Why I Copy the Masters

Why I Copy the Masters. Studying the masters is one of the most powerful ways to grow as a painter. I like to get inside the artist’s head and see how he solved problems—how he handled water, simplified details, chose color combinations, and made compositional decisions. Copying the masters is not about making a perfect replica; it’s about seeing the decisions that make a painting succeed and understanding the thought process behind them.

By following their brushstrokes, I can explore how they approached challenges, experiment with their techniques, and bring those insights into my own work. It trains my eye, strengthens my hand, and helps me make more confident choices in color, composition, and detail—all while developing my own painterly voice.

In this way, copying the masters becomes both a study and a conversation—a way to learn, experiment, and grow as an artist, while discovering the principles that make a painting truly alive.

This video shows how John Singer Sargent has helped her in her progression as an artist. I couldn't have explained it better.