FOR THE IB ART STUDENT
1. WITHIN THE REALM OF VISUAL ART, THERE ARE FAR MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
2. WHAT I DO NOT KNOW WILL ALWAYS BE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT I DO KNOW. TO CONTINUE LEARNING AND GROWING, WE MUST FIRST ADMIT THIS TRUTH.
3. THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN EXPLORING A THEME IN DEPTH, AND SIMPLY FINDING A GIMMICK THAT WORKS AND DOING THE SAME THING REPEATEDLY.
4. THERE IS A DEFINITE DISTINCTION BETWEEN SELF-CONFIDENCE AND ARROGANCE. KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
5. AGGRESSION AND ARROGANCE ARE BLATANTLY TRANSPARENT WHEN USED TO MASK FEAR AND/OR INCOMPETENCE.
6. DURING CRITIQUES, ALWAYS EXPLAIN WHY YOU DO OR DO NOT THINK THAT A PIECE WORKS. MAKE CRITICISM CONSTRUCTIVE. OFFER SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
7. STUDENTS ENTERING A QUALITY ART SCHOOL WITH AN ARROGANT, KNOW-IT-ALL ATTITUDE WILL BE CHEWED UP AND SPIT OUT BEFORE THEY KNOW WHAT HIT THEM.
8. ALL ART IS ABSTRACT. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF DEGREE.
9. THE ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN ARE TOOLS, NOT RULES.
10. WITHIN A COMPOSITION, EVERY PART OF THE WHOLE PICTURE HAS SOME EFFECT ON EVERY OTHER PART.
11. DON’T GET CAUGHT UP WITH DETAILS TOO EARLY IN THE PROCESS.
12. ART IS 99% PROCESS. THE REST IS THE FINAL PRODUCT.
13. TO SAY THAT ART SHOULD BE INNOVATIVE AND "CUTTING-EDGE", AND THEN TO HAVE A VERY NARROW DEFINITION OF WHAT ART IS, AND FURTHER, WHAT SPECIFIC CRITERIA CONSTITUTES GOOD AND BAD ART; IS A CONTRADICTION IN AND OF ITSELF.
14. TRUE ART IS LIKE TRUE SCIENCE. IT IS NOT SO MUCH AN EXPLANATION OF THE KNOWN, AS IT IS AN EXPLORATION OF THE UNKNOWN.
15. EVERYTHING OF QUALITY IS NOT NECESSARILY QUANTIFIABLE AND EVERYTHING WHICH CAN BE MEASURED IS NOT NECESSARILY VALUABLE.
16. ART, LIKE LIFE, IS A GREAT MYSTERY. IT IS THE JOURNEY THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR LEARNING. THE DESTINATION IS ONLY A PLACE ALONG THE WAY.
ROBERT HARDEE
