NaMoPaiMo: Prequel

I'm running behind in my posts thanks to my phone holding up the whole kit and kaboodle by holding my pictures hostage. Thankfully, I was able to wrest them from it's grasp and now have them on my computer.

I wanted this post to serve as a "bear in mind" type of post. Take it as you will. These are things I have noticed in my two (going on three) years of participating. These are things that come up in various ways/shapes and I think they should be addressed.

(Logo of NaMoPaiMo)

I wanted to post a "prequel" to my NaMoPaiMo adventure (prepping is just an early start to it lol). NaMoPaiMo is a large model horse hobbyist event that started four years ago and has become such a huge part of the model horse hobby. It has inspired other "month" challenges like tack making, customizing, medallion painting, etc. It's grown so much that I think, sometimes, people forget that it all started with one person: Jennifer of Braymere Custom Saddlery While help has been recruited, it's important to remember that she is only one person. This means that we all need to be patient in waiting for responses in regards to questions, donations, etc. She runs this event out of the sheer goodness of her heart, let's not forget that. So first and foremost, thank you so much, Jennifer! I for one, would not be where I am at, currently, in my customizing if it weren't for this event. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Next on the agenda is remembering that there are various artists participating at various skill levels, budgets, circumstances, etc. When offering advice (and I try to bear this in mind too when I do put in my two cents) be careful that you're tone is not condescending (of course this is difficult in "text" or "typed words"). Remember that not everyone is capable of getting the high end materials or tools. Also, as this is a hobby-wide event, make sure to participate in conversations! While I am not the most "vocal" in the group, I always make sure that everyone has a comment on their finished pieces. It is a huge. Read that again: HUGE accomplishment to complete a model, especially in an event like this. No one should check to see if their picture has comments from other hobbyists to find that no one has noticed their hard work. It can be crushing, especially to someone new to customizing. Also, don't be afraid to chime in when someone asks for help. You may provide insight to the problem that the person is facing that maybe others have not been able to offer. I am personally still working on this point. The point of this paragraph is participate, participate! PARTICIPATE!!!

Now that we've got the social part out of the way, let's consider our perspectives as artists. As a whole, artists tend to be very self-criticizing. There have been many great posts from various artists in the group (which is fantastic!) in regards to this very topic. The biggest piece of advice that's going around is: don't compare your work to others. Just don't; and I'm going to give you a great example as to why!

At the last model horse show I attended my friend and I were both showing our mini Clydesdale mares in the same class. Being as self-critical as I am, I looked at my friend's mare, then at mine and said "Mine is not going to beat yours." My friend chastised me and reminded me of the success I'd had that show (several of my pieces-first time for me-had gotten in the top three). My mare placed second, my friend's placed first. HOWEVER, it was a tough class. That my mare had gotten second was awe inducing to me. I considered her "muddy" and yet their she sat on the table with a second place ribbon.

(Mini Clyde mare of the story)

This is not for attention or to garner "but it looks great!" comments. It is just a prime example of why you shouldn't compare your work to others. Instead, compare your work to YOUR past work! For instance, I have an old black and white paint horse on a Mesteno. Last year, I painted two other black and white Mestenos. I see a difference, I see improvement.

(2011 Mesteno)

(2019 Overo Mesteno)

(2019 Tobiano Mesteno)

My next point of this prequel applies to everyone, but particularly beginners. We all have a wealth of knowledge at our disposal this month when artists are more than happy to share their secrets, techniques and most importantly, their experiences. Make use of this! Having trouble with eyes? ASK! Not sure how to do manes and tails? ASK!! Want to learn how to paint hooves realistically? ASK!!! There are so many artists participating who are more than willing to help others out! Do not waste this opportunity to learn! While I said this mainly applied to beginners it applies to all artists really-never stop learning, for that's when we truly fail. Always seek ways to improve, even if your work is in the class of the elite. Everyone can always learn some new tricks/techniques.

From there, we need to talk about materials. Every artist has their favorite material(s) that they like to use to paint horses. Does that make one medium better than another? Absolutely not. Do not feel that your hand-painted acrylic horse is inferior to a different medium. I have seen hand-painted acrylics from the start of the hobby kick-butt at shows against those other mediums. I have also seen acrylic painted horses done by artists TODAY beat out their pastel/oil couterparts. Don't take that out of context! I use pastels and I want to learn how to use oils this year. Heck, I want to do a horse entirely out of colored pencil too! (They are cool!) You need to remember that each medium/material has its pros and cons & they each have their own learning curve. Find what works for you! I work dominantly in acrylics because I am most comfortable with them. Like I said, I am learning how to use pastels, and I intend to learn about others too. It's all about what YOU, as the artist, are comfortable with. 

As we near the end, we need to discuss studio space too. There is more on it below, but please don't think that you need to have your own studio to create art. I create my art in the corner of my bedroom with a hodge podge of tables, plastic drawers, an easel I cobbled together, and organized chaos everywhere. You can create art wherever you deem appropriate. If it's just on a small table or shelf, that's fine. If it's in your lap because you don't have the counter space, that's fine too. There is no right way or place to do art. 

Finally I want to end this post on what I posted to Instagram (in "reply" to posts I'd been seeing on various social media).

"There has been quite a few people sharing their work spaces/studios/studio space on social media recently with NaMoPaiMo starting in only a few days. 

"I wanted to share my own space and philosophy. You can see there's been an upgrade from a board over the two drawers to an actual table (it was given to me so no cost on my end besides lugging it home). But the duct-taped easel remains & most likely will for some time. I have attempted organization but you still see organized chaos due  to space. My materials/mediums are not the most expensive brands (& I can say that I have had success with my paint jobs in photo shows & live shows). 

"Admittedly, it's taken time and practice but please, do not EVER feel inadequate because your work does not "measure up" to someone else's,  or that your materials are inadequate to create "good" or "great" art. You CAN create (great) art with any materials, any place, any technique & on any budget. Do what works for YOU, keep practicing & learning & make art to make yourself happy. 

"You cannot please everyone, nor can you compare to anyone. We are all unique individuals with different personalities, learning styles & views of the world we share."

I hope this proves helpful to people Till the next time!