Inspiration Fridays! It’s time to grow a new way of seeing.

It’s time to grow a new way of seeing.

My first close shave came well before my first facial hair. Now I even have to shave my back. It’s not easy. Something else that a lot of men struggle with, is rocking the Burt Renolds look for the entire month of November.

“A good idea is right under your nose.” – Mustachio

It’s Movember (Mustache November, in honor of men’s health) and If you see a particularly dashing stash, it’s probably the strong shape that you are responding to. It could be the dark or light value or even the color, but it’s rarely the facial hairs themselves. A good mustache has character. Hair without shape is what’s left in the sink.

This rugged addition to a man’s portrait needs to be handled with some reserve… when you paint anyone’s hair… be it on the head, chin, or back, the trick is not to focus in on the details too soon but instead, to begin by seeing the bigger shapes. It’s easy to get lost in the trees without seeing the forest. Hair needs to be handled as a whole. This isn’t just a takeaway for Movember, it probably works for most things in life. Start with the big ideas and refine from there.

Gray Lag Oil on Panel by Gabriel Mark Lipper

Grey Lag – 24″x48″ – Oil on Panel – Gabriel Mark Lipper

Imagine instead of drawing or painting, you were carving this lip fur from a marble slab. Now chip away at that chunk of hair as if it had a front and sides, maybe even a bottom. Light will fall on the form as a shape. Light doesn’t trifle with each individual hair. You can always refine the details later, just remember that each hair will generally be bathed in the same light as its neighbor. The shadow side of even the whitest beard remains in the shadow. The highlights that show up on a groomed stache will generally follow the form of the big planes of the face underneath. This can apply to the hair on the model’s head as well. With a little bit of faceting and generous lack of detail, you can have any style of hair you choose looking perfectly quaffed.

As I prepare for the opening of my new show Departure on December 2nd at Enlcāve Studios in my hometown of Ashland Oregon, it’s easy to get lost in the last-minute details and overwhelmed with busywork. At times like these, it’s important for me to remember the lesson of the mustache. When I focus on how the big pieces in the show are working together, and how the composition of each painting moves the viewer’s eye around the work, I know that I am building a great show. It’s when I start to worry about whether or not I have each eyelash in the right place that I start losing sight of the big picture.

Gabriel Mark Lipper

If you are interested in learning more about Movember and the causes that it supports you’re welcome to click here.

Are you painting the mustache or the hair?

Is there some part of your life that you could simplify to achieve stronger results?

What’s the big idea?

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Inspiration Fridays! Seeing With New Eyes

Seeing With New Eyes

Seeing is believing. Unless you don’t happen to believe that.  A lot of us seem to get that one backward.  We see what we already believe to be there.

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

A good portion of how I see comes from my beliefs about how the world works.  This can be helpful, like when I decided that becoming an artist was a legit career move, but it can also be a major handicap, like when I think I know what my wife Naomi is going to say before she says it.  When I can’t see past my beliefs it affects what I get to see.

One exercise that helps me to break this vicious cycle of assumption is to take a little time away from knowing everything.  Naomi loves when I stumble across these days.  I step away from the podium and… break out the sketchbook.  When drawing shapes from the world around me, I have to shift from assumption to observation. The whole world just becomes a series of positive and negative shapes.  Any preconceived notions about what those shapes are will hopefully fall away when I begin to draw.  I have drawn friends that I’ve known for years and felt like I was seeing them for the first time. It’s so great to sit down and really look.

8paint Inspiration Fridays Citrus Still Life

Still Life’s are great because we don’t care about getting a perfect likeness.

The act of drawing something is the act of falling in love with it. Slowing down, taking the time to observe the minutiae and sort out the shapes.  It’s a different way of seeing.  Instead of judging, it’s almost like we’re guests in a new world, seeing everything fresh and for the first time.

The next time you’re drawing something, try drawing all of the shapes that surround your subject.  Instead of trying to draw the eye and then the nose, what shape does the space between the eye and the nose make? If you’re drawing from a photo, turn it upside down and see if the shapes are just a little bit more obvious when you don’t know what you’re looking at.  This is a great way to let go of what we think we know and to take some little steps closer to seeing the truth of what’s really there in front of us.

How often do you notice assumptions in your work?

How do you move beyond your assumptions?

What’s your trick for seeing clearly?

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Inspiration Fridays! How do you plan for a break?

How do you plan for a break?

I quit the other day. I threw in the towel, and then jumped in after it.  I’ve got a myriad of responsibilities and commitments to keep, and the due date for them all… is yesterday.

“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” – Banksy

It can’t possibly get it all done.  My towel is threadbare and I just can’t squeeze out enough time.

And so, mopping my weary brow, I sit down and stare blankly at my phone.  I head straight to the inspirational quotes on Instagram and promptly binge on their not-too-gentle reminders that the only way to succeed is to:
get up earlier,
work harder,
do more,
go against the grain,
stand alone,
and win at all costs.

I towel-whip myself into a glassy-eyed stupor.  Sometimes, this can be the kick in the pants that I need, but for the most part, I end up feeling less than, and lazy. After all, I’m the one sitting on the couch scrolling through their inspirational quotes.  Does anyone actually live up to these standards? And if so, how much kale do I need in my smoothie?

When comparing ourselves to the success zealots who permeate our worldview with empty rhetoric and shallow encouragements, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

8paint Inspiration Fridays thumbnails

Sometimes the big ideas can feel too big.  Try drawing out a few little thumbnails.  The stage is set for a win when you get back.

So,(after you’re done reading this inspiration of course) put down your phone, close your laptop, and step away from your desk (or get off the couch).  Instead of feeling like you have to do it all, create room for a “strategic break”. If the thought of creating a show, or even your next piece feels overwhelming, then that goal is too big for now.  Set yourself up for the next small step, and walk away.

One of the biggest hurdles we have to get over as artists is STARTING.  With our busy lives, any little impediment can trip us up. If our paints aren’t out, we don’t have a canvas, or we haven’t come up with a design, the whole thing can come screaming to a halt.  We show up with good intentions but can still be derailed by a litany of details.  The best way to take a break is to set yourself up for action.  Clean off your workspace, and get your tools out, then walk away.  If we make a practice of quitting with intention, it gives us the energy to return.

How can you get ready to begin?

Imagine what a perfect start looks like for you.
What ONE step can you take to make it happen?

How do you plan for rest?

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