Audio available at: https://soundcloud.com/officialsxsw/produce-like-picasso-mastering
Pablo Picasso was a prolific artist. He produced over 147,800 pieces of art, which equates to delivering seven finished pieces of art each day of his career. Picasso also delivered in different mediums: paintings, sculptures, ceramics, architecture, and more. What was Picasso’s mindset? What methods did he use? How did Picasso move from concept to production so quickly?
In this talk, you will learn how to produce Picasso and avoid the pitfalls of production. We will review Picasso's production principles with examples from his life. By applying the principles of Picasso, designers can create more effectively and quickly.
This is a follow-up to Design Like da Vinci:
http://www.slideshare.net/bunky34/design-like-davinci-sxsw-2013
2. In ancient times, art teachers told their
students that “finishing is better than starting.”
Today, you are going to learn about the
greatest artist of the 20th century and,
perhaps, the greatest finisher of all-time: Pablo
Picasso.
“Finishing is better than starting.”
19. Picasso was a Prolific Producer
Completed Projects
Source: Guinness Book of World Records (2013)
20. The Louvre Shows 35,000 Pieces of Art
Picasso once said, “Give me a museum and I will fill it up.”
He could fill up this museum more than 4 times over.
21. A T of T Masters
ale wo
Da Vinci did the first 10%.
Picasso did the last 10%.
13,000 pages of sketches
13,500 finished paintings
22. Most Stolen Artist in the World
Stolen Pieces of Art
Source: BBC Special Report (2010)
23. Daily Average F His Career
or
Number of Days Per Year
x Years of Picasso’s Career
Number of Days Worked
365.25
75
27,394
Daily Average for His Career = 7
24. Known for His Artistic Periods
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Traditional (in school)
Blue Period
Rose Period
African-Influenced
Cubism
Neo-Classicalism
Surrealism
31. Passion Leads to Productivity
“Art is a lie, which makes
us see the truth.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Find your passion.
Get support.
Educate yourself.
Develop your brand.
Life events fuel passion.
32. Picasso’s F Word: Pencil
irst
His first word was “piz”,
which is short for lapiz. It
means ‘pencil’ in Spanish.
Picasso at age 4.
33. Picasso’s F T His Son
ather aught
• Jose Ruiz taught brush
technique. He was known
for painting doves.
• When he notices his
son loves to draw, the
lessons begin.
34. “The Back, The T and The Ear”
ail,
While cutting out paper animals with his sister,
she challenges him to start in different places.
Years later, Picasso said he believed his talent
was magical because he could start anywhere.
Source: John Richardson, A Life of Picasso: Volume 1, 2012.
35. F Oil Painting of Picasso
irst
• Picasso finished his first oil
painting at 9 years of age.
• Upon seeing it, his father
said he no longer wanted
to paint.
Picasso’s Le Picador (1890)
36. Huge Desire T Build a Personal Brand
o
• Pablo Picasso’s birth name:
Pablo Diego José Francisco
de Paula Juan Nepomuceno
María de los Remedios
Cipriano de la Santísima
Trinidad Ruiz
• Mother’s maiden name:
Maria Picasso y Lopez
Picasso’s Dona Maria (1923)
37. The Name is The Brand
“Can you imagine me being
called Ruiz? Pablo Ruiz?
Diego-Jose Ruiz?
Have you ever noticed the
double “s” is very rare in
Spanish? There’s a double
“s” in Matisse, Rousseau,
and Picasso.”
Different signatures:
Pablo Ruiz
P. Ruiz
P. Ruiz Picasso
P. R. Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Paul Picasso
Picasso
Source: John Richardson, A Life of Picasso: Volume 1, 2012.
38. Barcelona School of F Arts
ine
Picasso finishes a one-month entrance exam in one week.
He’s immediately accepted, but often daydreams in classes.
39. Often Sent to Detention
"For being a bad student, I was sent to detention.
I liked it there, because I took along a sketch pad
and drew incessantly. I could have stayed there
drawing forever."
40. T
rauma F His Passion for Art
ueled
• When he was 13, his sister
was dying from diphtheria.
Picasso makes a vow to God:
“Save my sister and I will
give up my art.”
• She dies at Christmas and
Picasso paints like the Devil.
First Communion (1896)
41. Rejects F
ather’s Dream, Quits School
“Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.”
“In art, one must kill one’s father.”
42. Passion Points of Picasso
1. Find your passion
(drawing for Picasso).
2. Family support for
focus and education.
3. Find a mentor, early
on (Picasso’s father).
4. Get an education (for
the sake of learning).
5. Know life events will
fuel your passion.
45. Purpose-Driven Design Is Productive
“Good artists copy.
Great artists steal.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Seek new experiences.
Defy the status quo.
Take risks. Do not copy.
Plunder from the past.
Look beyond your own
design discipline.
47. Stealing is Making Something Yours
“Copying is doing exactly
like someone else does.
Stealing is when you take
something, change it so
much, the innovation is
so disguised, so changed,
that it looks like it
belongs to you.”
Source: Dr. Enrique Mallen, Forbes 2013.
51. Apple Store Inspired by Ritz-Carlton
Someone greets you at the door.
The Genius Bar dispenses advice, rather than alcohol.
52. “Shameless About Stealing Great Ideas”
“I learned about serif
and san serif typefaces
at Reed College. Ten
year later, we designed
the Mac to be the first
computer with
beautiful typography.”
30th anniversary of the Macintosh.
Source: Steve Jobs, Huffington Post, 2011.
54. Picasso Greatly Influenced Steve Jobs
“Steve Jobs admired
Picasso because he
could have taken a
conventional approach
and done it well for the
rest of his life, but
Picasso (like Jobs) tried
to change things.”
Source: Dr. Enrique Mallen, Forbes 2013.
56. Matisse Buys T African Statues
wo
Craftsmanship of the Statues
Magical Qualities
57. Masks Used in African-Influenced Period
• From 1906 to 1909, masks
dominate Picasso’s work.
58. Masks Used in Early Cubist Work
“To copy oneself is
more dangerous
than to copy others,
it leads to sterility.”
59. Purpose Points of Picasso
1. Have an open mind to
new experiences.
2. Be original. Challenge
the status quo.
3. Look beyond your
own design discipline.
4. Steal great ideas, but
make them your own.
5. Take risks. Do not
copy other people.
6. Great artists ship!
62. Mastering T and T
ools
echniques
“I am doing that which
I cannot do, in order to
learn how to do it.”
1. Get an education.
2. Find a creative space.
3. Research, research,
research.
4. Practice, practice,
practice.
5. Network, network,
network.
63. Early F Education in School
ormal
• Taught brush technique
by his father, Jose Ruiz.
• Attended the Barcelona
School of Fine Arts
Barcelona School of Fine Arts
Picasso’s Le Picador (1890)
64. At
14 Years Old, Father Rents a Studio
• He prefers to work in
solitude and silence.
• Dogs, cats, and a monkey
can go into the studio.
• Maids could not clean
(or dust) his studio.
65. Shared a Studio, Set the Schedule
When Picasso shares a studio, he sets the schedule for everyone’s
time to paint, eat, and sleep. He prefers to work alone at night.
66. Skip Classes to Visit Local Museums
When he got bored, Picasso skipped school to visit museums.
He loves the works of El Greco and Goya. He did his own research.
68. Networks With Artists
• Tertulia is an informal
gathering of artists
and musicians.
• The Four Cats was his
first network.
• They talk about art,
music, current events,
literature and more.
Sketch of The Four Cats
69. Joins F Avant-Garde (Vanguard)
rench
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Henri Matisse
Guillaume Apollinaire
Salvador Dali
Frank Lloyd Wright
Paul Gauguin
Georgia O’Keefe
Jackson Pollock
Henry Moore
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gertrude Stein
Miles Davis
Duke Ellington
Samuel Beckett
Henry Miller
Isadora Duncan
Virginia Woolf
Andy Warhol
70. Proficiency Points of Picasso
1. Move beyond just
pushing pixels.
2. Get an education and
learn on your own.
3. Research, research,
research.
4. Practice , practice,
practice.
5. Network, network,
network.
73. Persistence Keeps You Productive
“It took me four years
to paint like Raphael,
but a lifetime to paint
like a child.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Establish a routine.
Develop a process.
Learn from setbacks.
Master different design
disciplines.
5. Seek longevity. Take a
long view.
74. Set a Routine and Stick to It
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
10am:
11am:
12pm:
4pm:
8pm:
9pm:
11pm:
2am:
Wake Up
Eat & Exercise
Start Work
Siesta (or nap)
End Work
Eat Dinner
Night Work
Sleep
Picasso’s Ceramic Clock
75. Day After Liberation Day
“Paris is liberated, but
Picasso is besieged.”
Picasso has so many visitors—artists, reporters, GIs, resistance fighters, art dealers.
His schedule is thrown off. Picasso is forced to open up his studio every Thursday.
76. Developed Good Work Habits
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Produces rough sketches.
Explores alternatives.
Iterate his sketches.
Reduces alternatives.
Begins his project.
Picks workable designs.
Took photos in later years.
Finishes his work.
Documents in a journal.
77. Persistent with His Projects
Picasso would occasionally get stuck. The Portrait of Gertrude Stein
is an example. She sat 90 times for this portrait. And, Picasso still
could not get it right. He is so stressed out that he takes a short
vacation to Spain. While working with clay, he figures it out. He
paints her head from memory and finishes the portrait.
78. Mastered Different Disciplines
Picasso worked in different mediums—
paintings, lithographs, etching, wood, steel,
ceramics, illustrations. He would take
elements from different mediums and apply it
to whatever he was working on.
Prints
Ceramics
Stage Designs
Costumes
Sculptures
Paintings
79. Career Persistence: Paris or Bust
•
•
•
•
1st visit was a failure.
2nd visit almost dies.
3rd visit was a failure.
4th visit some success.
Picasso’s Self-Portrait (1900)
80. Persistent with Blue Period
The Blue Period did not initially sell. 20 years later, they
fetch the most money at auction of all of Picasso’s periods.
81. Persistent in Business
• Sold art in Germany
and Russia in 1910s.
• Sold directly to Leo and
Gertrude Stein.
• Did not exhibit in Paris.
Germany
Russia
Picasso’s D. H. Kahnweiler
82. Gertrude Stein Markets for Him
Picasso’s art was shown more at Gertrude Stein’s apartment than the
art salons of Paris. Picasso had no exhibits in Paris until the 1930s.
83. Persistent Over Time: Longevity
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Traditional (in school)
Blue Period
Rose Period
African-Influenced
Cubism
Neo-Classical
Surrealism
84. Longevity: Emptying and F Up
illing
“Picasso empties himself
and he fills up again, so
quickly. Then, he starts
to empty himself, again.”
85. Persistence Points of Picasso
1. Your creative process
beats creative blocks.
2. Develop a schedule
and good work habits.
3. See your setbacks as
learning experiences.
4. Master new disciplines
to solve problems.
5. Empty yourself, fill up
with new challenges.
6. Do not have the fear to
begin, again.
87. Picasso’s different partnerships
were critical to his productivity.
Of all the 5 P’s of productivity, Partnerships is
the most important. Partnerships are what
you need to solve WICKED problems.
88. Picasso’s Levels of Partnerships
• Family
• Mentors
• Tertulia, or Network
• Rivals
• Collaborators
89. Childhood F Support Critical
amily
• Uncle Salvador pays his
tuition at art school.
• Mother constantly writes
him while he is in Paris.
90. Early Mentor: F (Jose Ruiz)
ather
• Taught him brush technique.
• Stretched Picasso’s canvases.
“Every time I draw a man, I instantly
think of my father.”
Source: O’Brien, Patrick. (1994) Picasso: A Biography
91. Later Mentor: Max Jacobs
• Poet who taught Picasso
how to speak French.
• For a short time, they
shared an apartment.
92. Later Mentor: Guillaume Apollinaire
• Both loved poetry, African art, & detective novels.
• First critic to positively review Cubism.
• Coined the term “Surrealism” to describe Picasso’s
stage designs for a ballet called “Parade”.
93. Drew Inspiration from His T
ertulia
Gertrude Stein
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gertrude Stein (Writer)
Isadora Duncan (Dancer)
Leo Stein (Journalist)
Max Jacobs (Poet)
Ernest Hemingway (Writer)
Fernande Olivier (Model)
Joan Miró (Sculptor, Painter)
Dora Marr (Photographer)
John Richardson (Biographer)
94. Historic Rivalry with Matisse
“No one has ever looked at Matisse’s paintings
more carefully than I; and no one has looked at
mine more carefully than Matisse.”
Picasso (self-portrait)
Matisse (self-portrait)
95. Their F
riends Loved This Rivalry
Henri Rosseau
Leo Stein
Gertrude Stein
• Their friends encouraged the rivalry.
• Gertrude loved Picasso, Leo loved Matisse.
96. F
riends Could Be Childish
Max Jacobs
Apollinaire
Matisse’s Portrait
• Matisse gave Picasso a portrait of his daughter.
• Picasso’s friend threw felt darts at the painting.
97. Matisse’s The Joy of Life
This is Matisse’s Joy of Life, which is a colorful
pastoral painting. It is set in a meadow where
groups of people dance, sing, talk, and make
love. Picasso loathed everything about it—the
colors, the nudity, the shapes, the setting, and
everything. It was too artificial. The viewer is
seeing things from far away.
98. Picasso Responds T Matisse’s Work
o
One year later, Picasso produces the Young
Ladies of Avignon. This painting is a complete
rejection of Matisse’s Joy of Life. Instead of a
pastoral setting, it is set in a brothel. The
viewer is not passively looking into a meadow;
the viewer must actively choose between five
different prostitutes in several poses. And,
some of the figures wear African masks. This
painting appears in more art books than any
other piece of art in the 20th century. It is an
early form of Cubism. And, it is a complete
rejection of Matisse.
99. Similar Subjects, Different Contexts
It is a similar subject (the joy of life), but they
have completely different contexts. Picasso
steals Matisse’s subject. Great artists steal.
Matisse’s Joy of Life (1905)
Picasso’s Young Ladies of Avignon (1906)
100. At Times, Very Competitive Rivalry
• June 16, 1931:
Matisse retrospective is
largest in Paris ever.
• June 16, 1932:
A year later, Picasso
shows in the same salon:
- 225 paintings
- 7 statues
- 6 illustrated books
101. Picasso Greatly Respected Matisse
At a group luncheon, Matisse excuses himself. Picasso
says, “He must be resting on the crown of his laurels.”
102. Only Picasso Could Insult Matisse
When the other guests
insult Matisse, Picasso is
furious. He says:
“I refuse to let you
insult Matisse. He is
our greatest painter.”
When the other guests insult Matisse, Picasso
is furious. He says, “I refuse to let you insult
Matisse. He is our greatest painter.”
You should always respect your rival.
103. Cubist Collaborator: Georges Braque
“ The things that Picasso and I
said to one another during
those years will never be
said again, and even if they
were, no one would
understand them anymore.
It was like being roped
together on a mountain.”
—Georges Braque
Source: Berger, John. 1972. The Look of Things: Selected Essays and Articles.
104. Analytic Cubism (1909-12)
Simple, geometric shapes
are arranged on a canvas
to represent an object or
a person.
On the right, a guitar is
broken into geometric
shapes and rearranged.
105. Synthetic Cubism (1912-14)
Picasso introduces a
collage method, where
objects are placed on
the canvas to interact
with painted elements.
Wallpaper, newspaper,
and sheet music are on
this canvas of a guitar.
106. No Journals, No Signatures
Cubism was a deep collaboration. Picasso
suppressed his ego.
1. Picasso did not keep journals, which was
unusual for him.
2. They do not sign their names to their art.
110. Partnership Points of Picasso
1. Partnerships affect
your productivity.
2. Your family sets you
up for success.
3. Mentors educate and
advise you.
4. Your network will
inspire you.
5. Rivals push you in
different ways.
6. Collaborators expand
your boundaries.
112. Picasso became a master designer by
going through the 5P’s of Productivity.
113. 1937 World’s Fair
1937 World’s Fair to be held in Paris. The government
of Spain commissions Picasso to paint a large mural.
114. Revisiting a Common Theme
Picasso was not satisfied with his progress on a
common theme: The Painter and His Model.
115. 26 April 1937: Guernica, Spain
It is the Spanish Civil War. On April 26, 1937, in
Guernica, Spain, it is Market Day. General
Franco is trying to overthrow the Spanish
government. Spain is being torn apart.
116. Market Day: Up to 10,000 People
Source: Russell Martin, Picasso’s War, 2012.
117. F Airstrikes in Three Hours
ive
In his ongoing attempt to overthrow the Spanish government,
General Francisco Franco asks Adolf Hitler to bomb Guernica.
Source: Russell Martin, Picasso’s War, 2012.
118. Hitler’s F Use of a Blitzkrieg
irst
50 aircraft with 120 airmen carrying 1,000s of pounds of bombs.
They refueled, making 5 bombing runs. There is no military target.
Source: Russell Martin, Picasso’s War, 2012.
119. The City is Completely Destroyed
Up to 80% of the town is destroyed, including a church
having a wedding. The Bride survives; the Groom does not.
Source: Russell Martin, Picasso’s War, 2012.
120. More Than 3,000 Casualties
Two days later, reporters see a Priest giving funeral rites over a mass grave.
Source: Russell Martin, Picasso’s War, 2012.
125. An Eerie Omen
Images from the “Dreams and Lies of Franco” are in “Guernica”
including the Weeping Woman, Bull, Horse, and a Dead Child.
126. He Desires T Create a Giant Mural
o
11' 5" x 25' 6" (or 3.5 m x 7.8 m)
127. Purpose: An Impossible Deadline
• Guernica bombing
on 26 April 1937.
• World’s Fair in Paris
on 25 May 1937.
• Picasso has 24 days
to complete it.
131. Art Before Propaganda
“The stand of Picasso was quite clear. A work
of art, in order to be really effective in political
terms, has to work first of all as a work of art.“
--Tomas Llorens
Political
Imagery
Artistic
Merit
133. Elements F His Major Periods
rom
• Blue Period:
Uses monochrome colors to
created universal images.
• Rose Period:
Hidden harlequins show the
inhumanity of war.
• Cubist Period:
Overlapping images and
texture added.
134. Guernica’s Secret Images
• African-Influenced Period:
Conceals masks for a
psychological effect.
• Surrealism Period:
Some images must be
rotated to see them:
- Bull
- Skull
- Arrow
Scholars see 6 hidden images.
138. Moves the Bull Closer to Woman
Horse and Bull were originally fighting. Now, the damage is more
man-made. Light and shade bring the focus back to the center.
139. Persistence: The Thinking Process
“A painting is never thought
out and decided upon
ahead of time.
It is subject to changes in
thinking while in process.”
140. 45 Sketches Before Painting Anything
• 23 different figures
• 12 on the bull alone
• 6 on whole concept
141. F Iteration of Guernica
irst
Underlying wireframe shows a soldier with closed fist.
The bull is ready to charge and the horse is clearly dead.
142. Second Iteration of Guernica
Adds grain to the closed fist with the sun in background.
It is an outdoor scene with the bull scanning the horizon.
143. Third Iteration of Guernica
Removes soldiers arm with grain. Uses different shape for sun.
You can start to make out the triangle, which balances the chaos.
144. F Iteration of Guernica
ourth
Moves the horse’s head up. Hides other images. The horse
is not dead, but in incredible agony. The bull is confused.
145. F Design of Guernica
inal
“Sun” is now a light bulb, which is called “bombia” in Spanish.
Artificial light reminiscent of a prison. Everyone is trapped.
146. Partnership of Dora Maar
•
•
•
•
•
Finds Picasso a studio.
Photographs his progress.
Puts finishing touches on it.
Only artist to co-create.
“Weeping Woman” model.
147. Initially Rejected, Later Revered
• Clement Greenberg:
“Guernica is jerky and
too compact.” (1937)
• Pablo Picasso:
“I stand for Peace
against War.” (1953)
• Nelson Rockefeller:
“A brilliant, anti-war
masterpiece.” (1954)
149. 5 P’s of Productivity
You can produce like Picasso. It takes passion,
purpose, proficiency, persistence, and
partnerships. We do not want you toget away
without talking about the unspoken P, which
is…..price.
159. Accused of Theft by Diego Rivera
“I've never believed in God,
but I believe in Picasso.”
“Picasso paces around (the
Louvre) like a dog in search
of game.“
When Diego Rivera accuses
Picasso of plagiarism, Pablo
calls it … collaboration.
Maynard Dixon’s Portrait of Diego Rivera
160. T the Mother of T of His Kids
o
wo
“Women are either
goddesses or doormats.”
She tells Picasso that she is
neither one. She takes
their children and leaves.
Picasso pays little, if any,
child support.
161. After Publication of “Life with Picasso”
• She writes a tell-all book.
• Picasso refuses to see
their children:
- Claude is 14
- Paloma is 12
• They are turned away
at his funeral.
• Claude is the executor
of the estate today.
162. The Paradox of Picasso
“It’s not what the artist
does that counts, but
what he is.”
163. Who Do You See in the Mirror?
You can produce like Picasso but you don’t
have to pay the same price. We all go through
the 5 P’s of productivity. To what extreme is
totally up to you!
• What price are you
willing to pay?
Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror