Can you believe it? I'm officially halfway through the Milan Art Institute Mastery Program!
Do I feel like I’m halfway to being a professional artist? Maybe….
This week at the institute, we delved into some fascinating techniques. The highlight was learning how to apply gold leaf and work with shimmery dry pigments like mica. Gold leaf has always intrigued me, and while I've used it in some of my works, Elli, showed us a new method using spray adhesive and gold sizing that comes as a pen. Unfortunately, my local art stores didn't have these supplies, so I'll have to explore online options to get my hands on them. Additionally, I'm curious to experiment with dry pigments, even though I'm not entirely sure how they'll fit into the grungy vibe I tend to pursue.
Another insightful discussion centered on sourcing and critiquing references for our artworks.
We learned to evaluate sources based on their atmosphere, ambiance, level of detail, and whether is has enough information for us to paint.
We went into detail about angles and what sorts of shapes to look for and steer away from- are the lines angular enough and is it positioned in a way that makes the subject look wonky. We also talked about why we should stay away from using trick photography as a source.
Taking our learning further, we explored the art of creating sources. Instead of merely copying digitally manipulated images, Elli presented us with the concept of idea boards. These boards allow us to develop a strong foundation for our pieces, incorporating elements of form, shape, color schemes, and subject matter.
One idea board could be used to create a whole collection of work that ties together with similar elements and colours.
I decided to give this method a try and created an idea board with a color scheme from my 'personal aesthetic' board, an aspect from an artwork on my 'artwork to emulate' board, and added stencil patterns, doodle motifs, and subject matter to complete the mix.
Using this as a loose reference, I created two pieces that I'm genuinely pleased with. The colour scheme feels true to my style—cool tones with lots of contrast and some of my favourite colours. It's always rewarding to see elements of my personality shine through my work.
As I celebrate this halfway mark, I'm grateful for the progress I've made during the past 7 ½ months. Though I may be slightly behind schedule, I'm content with the growth and learning opportunities the program has provided so far. The journey is just as important as the destination, and I'm excited about the path that lies ahead.
While the program has been enriching, I've realized that I haven't been making full use of the mentoring sessions. The timing of live sessions hasn't been ideal for me, and with so much content to absorb, watching the replays has been challenging. I've decided to take a break from mentoring for now and come back to it when I'm working on my portfolio. At that point, I believe I'll be able to gain more value from the mentoring sessions.
Until next week, my fellow art lovers! Keep painting, keep exploring, and keep embracing the joy of artistic discovery. The journey continues, and I'm optimistic about the growth that awaits us. See you on the other side of Week 27!
