Why Study the Masters? - Draw Paint Academy

One of the benefits of studying the masters is that it gives you an inspiration bank to draw from. As you look at a new subject, you might be reminded of a painting or approach or technique you once saw a master use. You can then adopt that in your work, with your own spin of course.

That was the case for my Maleny pond study.

As I walked around the pond looking for a vantage point, the analogous greens and the water’s still surface interlaced between the trees reminded me of this painting by one of my favorite living artists, Bato Dugarzhapov. It had been several years since I last saw this painting, but its image was clear in my mind.

I used it for inspiration as I painted. In particular, the soft color contrast, the play between thick, varied strokes for the land and the flat strokes for the still water, and the blend of abstraction and realism. This isn’t about copying. Rather, it’s about taking an idea and applying it in your own work. Though it can be a good exercise to pretend you are the master and paint the subject as they would.

What often happens is you end up with a unique blend of styles. Partly you and partly the master you are drawing inspiration from. This happens no matter how closely you are trying to adopt the master’s style and approach. With my pond study, there’s a bit of Bato, but it’s still mostly me (I wish for more Bato, but I’m only mortal!).

This knowledge also compounds over time. The more you learn and know, the more interesting combinations and ideas you might have.

Thanks for reading! Also, the price goes back up tomorrow for Composition Breakdown for those interested.

Happy painting!

Dan Scott

Draw Paint Academy

Ps. I previously sent out a “Masters of Composition” list. I forgot to add Edgar Payne to the list, despite him literally writing the book on landscape composition. Whoops! Some other artists that were suggested by readers are: