Leisure

Painting and sight loss

Summary: Information about painting and sight loss including the experiences of several artists.

Have you ever thought how an artist might feel when she or he has been told they may go blind?

Artists invest more than just time and energy when painting, they also invest part of themselves. You might think that, in a highly visual medium, the artist who loses their sight would give up. But many do not. Many devise simple, yet ingenious ways of changing their style and adapting their whole approach to painting.

Painting from a New Perspective is an RNIB publication about painters who have made the decision to overcome these problems. It is also for those who are facing them. This and the following pages offer a taste of what is in the book. There is also information about how you can order your own copy.

'Painting from a New Perspective' takes the examples of six artists who have differing eye conditions, differing levels of sight (including no sight) and different methods of adapting to their situation.

We hope that this book will persuade people to continue painting, but we recognise that there can be no substitute for meeting an artist who's been through the process personally. Meet Ian Reynolds, a registered blind artist who offers some suggestions about how blind and partially sighted artists work

People with sight problems may also enjoy seeing paintings and other pictures – we show how people with sight problems 'see' paintings.

Many very famous painters have continued painting, even with poor or deteriorating sight, for instance Monet, Degas and perhaps also Rembrandt.

For more information about art and artists with disabilities or art education with blind and partially sighted children, see useful links - painting and sight loss.

Blind artist Dawn Parkinson - pictured at the top of this page - painted a snowy winter scene for a Christmas card in RNIB Christmas Catalogue 2008. Read Dawn's story of how the Letters to Santa painting came about.

Find out about visiting Museums and Galleries.

Content author: helpline@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13