An Idea To Create A Regular Feature On Master Sculptors And Painters

[Gra30]

I have been inspired by many a modeller and learnt a lot by studying others work and asking questions, that said this is not for me on PF. What I love about this forum is that it is a community of all areas and levels, no one usually puts themselves up as better than others and everyone talks and passes information at the same level. It is great when you receive constructive comments or tips from someone you regard highly in the hobby, equally to be able to comment and like on another persons post. The fact is that we all hold different people in high regard as we are all at different modelling levels whether painting, sculpting, casting etc To me this would bring an unneeded pecking order to PF and possibly elitism. To me learning and seeing how things are done and being inspired is the enjoyment and the chance to talk to others at the same level. Only my views of course and hope not too negative.
Best wishes

 

[tonydawe]

Mark, that's Master Modeller not Master Bater!!

I voted yes initially because I thought the concept might be interesting, but as I read down the comments and thought about it a bit more I came to the view that I don't really care too much about what inspires the Masters. I'd like them to show me how they sculpt and paint to such an amazing level and what tips and techniques they can pass on, but I don't really care who their favourite artist is or what music they listen to while sculpting.

 

[Einion]

Besides, whoever is willing to share it - is sharing it as tutorials and WIPs.

That's actually kinda my point - not all of them are, at least currently or on an ongoing basis.

I'm familiar with a few blogs on various other subjects (e.g. comic artists, digital illustration) and very often the interview subjects don't do any kind of step-by-steps or tutorials, some haven't talked about their working methods at all previously.

From the way a small minority have slated and bitched about them on Planet Figure, I would not be supprised if they said get stuffed.

Sorry to hear about your friend, but that hasn't happened here more than a couple of times that I've seen, and one of the major victims of this isn't just still producing but an active member of the site So I think perhaps this is not as great a problem as you're suggesting.

Also, who decides who a master is or isn't...?

I agree. That could actually become quite a contentious issue.

Einion

 

[Gra30]

I have to agree with the post above by Einion. SBS would be great and would be more of what I would like to see, I also agree from a modellers side that there are many well known names, or should I say modellers I hold in high regard that I would love to see tutorials or techniques from.
The articles by Bill Horan in MM were a great inspiration to me when younger and studying those certainly helped me improve. I would prefer to see articles and techniques from a modeller rather than interviews about them.

 

[Mark S]

Mark, that's Master Modeller not Master Bater!!................

Hey, I resemble that!!...............But also I've got to say how amazed I am that this idea could generate so much negative comment. As if members have reached deep inside to try hard to find a reason to hate the idea.
What a lot of the quishy stuff you step in when rounding up the livestock!....What average modeller would find it a difficult experience to hear whatever a particular experienced modeller had to say.No matter what it was.
I listen daily to interesting conversations online, on radio and even occasionally on the evil box. I thrive on listening to the experiences of others, interesting people exist all around us. If you're that close minded to not want to know all there is to know about an interesting person who has achieved a certain level of expertise in their field, then step aside and let those of us who do enjoy the experience.
I think Gaudin's idea is great, I'm interested in hearing anyone's story, including what motivates them, what moves them, how they see life, how they see their work and everything else in there lives.
I reckon it's the height of arrogance to suggest that these people whom we expect to give willingly of themselves and share all of themselves and everything they have strived for years to achieve will submit themselves to our own strict rules of engagement and answer all our predeterminded questions and tell us exatly what we want to know and how they do it and nothing more or else!!.........jeez come on which of our 'masters' are going to want to submit themselves to that kind of pF interrogation.
It's a great idea, lighten up and save the whinging till afterwards.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

It's a great idea, lighten up and save the whinging till afterwards.

Mark - respectfully disagree with most of what you said. We were asked yes or no and some of us provided feedback that we weren't interested at all or were not interested in that particular content. Constructive suggestions on preferred content were given. Answereing "no" is not "negativity."

Colin

 

[Mark S]

Mark - respectfully disagree with most of what you said. We were asked yes or no and some of us provided feedback that we weren't interested at all or were not interested in that particular content. Constructive suggestions on preferred content were given. Answereing "no" is not "negativity."

Colin

That's fine Colin, I'm not the opinion police, just sharing my own.....Cheers mate.

 

[Gra30]

Oops, sorry for posting, just answering honestly and certainly not completely negative or arrogant.
I would just prefer to learn how to do , as said I am very inspired by others and have learnt a great deal from them but still stand by my initial comment of all being at different levels and all having admiration for different people. I don't think any one person can decide who is a master or not unless it was limited to just Grand Masters, there are plenty of superb modellers out there who are equally as good if not better but do not hold the title. Personally I think asking for tutorials would inspire everyone and keep at the community level rather than interviews of selected people, some of whom don't even post on here, unless the idea was to limit it to just PF members ? I do suspect that the response when asked would be less when asked to submit a tutorial than if asked for an interview as a selected master, especially if not a PF member.
I am certainly not saying don't do and sure it will be of great interest to many, I am just answering the initial and expressing my views rather than a straight forward yes or no.
Apologies if being narrow-minded ))

 

[Gaudin]

What I already found frustrating is how the word master has been picked repeatedly in one context and made a focus that absolutely distracted from producing anything constructive.

Forget the word "master " - I used it in a sense - someone with respected skill.
I will tell you why I used it - because on modelsculpt.org people with respected skill are given a forum status of a master. It then allows them by default to be moderators in their category - because their input is valued.
They are also - usually - most prolific of us and professionally successful.

Like I said - earlier - any one who inspires you - to me is a master. if there is more than just you who is inspired by this artist- then this is our guy/lady

Some guys however seem to have elevated it to Oscar nomination and World ranking system Nadal vs Murray style
Gra30 - I see your point, its conceivable - but just a bit too heavy.

I am interested in people, in personalities, I am curious to know how Serebryakov got to where he is, how Carl Reid became so productive and that he doesn't own any copy of his work ( so i have been told), how Popovichenko started and what not. I am also interested in any successful artist that is recognised, Moz, Mortimer, Joaquim, Romain, and plenty of others.

To me they are master-craftsmen
Every single one of them will say that theirs was a long path of errors and successes and that is impossible to tell in words how to "sculpt like Reid".

Every and each one of them can share a trick or two - and they do, yet year after year people come up with desires of having them to somehow put 10-20 years of experience/tactile perceptions/finger memory and thousands of mistakes and successes into words so we can become just like them, it seems in human nature to seek short cuts.
I for once realised that unless they teach me one to one, even a video doesn't quite provide much insight any more.

It has been more than few years now that I stopped to be a beginner and stopped searching for " magic tutorials" and step by steps. There comes a time that SBS do help and inspire - but you must find your own way to be yourself. I guess for me it symbolises transition from newbie to an artist ( of sorts), when you stop focusing on someone else's techniques and how other people will receive it and start focusing on your work.

 

[Gra30]

Looks like I have a long way to go then and still a newbie ))
No negative intended and best wishes
Signing off

 

[Mark S]

Oops, sorry for posting, just answering honestly and certainly not completely negative.

I just don't understand that, Gra30,Why would you now apologise for posting your opinion.I just don't get it. I certainly don't give a rat's patootie if you dislike the idea. I understand what you said and I'm sure many others have as well. There's no need to emphasise your previously posted opinion,.. we get it. And there's no need to feel as though you're being threatened in any way because I expressed a contrary view. I certainly hope this isn't going to decent into one of those "Well what the hell give's you the right crapp........kinda threads, holy *****, in that case...I don't give a fig.

 

[Gaudin]

That's actually kinda my point - not all of them are, at least currently or on an ongoing basis.

Einion, surely this is genuinely a matter of choice and you cant expect people to comply just because "I want them to " and do more.

I tend to ask people directly via PM and some give brilliant advice, some tell me to get lost and some ignore me. And I still ask.

I don't see how you consider this an issue that can at all be changed or addressed , let alone through the idea that was proposed here?

 

[Waterman]

Having now read all the foregoing, count me out. I think I've proved a point.

 

[housecarl]

Why would any sane sculptor want to get involved. If anyone 'dares' to point out (assassinate apparently!) the emperor is a tad underdressed at times all rational mature discussion goes out of the window what follows is endless puerile nasty infantile insults and threats, both public and private. If any half decent sculptor or painter with a brain saw that they would run a mile.

 

[stu]

Helmets on chaps

Stu

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Got mine

Colin

 

[Einion]

Einion, surely this is genuinely a matter of choice and you cant expect people to comply just because "I want them to " and do more.

I think you missed what I was getting - that artists who don't routinely do articles or talk about their methods in posts on a forum are sometimes willing to talk about them in this way, as the other Q&As I mentioned demonstrate.

As far as the type of question goes, the two ideas are not mutually exclusive! It's quite normal for some basic biographical questions, then motivation and questions about methods to all be included; a standardised set of questions as someone suggested could easily cover this much territory.

In terms of the time it'll take since this isn't a real-time interview, with all the scheduling problems that might entail, the 'admin' side wouldn't be much work at all - just a couple of PMs or emails per artists would do it once the ball gets rolling.

Having now read all the foregoing, count me out. I think I've proved a point.

So count you out on reading them if this does go ahead???

Why would any sane sculptor want to get involved. If anyone 'dares' to point out (assassinate apparently!) the emperor is a tad underdressed at times all rational mature discussion goes out of the window what follows is endless puerile nasty infantile insults and threats, both public and private. If any half decent sculptor or painter with a brain saw that they would run a mile.

The highlighted part is quite right Carl, regardless of how unwilling some are to see it.

Einion

 

[Johan]

Helmets on chaps

Stu

 

[Gaudin]

I think you missed what I was getting - that artists who don't routinely do articles or talk about their methods in posts on a forum are sometimes willing to talk about them in this way, as the other Q&As I mentioned demonstrate.

I see, I understood you now, thank you, Einion.

I must say that as thread descends into flame and attempts to lighten mood, I am growing increasingly apathetic. I see now why certain people I respect are indifferent to these discussions and stay right off- I am guessing they have seen it all before.

Suddenly I realised that I have more respect for politicians as I seem to understand more about what their job is like.

 

[Waterman]

Yup, dead right Einion, I will spend the time painting, it will give me more pleasure.