5 AREAS OF COMPETENCE
EVERY MEDIUM HAS AREAS IN WHICH IT EXCELS
The “area of competence” is the range of usefulness of a particular medium. The idea is that certain kinds of expression are more suited to one medium than another. Thus, marble is excellent for making sculptures that explore volume and figural representation but is not much good for expressing color relationships. Silverpoint is perfect for making delicate and precise drawings but is not suited to making powerful expressionist works. It follows that the selection of a particular medium for a particular task is an important decision and can greatly affect the success of an artistic enterprise. The decision by Edgar Degas (1834–1917) to abandon oil painting and work in pastel enabled ...
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