The Approaches to Art

[holland]

At its base level, how you approach something is simply the process you use to do it, filtered through your existential perspective. In visual art, we can imagine that there are all kinds of approaches to everything, from color to design to markmaking...

But in this particular context, we are referring to the overall approach used to illustrate or represent the subject you are drawing in terms of its structure. For example, when you go to draw a flower or character, what is the first step you take? Do you gather references? Of what type? Do you follow a tutorial? How precise are you?

There are as many approaches to doing this as there are artists. However, I find it helpful to group the most prevalent techniques into roughly six categories:

- Symbolic Art: working from naturally occuring symbols in our memory to communicate ideas.
- Observational Art: working from life or photos and copying the 2D shapes we see in them.
- Constructive Art: working from specs or imagination in a fluid way that prioritizes design and story.
- Technical Art: working from specs with extreme precision to produce accurate reference material.
- Automatic Art: working without thought, relinquishing control of the hand to the subconscious.
- Guided Art: working from the instructions of another artist to create a replica of their work.

Each of these approaches has a unique way of applying the fundamentals, emphasizes different stages of the creative process, and ultimately provides its own unique sources of satisfaction.

It's important to understand which approach you are learning or working towards at any particular time. This way, you can stay focused and filter out irrelevant resources or contextually bad advice.

In practice, you will likely combine these methodologies into your own unique approach, especially later on in your journey. Think of them as tools being added to your toolbox. Each has its uses, pros, and cons. But when we let them mush all together when studying, it's very confusing.

Imagine if you reached into your toolbox, picked up a hammer, and tried to follow instructions for using an axe: It would be frustrating, right? While some things may overlap, like how to grip the handle, they're ultimately very different tools, and trying to chop a tree down with a hammer or remove a nail with an axe would feel awkward and fruitless. The approaches to art are the same way.