It is a very nice feeling when it happens, when we get so much absorbed into painting that time flies and we get into the “zone”. Then taking out the camera or writing notes in the middle of creating can seem like a hassle.
It is sometimes, but it is also very beneficial for you and your career. Here is why:
You are documenting your process and and can get back to it in the future
Right after you have done your painting, everything is still fresh in your memory, but it might not be a few months later. If you document your painting process by taking pictures and/or taking notes, it will be way easier to remember exactly what you did, what paint you used, etc…
Taking pictures will help you remember your process
If you want more details you can also print a few forms to fill out with each painting. This is a good idea especially if you are working with watercolor, so you can remember details like the paper type, names of colors, etc…
You can download a free template for a form on the Artist Network website, it is part of the free extras that are offered with my book “Fearless watercolor for beginners”
You get better at taking pictures
As with everything, the more you practice, the better you get at it. If you start taking pictures every time you paint, you will see an improvement in your pictures quality.
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
These professional-quality, water-soluble pencils offer the freedom to switch from drawing to painting in an instant, with no change in tools. Use them to shade on dry paper, then quickly wash over with brush and water to get a blending effect. – Watercolor Pencil Sets
You are gathering material to post on social media
Posting a few times a week on Facebook or Instagram can really help with getting exposure for your Art. If you get into the habit of taking pictures every time you paint, you already have material for your social media posts.
You can also document your process by taking videos for a YouTube channel if you have one. This is one of the most viewed videos on my YouTube channel:
You can use your pictures to write a blog
I recently wrote a post explaining how writing a blog could be beneficial for your Art career, you can read it here: Should you write a blog?
It is easier to write posts if you already have a library of pictures you can use. Also, if you want to share your process, a picture is worth a thousand words. Taking good pictures of your process will make writing tutorials a breeze.
good pictures are making writing tutorials and explaining what you do very easy
You have material ready if you need to publish a demo or an article
If you get asked to provide materials for a tutorial or a demo, you are a few steps ahead if you already have pictures you can use.
You don’t necessarily need to invest in all the fancy materials right away
As I am taking lots of pictures, I did invest in a good camera and two lights as well as a macro lens.
The macro lens is really useful for close ups.
A macro lens is helpful for close ups
But to start, you don’t need to purchase all the equipment. I still very often take pictures or shoot videos with just my iphone, and some of them turn out really well:
Originally from France, I have been living in North Vancouver, Canada for the past 20 years.
My work has been collected and exhibited extensively in Canada and internationally. I am also part of the Art Rentals and sales program of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Many of my paintings have been published in Art books and magazines (Artist Magazine, Watercolor Artist Magazine, Acrylic Magazine, International Artist Magazine). I wrote 2 art instruction books with North Light/F+W Books.
I have been writing for the last 5 years for my blog: paintingdemos.com, that has a mailing list of about 10 000 subscribers and about 20 000 visitors per month.
I am an active member in the community, as a co-founder of the North Shore Art crawl, a co-founder of a weekly life drawing group, a board member of the North Vancouver Arts Council, and have been invited as a juror for public art, art grants and juried exhibitions. You can read more about my collaborations here.
