Learning how to think outside the box: Why it’s so important artists spend time playing
Photograph (and the following four) by Kate Cullen
Practice playing
Fine artists learn best through play. Being free to experiment and explore, by letting go of inhibition, is the best way to move forward. It’s in the unguarded moments of working with a new tool, material or simply making random marks, with no goal in mind, that discoveries are made. There’s a good reason artists refer to their work as a practice, because that’s exactly what they’re doing. Practicing possibilities to make their best work.
Make mistakes
Making mistakes on purpose in art, or rather doing something without much premeditated thought, is a sure fire way to get the wheels of play in motion. When we are young we’re often so desperate not to be seen to make mistakes that, despite it being a very normal part of learning, we reach adult hood blinkered about what is and isn’t acceptable. The thought of making a mistake, especially on purpose, can feel uncomfortable. Learning to feel comfortable with mistakes in paper, pencil and paint can lead to some of the most interesting discoveries in an art practice.
Be generous
A big part of not wanting to make a mistake can be tied up with ideas of waste. Not wanting to waste materials is a valid point, especially in the midst of a cost of living crisis, however it can also be limiting. Over the last couple of years I’ve really learned that for art making to flourish you have to be generous with paint. Go big or go home. Get a large pot of paint, squeeze out masses and really see what you can do with it. Unless you’re working on miniatures, using little blobs of paint on a small palette can present a feeling of frugality. This in turn translates into a painting that could feel lacking. Lacking in actual material.
Now, I’m all for a bit of thriftiness (I am Scottish after all) however if you want to understand how a material works you have to get to know it. In my case it’s getting to know acrylic paint and all the wonderful mediums that go with it. I started my practice with a few small tubes of old paint from art collage days and used them a lot like watercolours. This was all well and good but I was missing a whole richer side of what this incredible polymer based material could do. Using generous amounts of paint, time and other materials has really helped me grow a mindset of experimentation. Being able to explore fully, without limits, the possibilities a huge pot of paint can give is a wonderful thing. It’s freeing, open and abundant and all that energy feeds back into the work.
Throwaway boards
A real game changer with the notion of being playful and generous is that nothing actually has to go to waste. Thanks to the teaching of Nicholas Wilton and his incredible Art2Life team I now set up my studio work table to incorporate generosity and efficiency within my practice. There is a logic and flow to how tools, paint, boards and cleanup operate along the length of my table. It’s like a production line set up for success and at the end of the line is a throwaway board.
The throwaway board does two amazing things. It allows me to use up the excess paint on my brush before it goes in the water pot (therefore no waste) and I get to have a play while I’m doing it (help free the mind). By using this system it actually builds in playtime in the middle of work time. It’s the equivalent of having a little peek on instagram in the middle of writing an essay. Only rather than getting lost down a scrolling rabbit hole, think we’ve all been there, you’re actually taking a break with benefits. Having the opportunity to push paint around without premeditated thought is invaluable and can lead to new paintings. I’ve created a whole collection of abstract landscapes just from throwaway boards.
Edge landscapes
Little slices of abstract landscapes were conjured out of playing with layers and layers of paint. These 15cm x 30cm paintings start life as panels to wipe off excess paint. Sitting at the end of my production line, they offered a moment to be free and playful with mark making. With no expectation or result in mind layers of paint built up on the surfaces and exciting textures emerged. When there was enough information and history to work into I add and subtract more paint till suggestions of hazy landscapes started to appear. The edges of each landscape were then painted in a complementary colour to enhance the overall feel of the painting. It was only through play that I found the amazing textures, marks and colour combinations present in these curious little paintings. They have depth and richness to them that belies their size because they are full to bursting with layers and layers of beautiful paint.
Importance of play
If play time can produce a small collection of paintings imagine what it can do over a lifetime of practice. By finding opportunities to be playful, light hearted and even make a mistake or two something will always be learned. Children are encouraged to play, as this is how they learn about the world around them. It gives them a chance to practice skills, learn how they feel about stuff and discover what they like and don't like. As adults we may have to become responsible people, be in charge of buying food, shelter, the occasional home appliance and a dinner service or two, but there’s still so much to be learned. Keeping an open mind, throwing a little caution to the wind and using up all the paint is a very good place to start.
Would you like to see the Edge Landscape collection?
Click the link to take a peek…