Barbara Weaver-Bosson's Art, Life and Stories: How to Become a Dam Good Artist in 39 Easy Years

This step by step guide to HOW TO BECOME A DAMN GOOD ARTIST IN 39 EASY YEARS, is an important tutorial for all who want to enjoy the sacrifices of becoming an artist.

Warning!
I do not encourage my readers to take my advice or follow my step by step "guide to becoming a dam good artist"..... it may lead to questionable behaviour, such as dressing funny, drinking too much, or being rude at art openings or ending up with an astronomical school loan that forces you to get a job as an accountant.

Year One fresh out of high school

To get on the road to become a dam good artist, first of all you must be wealthy, have wealthy parents or arrange to be adopted by a NHL hockey star. Get accepted into an accredited Art College full time, 4 years minimum. Stay away from any art school named Famous Ethel's Art Emporium, Gifts, and Art Classes.
Wear totally groovy clothes that identifies you as a first year art school student. A leather jacket with fringe and a head band says it all. Carry your sketch book, conte and 2 and 4 B pencils with you 24/7
Learn how to draw, draw some more, draw everything in site and for good marks, draw what your instructors point to but most importantly, learn anatomy! Learn how the human body looks undraped (an art school word for naked.) After you mastered anatomy and have drawn those art school issue white plaster Roman/Greek statuary figures one thousand times, move onto classical still life studies which emphasise realistic lighting, volume and shadows, patterns, texture and dead pheasants.
Stay up all night rushing to finish your due tomorrow drawing class project- a realistic figure study of Caesar Augustus. Make sure you add some special touches and creativity. By 3 am you should be happily cutting a mat for your heroic drawing of Caesar who is stands proudly draped in his glorious plaid toga and clenching a dead pheasant.
Be the centre of attention at your drawing project "crit". Get a thumbs up from your class mates for your divine personal twist of Caesar but don't expect the same respect from instructor Wilhelm Von Strictenmeister.
Get concerned for about an hour after your other instructor (who will remain nameless) approaches you in a hallway to chat with you and "review" your first semester marks. Hold a straight face while the instructor reminds you that your brother graduated with honours and scholarships and that YOU may want to change your attitude or leave art school. Shake off the negative feedback about being a woman studying in the arts and know that the same silly instructor gave Joni Mitchell the same kind of negative feedback several years before. Hang out and drink with your friends, play Joni Mitchell songs and stay out very late.
Show up for your Wednesday's Communication Arts class - even while sleep deprived and hung over, learn how to use a ruling pen and ink, calligraphy nibs, French curves and the streaky paint called gouache. Replicate, illustrate and hand letter an authentic looking ancient illuminated manuscript by Friday.
Take advantage of all the school field trips for outdoor sketching and painting (en plein air). Try your local zoo for drawing studies of exotic wildlife but if you have a wealthy parent or boyfriend, I suggest the wildlife is exceptional in downtown Vancouver or Africa.
Make an appointment with your chiropractor for the chronic neck and shoulder pain you endured while lugging your over sized plywood drawing board and paint box to the zoo and the downtown bar.
Fantasize daily about showing in galleries. After some enquiries, you will find out that art school is not the place to dream about being an art god or goddess. It is a place of learning your craft and finding out who you are and what clay body and beer you prefer. For more vital career advice, wait patiently until your 3rd or 4th year. Depending on what art college you attend, one instructor may offer a new course in Business Essentials that will cover how to set up a company and save your receipts for claiming your expenses.
to be continued .................

                              Exciting News

Visit my New Website http://www.weaver-bossonart.com

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Woman in the Gallery

digital drawing by Barbara Weaver-Bosson

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Here I am in my studio with my painting in progress, October 2012. My painting Looking South to the Blue Bridge is finished and is available as art prints and gorgeous Giclees on lovely watercolour paper and Premium artists canvas.

See my art print gallery locations link at the top of this page in the right column.

Image Strip from my website www.weaver-bosson.com
my new site is now under construction
colours may display differently on each monitor


View from the Terrace View of Gonzales Bay, Victoria B.C. 1995 Acrylic painting by Barbara Weaver-Bosson Image size 24 1/4 x 32 1/2 inches copyright 1995 all rights reserved Limited Edition prints Sold Out available as a greeting card