All the arts are dependent on the acquisition of certain skills. The writer must understand grammar, punctuation and syntax before he can begin to deal with the narrative ; musicians must understand musical theory and notation before writing a score ; and artist has to concern himself with composition, colour, proportion and light and shade. This may seem off putting to anyone who imagines that all that is necessary is to set up a canvas on an easel in a field and start squeezing out of the colour from tubes of paint. It may well be satisfying to work directly in this way, but unless you know what you are doing, there is a danger that you will be so busy 'expressing ' your self that you are no longer actually looking at the subject.. (excerpt..)