I stumbled across a pair of excellent videos from artist, Alice Mumford…
…and I had to share them with you.
In the videos she asks the question: Are you a dabber or a slabber? I won't be as eloquent as she is in the videos, but the quick and dirty version is:
- A dabber builds up a painting over time in small bits and pieces with consistent attention.
- A slabber creates artwork with large shapes, often in a short and intense period of time.
And, of course, many of us are both dabbers and slabbers.
Alice shares a host of examples from well known artists and I immediately recognized that I am a dabber. I love the work of many slabbers and wish that I could create like that, but in my heart, I'm a dabber.
And if you want to have an impressive art book library like Alice, here are some books on the artists she mentions in the videos – there were a few artists who were new-to-me and I immediately went to look them up:
- Stanley Spencer
- David Hockney – photographs
- David Hockney – paintings
- Paul Cézanne
- Édouard Vuillard
- Pierre Bonnard
- Bonnard to Vuillard, The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life
- Pieter de Hooch
- Piet Mondrian
- Ben Nicholson
- Richard Diebenkorn
- Helen Frankenthaler
- Roger Hilton
- Sandra Blow
- Peter Lanyon
- Henri Matisse
You can also check your local public library for most of these books. Because art books tend to be expensive, I often check them out from the library first. If I love it, I'll buy it. If not, it was free to peruse!
Finally, this is the book that she reads from at the end of the second video:
It's actually an essay about Tolstoy. From the book description: "…a fundamental distinction that exists in mankind, between those who are fascinated by the infinite variety of things (foxes) and those who relate everything to a central all-embracing system (hedgehogs). When applied to Tolstoy, the image illuminates a paradox of his philosophy of history, and shows why he was frequently misunderstood by his contemporaries and critics. Tolstoy was by nature a fox, but he believed in being a hedgehog."
So, how about you? Are you a dabber or a slabber?
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Very fascinating! I learned a lot. Quite an interesting topic. I have a new appreciation for many of the artists she describes.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
Thank you! This was an enjoyable and informative walk through artistic styles. I loved her juxtaposition of the styles. Bringing in Tolstoy elevated the discussion to another level. Wow, I’ll watch this again.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
This was fascinating! Thank you for sharing these. I think a am both. Sometimes, only a dabber, esp with sketches and drawing. But, with painting I may start out slabbing. Then sit with it and dab. Then maybe finish off with slabbing.
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
I was totally absorbed by these ideas and will continue to use these concepts when viewing art in the future. Thanks for sharing Julie!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
Glad you enjoyed the videos!
I think many of us are combo-people!
I think many of us are combo-people!
I think many of us are combo-people!
I think many of us are combo-people!
I think many of us are combo-people!
I think many of us are combo-people!
I think many of us are combo-people!
A really great overview of so many artists!
A really great overview of so many artists!
A really great overview of so many artists!
A really great overview of so many artists!
A really great overview of so many artists!
A really great overview of so many artists!
A really great overview of so many artists!