Create an audience, don't chase after one. Sometimes a painting grows on you and why rules are sometimes harmful.

I painted this piece at Dartmoor a couple of weeks ago and it felt like a failure. It didn't have the elements that should go into a successful painting, it seemed dark, undefined and somewhat lacking in tonal range and readable content.

One of the big, sort of rules, I suppose, with Plein air painting (painting outdoors) is that you really, technically need to look for a good range of light vs dark pattern or arrangement. This term is referred to as Notan - something I will talk about in another post.

Basically if you squint through your eyes when looking for a place to paint or at your chosen subject - to generalize it into its main light dark elements, you should try to find an interesting arrangement of this light vs dark, or move on, adjust the model, move the still life etc.... Sometimes though, especially on a rainy overcast day in England, this kind of arrangement is hard to find. Going home, without painting anything can often be more disheartening than painting a dud, so I persisted.

I am often attracted to a particular thing that just causes me to stop and paint it. This time it was a dead tree, lying in the river Dart. The whole light dark, squinting down technique was irrelevant here - the scene was all pretty much in shadow.

I was going to have a hard time making this work - exaggerating the tonal arrangement and color was going to be a must.

It felt miserable, it rained, people walked up to look and walked away confused, disinterested. There were non of the gleeful noises of appreciation or praise you often hear over someone who has painted a pretty postcard painting, just silent, puzzled faces.

I got the painting home and put it to one side. This happens a lot with plein air peices.

After a while though it seemed to grow on me. I don't really know why, I don't really care if doesn't appeal to anyone, that would be the wrong reason to paint. It had the character that pulled me to that scene and caused me to paint it. I wasn't painting a pretty picture, I was just enjoying that old dead tree and figuring out how to make it work on a small board.

So the moral is, its important to learn basics and learn technique, but its more important to follow your instinct, intuition etc.. because that, especially in painting, is what will bring out the best in your work.

NEVER paint or create what you think people will like. This, ironically is a rule, and you probably shouldn't follow it. But it is true, i mean, someone will like it, if you do, but that should not be the reason to do it... This is more me preaching to myself than anything by the way, ill make a point soon, i promise.

I have to remind myself that having a huge following, selling a lot of work is not indicative of success as a creator. Finding the thing you really enjoy and having the necessary skills to carry it out should be the goal.

Yes, I'm on Steemit, ultimately seeking approval in the form of up-votes and hard cash (OK, crypto!) but that glaring irony does not stop me being recklessly uncaring of appealing to the masses. I'm not saying that I don't wish I appealed with pieces like this, but I guess people have to come around to it, not the other way round.

Yes, that's it, that's what i'm trying to say. Phew, sorry I took the scenic route on that one! change what people like, make people like it, make it grow on them and not know why. That's the goal!

It could mean writing and posting to a very small audience for a long time, who don't get it. But, who cares, there is no enjoyment in your creative process if its not from the heart.

Thank you for reading, I hope this is helpful to someone. Bye for now.