Thanks to all who left comments regarding different grades of Winton oils (Windsor) and for the tips about M. Graham Walnut oils, which are walnut oil-based, rather than linseed oil-based. I enjoyed visiting your sites and viewing your profiles and artwork.

As a beginner, must ask this question. Does the struggling ever end?

Sometimes I have been "in the zone" at the easel, but mostly it is a struggle to try to convey what is in front of me or in my mind. Have taken some classes, a workshop, and will attend another workshop in May. Part of my studio's mission statement is "keep it fun," which I do, but ...

When did the struggling stop for you? When did you look at a scene, a person, an animal, a picture in you mind and nail it and then nail it again?

Art seems to be like golf. You only 'compete' against yourself. (Was looking for another word for compete, but couldn't think of one.)

Thank goodness canvas is tough. Mine take a fair amount of abuse from painting, scraping off, re-painting, and sometimes sanding, gessoing and starting over.

Joan T.

MEMBERS COMMENTS VIEWING 1 - 3 OUT OF 3 COMMENTS From: alston 03/30/2008 20:09:31 I agree with the others about the struggle, but I also think our emotions play a huge part in how our          " soul" comes through. And it IS a lot like golf, we are constantly trying to have the new " game" be better. Don't get discouraged, just keep doing it. From: Richard010303 03/30/2008 18:03:48 I also do not think that the struggling ever ends, but I do think that it changes.  Even when I "nail" a painting or a whole series of painting, something starts to happen in my mind that says "Is that all there is?" I get the urge to change to move on to other things, maybe they are only bigger or maybe it is an entire different subject matter. You know, leave still life for a while and pursue landscape, or figures, or portraits.  No matter what it is, I know after a while I will want to move on and each move incorporates a struggle for technique, for subject matter, for uniqueness.  I think each change incorporates the lessons of the previous step, but it is always a challenge to find the next step.    Good luck with all of it.   From: flstormz 03/30/2008 17:46:12 "As a beginner, must ask this question. Does the struggling ever end?" Absolutely not.     I think art IS like golf!...you can never really master it. In golf you hit that one good shot a round that keeps you coming back for another round. And in painting, you do that one piece that comes out amazing and then you think you can do another one.