I've been kicking around the idea of starting an online painting workshop for over a year...a "window into my studio" of sorts....a place to begin teaching this unusual hobby craft we have.
I've been watching the posts here and there where hobby members are selling off their collections and leaving the hobby.... who would have ever thought the economy would do what it is doing yes? Here where we live in Central Virginia we are seeing improvement thank goodness!
I think we need to do as much as we can to bring new members into the hobby NOW......teaching someone to paint a model horse may bring someone into the hobby.....even if it is one person that is fine. That one person could tell a friend...and they could tell their friends...you see what I mean.
I was an apprentice once...THAT is a whole new story I'll have to get into and write later....I saw the importance of the experienced worker ..the Journeyman in my case....teaching the apprentice. When that experienced worker retires or can not work any longer for one reason or another....there has to be someone there to take his/her place in order to pass on the trade. The experienced Journeyman can teach an apprentice many many little techniques to make his/her job task go much faster and easier....and MOST IMPORTANTLY keep the high quality of WORKMANSHIP in place. High quality workmanship keeps the journeyman/apprentice employed longer than a worker who does work not up to the customers standards. One can apply the same theory to any company or an artist or tradesman. If the customer is not happy with the product he may not deal with the company or artist who is making a product in the future.
Passing along the torch and gathering new hobby members by teaching 3-D model equine painting.....I still have a hard time calling what I do a "hobby" :) I work at my painting for 50 to 70 hours a week.... LOVE it mind you...but to me painting is my job.
The above is my point of view anyway....I am by no means an expert :)
Anyway I've set up the first class...a class in "Prepping for Beginners" and an "Elsie in Fleabitten Grey in Oils" class....I'll be running these two classes together. Indeed there are several beginners who have applied for the class. Wonderful!
My plan is to offer many more classes... I think the "Unicorn..not just a White Horse" class will be next up. There will be a "Kladruber in Dappled Grey" class...and a "Annihilator in highly detailed Appaloosa" class later down the road. The Annihilator class will be an advanced class.....
I'll also be giving some smaller scale painting classes...the Stablemate sized projects. Painting those wee ones takes a whole new method of painting...for me anyway. Different tools and such.
Class starts Monday..I've got to get going!
CSRStudios
