(Before and After artworks)
Story and paintings from Lucas, Old Masters Academy student
I was born in a very creative family; my mother was an abstract painter and illustrated some poetry books. We always traveled a lot and visited museums. I used to be surrounded by visual art — drawings by my mum and her friends were all over the place whether we were at home or travelling.
My brother, a promising athlete, demonstrated outstanding results in swimming, but after he suffered serious trauma, he was forced to leave sport. He was fifteen at the time, and I was sixteen. To help him survive his depression, our parents invited one of their friends, a still life artist, to come and give several painting lessons to both of us.
My brother soon lost an interest in it, but I kept on painting.
I consider myself a weekend painter.
I’ve got a BSME (Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering). Now I am in my late thirties, single, and I have a well-paid position in a big company, but I often start to doubt that I chose the wrong path in my life. What if my real calling is art?
I often catch in myself a strange feeling of anger and irritation when I go to the openings. I ask myself why someone less talented is doing exhibitions, and I do not. The truth is that I can’t quit my job and start painting full time. There’s no guarantee I could earn enough money to cover my mortgage and life expenses.
I had a talk with my mum, sharing my doubts. She supported me. It was a huge surprise when she bought for me the Old Masters Academy membership as a gift. To be honest, I didn’t want to study at all; I didn’t want to do any exercises. But every time I was on a Skype with her, she was asking about my progress, if I was doing anything. I started watching the videos and doing the exercises simply because I didn’t want her to feel that she’d wasted money and emotions without any payoff. However, from Lesson 36, I started to gain real pleasure from the course.
I still paint only on weekends; I do mostly exercises and portraits. Portraits help me comprehend the theory faster. I’m not ready for full-size figures yet. This will be my next target.
How to apply glazes and what underpainting should be prepared beforehand turned out to be a big revelation for me. Before the Old Masters Academy course, I had no idea that to paint a naturalistic skin, I have to juxtapose various glazings of various transparency. Instead, I tried to mix the right color on a palette and then blend accurately one tone into another directly on the canvas.
The girl’s portrait is the best portrait I have painted so far. I guess it is a good illustration of what I have achieved, thanks to your lessons.
For “before,” I’ve chosen one of my favorite still lifes. See the difference.
I do not want to make any guesses what will come to me in my near future. Will I find the courage to change something in my life or not? Who knows? In that regard I’m a very cautious person. But ideas about changing my career path have visited me more and more often.
Learn time-honored oil painting techniques of the Old Masters!
What you will get:
- Instant access to all 60 multi-part video lessons
- A lifetime membership
- Personal coaching by the course tutor
- Constructive critiques of your artworks
- Full access to the Art Community
- Exhibition space in the Students Gallery
- Members-only newsletters and bonuses
- Old Masters Academy™ Diploma of Excellence
How you will benefit:
The Old Masters Academy™ course is very comprehensive, yet totally beginner friendly. All you need to do is watch video lessons one by one and use what you’ve learned in your creative projects. You will discover painting techniques of the Old Masters. This is the best art learning experience you can have without leaving your home. All information is delivered online, including personal support by the course tutor.
Diana Young says
I am currently a sculptor student in MS but I have recently bought several of the masters academy classes to round out my other work. What I find significant in your comments is the passion to not just do the work but show it. Start by creating a body of work and looking online for juries shows. Look for local art groups to join. Ask for comments. Your work is full of promise and delight.work not only on your painting but anatomy and drawing. Thank you so much for sharing; I’m encouraged to start my classes now.
gilberto Mello says
I share Lucas’ life tribulations, having been myself a full-time technical professional and weekend painter… not the greatest split situation, I agree …until I was laid off work and forced into an early retirement. Needless to say, that was when I jumped into the art world for good, and have not regret it since then. But I also discovered that I was lagging behind in my art skills, for not being able to dedicate time to study and practice what I really loved. I will always lag behind, no matter what, but I never stop learning, practicing and studying Old Masters techniques, still new to me. It is all a struggle when we try alone but not impossible to achieve success. So, my advice to you is to persist in pursuing your dream to become a better artist, meet other artists and learn from them. We cannot allow suffering over lost time but we can use time now to progress in our art skills, that is my message.
Angelo Minerva says
Is your subject mainly the human form (portraits and figures) or do you have other interests such as landscapes, seascapes, or cityscapes?
Angelo Minerva says
Is your subject mainly portraits and human figures or do you work on other interests such as landscapes, cityscapes, etc?
Rita says
I adore Old Master Academy!