so much for your video content I have learned so much from you :)

[@JunnBryanTrongcoso]

Great lesson that needs to reach more people. One of my teachers have said that "talent gets you into a good art school, hard work gets you a job" (animation industry). Not sure where he got that from however.

[@taritamily]

Very amazing everything what you say about talent, because people don't want share knowledges and techniques in general, in order for they continue to be the especial one.

[@robertlewisart]

When people comment on my "talent" I tell them politely that it's really being very observant and the rest is technique, hard work, and passion. I will admit that, perhaps, I have a "facility" for observing, always have had. But "talent"? That kinda makes me squirm. Thank you for articulating this. I have always felt the same way. You are the only artist I've heard admit it.

[@pauliuslizdenis5936]

thank you for this great free content :)

[@judyjudy51]

Interesting ! both Mark's talk and the comments.

[@ken1302]

I completely agree with you about requirements for art. I never could draw as a kid - in fact I didn't really try until I was over 50 because I didn't think I could - at least I never had any success with it. Surprisingly I recently won an international drawing contest proving anybody can learn. I always tell people that I have 2 mantras. 1) Practice practice practice. 2) Practice Patience. It takes time to learn to "see", learn to get a likeness, learn to work with your media, learn color/value etc. You can't rush it. I believe that where talent comes into play is in how quickly a person develops the skills. But the only prerequisite is a desire to learn and the passion to give yourself time to do it.

[@professorpancake5059]

Really helpful! :)

[@NineEyedOracle]

thanks Mark :)

[@cassyallsworth9479]

I don't agree, but practice is also apart of improving your skills. I didn't know I had a talent for drawing until I was 19, but I never practiced art before that. But my artwork has improved so much since then, my first drawings look so simple compared to today, but the improvement just came naturally. I've done some monochrome portraits, but I still have to learn to mix colours properly, because I want to paint flesh coloured portraits, landscapes & animals and want to paint more loosely & not blend. But I've really enjoyed all your videos Mark, I've learned alot, thanks 🙏

[@AlphaGeminorum1]

1:46: 'I had this natural ability to draw as a kid.'

[@nelsonx5326]

I studied art. I studied figure drawing with Robert Beverly Hale at the Art Students League for about 3 years. This study was Renaissance drawing skills, anatomy, perspective, in depth drawing study. I had drive. Talent might be early interest, desire to do something well, being smarter than the average bear, and just that little extra that comes from God only knows where that gives your art a kick. That kick might be the ability to imbue what you do with spirit. Hale was a GREAT teacher. Look him up. He gave all the information needed for a person to be a Michelangelo. I don't believe I'm exaggerating. I can analyze a great master drawing and tell you everything about every mark on the paper, what and why. But Michelangelo wasn't just an artist, he was a genius, hard to compete with that. Anyway, I was in a classroom at the league, my first year, with an array of student types, some professional artists, some had been studying with Hale for years, some youngsters like me, and I kept getting better and absorbing information and getting better and by the end of the year I was an accomplished student. The second year as an academic figure draftsman I was probably the best. I had all the information at my fingertips and could draw an excellent figure from my head, put the bony landmarks that matter in perspective and put the muscles on proper and lay the skin on and smooth and shade and have a fine figure drawing completely made up including a head and face with fine proportions. An artist draws what he knows. When I work from the model and am drawing freely I have a healthy foundation of real knowledge behind all that I decide to mark on my paper. Having knowledge as second nature allows me to think about things other than how what why. This is when art becomes expressive, when your spirit can enter the drawing, when your thinking about something other than... making art. Over time I had lost a lot of the information I had in my head. But I went back to the Art Students league a few times with my bag full of books (a dozen or so on the seat next to me) and got back some of the basics and my figure drawings, though not as good academically, had more spirit, were real mature art work with strength and bold line work, confidence. There was a new teacher, he critiqued my drawings, told me to get some drama in my drawings with shade and shadow, and mentioned in passing "These are high end drawings". Even though I was rusty and getting back in gear he spotted what I thought I was doing, very good work. OK, enough about myself and one more thing about myself. Why did I get so good so fast and blow away people who had been drawing and studying, some of them for decades, why did I get so good so fast? Talent, I have some. I'm a silversmith by trade, restoring antique metal art objects in NYC. I haven't painted in a while, but I've checked out a lot of these videos and they have good information in them and I might be retiring soon and looking forward to doing some landscapes and see if the creamier paints and limited palette might work for me. The color checker too. But I paint freer, don't paint exactly what I see, I don't work from photographs. I wonder what my art will look like. Kinda interesting not knowing what my art will look like. We only get better. USA!

[@angelicaed8527]

Hi Mark! First of all thank you for this video...I have been following you and wanting to buy your CD's for the past 10-12 or maybe more years! I don't remember the exact timing....however I never had the chance to purchase them since I was so busy with life and study....I am now graduated from pharmacy school but am still looking at your website every once in a while. I am so happy to see drawpaintmix website!! I have painted throughout the years however I always wanted to draw and paint like you...with that extra touch of LIFE! This video made me believe that one day I can!judging by what you said about the MYTH :) . I want to start step by step...Although I paint and have many paintings in oil color but I want to start over from the basics.....I want to paint like you and your students! You might never see this message but if you ever do should I just start from the 3 core videos and how should I proceed!!! considering I don't have alot of time during the days ...Cant wait to LEARN :) Thank you! Mahsa

[@thisvagabondlife7132]

Is it crazy I have your videos running 14 hrs a day...you are a great teacher and I'm just waiting for all the info to jell ...

[@rjuriklodhbrok546]

Hi Mark, thanks for another great video, your professional honesty is simply disarming! I have a question about complementary mixes..in your video on the benefits of a limited palette you mention the single complementary colors a painter should refer to on the color wheel while painting. But what about the more complex mixes, the ones made up of more than just one color or two (let's say three or four)? Is the complement of these mixes a further mix of opposite colors or is just one color? I hope this makes sense. Thanks!

[@octojoe]

there's a big difference between an artist and someone who can recreate an exact copy i can do a portrait like a photo very easily but my best friend who cannot easily recreate the same photo for example but can free hand the most fantastic and thought proving pictures effortlesly.He is an artist but i am not in my opinion

[@_____._..--_]

Can relate with your friend tbh

[@hmmmph3578]

I could draw better than anyone in any of my classes throughout school. Like you had, I have trouble with colour, but I am learning and starting to see it. I can see tone, however, so my paintings are not THAT bad. My teachers (I'm doing my second formal art course) say drawing is the basis of all art. I think drawing ability is a natural talent. Psychologists think good artists have better visual memory and are more attuned to details. One can be born this way. The myth is that without talent a person can't learn. They can.

[@cassyallsworth9479]

I agree

[@afafzabaneh3916]

You are great....

[@ikandykan]

Love all your videos and instruction. Thank you so much. Since I live in Germany I went ahead and got all the ingredients to mix my own paints with your slow dry mediums. I think I got the right consistency. I just did a test painting, with a fairly thin coat of paint. It didn't dry for almost 3 weeks, some of it is still wet. Here my questions: How long should I expect the drying to take once I stop painting, considering that I apply only one normal coat of paint? While I like the slow dry concept for a la prima paintings, sometimes I like glazing layer upon layer. For this I assume I should use a different medium, not slow, but fast drying, like Liquin?

[@johanwindhART]

You're great.

[@sandrajohnson2489]

It's just my opinion but I believe SOME people have natural talent. I also believe it's inherited. My dad could draw pretty well and his father (I was told) would make handmade baskets from grasses he found. I never knew my grandfather but my cousin told me the man was talented. My grandfather also hand carved two fiddles and gave one to my dad. I couldn't believe the thing played but it did. Sounded pretty darn good too. My mom wasn't artistic. Me, my brother and youngest sister could draw. I worked as a scenic artist for years and I paint every day at home. My youngest sister when growing up could barely draw a stick person and would always ask me to draw something for her. To my amazement, long after my sister became an adult she begin teaching herself how to paint. This was back when decorative painting was popular. My sister used stencils and painted ivy along the top areas of her walls then did other decorative painting on some furniture. She got into doing the 'shabby chic' stuff which at the time looked great but now isn't fashionable any longer. What surprised me was when my sister began painting on canvas and painting trompe l'oeil. She was commissioned to paint the inside of a large bathroom in a church. It was amazing. I can't even paint like that and I have years of painting experience. My sister painted murals inside of her house plus did faux finishes on the walls and it all turned out beautifully but not my taste. My sister probably didn't have a 'natural' talent to create art but she wanted to learn and she did. Me and my brother always liked to draw and in fact, I used to get into trouble at school for drawing instead of doing my school work. I didn't begin painting however until I was in my 30's. I never really had the time because I was always working and raising my son. I will be 67 next month and still love to paint. I guess the point to my story is and like I said in the beginning, some people have natural talent and some just desire to create art so much that they learn how.

[@stephenhanger2521]

This is a very fine Man that anyone could easily admire.

[@Stealinginfo]

Let me fist say THANK YOU! I have been longing for an apprenticeship. But due to the time needed to invest in the skill required to get hired on, the opportunity evaded me...but now...I have a true master to learn from & at my own pace, according to my own schedule! You have served your years of experience to hungry aspiring painters everywhere on the same silver platter of perfection you could and have painted! I can't WAIT to purchase your paint! I have a set of tubes to get through and then I'm on the first online thing smoki'n to purchase a set of your paints. Keep the videos coming!!! Secondly, a question...you often speak of high realism with reference to, in my opinion, a very painterly, and in your words abstract, approach. Do you think the 'looseness' surrounding the focal point is a learned attribute? Should a painter seeking to be better, or more 'real', first learn to paint without 'abstraction' and then break away from direct copies of reality to master abstraction 2nd?

[@donnchadhmcginley3153]

Checking your colours is very important

[@unexpectedartists1676]

Hi Mark absolutely loving your videos. You are very generous with your knowledge and so humble, very inspiring. I am going to order your paints very soon. But I have a bunch of paints that I want to start with. Do I need to add much linseed/stand oil to them to get similar drying time and consistency as yours to be able to work with your method effectively? And can I mix them with the other paints I have which are Blockx, Hardings, Sinnelier and Old Holland. Thanks!