I was once told by Robert Bateman, “… there is no cheating in art”. My mind immediately jumped to the extreme and substituted the title of this post “Art; By Any Means Necessary”. Bob had made the statement in reference to a conversation we were having regarding the use of unconventional paint applicators, but it got me to thinking how all of us are held back from time to time by our own perceived limitations.
We always need to remember that the idea is the art and not the technical application or execution. We often get so caught up in the process and the medium that we forget to make sure the idea is revealed first and foremost. Anyone looking at a piece of art will forgive technical ability if the message is strong and clear.
Where we run into problems is where our technical abilities seemingly keep us from realizing our idea. This is where the quote, “… There is no cheating in art”, comes in. Do whatever you have to do to get that idea out of your head and out into the real world. If you need a photograph for reference, then use it. If you need to draw something with a sharpie rather than paint it, then do it. There are no rules in art or in life, no matter how many people need you to believe otherwise.