Irwin Greenberg – The Painter’s Primer… 1/5

Irwin Greenberg

He circulated this primer to his students at the High School of Art & Design and the Art Students League of New York. He died, age 87, in 2009.

1.  Paint every day.
2.  Paint until you feel physical strain. Take a break and then paint some more.
3.  Suggest.
4.  When at an impasse, look at the work of masters.
5.  Buy the best materials you can afford.
6.  Let your enthusiasm show.
7.  Find a way to support yourself.
8.  Be your own toughest critic.
9.  Develop a sense of humor about yourself.
10.  Develop the habit of work. Start early every day. When you take a break, don’t eat. Instead, drink a glass of water.
11.  Don’t settle for yourself at a mediocre level.
12.  Don’t allow yourself to be crushed by failure. Rembrandt had failures. Success grows from failure.
13.  Be a brother (or sister) to all struggling artists.
14.  Keep is simple.
15.  Know your art equipment and take care of it.
16.  Have a set of materials ready wherever you go.
17.  Always be on time for work, class, and appointments.
18.  Meed deadlines. Be better than your word.
19.  Find a mate who is really a mate.