This week’s post is an early drawing done by Vincent van Gogh. Although van Gogh would later become one of the most influential artists of his and any time, this piece is indicative of his more humble beginnings. Van Gogh did not aspire his whole life to be an artist, and when he created this piece he had previously failed at several other occupations and he was middle-aged. His few friends and colleagues told him (and perhaps, judging by this piece, they were not incorrect) that he did not have the natural talent of an artist. However, van Gogh persevered and he discovered that drawing, much like writing, simply required careful observation and diligent practice. It was not until after he taught himself to draw through repetition and observation that he began to compose the beautiful works for which he became so famous. Unfortunately for van Gogh, he did not live long enough to enjoy the fame and prestige that his work attained posthumously.
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| Man With a Saw 1881 |
You do not need to use sources for your post this week, answers can be subjective.
Questions to get you started:
What can you see in this work that would have led van Gogh's friends to tell him he did not have what it took to be an artist?
Do you think that drawing is a talent, or is it possible that it is a learned ability similar to writing?
Have you ever been in a situation where your friends/family/peers have criticized you for doing something you loved to do? How did you react? Would the world be any different (better/worse) if van Gogh had listened to his detractors, what would be different?
I don't see anything in this drawing that would lead to them deteriorating his work. It is wonderful. He doesn't seem to have anything in this work to show that he doesn't have what it takes.
ReplyDeleteI believe that both writing and drawing are learned abilities as well as talents. Some people spend so much time learning to wrtie or draw and fail, while others can do it without the learning or very little. It can be an aquired skill or it could just be raw talent. Either way you have to develope it.
Yes I have been in a similiar situation as this one. I was upset that i was told I was better at something I thought I was ok at than something I thought i was really good at. It really made me think, and sort of made me re-evalutate my thinking. The world wouldn't have all the wonderful artists and other talented people that it does. If people listen to them they would give up and then where would our world be?
The saw doesn’t look like a saw. One of the legs looks disproportional. The hand holding the saw looks like it is the size of his head. The fingers on one hand look larger than the others. Drawing is a talent but it also is possible for someone to learn how to draw. Yes I have been in that situation. I almost gave up but I decided not to because it was something I enjoyed doing and I don’t enjoy doing much in life. Over time I got better and now most of those people who doubted me have changed their minds. The world could possibly be worse because his art may have influenced others in a positive way. But the world might not be any different because one person’s artwork would most likely only influence a few people, not enough to impact the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ry that this drawing does show that he could have what it takes to be an artist, but with alot of practice.
I think that there is nothing, because I think his drawing is good and a lot of people would like to draw like this, if they could. I think the friends could be proud to have an artist as a friend.
ReplyDeleteI think writing and drawing are learned abilities and talents. I agree at this point with Ry. Some people are borned with the talent to draw amazing without practice and other people work hard on it and practice to draw good drawings.
Yes. I was surprised when my parents told me that I am not as good in my favorite sport than in an other sport. I wasw thinking about it a long time. I didn't give up and did my favorite sport. I do what I want to, because it is my life and I must be happy with it.
You are what you are and he did everything right.
I agree with Ry that he doesn't seem to have anything in this work to show that he doesn't have what it takes.
ReplyDeleteAnd I also agree with Ry that you have to develope talent and also learned abilities.
I agree with ar3292 that many poeple would wish to draw like this, and that people don't always see the potential in a drawing that is just sitting right in front of them.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with JP3134 that some of the picture is disproportional, and that it could use some improvement.
I think he has the talent to draw. The hands seem bigger than they should be and the saw is small and the legs look funny but if you dont practice something you wont get any better at it.
ReplyDeleteIf van Gogh had listened to the people that said he wasnt good he would have stopped drawing and we wouldnt be blogging it.
I agree with Ry that some people spend so much time learning to wrtie or draw and fail, while others can do it without the learning or very little.
I have had people tell me I a good at something that I didnt think I was but the more I did it I realized I was not as bad as I thought.
The picture to me almost looks like a teenager drew it. It doesn't look like a professional drawing. But, I think he was on his way to becoming famous. I think that it's talent because I probably can't draw any better. Some people are born with it and others have to work for something.
ReplyDeleteI have been critisized for many things. I try not to let them bother me... I think he let the people around him manipulate him and he didn't feel good about himself. If he would have ignored the people and believed in himself I think things might have been different...
i think the painter has more influence because he has more color. He wanted to keep it because he created it himself he did’t want his art to be cheapened by mass production. I agar Ry because it takes practice
ReplyDeletewww.answers.com/topic/bill-watterson
I think that the picture is not bad, but his friend probably thought that it doesn’t look realistic, because the man’s hands are out of proportion, they look way too big.
ReplyDeleteMaybe drawing is like writing, because everybody can learn it and like writing, even if some people try their best, their handwriting still looks awful or inaccurate.
And of cause, some people told me that I am not good in thinks I like to do, but some are just jealous, because they can’t do it better. So I reacted with a careless face, because they don’t need to like or appreciate what I do. So it was good that Van Gogh didn’t listen to his “friend”, because he was an great artist and others liked his pictures.
And I agree with ar3292 that many poeple would wish to draw like this.
i think this pic it looks normal pic not beautiful too much but it's ok.
ReplyDeleteHis hand too big on the right side.Drawing is a talent and someone learn how to draw and practice. yes i have some people to tell me that i don't good in something but if i love it i will try to make it the best. That is my life.
I agree with Ry that some people spend so much time learning to wrtie or draw and fail, while others can do it without the learning or very little.
i think this picture is normally. it is not bad. it looks good either way. The hands bigger than another side and the saw is small and the legs look very funny but if you do not practice something you wont get better. yes, i do. i used to try to do something that i like but have some people tell me that not proper with myself. but i was keeping practice that thing. because i believe that the talent couldnt help to successful as everything. but if you have attempt to do you could get success too.
ReplyDeleteI agree with m.milk-plus that if you love to do the things just try to it as well as you can :)
I think this is picture is good but not good enough for the famous artist like him so I think that's the reason why his friends told him that.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't look so real. the weird things in this picture are feet, hands and the saw that was too small.
I still don't think this drawing is talent but his next drawings are good because he practiced a lot and had more experience.
I want to study about forensic science but my pareants told me not to do. so I have to follw them.
I agree with Henpun that the hands bigger than another side and the saw is small.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that if you try to do something, you'll success.
His friends might have told him he did not have what it took to be an artist because he used symbolism for some of the objects?
ReplyDeleteI think drawing is a talent, but I also think that you can work at it to get better. I believe that some people have the artistic ability, and others do not. When writing you will see some people’s hand writing is neater than others. Just like in drawing, some are really nice and others aren’t so nice.
I can’t really think of anything where someone has criticized me for doing something that I love, but I’m sure it has happened many of times. I guess if they have, I don’t really take it to heart so I don’t remember it. I think if Van Gogh had listened to his detractors, the world would be a little different because his drawings wouldn’t be around to enjoy.
The porportions are a bit off and the shoes look a little comical but otherwise it looks great. I agree with Ry that drawing is a skill learned. I can't think of a time when I have been criticized for doing something that I love. The world would be worse off if van Gogh had listened to his friends. At the very least we would not have any of his artwork (a great loss).
ReplyDeleteeven though this is my second attempt, and it's not as good as the first one, here we go again!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can see, I would say that they would tell him that it didn't look good, because it wasn't propotioned right.
It could be talent in a way, to where he is able to draw very well, and it could also have been learned like writing, becasue if it was 100% talent, the proportions would be better, if not perfect.
I have been in a situation to where i have been criticized by family, and peers, but I just ignore most of what they say. I listen to them to a point, but since I really love to do what I do. If he would have listend to what his peers would say, he wouldn't have continued on working on his artistic skills. He would have not continued to work. He would have been put down, and not ever been put up to the task of what he wanted to do, succeed.
I agree that he does have what it takes he just has to show how he can do it.
ReplyDeleteAnd that the world would have been worse off if he listened to what his friends had said to him.
I think that it led Gogh's friends to think that because it doesnt look like he tried very hard on it. It really doesnt look like an actual artist drew it. It kind of looks like a child in school did it or a student in art class. But i also think that his friends didnt look into it enough to see the meaning behind it and what the drawing meant to Gogh. All of the hard work he probably put into it that they never saw. I believe that art can be persuaded in both ways, it can be learned but it can also be a god given talent to some. It depends on how much they put their time into it and also depends on if they were taught or not. Yes ive been criticized before and i dont believe that they did it to hurt my feelings or anything in that nature, but it did indeed hurt my feelings and it made me feel like i didnt want to do it anymore becasue it wasnt accepted by the people i look up to most. I think the if Gogh wouldve listened to his peers that his artwork may be a little bit better, but theres also that point of where he felt comfortable with his art and no matter that he was judged or not he still proceeded with how he loved to portray his unique talent and art.
ReplyDeleteBut i do agree with Ry's comment about the fact that at some point you do have to develop talent and learned abilities.
I don't see anything wrong with it, I think that they were just jealous that they probably couldn't do such good art work. I think its an ability and talent. Because he worked hard and just tried his best throughout the whole entire thing, so its talent and an ability
ReplyDelete