I am posting this for my fellow mini-painting newbies. It concerns the Ah Hah! factor in mini-painting. As I was finishing the barbarian mini see links below (deleted) I realized something. I realized that I was realizing things. I mean I was learning. The truth is, that no matter how many times Laszlo explains how he can flawlessly blend fuscia to chartreuse in fewer steps than it takes to get from Katherine Hepburn to Kevin Bacon, or how many times Dominic explains how he can make any color scheme work better than a Culture Club album cover (And I wholeheartedly mean both of those comparisons as deep compliments), I will never get any better at this eye-wrenching frustrating hobby unless I put paint to pewter.

I was blending the barbarians cape and said Ah Hah! So that's what it means to feather the reds together.

I was washing the boot leather in black ink and said Ah Hah! A highlight of snakebite leather over the wash will bring better contrast than just leaving the wash.

Ah Hah! This bone look is harder than I thought.

Ah Hah! I need help on flesh washes.

Ah Hah! Those little paw prints are from my Persian (cat) stepping in my palette.

You get the idea. I am a schoolteacher by trade (in Brooklyn, NY for those who'd like to send a miniature wreath to my inevitable wake) and I feel compelled to compare my experience to some of my students. (The drug-free, non-crack-baby one's anyway.) Sometimes our learning or growth in a field plateaus. This can be frustrating and cause us to doubt ourselves or turn away from a hobby or goal before we give it and ourselves a chance. The plateau effect is not a limitation of our intelligence, rather it is due to an abundance of intelligence. We want to learn. We want to be better, but our confusion is misplaced. We need to realize that we aren't always seeking answers, we are often seeking questions. Only by practicing blending flesh did I realize I need to ask how to do it properly. I wouldn't have thought to find that information because I didn't know the question to ask. Now, rather than become frustrated with my limited ability I can gain the knowledge to make me a better painter. By being an OK painter I realize what I personally need to get better. I may never be great, but I will get better.

OK I'm rambling now. Anyway, all I want to say is that I've learned that I have lots to learn, but I learned it by doing the thing I want to learn. Get it? It's a cool feeling. I hope my fellow neophytes will take some inspiration from this. Not from my painting, but from the realization that the journey is the thing. (Someone said that once) OK I'll get off the soapbox now.

Thanks for your time and all your help,

Daniel Cook

Used by permission (08/26/2000)