Learning about Art

Twenty Sixth Post: Learning about Art

This essay originates from a question that was ask at an art forum (www.kubertsworld.com). The question is if art was a subject that could be taught and if an art student went to a school would they learn anything that they could not teach themselves. The following is my opinion based on my short experience with art and schools. (Note I was not an art major.)

The first point about learning art is the debate of rather it is learned or talent. One can argue that an artist is born with his abilities and only learns techniques. That does not hold to be a true statement. The same statement could be said of anything that is studied or learned. Talent is seen as a person learns to use the knowledge of the subject they are performing.

The second point is a person learning and gaining skill as they learn their trade. An artist will gain skills as they learn their trade. They will receive guidance and techniques from instructors who have encountered the same problems.

Just as a race car driver learns to operate the brakes and steering of the car, an art student learns as their brush hits the canvas. The difference is that the person with the brush doesn’t have to follow a set form. The artist is free to use there creativity and imagination. Imagination is complex and really hard to teach. There are techniques and lessons that can guide it, but the special part is that a person develops there own style. And that is what art is all about. It is not just about creating a great painting. It is about expressing the imagination and the artist using their own unique style.

But the question is whether art can be taught. I believe it can. Don’t confuse the artistic decisions of the brush and the artist making the decision on how the painting is going to look with the artist teaching himself. To some extent people teach themselves to do many things. There are other factors such as learning techniques, an instructors guidance, an introduction to the art media, and a critic of the art.

It is possible to learn a lot at a self study. The artist would still be expressing themselves and get better through practice, but the structure of school and interaction with other artists would be invaluable. Though it is possible to learn art as a self study, it would limit the artist from the vast world of art.