Copy a work of art

How to become an artist: copy other artists. Try to reproduce a work of art.

The Copyist Program offers time and space for artists to develop their own interpretation of an artwork through intimate study in the Museum’s galleries. Copyists have created reinterpretations of original artworks in The Met collection since 1872. #

You learn technique:

Almost every artist was a copyist up until the 20th century because as a painter you would go through certain exercises to learn how to paint. You haven’t begun to see a painting until you’ve copied it. #

You learn to deeply observe:

I've always wanted to copy the Juan de Pereja. It's a painting done by Velázquez in his mature style. The opportunity to, really, to just have four hour sessions of concentrated looking at the original painting, that's really what I wanted to get out of painting the Velasquez. #

You learn how they think:

Velázquez’s brain is on that canvas. So we’re encountering a person’s brain that doesn’t exist anymore when we’re looking at a painting by them. I’m literally interacting with Velázquez. #