Women and painting: is it just me or do they really, really like it?

[OAQfirst]

I'm noticing a pattern here. It seems to me that women love grabbing a roller and throwing some paint on the walls. Which I find appealing. It's a general stereotype I'm looking at as a possibility: guys tear down motors; women shop for shoes; guys go hunting; women dip brushes. This whole women painting thing is new to me, so am I seeing it right?

 

[lisab]

Just reading this makes me want spread out a drop cloth.

...masking tape...*drool*...

 

[OAQfirst]

Just reading this makes me want spread out a drop cloth.

...masking tape...*drool*...

Ah, now I get it.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I've never tried painting. I guess I don't know what I've been missing.

 

[Moonbear]

I'm in the middle of painting the last room that desperately needed painting to get rid of hideous colors. I enjoy it. It's sort of relaxing because it's such a simple task to do that you can let your mind wander onto other things while doing it.

 

[junglebeast]

Just make sure you don't repaint a wall with a light color into the evening in a room with no adequate lighting...damnit

 

[Moonbear]

Just make sure you don't repaint a wall with a light color into the evening in a room with no adequate lighting...damnit

How did you know that's what I'm doing? It's amazing how you think you've done a great job until you see it in the light of day the next morning. But, then, I expected to need two coats.

 

[junglebeast]

How did you know that's what I'm doing? It's amazing how you think you've done a great job until you see it in the light of day the next morning. But, then, I expected to need two coats.

That was just my second mistake. The first mistake was suggesting that the color be chosen based on holding the color plate in partial shade to account for poor lighting, which somehow turned into me suggesting pastel pink instead of purple

 

[Moonbear]

That was just my second mistake. The first mistake was suggesting that the color be chosen based on holding the color plate in partial shade to account for poor lighting, which somehow turned into me suggesting pastel pink instead of purple

LOL! The first time I ever painted a room, I ended up doing that. At least I'm female, so could get away with having pinkish walls. But I wanted just a light grayish-purple, not pink.

 

[humanino]

Is it possible that, more than painting in particular, women like re-decorating in general ?

 

[junglebeast]

Is it possible that, more than painting in particular, women like re-decorating in general ?

Ya think?

 

[Moonbear]

Is it possible that, more than painting in particular, women like re-decorating in general ?

Nah, what would give you that idea? As I told my movers, just get the furniture into the right rooms, don't worry about where it is in the room, I'm going to spend the next 6 months pushing it around to find the right spots for it all anyway.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I'm going to spend the next 6 months pushing it around to find the right spots for it all anyway.

Same here. That's what I told my boyfriend. Wait - I mean, my movers.

 

[chroot]

I know several women who like to color childrens' coloring books when they're stressed, because it relaxes them. In a pretty direct way, painting a room is just the "grown up" version of coloring, ain't it?

- Warren

 

[chroot]

Same here. That's what I told my boyfriend. Wait - I mean, my movers.

Did you just mistake your boyfriend for your mover, or your mover for your boyfriend?

- Warren

 

[Blenton]

But professional painters arent women... odd

 

[Moonbear]

I know several women who like to color childrens' coloring books when they're stressed, because it relaxes them. In a pretty direct way, painting a room is just the "grown up" version of coloring, ain't it?

- Warren

Yes, I like to color to unstress too. Though, I've moved up from coloring books and started doing anatomical illustrations for work. I think it's any small project that does the trick. It's the same thing that makes stuff like lawnmowing or working on plumbing or any number of home repairs good stress relief. You can just focus entirely on that simple task that's all physical and not very mental and get out all your frustrations.

 

[ViewsofMars]

I know several In a pretty direct way, painting a room is just the "grown up" version of coloring, ain't it?

- Warren

No. Painting a mural on a wall requires sanding the wall, laying out a design, and then painting. It's hard work, fun, and exhausting. Just painting a room is beginners' stuff unless the walls are 35 feet high. Hire a painting contractor to do it.

I vote myself in as a Mentor.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Is it possible that, more than painting in particular, women like re-decorating in general ?

Yes that is very true. Women tend to be more creative then the majority of men. Perhaps the reason for this is they are apt to change on the spin of a dime so to speak. Flexible and adaptive creatures tend to be a tad more creative in expression thus forth a comfort zone exists. The arts survive and pleasure is derived from such.

 

[neu]

Men post pointless BS on the internet

 

[ViewsofMars]

I'm noticing a pattern here. It seems to me that women love grabbing a roller and throwing some paint on the walls. Which I find appealing. It's a general stereotype I'm looking at as a possibility: guys tear down motors; women shop for shoes; guys go hunting; women dip brushes. This whole women painting thing is new to me, so am I seeing it right?

Dear OP, as a woman I'd say stereotyping "all" women like the same thing would be flawed thinking.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Yes, I like to color to unstress too. Though, I've moved up from coloring books and started doing anatomical illustrations for work. I think it's any small project that does the trick. It's the same thing that makes stuff like lawnmowing or working on plumbing or any number of home repairs good stress relief. You can just focus entirely on that simple task that's all physical and not very mental and get out all your frustrations.

I've done botanical illustrations. It's very intense yet relaxing in a way. Many hours with fine details can be tiring on the eyes. The satisfaction of knowing you have accomplished such a feat is personal gratification. I think you feel the same way.

I wouldn't wish to demeane the working community of professional gardeners, union plumbers, or general contractors by suggesting their work is a "simple" task or that it doesn't require a high level of concentration vis intelligence. I don't think that was your intention Moonbear.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Men post pointless BS on the internet

This is a rude and uncharitable remark. Do you have anything worthy to contribute to this topic besides your remark? What do you think about WOMEN and PAINTING?

 

[Topher925]

Woman really really like painting, I don't know why. The only reason guys like painting is to pick up woman. Whether it be painting or playing the guitar, following the path of the artistic hippy is a great way to get phone numbers.

Men post pointless BS on the internet

I'd like to argue this but I think I just ended up supporting it with this post.

 

[Math Is Hard]

But professional painters arent women... odd

Actually, the last painter my landlord sent over was a woman. She was a college student with her own little business. She did very nice work.

 

[Moonbear]

I wouldn't wish to demeane the working community of professional gardeners, union plumbers, or general contractors by suggesting their work is a "simple" task or that it doesn't require a high level of concentration vis intelligence. I don't think that was your intention Moonbear.

Honestly, they are simple tasks that don't require a lot of intelligence. That's why people can be employed in those professions even if they haven't graduated high school. People seem overly impressed that I can handle most home repairs myself (the ones I can't generally are those that require a second set of hands to hold stuff), and I never really understand why they think these things are so hard to do. Physically taxing, sure, but not mentally challenging. Sure, there are people with the muscle mass of a twig and complete lack of coordination who couldn't handle these things without hurting themselves, but it's much more of a brawn over brains kind of thing.

This is why men try not to let women do these jobs...they fear that the more of us who do them for ourselves, the less they can get away with pretending it's a long, hard job to do because we'll know better.

For example, this weekend, one of the things I did was replace the kitchen faucet. The one I had was cheap and too low to fit pots under it, so I got a different one that's more functional. The instructions, honest to goodness, said the average time to install it was 90 minutes, NOT including removing existing faucets. Seriously. 90 minutes? It had 4 nuts to screw on...one each for the hot and cold water lines, one for the sprayer, and one to screw the whole thing to the sink top. It took me longer to clear all the stuff out from under the sink and replace it all back than it did to actually remove the old faucet and install the new one. Maybe if I had to replace the shut-off valves along with the faucet, adding some running up and down to the main water shut off, a trip to the store for supplies, and soldering in a cramped space might have taken longer, but sheesh, 90 minutes to screw on 4 nuts? Yeah, don't let anyone convince you that stuff is difficult.

 

[OAQfirst]

Dear OP, as a woman I'd say stereotyping "all" women like the same thing would be flawed thinking.

Which is why I used the word "general" to modify "stereotype," to avoid such incrimination. Thus I did not imply that this covered "all" women.

...

Pff. Women.


*ducks to avoid flying plate*

I'm easily confused. (I'm blonde, y'know.)

ViewsofMars - LOOK, LOOK!

 

[Math Is Hard]

Did you just mistake your boyfriend for your mover, or your mover for your boyfriend?

I'm easily confused. (I'm blonde, y'know.)

 

[OAQfirst]

Did you just mistake your boyfriend for your mover, or your mover for your boyfriend?

- Warren

I was about to ask the same. Sounds like it might be a really, really good read.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Which is why I used the word "general" to modify "stereotype," to avoid such incrimination. Thus I did not imply that this covered "all" women.

...

Pff. Women.


*ducks to avoid flying plate*

You said, "It's a general stereotype I'm looking at as a possibility: guys tear down motors; women shop for shoes; guys go hunting; women dip brushes. This whole women painting thing is new to me, so am I seeing it right?"

The word general in your sentence is an adjective:

General

Adjective
1. Applying to all or most members of a category or group; "the general public"; "general assistance"; "a general rule"; "in general terms"; "comprehensible to the general reader".

2. Not specialized or limited to one class of things; "general studies"; "general knowledge".

3. Of national scope; "a general election".

4. Prevailing among and common to the general public; "the general discontent".

5. (medicine) affecting the entire body; "a general anesthetic"; "general symptoms".

6. Somewhat indefinite; "bearing a general resemblance to the original"; "a general description of the merchandise".

7. Of worldwide scope or applicability; "an issue of cosmopolitan import"; "the shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time"- Christopher Morley; "universal experience".
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/general

My response was, "Dear OP, as a woman I'd say stereotyping "all" women like the same thing would be flawed thinking." Reference to #1 within the definition as a noted above. Or apply to what pleases you.


Thanks!

p.s. I've never thrown an object in anger at a man or woman.

 

[OAQfirst]

My response was, "Dear OP, as a woman I'd say stereotyping "all" women like the same thing would be flawed thinking." Reference to #1 within the definition as a noted above. Or apply to what pleases you.

Huh?

Anyway, I'll toss this in now to avoid further damage to my china. Women are just freaking awesome.

 

[Moonbear]

My response was, "Dear OP, as a woman I'd say stereotyping "all" women like the same thing would be flawed thinking." Reference to #1 within the definition as a noted above. Or apply to what pleases you.

The first definition you're referencing says "all or most." You seem to be narrowing that definition only to "all."

I can't quite tell if you're being serious or enjoying the joking the rest of us are doing in this thread, so if I'm interpreting your comments as serious when they are not, just ignore this.

 

[OAQfirst]

Moonbear is just really, really freaking awesome!

 

[ViewsofMars]

Honestly, they are simple tasks that don't require a lot of intelligence. That's why people can be employed in those professions even if they haven't graduated high school. People seem overly impressed that I can handle most home repairs myself (the ones I can't generally are those that require a second set of hands to hold stuff), and I never really understand why they think these things are so hard to do. Physically taxing, sure, but not mentally challenging. Sure, there are people with the muscle mass of a twig and complete lack of coordination who couldn't handle these things without hurting themselves, but it's much more of a brawn over brains kind of thing.

I'm really surprised by your response Moonbear. You obviously lack the knowledge to make assumptions about who is and who isn't intelligent. The majority of people in those professions that I do know are skilled and have a high school education and 4 years of trade school (union) with continuing madatory educational courses. And they do make plenty of $$$$$$$. They have an extremely high level of intelligence. They build hospitals, refineries, hotels, prisons, etc. I should mention that I have friends from every walk of life. And, if I throw a party everyone is invited including scientists, the garbage man, paper boy, musician, kids, CEO's, Trustees, etc. No power play there. Just living life to the fullest and enjoying the company. (I most definitely wouldn't ever tell a child they weren't intelligent.)

Furthermore, if you had a 4,000 sq. foot house built with a pool and landscaped you would know otherwise.

Simple repairs are simply not taxing. But, we can't overlook the big ticket items!

This is why men try not to let women do these jobs...they fear that the more of us who do them for ourselves, the less they can get away with pretending it's a long, hard job to do because we'll know better.

I don't think so. It seems to me that the men you know are very different from the men I know. Plus, I have enough work to do. I like to garden, but I'm not going to chop down a 50 foot tree or build an harbor. I leave it for a professional.

For example, this weekend, one of the things I did was replace the kitchen faucet. The one I had was cheap and too low to fit pots under it, so I got a different one that's more functional. The instructions, honest to goodness, said the average time to install it was 90 minutes, NOT including removing existing faucets. Seriously. 90 minutes? It had 4 nuts to screw on...one each for the hot and cold water lines, one for the sprayer, and one to screw the whole thing to the sink top. It took me longer to clear all the stuff out from under the sink and replace it all back than it did to actually remove the old faucet and install the new one. Maybe if I had to replace the shut-off valves along with the faucet, adding some running up and down to the main water shut off, a trip to the store for supplies, and soldering in a cramped space might have taken longer, but sheesh, 90 minutes to screw on 4 nuts? Yeah, don't let anyone convince you that stuff is difficult.

Congratulations. You probably saved yourself $250.00 on installation fees if you had had it done in my neck of the woods.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have no desire to change my faucet or replace the roof. I have passed that age of wanting to fix everything that might break. My priorities are different then yours. My time is spent on doing what I like. It might have to do with my age. And I'm a firm believer that each person has the right to choose what they want to do. Decision making is an attribute of being an intelligent person.

Thanks for the exchange. Very enlightening. Have a great day! Do whatever makes you happy. Intelligent people most often do that by balancing - the extrodinary with the ordinary. At least that is what I have found to be true.

 

[ViewsofMars]

The first definition you're referencing says "all or most." You seem to be narrowing that definition only to "all."

I can't quite tell if you're being serious or enjoying the joking the rest of us are doing in this thread, so if I'm interpreting your comments as serious when they are not, just ignore this.

Words are my little darlings. Yes, I like definitions. Yes, it was an adjective denoting "all".

Some things I do take seriously. I'm not offended easily. I am a WOMAN and this topic pertains to me so I'm interested what men and women have to contribute. I don't wish for a boundry line to exist between us in the sense that what they do for a living determines their worth to society.

It's been great having a chance to get to know you. Without judgement or condemnation we live on a planet that is diverse and people who are unique.

 

[humanino]

Furthermore, if you had a 4,000 sq. foot house built with a pool and landscaped you would know otherwise.

Maybe she has a pool, a landscape, a garden, a farm, maybe she also produces her own electricity (or part of it, yet), and designed and built a well where she stores her own water, which she gets both from a spring and by cleaning rain water using her own patent.

Do you know Moonbear ?

 

[turbo]

For my wife, painting is a thrill that is second only to WALLPAPERING. She can agonize over wallpaper books and never seems to be able to choose (only narrow down) and when she is desperate she passes the selection on to me. Generally, I pick a pattern in a few minutes, and then she says "WOW! that's perfect", and she buys it and installs it (she's good with wallpaper). We just had new kitchen cabinets and counters installed, and I did most of the design-work around the countertops and backsplashes. I wanted (demanded!) a combination of stone framed with oiled cherry and paid a little extra to get that, but the WOW factor is worth it all. My wife and I cook a lot, and it cost quite a bit to re-design and build the kitchen to make it a more productive space for us, but once we were committed, it was a no-brainer to incorporate some style. What's not a no-brainer is that we live in a log cabin, so there is a fine line to walk between "rough" and "nice". Got to simplify the "nice" enough not to clash with "rough".

 

[lisab]

For my wife, painting is a thrill that is second only to WALLPAPERING. She can agonize over wallpaper books and never seems to be able to choose (only narrow down) and when she is desperate she passes the selection on to me. Generally, I pick a pattern in a few minutes, and then she says "WOW! that's perfect", and she buys it and installs it (she's good with wallpaper). We just had new kitchen cabinets and counters installed, and I did most of the design-work around the countertops and backsplashes. I wanted (demanded!) a combination of stone framed with oiled cherry and paid a little extra to get that, but the WOW factor is worth it all. My wife and I cook a lot, and it cost quite a bit to re-design and build the kitchen to make it a more productive space for us, but once we were committed, it was a no-brainer to incorporate some style. What's not a no-brainer is that we live in a log cabin, so there is a fine line to walk between "rough" and "nice". Got to simplify the "nice" enough not to clash with "rough".

The visual image in my head of a wall-papered log wall...ahahahaha...!

 

[turbo]

The visual image in my head of a wall-papered log wall...ahahahaha...!

We don't wallpaper exterior walls, but these rough "beaver puke" interior walls have been a handful as have the assemblage of obstacle courses that we faced while trying to get the rough walls to conform to a nice, slow, custom-fit installation.

 

[Moonbear]

It seems to me that the men you know are very different from the men I know.

Obviously, because the men I know work in the professions you apparently lack the knowledge to be familiar with. My father was a contractor, my stepfather a mechanic, my step-brother a roofer, the next door neighbor when I grew up did gutter installation, the guy down the street was the one who installed furnaces and A/C.

While you're bragging about inviting the hired help to your fancy pool party, I am actually related to those people. It goes without saying that they are invited for my parties. Your arrogance is astounding.

Sorry, humanino, I don't have a 4000 sq foot house. Those are for the rich snobs who hire housekeepers because they can't be bothered doing their own dirty work. I keep my house within a size I can manage myself. I don't mind getting dirt under my fingernails.

 

[humanino]

Sorry, humanino, I don't have a 4000 sq foot house. Those are for the rich snobs who hire housekeepers because they can't be bothered doing their own dirty work. I keep my house within a size I can manage myself. I don't mind getting dirt under my fingernails.

What I escribed exists, and is entirely managed by the owner on his spare time. Carrying a pager, he can be called at night even on week ends and does not necessarily have so much of spare time. Well, he wakes up at 3am and goes to bed at 11pm. After he's done with the chicken and the garden, he also renews old cars and brews his own beer. Only, I have no idea what a sq foot is.

 

[lisab]

What I escribed exists, and is entirely managed by the owner on his spare time. Carrying a pager, he can be called at night even on week ends and does not necessarily have so much of spare time. Well, he wakes up at 3am and goes to bed at 11pm. After he's done with the chicken and the garden, he also renews old cars and brews his own beer. Only, I have no idea what a sq foot is.

sq foot is 1 foot².

4000 ft² = 371.6 m², which refers to floor space in a house, in this context. It's is a really big house in the US.

 

[humanino]

sq foot is 1 foot².

Thanks lisab :shy:

You know, I've heard a talk by Harald Fritzsch recently. He claimed that during Bush senior, there was a movement to adopt the metric system in the US. He gave a talk for Gell-Mann's (maybe ?) birthday. And Gell-Mann asked him to talk about the electron mass. Since he really did not know what to discuss, he computed the electron mass in american pounds, and found 2.00x10^-30 (please note, at that time W|A was not yet producing results in fundamental physics), and mentioned it as a joke during the birthday talk. Unfortunately, somebody in the audience picked it up, and later used it seriously against the metric system, as if it was anything more than a mere coincidence. Fritzsch thought he should apologize for that.

Do you happen to know how the Fahrenheit was chosen ? I hear contradicting theories.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Obviously, because the men I know work in the professions you apparently lack the knowledge to be familiar with. My father was a contractor, my stepfather a mechanic, my step-brother a roofer, the next door neighbor when I grew up did gutter installation, the guy down the street was the one who installed furnaces and A/C.

What makes you think I don't have family members that are in the trades or people I know in the trades? I surely do or I wouldn't have addressed your comments. I wasn't picking things out the air without any previous knowledge about the subject matter! You earlier said, "This is why men try not to let women do these jobs...they fear that the more of us who do them for ourselves, the less they can get away with pretending it's a long, hard job to do because we'll know better." And you also said, "Honestly, they are simple tasks that don't require a lot of intelligence. That's why people can be employed in those professions even if they haven't graduated high school." Are you referring to "your" family members? And please remember I made it very clear that 'the men you know are very different from the men I know'. (ref. #34) We don't have the same life experiences. Chances are we don't know the same men.

While you're bragging about inviting the hired help to your fancy pool party, I am actually related to those people. It goes without saying that they are invited for my parties. Your arrogance is astounding.

I wasn't bragging about anything. I plainly stated, "Plus, I have enough work to do. I like to garden, but I'm not going to chop down a 50 foot tree or build an harbor. I leave it for a professional." By the way, I never said I had a pool nor a 4,000 sq. foot house. You were the one who jumped to the conclusion that I did. I don't. You assumed wrong when I wrote, "Furthermore, if you had a 4,000 sq. foot house built with a pool and landscaped you would know otherwise." That was in reference to my comment:

I'm really surprised by your response Moonbear. You obviously lack the knowledge to make assumptions about who is and who isn't intelligent. The majority of people in those professions that I do know are skilled and have a high school education and 4 years of trade school (union) with continuing madatory educational courses. And they do make plenty of $$$$$$$. They have an extremely high level of intelligence. They build hospitals, refineries, hotels, prisons, etc. I should mention that I have friends from every walk of life. And, if I throw a party everyone is invited including scientists, the garbage man, paper boy, musician, kids, CEO's, Trustees, etc. No power play there. Just living life to the fullest and enjoying the company. (I most definitely wouldn't ever tell a child they weren't intelligent.)

Sorry, humanino, I don't have a 4000 sq foot house. Those are for the rich snobs who hire housekeepers because they can't be bothered doing their own dirty work. I keep my house within a size I can manage myself. I don't mind getting dirt under my fingernails.

Well, I'm not humanino. I get dirt under my fingers when I garden. But you again wrongly assume that people who have a 4,000 sq foot house are as you wrote, "Those are for the rich snobs who hire housekeepers because they can't be bothered doing their own dirty work." Wow! Astounding ignorance! None of my friends including scientists that have a 4,000 sq foot house or larger are snobs! Some of them are professors at several universities. I know a few of them do have a professional cleaning service come in once a week because they are busy at work, travel, or involved with their children's after school activities and their wives are busy with kids and volunteer programs. And many of them with large homes do have wives that do their own gardening! Yep, they get dirt under their fingers too! I will tell you flat out that I am totally ticked that you have now called my friends snobs which is not the case! I consider everyone I invite to my house not hired help but rather a friend that comes to help me.

Moonbear, if you think intelligence is based on your perfect world then reconsider others aren't of your mindset.

As far as women painting, there is a small group of women artists who invited me to join their monthy painting club. We go to remote localities where we do landscape paintings. I just sold a small 12 in. x 8 in. painting. A friend of mine who is a scientist bought it for $350.00 which was donated to charity. A great indicator of intelligence is giving to charities that support underpriviledged children. I don't think there's an ounce of snobbery in doing that. That is if you care about people.