You're the most gracefully sincere person I think I've ever heard. I appreciate the video, but specifically I appreciate that you're willing to share moments of embarrassment from your own experiences. Sometimes, especially as a beginner, I find it very hard to imagine skilled artists ever having had setbacks or moments of disappointment and embarrassment like the ones I feel quite often; it reminds me that it's okay to fail and that every failure isn't the end. So thank you for sharing your advice and your experience, it is very helpful.
I personally love your videos especially this one because its kind of refreshing to hear. I mean there are a number of process/ tutorials out here and it's nice to find something that doesn't just talk about it in a technical sense but also share perspective and experiences. I would love to hear/see more of your insightful videos in the future.
First of all, I must say that I am always excited to hear your voice again each time you post a video. And the contents are .... fantastic !!! Thank you, thank you again and again. I can not wait to see the next one;) I do not even need to click on "subtitles", your English is so easy to understand. A French woman artist.
Thank you, Cynthia. It's wonderful to feel your encouragement and be given real tools to cope with failure. There is no sense of blame or shame in your words. Inspiring. A lovely study as well.
I am horrible at planning paintings. In the best case scenario, inspiration comes, then I think about it for a week. After those seven days, I will either try to capture my original vision or realize I have lost desire to start the piece. One of the reasons I loved your Alice in Wonderland videos was because you took us through your planning stages. It is such a revelation to realize that thumbnails are to paintings as outlines are to stories.
Beautiful work and thank you for your advice. I been thru alot but I'm not giving up on my number one dream becoming a professional artist and again thank you.
I love that you build up your studies in chunks (doesn't sound the nicest, but it's the only word I can think of, lol!) of paint rather than from a rendered drawing, they have more life about them. Really enjoying your video chats and the thoughts behind your processes! Every time a painting doesn't go the way I want, I always remember - failure isn't final.
Thank you so much for this video! Yes, everyone has sure said it all for me in all comments below. Your amazing and I really learn so much from you! Hugs
I love this loose style 👏💕 just gorgeous. I've been struggling with simplification too in my work. It's hard to know when to stop detailing and when less is more. But I've come to realize that photorealistic work can more often than not actually be rather boring and lifeless
This couldn't have come at a better time for me. I recently had what I thought was a great idea for a painting. I decided to do it larger than I normally work on and things went bad fast. One, I had some drawing issues that pushed my narrative further into the characters history than I wanted and I was working too large, as well as rushing to possibly put the piece in an upcoming show. I was crushed when I realized it was a complete bomb. I gave it a few days to feel sorry for myself then ended up painting a smaller different idea that came out really well, I should add that there have been times in the past that I have allowed a failed painting to jam me up for weeks!. The new smaller painting gave me the confidence I needed to take the original idea back to the drawing stage on a much smaller study size, so far it is going much better. It won't make the show but I learned a lot and will try not to make the same mistake of letting the excitement of an idea rush me. Thank you for sharing your mistakes and ways to over come them. You are so refreshing in your honest attempts to help and nurture other artists.
This is so amazing! Thank you so much Cynthia for sharing your weak moments! It's so rare. I'm inspired from your talk to continue youtube art videos! I had stopped because I was unsatisfied with the videos and my own work. But watching this helps inspire me to continue working a documenting my journey! Thanks!
I love your channel so much Cynthia:) It´s been a tremendous help! Can I suggest doing a video on technique - specifically brushwork in digital illustration?
I know this will sound familiar, but I like this painting at time lapse 6:00. It had a very fierce look to his face. Like an African warrior. Just my thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
"...The substance so slick it once got elected to public office..." I voted for it! :-) I love your process for handling failure constructively - I so needed to hear this! Thank you!
Good advice that needs constant reminders and to not be so hard on ourselves. Yep, I think I need to allow myself the space for the darker emotions connected with failure, it's also the time spent on a painting, that may not go wel,l and if you need to make money from that effort and the art, then it's not that it's gone bad, but also you have wasted that time. Of course I undertstand there is plenty to learn from the experiance, but I also find, as artists, we can be so focused on creating an Art Product (end result) that we then critique the efforts harshly. Really nice music too.
you are one of my idoles dear Cynthia keep the good work thanks alot for your videos and the great points you include in it :D love you girrrl rock it as usual *_*
That is a beautiful portrait study. I'm finding myself frozen in place with a painting I'm working on out of fear that finishing it will ruin it somehow... As if I've only gotten as far as I have through luck and faking it. I haven't touched it since November. Hopefully I'll snap out of it soon.
This is a very mature and in-touch responses to failure. How do you deal with success, especially if you don't think you should have it? May the Liquin Gods grant you eternal wealth.
Hi Cynthia, Your work is fantastic and inspiring. Thank you for sharing and your generosity. I have a question concerning your palette.Do you ever premix your colors when working on paintings and studies or do solely mix your color on the palette as you paint?
Really, really nice, Cynthia! I'm not sure if you were labeling this particular painting a failure, but I think it is your strongest one yet. Nice simple shapes. Really very graphic :-)
The feeling of failure is one of the feelings I get sometimes.... but more of that feeling is anger with myself. I don’t know how to overcome that because it turn into frustration and then rage to just throw it away and begin a new one. 😂😂😂😂 Sometimes however, I keep going and change certain things that make everything just better. 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
Solid video yet again. I had a professor that said that most of the failures that his students had were mostly the result of too little time spent working on the piece. Though I really didn't like the guy, I have to admit, that as I look at my work and other peoples work, he was right. * shake fist * P.S. need more pie.
Although I agree with the usual "one must make mistakes to learn" I also let myself hate the really bad paintings and drawings and just throw them away. If I don't understand why it went wrong I'll put it away for a few days first and then it's easier to see what went wrong, similar to how one should put away the first draft of a book, but then at some point I'll bin it. I always have people objecting to this telling me I'll regret it but I have had no regrets about throwing them away, in fact I always find it really satisfying. I find it very freeing while drawing knowing that if I mess something up particularly bad (usually it's just because I was being lazy or having a bad day already), I can just throw it away, no one has to see it.
I just did my first digital painting (no experience with actual painting just watched these youtube vids for a month lol) I was angry that the color was wrong and some of the details wer enot exact....Then I went to sleep....I woke up and looked at the painting without looking at the reference photo and I was like "DAMN THAT LOOK GOOD!!" For a first try that is lol. I learned a lot and I know now what to do differently .
Thank u for this. Dealing with failure is truly one of those superpowers. Its so smart to find a process to deal with failure. Another important area is criticism. I was never as disheartened by failure as by criticism that came like whiplash. How do you deal with those? Especially when they are coming from those who are ignorant about the subject, and think they have the right to tear you down, and think that it is for your good! Constructive feedback is definitely helpful, and it needs to come from those who actually know the stuff. Such people usually are never mean. So wonderful to watch your painting process. Thank u so much for sharing. How do accomplished artists like you practice? Can you consider talking about how to get really good at art? Good day. :)
I learned a master of art made thousands of mistakes and took it with him, While a person thinking he is a master after succeeding once or twice is a fool and will repeat mistakes more often. Do I know how frustrating it can be to fail it should always phase you as a artist, since if it phase you it than means that you have taken a notice on the problem it self and can learn from it.
Seems the auction is already closed. I don't have any funds at the moment, so it doesn't affect me, but it also means no one else can bid further on it either.
I also have a question about liquin, I have heard you on all your videos describe it as such a great medium that I decided to give it a try. Previously I had avoided it because I had read so many stories of it making people sick and I am someone who is very sensitive to smells. My husband calls it my super power, anyway it doesn't seem to bother me smell wise but I am having a difficult time knowing how much to add when painting is this something you could explain more?
Laura Senchuk I'm glad the smell isn't bothersome, and as much as I like the stuff I know it's not the same for everyone. :) I use more in the beginning (about a 1:1 ratio of medium to paint) then less as the work continues, to where it's just a minor additive to keep the paint fluid. Hope that helps
Hii, Excelent Video!! . I think u keep one lecture (session). No need for Demo fine. Bt tel people about patience. i mean.. when u start painting (1st sitting) when u need to sit for the (2nd Sitting). How many hrs u need to wait till colour Dry... etc supposed If i start my painting today (1st sitting) so when do i sit for the 2nd sitting ( after two days or three days etc ).. if u tel this in your Lecture it will helpful for everyone. ( No need to show demo just tel the process). Oil painting is all about Practice & Oil Painting is Slow Process ... if any one dont know the process the de wont able to do. U r Art Is Excellent!! ( i am waiting to c dat Process Lecture Video i hope u will make it soon dat surely help for other artist) Regards...
Beautiful painting! I like the different colors that you used for the skin, definitely something I'll keep in mind! Oh gosh though, I know that feeling of failure well and it's always because I didn't do enough planning ahead of time. Recently it was with a concept piece that I ended up taking a LOT of time on. So long that the client was wondering if they would ever get it. I definitely learned from that mistake but it took time for me to get over the disappointment of it. I rushed myself through the planning stage and felt in my gut that I would regret it later and I did. Not nearly as bad as standing in front of a crowd of people and pretending to like your work! I think that would have depressed me for weeks D: Long story short, please be patient during the planning stage or it will hurt you later. A lot.
You're the most gracefully sincere person I think I've ever heard. I appreciate the video, but specifically I appreciate that you're willing to share moments of embarrassment from your own experiences. Sometimes, especially as a beginner, I find it very hard to imagine skilled artists ever having had setbacks or moments of disappointment and embarrassment like the ones I feel quite often; it reminds me that it's okay to fail and that every failure isn't the end. So thank you for sharing your advice and your experience, it is very helpful.
i wish someone would talk about me the way you talk about liquin!! beautiful work :)
This made me spill my coffee.
I personally love your videos especially this one because its kind of refreshing to hear. I mean there are a number of process/ tutorials out here and it's nice to find something that doesn't just talk about it in a technical sense but also share perspective and experiences. I would love to hear/see more of your insightful videos in the future.
Thanks for sharing your humanizing experiences and your incredible work! So helpful!
Absolutely LOVED the end result to this painting. Thank you for your content 💘
First of all, I must say that I am always excited to hear your voice again each time you post a video. And the contents are .... fantastic !!!
Thank you, thank you again and again.
I can not wait to see the next one;)
I do not even need to click on "subtitles", your English is so easy to understand.
A French woman artist.
Thank you, Cynthia. It's wonderful to feel your encouragement and be given real tools to cope with failure. There is no sense of blame or shame in your words. Inspiring. A lovely study as well.
Beautiful Portrait. Your videos and commentary are wonderful and inspiring.
I am horrible at planning paintings. In the best case scenario, inspiration comes, then I think about it for a week. After those seven days, I will either try to capture my original vision or realize I have lost desire to start the piece. One of the reasons I loved your Alice in Wonderland videos was because you took us through your planning stages. It is such a revelation to realize that thumbnails are to paintings as outlines are to stories.
I will watch ALL your videos and recommend your channel to ALL my friends. You're very inspiring. I love you!
Thank you for being honest about failure. It is insightful and motivating.
Beautiful work and thank you for your advice. I been thru alot but I'm not giving up on my number one dream becoming a professional artist and again thank you.
Would love to see your process of a digital portrait. Really enjoyed your sketch book video
I love that you build up your studies in chunks (doesn't sound the nicest, but it's the only word I can think of, lol!) of paint rather than from a rendered drawing, they have more life about them. Really enjoying your video chats and the thoughts behind your processes! Every time a painting doesn't go the way I want, I always remember - failure isn't final.
I love your paintings and the smile in your voice
Love the topic. I think we can all relate and we all grief in different ways. Your videos are always a treat!
Thank you so much for this video! Yes, everyone has sure said it all for me in all comments below. Your amazing and I really learn so much from you! Hugs
thank you so much for your honesty in this video.
Your 👏 videos 👏 are 👏 amazing 👏 So well put together, they’re super helpful and inspiring. Thank u 😊
Thank you so much for showing us your work and words! You really inpire me a lot!
Hi Cynthia... good points to consider, thanks for the inspiration.
I love this loose style 👏💕 just gorgeous. I've been struggling with simplification too in my work. It's hard to know when to stop detailing and when less is more. But I've come to realize that photorealistic work can more often than not actually be rather boring and lifeless
This couldn't have come at a better time for me. I recently had what I thought was a great idea for a painting. I decided to do it larger than I normally work on and things went bad fast. One, I had some drawing issues that pushed my narrative further into the characters history than I wanted and I was working too large, as well as rushing to possibly put the piece in an upcoming show. I was crushed when I realized it was a complete bomb. I gave it a few days to feel sorry for myself then ended up painting a smaller different idea that came out really well, I should add that there have been times in the past that I have allowed a failed painting to jam me up for weeks!. The new smaller painting gave me the confidence I needed to take the original idea back to the drawing stage on a much smaller study size, so far it is going much better. It won't make the show but I learned a lot and will try not to make the same mistake of letting the excitement of an idea rush me. Thank you for sharing your mistakes and ways to over come them. You are so refreshing in your honest attempts to help and nurture other artists.
This is so amazing! Thank you so much Cynthia for sharing your weak moments! It's so rare. I'm inspired from your talk to continue youtube art videos!
I had stopped because I was unsatisfied with the videos and my own work. But watching this helps inspire me to continue working a documenting my journey! Thanks!
...Great painting, and discussion.
Gorgeous portrait.
I love your channel so much Cynthia:) It´s been a tremendous help! Can I suggest doing a video on technique - specifically brushwork in digital illustration?
I know this will sound familiar, but I like this painting at time lapse 6:00. It had a very fierce look to his face. Like an African warrior. Just my thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
Totally agree with all the lovely comments below.....marvellous !
All of your videos are so consistently great! Lots of good advice here, thank you!
Happy to have found your channel. :)
Good Video and great points thanks for sharing
i love your style so much oh my god
"...The substance so slick it once got elected to public office..." I voted for it! :-)
I love your process for handling failure constructively - I so needed to hear this! Thank you!
I really enjoy your talks, it was a great one!
Lovely!
Good advice that needs constant reminders and to not be so hard on ourselves. Yep, I think I need to allow myself the space for the darker emotions connected with failure, it's also the time spent on a painting, that may not go wel,l and if you need to make money from that effort and the art, then it's not that it's gone bad, but also you have wasted that time. Of course I undertstand there is plenty to learn from the experiance, but I also find, as artists, we can be so focused on creating an Art Product (end result) that we then critique the efforts harshly. Really nice music too.
I loved this video!, good topic, love the painting.
you are one of my idoles dear Cynthia keep the good work thanks alot for your videos and the great points you include in it :D love you girrrl rock it as usual *_*
That is a beautiful portrait study. I'm finding myself frozen in place with a painting I'm working on out of fear that finishing it will ruin it somehow... As if I've only gotten as far as I have through luck and faking it. I haven't touched it since November. Hopefully I'll snap out of it soon.
Could you make a backlit portrait study? Btw this vid was really helpful.
This is a very mature and in-touch responses to failure. How do you deal with success, especially if you don't think you should have it? May the Liquin Gods grant you eternal wealth.
Man, this was good! Thanks for sharing. :)
Hi Cynthia, Your work is fantastic and inspiring. Thank you for sharing and your generosity. I have a question concerning your palette.Do you ever premix your colors when working on paintings and studies or do solely mix your color on the palette as you paint?
Really, really nice, Cynthia! I'm not sure if you were labeling this particular painting a failure, but I think it is your strongest one yet. Nice simple shapes. Really very graphic :-)
Thanks very much! I think this study made it eventually, but the road to get there was full of extra bumps :)
The feeling of failure is one of the feelings I get sometimes.... but more of that feeling is anger with myself. I don’t know how to overcome that because it turn into frustration and then rage to just throw it away and begin a new one. 😂😂😂😂 Sometimes however, I keep going and change certain things that make everything just better. 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
Liked before watching
Solid video yet again.
I had a professor that said that most of the failures that his students had were mostly the result of too little time spent working on the piece. Though I really didn't like the guy, I have to admit, that as I look at my work and other peoples work, he was right. * shake fist *
P.S. need more pie.
Although I agree with the usual "one must make mistakes to learn" I also let myself hate the really bad paintings and drawings and just throw them away. If I don't understand why it went wrong I'll put it away for a few days first and then it's easier to see what went wrong, similar to how one should put away the first draft of a book, but then at some point I'll bin it. I always have people objecting to this telling me I'll regret it but I have had no regrets about throwing them away, in fact I always find it really satisfying. I find it very freeing while drawing knowing that if I mess something up particularly bad (usually it's just because I was being lazy or having a bad day already), I can just throw it away, no one has to see it.
I just did my first digital painting (no experience with actual painting just watched these youtube vids for a month lol) I was angry that the color was wrong and some of the details wer enot exact....Then I went to sleep....I woke up and looked at the painting without looking at the reference photo and I was like "DAMN THAT LOOK GOOD!!" For a first try that is lol.
I learned a lot and I know now what to do differently .
I stopped painting for 12 years because the liquin was making me feel sick. Hope it's treating you better!
rewatched all these vids just to get all the liquin jokes
Great advice!
How much time, on average, would you spend on an artwork - from thumbnail to finish?
Cool painting. What size and brush type do you use.
Thank u for this. Dealing with failure is truly one of those superpowers. Its so smart to find a process to deal with failure. Another important area is criticism. I was never as disheartened by failure as by criticism that came like whiplash. How do you deal with those? Especially when they are coming from those who are ignorant about the subject, and think they have the right to tear you down, and think that it is for your good! Constructive feedback is definitely helpful, and it needs to come from those who actually know the stuff. Such people usually are never mean.
So wonderful to watch your painting process. Thank u so much for sharing. How do accomplished artists like you practice? Can you consider talking about how to get really good at art?
Good day. :)
I learned a master of art made thousands of mistakes and took it with him, While a person thinking he is a master after succeeding once or twice is a fool and will repeat mistakes more often. Do I know how frustrating it can be to fail it should always phase you as a artist, since if it phase you it than means that you have taken a notice on the problem it self and can learn from it.
At times, it looks like you're putting down very thin wet paint, then working into it with thick(er) paint. Was I seeing correctly?
Seems the auction is already closed. I don't have any funds at the moment, so it doesn't affect me, but it also means no one else can bid further on it either.
I also have a question about liquin, I have heard you on all your videos describe it as such a great medium that I decided to give it a try. Previously I had avoided it because I had read so many stories of it making people sick and I am someone who is very sensitive to smells. My husband calls it my super power, anyway it doesn't seem to bother me smell wise but I am having a difficult time knowing how much to add when painting is this something you could explain more?
Laura Senchuk I'm glad the smell isn't bothersome, and as much as I like the stuff I know it's not the same for everyone. :) I use more in the beginning (about a 1:1 ratio of medium to paint) then less as the work continues, to where it's just a minor additive to keep the paint fluid. Hope that helps
Cynthiaaaa Please Return :(
How long do these studies usually take in actual time?
Hello Cynthia, where do you get references for all of your portrait studies? Do you have any recommendations?
Daniel Price she has a link of the pic in the description. Deviantart
Thank you!
are there any places on the web where you go to find references?
Hii, Excelent Video!! . I think u keep one lecture (session). No need for Demo fine. Bt tel people about patience. i mean.. when u start painting (1st sitting) when u need to sit for the (2nd Sitting). How many hrs u need to wait till colour Dry... etc supposed If i start my painting today (1st sitting) so when do i sit for the 2nd sitting ( after two days or three days etc ).. if u tel this in your Lecture it will helpful for everyone. ( No need to show demo just tel the process). Oil painting is all about Practice & Oil Painting is Slow Process ... if any one dont know the process the de wont able to do. U r Art Is Excellent!! ( i am waiting to c dat Process Lecture Video i hope u will make it soon dat surely help for other artist) Regards...
Hey Cynthia it’s been 2 weeks you didn’t post anything are you ok?
Saruman Offecial yes, thank you for checking. My day job got the best of my schedule, but I'm working on another video to post soon.
Oh that’s great I hope you make another painting video same as autumn metamorphoses best of luck
belle peinture!! mais trop rapide!!! cordialement
For me, mistake in art mean create new art....
Anyone else is here just for the liquin description ???
That's a very strong American accent ... I can't hear an English accent at all.
I would like to see how YOU look like. Ha haa
Are you single? LoL. Jk
But seriously, are you single?
Beautiful painting! I like the different colors that you used for the skin, definitely something I'll keep in mind!
Oh gosh though, I know that feeling of failure well and it's always because I didn't do enough planning ahead of time. Recently it was with a concept piece that I ended up taking a LOT of time on. So long that the client was wondering if they would ever get it. I definitely learned from that mistake but it took time for me to get over the disappointment of it. I rushed myself through the planning stage and felt in my gut that I would regret it later and I did. Not nearly as bad as standing in front of a crowd of people and pretending to like your work! I think that would have depressed me for weeks D:
Long story short, please be patient during the planning stage or it will hurt you later. A lot.