A COMMISSIONED PAINTING OF A CHAPEL IN MOSTAR: ACRYLICS ON CANVAS- TRAVEL WITH MY ART #36

 It's been so long since I shared a painting on my blog. The reason for this was simple. I decided to stop posting my art because of online AI theft. Anything that get posted nowadays is automatically stolen by AI. There are ways to try to protect one's self but they are not very efficient. In addition, I didn't feel the need to post my art regularly. I still don't. Not on social media anyway. Not that I have any social media, except for my blog and LinkedIn! I need Linkedin for my work and blog for my leisure.

When it comes to posting one's art online, there are valid arguments for and against it. It's a complex topic I shall not get into right now. If I were to write a post about pros and cons of positing one's art, I'm assuming it'd take me at least five thousand words to get my points across. 

So, I'll leave that for some other time and just explain why I don't post art (or at least not as much as I used to). First of all, I generally don't post as often as I used to, so that's one reason. The second one is the AI theft thing, and the third one is that I don't really don't have the motivation to show my art right now. 


The third and main reason is just the time. So, basically I feel like posting art takes more time and energy than I've got. I could use the time it would take me to post my art could be better used in actually making art. Do you know what I mean? I could take the time it takes to photograph my art and write about it to actually work on my art skills. I prefer working on my paintings to advertising my paintings. Posting isn't necessarily advertising but sometimes there's a pressure to it. Photographing one's art and writing about it is a good way for reflecting on one's art. Still, why should I always post about it? Why not keep some things to myself? Today we live in a time when we perhaps overshare our lives online. 

However, painting has been a big part of my blog for so long that it feels odd to completely exclude it. So, I was thinking, why not do at least one art post this year (or month)? So, here is an art post! 









This painting took me about three months to finish for multiple reasons.  First of all, I didn't work on it every day because- life. Secondly, there were many layers to it. Thirdly, I couldn't set for a certain photograph reference. I started working with one reference but then I actually went to visit the chapel and study it in person.  Once there, we took some photographs. So, long story short- it was a long process.

The end result was interesting! I feel like it's a strong (if not perfect) result. The final painting does leave an impression on a review. It's neither realistic nor impressionist painting, but something in between. I managed to capture some of the things I wanted but other eluded me. I wanted to capture the strong shadows, the contrast between the whiteness of the stone and the shadows created at noon. I also wanted to capture the mosaic inside of the chapel. 
Everything about this painting took me time and reflection. 







I sometimes get asked this question: 'Do I do commissions?' The answer is:' Yes, I do.' In fact, most of the time that's the only art work I do. If I didn't have commissions, I'm not sure I'll be able to bring myself to create art on regular basis. I typically get commissions from people in my region so that's another reason why I don't need to post my art.. I have about as much commissions as I can manage, working as a language teacher full time and working as a tutor part time. 

I don't exactly work towards being or aspire to be a full time artist right now. Funny thing is that the better I get in art, the more difficult it becomes. It's a paradox. Perhaps we just tend to enjoy art more when it's a hobby. Once you get serious about it, there's an element of work about it all. 

Art can be therapeutic but it can also be hard and draining. These things can sound contradictory, but they are really not. There are a lot of misconceptions about art.  Painting can feel like torture sometimes. Physical and mental torture. If the end product didn't please me, I would never do it. The process is sometimes mostly pain, from studying the photograph reference to trying to get it right, to endless layers of paint.

Moreover, the better I get in painting, the more I feel displeased with my art. The more likely am I to obsess over every little mistake. There is no joy in the process. Absolutely none. There's only the joy I feel looking at a painting once it's finished. That's only brief. 

To go through all that torture out of my will? Not very likely. So, I'm grateful for the commissions!






ANOTHER PAINTING OF MINE WITH A SIMILAR MOTIVE




MORE OF MY ART 










MORE TRAVEL WITH MY ART POSTS
It's just occurred to me that this post could be another TRAVEL WITH WITH ART POST. Afterall, I was commissioned to paint a real location- a chapel in immediate vicinity of Mostar. 


TRAVEL WITH MY ART #35: BEACH KAMENJARA, VRBOSKA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA ) (modaodaradosti.blogspot.com)  2023 






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Thank is all for today. Thank you for reading and visiting!




Comments

  1. Felicidades te quedo preciosa Aunque mi favorita es la del mar. eres muy talentosa. Te mando un beso.

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  2. So great to see your art continue! How exciting! Thanks for the wonderful and colorful post! All the best to your creativity!

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  3. Such beautiful artwork! I love the details in the commission. All the best to your art journey and more❤️🎨💕🩷💚💛

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  4. The pictures are fantastic! And more importantly for me, I like them. If you only did painting, you would quickly become very famous... Thank you for the post and your thoughts about painting that you shared with us :)

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  5. It's wonderful to see your art again, I love your painting of the church, I bet your client was thrilled with the result! xxx

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  6. So nice places, thanks for your sharing

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  7. Boa tarde e um excelente sábado. Bom final de semana. Ficou maravilhoso minha querida amiga Ivana.

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  8. This a big one for you. Wonderful art

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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. Your painting of the chapel is absolutely incredible Ivana! xxx

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  11. Hello!
    I think you're right to share your art on the blog every now and then, so that your blog isn't just about literature, it breaks the routine. And because they're beautiful! I don't understand how AI steals your art. I think it's good that you earn commissions from it, life isn't easy for anyone! The painting is beautiful, but I think you paint the sea beautifully! I understand when you say that a hobby that gives you pleasure can be torture when it becomes work! I wish you a sweet week!

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  12. I've missed seeing your art on here but I can totally understand your concerns about AI theft as I have similar concerns about my photography. You're right that it is a complex issue for creatives. Anyway this commission turned out great and your client is very lucky to have a piece of your original artwork.

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  13. Oh wow! You are damn talented. I love art and I too pain with acrylic colors. You are truly a class apart when it comes to being an artist. Keep it up dear. Wonderful Post! Have a great day!
    Rampdiary

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  14. You are such a talented artist so it's a shame you are enjoying the process of painting less :( But it's good that the commissions inspire you to keep up with it so you can share your creativity and skills with the world :) AI theft does make the world a different place than it was when I started blogging and sharing videos!

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All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

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