I'm an amateur painter who likes to paint with soft pastels

[LiberalLoner]

https://pin.it/k5nrsc7s76y4rk

My latest work.

P.S. thank you to anyone who looks at my painting.

[Ohiogal]

1. Your work is beautiful

Do you ever sell your work?

[LiberalLoner]

4. No, not yet. Thank you so much!

[CurtEastPoint]

2. Are all the works on that page yours?

[LiberalLoner]

5. Yes, except for the quotes that I took from Pinterest to try to

Keep me from being discouraged in my art journey.

[CurtEastPoint]

10. I can't see why you would be discouraged. I love them!

I am no art expert but your style hearkens to the Impressionists whom I love!

[LiberalLoner]

12. Wow, thank you so much!

[Danascot]

27. That was my thought too.

nt

[Mr.Bill]

56. Mine also.

Beautiful work.

[LiberalLoner]

59. Thank you! It's a constant struggle to be honest. At least once a month,

I give up on a painting in frustration and disgust and consider giving my art supplies away and I tell myself, I’m never going to be good enough, I’m never going to produce a painting I’m proud of.

But then I go have a cup of tea and snuggle with my kitty cat and look at the works of pastel artists I admire, and tell myself, I will try again tomorrow.

[lark]

3. Beautiful painting.

I love your sense of color, so pretty. Thank you for sharing!

[LiberalLoner]

6. Wow, thank you so much, thank you for looking at my painting!!!

[Perseus]

7. Maybe I don't know how to work my way around Pinterest

But there are a lot of pictures there, and very different styles, how do I know what is yours and what is not?

My apologies for not knowing how to navigate in that environment. You may want to start your own page on Wix, it doesn't cost anything and then its all yours.

I am also an artist, I do oil and sometimes I will do acrylic, so I am always interested in looking at other people's work.

Thank you for sharing

[LiberalLoner]

8. It's all my work. I've been studying with different artists and so my paintings reflect that.

When I’m studying Les Darlow, I try to paint like he does. When I’m studying Marla Bagetta, I try to paint like she does. Currently I’m studying Bethany Carter Fields and Karen Margulis.

I don’t think I’ve developed my own painting style yet. I’m still in the learning curve.

When I was a kid, I got into trying to draw portraits, with just pencil, so the portraits on that page are probably closest to my own style, if I even have a style, because those are the things I’ve worked on over the years.

I took up pastel painting after I had a bad attack of MS and transverse Myelitis that left me with damage to the “hand knob” of the brain. I took up art again as a way of trying to rehabilitate my right hand.

It helped some but I still do not have the fine motor control I used to have and struggle. I have a bit of an essential tremor, as well as being just kind of clumsy in general.

But it gives me a chance to comfort myself, when a painting goes badly, with the idea that at least I did some good physical therapy for my right hand.

[Perseus]

13. My recommendation to you is

From the greats, learn technique, admire what they do, learn about mixing colors, lighting, perspective, and everything that is under "techniques", but do not copy their style let yours flourish and you will be great. You already produce quality work, now let your own style develop, let your heart and gut guide you.

Many people want to become a Rembrandt, and they become frustrated because their work doesn't look like his, well...no one can be Rembrandt but Rembrandt, we all have to be ourselves and we must allow our inner artist to come out and produce what we can produce. If you look at Picasso's early work, he trended to paint like everyone else, he did portraits, and sort of realism, but it was when he decided to adopt the style that made him famous, which was the one that came natural to him that his best work was produced.

I visited the Metropolitan Museum, and I had always ignored abstract works because abstract always seemed to me coming from people who could not draw, or paint...just throw a bunch of paint on a canvas and call it art...until I saw the work of Jackson Pollock live. I was in shock, I got goosebumps, it was amazing. Now I have a lot of respect for most of that type of work, I won't do it myself, but some of it is really good. Granted, there is a lot of abstract work that is horrendous, in my opinion, but there is a lot of good work there as well.

When I help my kids do painting, I never tell them what to paint, I only teach them technique, how to get a certain color, and maybe recommend a brush for a certain part of the painting, but I let them do what they want to do. I also help them see what I can see that they may not be seeing themselves if they are painting anything from photo or live, but I don't mess up with their style, we all own our own style and should be that way.

I am mostly a portrait artist, but once in a while I will do some weird stuff because I feel like it, it comes natural..that happens a lot when I can't sleep but I am proud of that work too. Don't let anyone try to change what you do, if it comes from the heart, and its yours, then let it be, it has to make you happy.

By the way, I also consider myself an amateur, I have never sold a painting, I give them away to my friends and family, and I have done a ton, but its my hobby, nothing more. I did have about 30 in a gallery for one day, and I got a lot of praise and offers, but I don't sell them.

Thank you for sharing, it is quality work, keep at it.

[LiberalLoner]

14. Wow, thank you so much!

Great advice! I have always loved the impressionists the best, not drawn to any other style of art nearly as much....

Best of luck to you on your art journey! I will keep plodding along on my art journey and hopefully will develop a style of my own in time!

[Perseus]

9. I figured it out...always happens

Very nice, you do quality work. I admire people who work on pastel, I can't do it, mostly because I am impatient, oil allows me to be impatient.

I recommend you look for Daniel Greene http://www.danielgreeneartist.com/ he is one of the best contemporary artists today, so is his wife, Wende Caporale, and they both work a lot with pastel. Greene does amazing work on pastel, and oil as well, his work is almost photographic.

His and her videos are very good, worth watching.

You do very quality work, congratulations, keep at it, what has made the greats great is that they never stopped.

[LiberalLoner]

11. Thank you so much!

Actually I took up pastel because unlike other media, it stays “wet” and unfinished so to speak, which means when I reach a level of exhaustion, which happens easily due to damage from MS, I can go lie down to rest when I need to, without worrying about the painting being ruined.

I have seen his work and love his work!

I don’t see myself as ever reaching a stage where I could sell my work. I guess my goal is to give some paintings to loved ones that hopefully they like, and to keep working on it and hopefully getting better over the years. And hand therapy, LOL. And it’s good therapy against the depression I struggle with, too. All those pretty pastels get me up out of bed on days when nothing else seems to motivate me.

Thank you again, so much!

[Perseus]

16. Don't sell yourself short, you can sell most or all of that work you show

I am going to tell you a little story.

At lunch I used to watch Bob Ross on TV, I don't have his style, but I liked the man and I enjoyed watching him paint. I found out that there is a Bob Ross place about an hour away from my house where they teach the Bob Ross style (Bob Ross Academy), you pay $45.00, they give you the canvas, the paint and then you follow step by step until you finish your painting, it is a group class but the way they do it is great, everyone walks out of there with a good painting.

I decided to take two classes, and I noticed there were a group of women in the 2nd class that I had met the first class. They told me that they take at least two classes per week, they finish their paintings, they frame them and they sell them for about $150.00 in eBay, they do it every week, they are retired so they are having fun and making money. If people can pay $150.00 for those paintings they will pay more for yours, that is if you want to sell them of course. But don't sell yourself short, the work you do is very beautiful.

I have the two paintings I made at the Bob Ross Academy at home, I framed one because I like that one a lot, the other one is somewhere in the house, which I will give to whomever likes it, but let me tell you, its all about learning different techniques, and Bob Ross did produce very quality work, I don't think he is appreciated enough, I have seen his work first hand, and it is beautiful.

[Perseus]

17. By the way, I am not suggesting you sell in eBay

Go to galleries and show your work, I think you are underestimating your work a bit, it is very good. Don't take copies of other artists with you, take what is originally yours, I think you are going to be surprised about the reception you will get, and last...do not be discouraged if a certain gallery doesn't like your work, it will happen, you just need to continue showing it, I think we all agree on this site that it is quality work, so go for it.

And don't forget, there is no worse judge of your work than you. We, as artists, always "know" what we could have done different, but we need to learn when to stop adding/changing and put it out for the whole world to enjoy.

I hope you let us all know when you have your first solo exhibition, ahead of time so that we can hopefully attend.

[LiberalLoner]

19. Wow, thank you so much!!!

[LiberalLoner]

18. Wow, thank you so much!

Thank you for sharing your experience with me and encouraging me! 😍

[sagesnow]

15. Love it!

You are very talented.

[LiberalLoner]

20. Thank you!

[procon]

21. That's actually quite good.

Your color palette gives depth and suggests a cold, misty fall morning after a rain storm. It's both tranquilly soothing, but also mysteriously intriguingly to me. The viewer is drawn in and left to wonder what might be found in the distance beyond the trees.

Good job!

[LiberalLoner]

35. Thank you so much!!!!

What a nice evaluation!

[pamela]

22. Very beautiful!

I like all your paintings. I followed you on Pinterest.

[LiberalLoner]

36. Wow, thank you so much!

[Harker]

23. Nice work!

I especially love your palette... for the same reasons I have always admired N.C. Wyeth. Purples, oranges, golds... sunlight and shadow.

Thanks for letting us in on your art.

[LiberalLoner]

37. Thank you so much! Thanks for looking at my painting!

[MLAA]

24. The water is particularly beautiful! Well done!

[LiberalLoner]

38. Thank you!

[Bayard]

25. Your landscapes are good

As others have said, I like the Impressionistic qualities and colors. Have you checked out Etsy, if you'd like to consider selling some?

Your portraits capture personalities in a lovely way. You can see a definite progression in your technique.

Wish I still had time to paint........

[LiberalLoner]

39. Thank you so much!

I don’t feel I’m ready yet to try to sell, maybe in another year or two.

I hope you find time to paint! It’s a good antidote to Trump induced depression and anxiety!

[TEB]

26. Beautiful

[LiberalLoner]

40. Thank you!

[Me.]

28. You Painted That?

Really? It's so lovely it's hard to believe anyone I can communicate with painted that.

[LiberalLoner]

41. Thank you so much! Gosh!!!

[Panich52]

29. Nice work

[LiberalLoner]

42. Thank you!

[Karadeniz]

30. Hey! You're good!

[LiberalLoner]

43. Thanks!

[Duppers]

31. ❤ your work.

[LiberalLoner]

44. Thank you!

[JudyM]

32. Really evocative... beautiful!

[LiberalLoner]

45. Thank you!

[lunatica]

33. I think you can drop the word amateur in self describing yourself

Artists are artists. Period.

As an artist myself I can tell you that your work is inspiring. What I mean by that is that it makes me want to create my own art. How much better can you be than that?

[LiberalLoner]

46. Oh, thank you! It would be so wonderful if my post inspired people to

Try art or take it back up!

[lunatica]

49. That would mean you aren't some amateur.

[akraven]

34. Wonderful!

Thank you.

[LiberalLoner]

47. Thank you!!!

[akraven]

48. I have less than zero talent in the arts.

So I'll send you my 10% - truly a beautiful painting by a master. Saved to share!

[LiberalLoner]

58. Thank you so much!

[sinkingfeeling]

50. Very nice work.

[LiberalLoner]

60. Thank you!

[Docreed2003]

51. Absolutely beautiful

Reminds me of the creek next to where I grew up. Your work is incredible...thank you for sharing.

[LiberalLoner]

61. Thank you so much for looking at it!

[applegrove]

52. I have canoed that narrow river into the reeds. Very nice.

[LiberalLoner]

62. Thank you!

[AJT]

53. How you use light is beautiful.

[LiberalLoner]

63. Thank you!

[Anon-C]

54. Amateur?

It's amazing!

[LiberalLoner]

64. Thank you!

[ms liberty]

55. Everything they said above and more!

Great work, you are quite gifted. Thank you for sharing it with us!

[LiberalLoner]

65. Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork!

[KT2000]

57. So beautiful

thank you for showing us.

[LiberalLoner]

66. Thank you for looking at my art!

[LiberalLoner]

67. Thank you all so so so much! I am overwhelmed! When I posted this I thought

I probably wouldn’t get any views.

The support and encouragement you all have given me has brought tears to my eyes and I am more grateful than I can say!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I am saving this thread to read again whenever I am feeling discouraged!

[Apple Fritter]

68. It looks like and oil painting too!

I thinks it's wonderful. I too an practicing scenery. I can't reproduce result like that yet.

[samnsara]

69. wow nice!!!!!!!!!!!

[CountAllVotes]

70. Hello LiberalLoner!!!

I looked at your painting and I like it very much.

Have you been taking lessons somewhere or is this just another one of your amazing built-in talents that you've been hiding from us?

Have a happy day LiberalLoner!

You are never alone here on the DU!

& recommend !!

[LiberalLoner]

71. Wow thank you so much for your kind words!!!

I’m actually trying to learn how to paint with oil colors now because people seem to like oil paintings better. I like giving my paintings as gifts and people seem annoyed they have to frame behind glass so I’m switching to oil paints in the hope people will find my paintings more useful.
😀😀😀❤️❤️❤️❤️

[GreenPartyVoter]

72. Wow. That's like Hudson river or great impressionists level light.

[LiberalLoner]

74. Oh gosh thank you!

[bif]

73. You've inspired me

To try working with pastels. Until now, I've only painted in acrylics. I'll have to give pastels a go.

[LiberalLoner]

75. It's really fun! It's very messy though. My favorite pastels are Sennelier, you can get a good

Sized set of half sticks without spending a huge fortune and the sticks are almost pure pigment and so bright!

[greymattermom]

76. My daughter is an artist, I'm a scientist.

I call them both "judged sports". Lovely work.

[LiberalLoner]

77. Thank you so much!

[Alliepoo]

78. Holy Shamoley!! Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!

[LiberalLoner]

79. Wow thank you so much!

[femmedem]

80. What a beautiful body of work!

Like the other folks who've commented, I love your depiction of light. And your skies are masterful.

I must not have spent enough time on DU--I almost missed these!

[LiberalLoner]

81. Thank you so much!!!!