Dordogne at Badefols

Alot of painting tutors shy away from demonstrations. Certainly there are good reasons why they aren’t always the best teaching technique to use. There’s the risk of the teacher showing off & pulling virtusio slick-tricks. Also they risk encouraging imitation in the students and inhibiting the evolution of a natural style of painting. Yes all these are real risks. And then there’s the problem of a lack of a long enough concentration span in the students themselves. Yes, yes, yes, all this is true.

But what I feel to be the greater truth is that … to see someone actually paint is worth a thousand words or a million bulletin points on a blog. The relation between theory & practice. Remember a painting is made with the hands, and to see just how hands with more experience play with the painting, deal the work-flow as it unfolds. This is the magic & the learning of a good demonstration.

It’s always a bit bizarre to present a finished ‘demo’ painting, as the learning is the real product. Last week there was a talented photographer on the course who photographed the demo. I hope to get copies of his photos & post them here (or use them in my upcoming how-to-paint book).

Demos fit in well into a week long course but maybe might be a bit boring for night classes.

More abouts demos & teaching at what makes a good painting workshop tutor?

I wrote some more about the good energy of a painting demo at:
http://adamcope.blogspot.com/2007/03/winter-woods.html