To Sit or Not to Sit—That is the Question

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

To Sit or Not to Sit—That is the Question

"Artist in his Studio" by Rembrandt van Rijn
(Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Here, a painter steps back to view his work.

Hamlet never had to wrestle with the one question that plagues every painter: “To sit or not to sit?”

Most of us were instructed early on in our art education to stand when painting. We were given two reasons. First, standing makes it easier to step back frequently so we can see how the painting is (or is not) coming together. It you're sitting, it's a lot of trouble to heave yourself off your seat, push back the chair or stool, and then re-seat yourself after looking. You probably won't do it much.

Second, standing allows for full arm movement, which is critical for making long, gestural strokes. If you're hunched over your canvas, it's impossible to swing out your arm to make elegant, curvy lines. That graceful tree you hoped to paint will end up a cramped, arthritic thing more fitting for a Halloween greeting card.

But there are valid reasons for sitting. One is personal comfort. I'm a tall person and prone to back pain, so if I am painting all day, I often will stand in the morning but choose to sit in the afternoon. Even so, I will make sure to get up and step back now and then. Another is scale. If I'm painting in a very small format, as I do with gouache, I will sit, understanding that I can simply hold the work out at arm's length to get the distance I need for judging unity of effect. (Illustrators will often sit, partly because of the precision their work may demand.)

One last reason is laziness. Don't we all feel lazy now and then, but still want to do a little Sunday painting? There's nothing wrong with just sitting and noodling once in awhile.

Here are a few painters, studio and plein air, sitting and standing. Take your pick!