Art Performance Pressure

[Oden]

So, I'm doing a little group presentation in one of my classes at university. It's a pretty standard deal, powerpoint and tri-fold poster board.
BUT the thing is, I volunteered myself to paint a 12X24'' western red cedar down the middle of it...and now I'm experiencing enormous art performance pressure.

I gotta get it done for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, and I haven't even busted out the pencil yet, let alone my paints. This has never really happened to me before...performance pressure turning into art block. I think part of the reason is that when I'm just painting for myself, on canvas, I can just re-prime it, or even chuck the whole thing in a closet to rot somewhere, whereas this posterboard stuff is gonna be nearly impossible to correct--I pretty much have to get it right the first time. Plus, I know my group is gonna be looking at it...and judging. I can't just churn out shite, I have some standards (meager though they are).


I'm far from being a professional artist...but I know there are plenty on this site, who have had to go through WAY worse than this, way more often.
Does anybody have any tips, encouragement, stories?

this is a bit of a lame little tale, but whatever. It feels good to get it out, and I'm sure fellow artists can empathise. :)

[Oden]

Maybe I should just start drinking?

I've got a redbull and four beer... :P

[Mirana]

Well, at some point you'll be forced to deal with it because you'll be out of time soon (or avoid it altogether and face the wrath of those that were counting on you). I'm pretty sure you'll get on with it.

As far as corrections...draw it out on a couple of large pieces of tracing paper (or a lot of small) and keep the painting part simple to keep the board from warping due to saturation.

[Grief]

quick hop in the delorean!

498815

turn down the internets and get to work.
and if all else fails do something so bat-shit crazy that no one will voice up to question your work for fear of being labeled an idiot.

[Oden]

Mirana and Grief; werd, guys.

so I've broken past that special barrier where your art looks like crap and you wanna break down and cry--but not before you set yer painting on fire...

and now I've reached the stage where I love everything about it, and I feel like I could paint for days without needing food or water or even a pee-break...massive adrenaline rush, so you can barely do a straight line.
I think this feeling is the reason I paint. :yayca:



I didn't really mean for this to be a totally self-indulgent thread, though...
anybody got any stories they'd like to share about severe art procrastination/panic? yay, nay?

Owen

[CatConvention]

I know how you feel.
I'm currently taking a senior art class (AP ART STUDIO) and i'm a sophmore.
At the begining of the year he(teacher) told us that every other week we would have to have a new piece. At first i thought this was going to be easy but after realizing how hard this was considering your trying to make a a really good painting. Alot of people would just pump out alot of crappy pieces but they would be on time. Except me....the first few deadlines i told him i hadn't even finished. Because i was actually putting alot of effort into my painting. Withing those days i was painting i was stressing out majorly. I dropped out of his class because i said i can't work on deadlines. I rather have 1 amazing finished piece graded than 10 shitty pieces.

[Black Spot]

I know this might sound strange, but have you heard of Rolf Harris? I loved it in the 60s when he started painting something and say, “Can you tell what it is yet?” as these splodges were plastered on a wall before turning into an amazing picture. As a child it looked so spontaneous, and years later I found out it was all carefully planned out and practised to death.

[Grief]

he started painting something and say, “Can you tell what it is yet?”

kind of like these...
r76VupQmXFY
DjY5otXhH7k


but youre talking aboyut stuff like this though right?
UuexWks5GRE

[Craig D]

Does anyone remember, prob late 70s early 80s. There was a TV show where a guy would narrate a book chapter while doing an illustration of the story at the same time, usually with like a sharpie marker I think.
Anyone know who that was?

[Black Spot]

Bit like the last one except he used emulsion paint, house brushes and a step ladder to get to the top. He dripped and splatted paint while making silly noises. Have no idea if it was in colour as we had a black and white telly in those days.

[waranghira]

UuexWks5GRE

FUCK, THAT'S CRAZY
and its supposed to be an accurate copy of a photo? @_@

how to they plan it.. liek do they use marks and stuffs?

[ManicShadow]

Does anyone remember, prob late 70s early 80s. There was a TV show where a guy would narrate a book chapter while doing an illustration of the story at the same time, usually with like a sharpie marker I think.
Anyone know who that was?

I could be wrong, but that sounds like Pappyland.

[Craig D]

Thanks, but no.
The show I'm thinking of was older, no puppets, etc., just the guy with a drawing pad/ flipchart. drawing a scene from the book while he narrated.

[CCThrom]

I can't remember the names, but PBS used to have a number of shows where someone would illustrate while the book was being narrated. The ones I remember best were usually conte, either bw or color on toned paper. There were definitely different illustrators and different shows.