Karie Writes About Life

Ideas, inspiration, and fun as you build a life that lights you up.

How to Break the Rules Like An Artist

I love this quote from Pablo Picasso. Everything has rules, even art. Paying attention to proportions, color choices, and also the contrast between light and dark can make all the difference in creating art that looks realistic. A good artist will know these rules and how to implement them to create an accurate likeness of the subject or a combination of colors that harmonize well. A great artist will start there, but then wonder what would happen if we just…don’t. What if we do the unexpected? What if we take this perfectly logical rule and then go in a different direction? The result will be a little jarring at first – but it will stand out. We may then come to notice that it has beauty in its own way.

Realism by Picasso

Picasso was definitely a master of realism in art before he started “breaking the rules”. Learning the rules like a pro is deeper than the surface knowledge of knowing what to do and doing it. It means an in-depth understanding of the reasoning behind the rules, what value they bring, and what they intend to accomplish. A deep understanding of the purpose and value of the rules, as well as the consequences of breaking them, is an essential foundation. This isn’t recklessness, but rather, carefully calculated experimentation.

This is an example from my daughter. We all know that the subject should be centered on the page, but in art class she learned about an artist that wondered what would happen if the subject were off-center. She tried it herself and it produced a cool effect.

The quote, though originally about art, can apply metaphorically to life as well. When it comes to breaking the rules, this can be done for a variety of reasons.  For example, sometimes following the spirit of the law means breaking the letter of it. We’ve all heard of malicious compliance. This is the opposite. Knowing the purpose of the rules allows us to achieve their aim without getting caught up in every last detail. It frees us to find real solutions. This freedom also creates a place for mercy and compassion instead of judgment. Forgiving someone who hurt us doesn’t mean that what they did was ok or didn’t matter, it means that it did matter and we are choosing to be merciful instead of looking for payback. If it didn’t matter, there would be nothing to forgive.

Another example of knowing the rules like a pro means having the ability to see where they are holding us back and choosing to rely on our intuition instead. Even when we follow the rules, it can feel like we are stuck in the same situation, never seeing any progress or growth. Knowing the rules like a pro allows us to see where we are stuck, and breaking them wisely can free us to fly.

Art is a creative process that can never truly be great when trapped by a series of rules. Yet without the rules, the art will just look wrong, and the artist, unskilled. The same applies to life. Too much rule-following can trap us away from freedom and success. Life really is a creative pursuit. However, I am certainly not saying to throw out the rulebook altogether. The rules establish needed order and guidance. Throwing them away carelessly can lead to serious mistakes and the harsh realities that come with them. The rules are a springboard to greater growth and knowing them gives the necessary foundation for success. Then we can wisely choose how to break free of the ones holding us back, allowing our pro status to truly shine.