The Top 10 Mistakes Made by art students is an informative and insightful guide, but I do not agree with all the points made. A lot of the information listed about technical skills and cliches of art feels like a proper vocalization to how I've been feeling for years with certain art projects. That students often copy, replicate, or remake the same art project over and over to a point whee all their pieces look identical. I feel like my work, especially in large quantities can feel repetitive. It's a challenge when you're making art to always make a diverse creation. And falling into cliches is sometimes easier. Art is hard, and the top ten mistakes makes it clear that the biggest key to artistic success is effort.
However I do not agree with every point made. In the guide it mentioned that lengthy written accompaniments to pieces aren't necessary and ultimately don't add anything. I have to disagree. I feel like a well worded essay to accompany a piece can add a lot of insight especially from the artist. Have you ever been at an art museum and as you're looking at a piece someone brings up how the artist was struggling with something, and now the piece seems that much deeper. These sorts of facts seem like insider secrets rather than the context for art. Imagine instead of a stranger or friend explaining the art to you you had a comprehensive explanation in the artist's words of how they really felt and struggled through a piece. The piece means more because you understand it and empathize with the ploys of the artist. I feel like writing is essential to accompany art so all viewers can appreciate the art with or without the immediate context from which the painting was made.
The 10 mistakes although not always self-aware recognize the real root of a lot of failures in art. Procrastination and a lack of confidence. Procrastination is often an effect of perfectionism, where the fear of failure leads to a lack of desire to start. Then when a student begins a project it's rushed and not the product they want. That then leads to a lack of confidence with the piece. Often these negative behaviors feed into more negative behaviors with art, and eventually it's hard to break the cycle.
