I must become more skilled

Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from The Hague, 11 March 1883

What I myself dislike more than that line of the composition is something which, in fact, you have noticed, that the two figures are too much of one tone . . . . But I think that the principal reason is that I do not always have time enough to work as elaborately as I should like. If one works a long time on a drawing, it is possible to go more into detail, to seek the different tones. But too often I must work in a hurry. I dare not ask too much from my models. If I paid them better, I should have the right to demand longer poses, and could make better progress.

At present, I often think I get more from them than a just return on what I pay them in money.

However, I do not mean to say that there is not a still more important reason, namely, that I must become more skilled than I am before I can be ever so slightly satisfied with myself. And by and by I hope to make better and more elaborate things in the same amount of time that I now spend on them.

Letter 274
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what