How to EVALUATE YOURSELF as a SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST ??! - Teach Yourself to Draw - Methodology

In this special episode of "Teach Yourself to Draw", I respond to a Patreon question about self-critique as a self-taught artist. I share some tools and talk about the mindset to evaluate yourself as a self-taught artist effectively.
#drawing #tutorial #teachyourselftodraw
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About me (bio) :
I am an artist living and working in France. I learned the techniques of the Atelier of the Nineteenth century and now I try to share some of my knowledge with the rest of the world, because I think that beauty still has an important role to play in artistic creation. I do mostly drawing and oil painting, and my goal is always to provide techniques and explanations that can be useful to anyone, from beginners to more advanced artists.
The material I use most of the time (not necessarily in this video) :
Drawing
Equipement
✓ Kneaded eraser
✓ Plumb line
✓ Small mirror
✓ An old synthetic brush
✓ Masking tape
✓ Cutter
✓ Sandpaper or sanding block
✓ Mahlstick or Hand rest (DIY)
✓ Level ruler
Graphite
✓ Pencils 2H, HB and 2B
Charcoal
✓ If available: Nitram charcoals (H, HB and B)
!!! Or, if not::
✓ Square Venetian charcoals Lefranc and Bourgeois
✓ Natural charcoal box (check that the heart of the stick is not spongy and hollow)
Black and white chalk
✓ Sketch pencil Conté white
✓ Square Conté noir : HB and 2B
✓ Chalk or pencil holder
✓ Pencil sketch Conté Pierre noire : H and HB
Sanguine
✓ Sketch pencil Conté : Blood and blood Medici
✓ Crayon Polychromos Faber-Castel : sanguine
✓ Sketch pencil Conté white
Oil painting
Palette
(Extra-fine paint, recommended brands according to availability: Lefranc Bourgeois, Winsor and Newton, Royal Talens Rembrandt, Sennelier)
✓ Titanium white PW6
✓ Yellow ochre PY42
✓ Burnt Sienna PR101 or PBr7
✓ Venetian red or English red PR101
✓ Permanent Alizarin crimson (Attention: do not use the traditional pigment, which is not very light-fast) PV19 or PR177
✓ Cobalt teal blue PG50
✓ French ultramarine blue PB29
✓ Raw umber PBr7
✓ Burnt umber PBr7
✓ Ivory Black PBk9
Brushes
✓ About ten filbert hog bristle brushes sizes n° 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12
✓ Some flat brushes
✓ Round sable brush or round Kolinsky sable n°10 (from the size of the nail (about one inch) or synthetic imitation
Medium
✓ Linseed stand oil
✓ Odourless mineral spirits
✓ Safflower oil
Surface
✓ Linen canvas, fine grain universal coating
✓ Canson oil-acrylic oil paper Figueras
Others
✓ Palette
✓ Foam and spalter brushes
✓ Palette knife in the shape of a water drop
✓ A few small pots, containers, jars...
✓ Paper towels
***
Thanks for watching !

[@KJensenStudio]

Very good points! I think you forgot to mention something: you never stop being a student with art. That's of the things that prevents boredom, so it's a good thing! Thank you for your generous videos.

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Self evaluation checklist is excellent idea

[@itsnotakuma]

Thanks for this video. It touched me in more ways than as an artist. What you said from 830 to 845, made me cry. Knowing I’m a good person and I will continue to get better, helped give me hope for my future.

[@cvillecsteele]

I never, ever comment on things. This is literally the first comment I've ever made on youtube, watching years and years. Thank you. THANK YOU. This is the best, most insightful, most accurate, most challenging and most inspirational video I've ever watched, as a self-taught artist. You nailed it.

[@EGCSlothee]

I've been at a loss of motivation for about 2 months, still watching your vids though

[@FlorentFargesarts]

It happens, I've been there ! If you're really stuck in a rut, just make something completely different : like something silly and humorous or something super spontaneous that you don't care about but just want to experiment with somehow . Or change medium : when it happens to me, I write poetry, and soon enough inspiration and motivation come back !

[@GeminEyeArt]

For me it's largely to do with being incredibly transparent with yourself and saying yeah, I can probably do this better somehow, and make it a point to correct myself or incorporate what I've learned in the next attempt. I used to temporarily display my work in my room upon finishing it specifically so that the flaws would become visible to me lol some thought I was being masochistic but it motivated me to know that I could recognize what was wrong with my own work.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

It's a very good idea to display your work to take the time to observe and find flaws. 👍✔

[@GeminEyeArt]

Florent Farges - arts I love the way you articulate it though. “Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps” is a brilliant way to put it, a new meaning to “check yourself before you wreck yourself” 😂

[@FlorentFargesarts]

@@GeminEyeArt Haha 😂“check yourself before you wreck yourself” I'm going to borrow this one for my next video though, isn't that from Ali G ?

[@GeminEyeArt]

Florent Farges - arts haha go for it! It came from Ice Cube but Ali G made it funny lol

[@olofdk6593]

Self critique, one of the more difficult things to do. Thank you for these tools. It always help to let you look at what you are doing from another perspective. Thank you Florent. You are a great teacher.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

You're welcome, I'm glad you like my work. And yeah self critique is hard but for a self taught artist, there is a lot to learn that couldn't be learned if the critique was coming from someone else.

[@anthonypc1]

I apply this "perhaps perhaps perhaps" method of proactive skepticism to a lot of other things worth questioning in life as well. Philosophical, political, scientific and personal life beliefs and choices that may easily be taken for granted and critically overlooked. I don't feel demoralized by doubt. I've de-stigmatized doubt for myself, taking initiative to call on useful doubt as an asset, and not just associating it with just shameful failure. I always rather find out if I was mistaken so I can improve, ideas and skills.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

I couldn't agree more. Doubting is constructive if you know how to use it effectively. But many people don't feel confortable about it and when they learn that it's an integral part of the learning experience (at least for art), they get discouraged and find excuse to never learn.

[@anthonypc1]

@@FlorentFargesarts it is disappointing to realize how normal is that aversion to critical thinking. Aside from drawing and painting, I have been working on a personal project where I interview all kinds of people about one thing they believe is true. Then I have a process for questioning that belief to give them more opportunity to explore doubt about how justified is their confidence in that belief. 👆🏼 TLDR I mostly use the "Street Epistemology" technique for my discussions. You seem like you might be into SE if you check it out on KZbin. (which is just why I'm describing it here.) it includes Socratic questioning, along with more encouraging communication styles. I've begun recording my epistemic talks with people to share on a KZbin channel of my own. Have been delayed in launching it since the pandemic kinda stalled my street interview practice... but have made the switch to Zoom. My video series/channel will be called Planting Questions. (not to do with gardening tips though.) 🎋🌿✌🏼

[@Kapyzzany]

I didn't come here to talk about techniques, because I've studied many of them and I know a lot of drawing materials, I also have many of them. I'm not a begginer. I've been seen a lot of channels about "how to draw" man, you're the one who lifted me up from my demotivation. Your words have a peace inside them that make me think "Yeah, that's the truth, let's do what Florent said". "Teach yourself to do anything" is very hard! The hardest part for me was the completely "depressing thoughts" about my drawings. For me you're like a real friend saying what the right way! I'm sorry for venting like that but i want you to know that at least you saved an artist life! Keep doing your amazing work! Greetings from Brazil!

[@JNeedels]

Thank you for creating the checklist. It is helpful for me for self evaluation and help me be mindful of these criteria in the process of each new drawing.

[@helenedesmarais8697]

In my long life, I used to paint sporadically and once I redid an image done a some years back. I did the best I could at that moment. It was definitely better. Since then, I remade it 4 times just to see where I was. Always better and I'm going to attemp it again after 15 yrs. I'm a bit scared but i RELY on knowing that they were always better than before is reasuring. But Florent, with your teachings, I'm confident of a better result. Thank you. Wish me luck

[@displaychicken]

Haha my art has been called everything from “crap” to “total crap”. I’m the only one who’s seen it.

[@sashavonspakovsky311]

Thank you very much for the tips on mindset!

[@catherinecervas3726]

Wonderful video Florent! Thank you for the checklist too. I look forward to each new video you post. Such applicable topics.👍

[@averycutecat1852]

The checklist is very helpful!

[@juliosantiagom]

Thank you, Sir. You are such a great and complete teacher and artist. I am grateful of all your great work and the passion, dedication and love you show and put in all your videos. Painting or drawing is not easy for those like me who have to “push” a little harder to accomplish it. But you really inspire and help to make that “push” a much more easer. Thank you!

[@alycevonrothkirch2267]

Great video, as always. I'm definitely going to swing by your website and look at the self-evaluation sheet. I also like the idea of ditching perfectionism and viewing your current art work as a moment in time. You were likely worse before and you're likely going to be better hereafter, so it can be motivating to look at your older stuff. I draw the same models over and over - my dogs and cats - because they're (a) very cute but also (b) because it's incredibly heartening to compare my previous efforts to current ones. I also think it's useful to try the best you can at any moment but also to not try and be perfect. I actually think that perfectionism is destructive of motivation and a real sense of progress because you demand perfection of yourself *now* without taking the time to practice and giving yourself the mental space to learn. It's far more useful to set oneself goals or just to accept that there may be flaws this time, to analyse what those flaw are and to work on them and do a little better next time. And it's always useful to conceptualise the work as something that involves skill and knowledge, i.e. something that can be practiced and improved on, rather than as an integral part of your being, i.e. something that emerges from your talent. If you can start by saying 'the work has flaws and I can improve it in the following ways' that's so much better than saying 'I'm no good', which is as pointless as it is soul-destroying. Thank you so much for your thoughts on this issue and for putting the self-evaluation sheet together...

[@gerrystevens9041]

i have been doing the last one [comparing old stuff to todays effort] unconsciously. i started learning to draw in earnest quite recently. about 3 months. [altogether with painting; oils acryllic and water, about my 2/3 year]. i think your lessons will be a great help.

[@CupCaked]

I think back a long time ago to my time in art school with regular group critiques in class. After every project or assignment, the professor or instructor led a critique session. I learned a lot! Still, to this day, I think of my finished work as ready to undergo this kind of “grilling”, and I seem to come out better for it. It helps to think in terms of how others see what you’re trying to convey.

[@ArtistWizardry]

Thank you, Florent. Great advise and nice self assessment checklist. :)

[@corrinnemyren9278]

Thanks I am working on my own and I needed your advice.

[@crisalidathomassie1811]

Great video! Thanks so much! The method actually reminded me of the Spanish song Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps! Very useful information and educational as well. Many times I wonder if I’m doing the right thing, but you are right. We have to learn to correct our mistakes before continuing with the drawing. Thanks again. Blessings and be safe.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

Haha, thanks, I used the title of the song to help people memorize it, apparently it worked ;) Thank you for your comment, take care !

[@crisalidathomassie1811]

You are an awesome teacher and very inspiring person. Keep up the great work!

[@Pharcodra]

a critical mindset isnt a negative one. i am a beginner and can critizise my drawings and paintings and also enjoy them. I see errors (and there are many) and pick them out and try to solve them or atleast keep them in my mind for later drawings/paintings. If someone is unable to critizise the own work without beating themself up over it they need to work on themself. it seems to me like many people have that problem but on the other hand its just delusional to expect a perfect drawing or a drawing with just a few flaws. not a single person would expect an amateur boxer to win against mike tyson. i really like your approach of teaching, instead of preaching certain techniques or materials you encourage to find an own approach.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

I agree that a critical mindset isn't negative, but for some people it is... dealing with the inevitable frustration to complete a realistic drawing is not easy for a lot of people. And many do expect things to be perfect on the first try and since they can't, simply give up and find an excuse like lack of innate talent ! so many people are like that!

[@henriquejanuario881]

great class! Thanks for sharing! Peace!

[@peterclark5107]

Brilliant ! Without making an obvious link you could be giving a self constructed route map for the way we could or maybe should look at life and our place within it. Art is both intrinsic and metaphoric to our existence. In fact Florent despite the specific direction that you outline you are really touching on the philosophy of our human condition so that as we draw and paint it awakens the ability to engage with the world within and without. You may imagine that what you are saying is limited to artistic endeavours but you are potentially doing so much more. Awesome.

[@emmamontonen]

Thank you Florent for a great video, the check-list is an interesting idea! I found myself nodding along in agreement to everything you said - as a violin teacher I would also tell my students to be suspicious every note and phrase, and the s**t sandwich is definitely a thing I use in class a lot :)

[@fatemaalbalooshi1980]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@alickwina4755]

Great advise

[@Jules_Pew]

I've put painting away for up to a year when I was satisfied and then to be disappointed when I got them out again. Then it's time to rework it to make it better as I've improved in that time. What really sucks is when people want to buy stuff that you think is shit.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

You know people sold actual sh*t as art, right ? So... it can't be the worst. At least in your case it's part of a greater journey of improvement...maybe early work that will be super useful for future art historians to understand your approach... who knows ??!

[@hbruce5868]

Jules, It is interesting that you brought this up. There are paintings which I have done which I personally love but got almost no reaction to and there are others which I thought were not so great, yet many people were very excited about. Interesting.

[@kavithajaikumar9635]

Thank you 😇 so helpful 👍

[@FlorentFargesarts]

You're welcome !

[@artandfiction4534]

What's weird is that most of the time as a student in art, I have been focusing on realism and details, and now I'm trying to draw animated characters. So, I am relearning gesture drawing so I can loosen up my proportions and details to form my style. I found out that using a nub of charcoal helps me keep my sketches loose.

[@cheers2023]

Thank so much for this video! My thoughts about it are that it seems to be much easier to make adjustments to a drawing rather than a painting, unless you are working with oils which gives you about a day or so to make adjustments. Something I have been working on is remixing colors and trying to match them to dried paint. Dried paint tends to dry darker. So trying to match it a tiny bit lighter to make adjustments has been extremely tedious, but I think I am finally starting to make progress.

[@FlorentFargesarts]

You're right Bella, but oil paint shouldn't dry darker... it's strange to hear but it depends on what products you use ! I think what you're referring to is the mat aspect, compared to the glossy appearance of wet paint. Matching paint color exactly is still a pain, though... I agree ;)

[@cheers2023]

@@FlorentFargesarts Thank you for the reply. Maybe that's what I meant. Maybe it just seems darker to me. I mixed purple colors together for a face I was painting, but the proportion of the face was off in the mouth. Out of frustration I painted over it in white and left it for months. Since then I've been trying to get that purple again. I should have written it down 😅

[@Angels-3xist]

I believe there is no one who is bad at art outright and that everyone just has a different form and degree of affinity for different areas. Find your form and you can come to ideas without anyone telling you much else. Life itself couldn’t exist without the ability to take shape on it’s own. All things are easier with help, though.

[@dreanki]

I find that trying to critique my art as if it was someone else's that I'm trying to teach helps a lot. also slowing down, spend more time observing the differences. Take a break, come back with fresh eyes and then tell your imaginary student what's wrong with it.

[@artandfiction4534]

I really need to take a break. Probably the reason why digital art is so hard, I get stuck trying to fix one thing.

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

What I'm doing is ...after painting...I copy paste both original and my painting in ms word and analyse it...so it stays relevant to the reference...but I don't have structured approach like yours....very interesting idea

[@dasartattack]

Tq sir

[@nicoleperron3315]

Stumbled on this video. Some time ago I checked out websites where you can post your paintings. I thought this would be great. But I found from looking at many sites like that, that they were full of very nice people who no matter what the painting was, no matter how completely awful, they just said beautiful awesome spectacular. I was looking for somewhere where people would tell you where your mistake is. So although this was lovely for the people's self esteem, I don't see where this helps anyone grow. Then I checked local artists and many giving courses, I looked at their work and saw obvious mistakes in perspective or values. I want to learn from someone better than me if I am confident that I can fix their mistakes they aren't the teacher for me, so now I watch videos to learn, all styles are different and try new things. Why are people so afraid of pointing out your mistake if you ask them to tell you? Sometimes I can see something is wrong but I can't put my finger on it and would love an honest opinion. I have a few I keep taking out and stare at and say what is the issue with this one, why is it wrong? I know where I need to improve, I'm far from conceited, for years I didn't show anyone my paintings but I am so much older now and my self esteem doesn't hang on what people say anymore. I enjoyed your video and will try a checklist sounds like a good idea.

[@cynthiamarston2208]

May as well get used to it. Art is a lifelong learning event. Like Horsemanship and other disciplines. Plus there are good days and bad days. I told myself no more becoming demoralized! I said it’s enough that I tried and just.....well....try again! No big deal. Honestly over the last 1 1/2 years of just trying to want to do art and overcoming all weird kinds of obstacles and remembering I had a habit of avoidance over 20 years and realizing it was all on me to do something about it or not. It’s an actual choice between you and yourself....and I’m not saying it’s easy but looking back I can’t even understand what my “block” was....I don’t even want to understand either. It doesn’t matter. It started out me writing I like to draw 30 times a Day day after day....didn’t seem to be working but it was an actual start....and I’m still a beginner! I’m new still. I should cherish this start and I owe it to MYSELF to keep at it.

[@josephwunstell1008]

What colors do you recommend to paint a black hair lady in oil

[@Mambo1061]

I have only ever heard it referred to as a compliment sandwich. Guess it's the new glass half full huh

[@aquarels]

I want to draw and paint portraits but I hate doing self portraits and I don’t have models. What should I do please? How do I overcome this?

[@Daria-gd1ed]

use photos for now until you find some models

[@emmaphilo4049]

How did you learn such good english also ????

[@lisapoirier8048]

Ahhh toi... Je t'ai trouvé 👍

[@dagoelius]

Ive run out of bread...

[@wanderingwade8877]

Great advice. Now I'm going to crawl back to bed and put my head under the covers. (Just joking)

[@hamburgertv1438]

So you are french, aren't you mon amis ?

[@FlorentFargesarts]

I am indeed your ami, my friend !

[@leighfoulkes7297]

Not a good idea for me to evaluate myself! I suck, always have sucked and will never be any good, lol.