How to Start a Painting
Oct 20, 2010 Creativity, Painting
I recently began teaching a beginner’s painting class. I started with the intention of teaching the very basics, colour theory, colour mixing, etc. After demonstrating some techniques, I had my students get started on a painting to practice their new skills.
I soon realized my mistake! Most people didn’t know where to start.
Starting a painting is a lot less daunting than it looks. The most important thing to remember is to start general and get more specific; don’t rush into the details!
To start a painting, I use a monochromatic under painting. This is a thin wash that blocks out the major shapes and values. I would recommend using a neutral colour like sienna or umber.
Here I am working with a simple still life composition with a single light source. This gives me a good range of values to paint.
Using a pencil, I draw the simplest and most basic shapes that I see in my reference.
Next, I use a wide, flat brush to apply paint to only the darkest areas. I’m looking for the parts of my image that are in dark shadow. I am using burnt sienna, slightly watered to create a bit of a wash. At this point, I’m not paying too much attention to the particulars of the fabric or the squash. You might find it helpful to squint at your reference to identify the large areas of shadow.
Now I’ve added some more water to my wash to thin it out even more and make it lighter. Still using a wide, flat brush, I can start to block in the midtones. Here I am looking for everything that isn’t a highlight. At this point, you are ready to apply colour.
This is my basic under painting. It identifies the shapes in my composition and provides me a map of the shadows, midtones and highlights. It provides the foundation for your painting, onto which you can apply colour. It is also intentionally simple. One of the biggest mistakes a new painter can make is trying to get too detailed too quickly.
Always start a painting with a large brush, which will help curb any temptation to do detailed work. A rule of thumb is to use one size bigger a brush than you think you need. As you progress through the painting, you can switch to smaller brushes.
Starting with a monochromatic underpainting is a great way to get past that first step of getting paint on the canvas. Often, the first brushstroke is the hardest.
In Summary:
- use a large, flat brush
- do an under painting
- use a neutral wash
- block in the basic shapes
- look for shadows, midtones and highlights
Do You Eat, Sleep and Breathe Art?
Oct 6, 2010 Art General, Creativity
If not, it’s okay!
I used to feel a lot of pressure to make my whole life about art. Certainly, this was the message I got in art school.
An artist should make art, read about art, write about art, attend art openings, socialize with other artists, and essentially immerse themselves in their own art and the art world in general.
Seriously?
Honestly, if I did all of these things all of the time, I would have no time for anything else!
Add to that blog about art, tweet about art, read other artist’s blogs and art forums and it gets even more ridiculous.
Being an artist doesn’t mean you have to be an artist all the time. Artists are parents, siblings, children; they are wives and husbands; they are employees and employers; they may be golfers, or runners, or campers, or travelers, or readers, or volunteers. In short, they are human!
Artists, just like anyone, need a well-rounded, balanced life. This is good for your general state of well-being, but also good for your art practice. The things that go on in your life outside of your art are the things that inform your work.
It wasn’t until my last year at art school that one of my profs openly acknowledged this, and not until recently that I was able to generalize his advice. I was planning my course schedule and considering taking my electives during the summer so that I could fully concentrate on my studio classes during the semester. He recommended that I take both at the same time, so that my experiences in non-art classes could inform my work in the studio.
I took my electives in the summer anyways, which was the best choice for me in the end, but the lesson remains the same.
No matter where you are in your art career, it’s important to have a full, satisfying life. Spend time with your friends and family, participate in your hobbies, indulge in some down time. Your art will benefit from it!
Tags: being an artist, Creativity, motivation, time management
How to Deal with a Creative Block
Aug 1, 2010 Creativity
As I sit here staring at a blank notepad, I realize the similiarities between blogging and art making. Writing a blog post, like most other creative endeavors, can sometimes be like pulling teeth. And I thought to myself, “how can this be turned into a learning experience?”
Some days just are not conducive to creating art. It could be that you’ve spent your creative energies elsewhere, or that you’re not in the right mood, or that the circumstances aren’t quite right. When it comes to creative blocks, there are two basic ways you can respond: push through it, or ride it out.
Ride the Wave of Non-Creativity
There will be times in your art career when you do not create. It’s best to accept this now.
There can be a lot of guilt associated with not creating. Sometimes our minds and bodies just need a break. At these times, you need to forgive yourself and not torture yourself with things you should be doing. Instead, embrace the hiatus as what it is: a chance to re-energize, re-organize, and re-invest yourself in other activities.
Taking some time off doesn’t mean that you’re not an artist. It doesn’t even mean that you’re a bad artist. It just means that you’re taking a break.
Riding it out isn’t always the best option. You might find that your break lasts longer than you expected, or you may be working under a deadline. In these circumstances, it’s better to push through your creative block.
Pushing Through
Pushing through the block simply means creating anyways, whether you feel like it or not. This can be done in a journalistic way that expresses your frustration. Today’s image is a page from an old sketchbook of mine. I clearly remember feeling the need to do something, but being entirely uninspired. Simply writing the words “why can’t I create?” vented some of that frustration and helped me feel a tiny bit productive.
The important thing to remember when pushing through a creative block is to not put pressure on yourself. Try something simple like doodling and keep the focus on experimentation and play. You could also try enrolling in a class that will give you projects, criteria and deadlines to work with.
Once you get the ball rolling, creativity often takes on a life of its own, much like this blog post! Whatever the cause, creative blocks are frustrating. Ride it out or push through, just don’t stress about it.
And on a completely unrelated note…
Want to Write a Guest Post?
You don’t need to be an expert, you just need to be willing to share! Your experience and knowledge is a valuable resource for other artists.
Guest posts are win-win. They provide me with content for my blog in areas outside my experience, but more importantly they provide you with a chance to share your ideas, get exposure for your art and website, and network. All guest posts will include an author’s bio with a link back to your website or blog.
To submit an article, e-mail me at info@learntoart.com.
Tags: art tips, Creativity, motivation
Creating a “Body of Work”
Jul 1, 2010 Art General, Creativity
The art world is full of frustratingly vague terms. Let’s dispel a little of this ambiguity!
What the heck is a “body of work” anyways??
Simply put, it is a collection of art that (and here’s the clincher!) has a common theme throughout.
It’s not enough to collect every drawing/sketch/collage you’ve done in the past ten years and declare that you have a body of work! A true body of work needs to have a thread of commonality running through it, whether that thread is a colour, a process, or a subject matter.
Think of Picasso’s Blue Period. That is a body of work! A series of paintings with a common theme and colour palette.
Why is this important?
Art galleries want to see a body of work. This gives them a deeper understanding of your art practice, the confidence that you can see a project through, and a theme to build an exhibition around. If you submit a collection of random works to a curator, he/she will think (probably rightly so!) that you have no idea who you are as an artist.
If you want to exhibit your art, therefore, it is extremely important to develop a body of work.
But how?
You need to create a series of work that has a common theme, which can be harder than it sounds!
When you hit upon an idea that is particularly exciting to you, tell yourself to stick with it for another ten or so pieces. This doesn’t mean that you do the same thing over and over ten times. It means that you work with the same ideas, developing and refining them as you go. As well as giving you a body of work, this will allow you to explore your ideas in great depth.
Here are a few (of many) possible themes:
1. Similar Subject Matter
Choose a subject that you feel passionate about, that you’d really like to explore in depth. Just off the top of my head, this could be something like “the castles of Wales,” or “the beaches of Australia.” It could also be something like “lines” or “squares.” If you love beaches, challenge yourself to paint as many beaches as possible. Expand your focus within the beach theme, paintinng beaches at different times of the day or in different seasons. Try a close-up view. Try a panoramic shot.
2. A Single Subject
Picking a single subject allows you a lot of freedom when it comes to materials and techniques. Love the look of that tea pot? Now render it in as many different ways as you can. You can even start to abstract the image, as Cezanne did with his still life paintings.
3. A Colour
Sticking to a colour palette or a single colour also allows you the freedom of subject matter and materials. Whatever you’re interested in, challenge yourself to use only a certain colour(s), but let yourself explore that colour in different ways.
The trick to developing a body of work is that you need to provide yourself with interesting challenges. You need to keep each piece fresh and new, all the while working within your selected theme. Some themes develop naturally as you grow as an artist, but other themes are limitations deliberately employed by the artist to stretch themselves creatively.
When to Lay the Body to Rest
Whether you’ve been working with the same theme for weeks or years, there will come a time when it stops being meaningful to you. As an artist, you need to be sensitive to and aware of this. When you sense yourself becoming bored with a series, it’s time to either discard it and start something new, or introduce a new element to bring the excitement and uncertainty back.
Tags: Creativity, galleries
Big Art, Small Art
May 30, 2010 Creativity
What size do you typically work in? Do you always work in the same size, or do you change it up? How do you decide what size you want to work? Do you work in a size that’s comfortable?
Personally, I like a lot of variety when it comes to sized.
Going between big art and small art helps the creative juices flow. It sparks new ideas and allows you to see links and parallels between the works that can lead to a deeper understanding of your own art.
Small Art
Lots of artists do small art in the form of studies. Working small allows you to work very quickly. It only takes a few brushstrokes to cover your surface, so it is easier to work spontaneously and expressively. Small art often captures a sense of energy and movement.
Also, because you have less room, it is necessary to “edit” or simplify your subject matter in order to fit it all. Working small doesn’t always mean working with small tools. It can be an interesting challenge to do a small painting with a regular-sized paint brush.
Big Art
Big art has its own set of challenges and advantages. The challenge can be filling up all the space. It takes much longer and because of that, it can be difficult to maintain the spontaneity of brushstroke in smaller works.
On the other hand, big art can open up new possibilities, giving you more space to let loose and get expressive. This is especially true if you’re used to working on a smaller scale. Going big can be very liberating!
Variety in Art
Changing things up in your art practice is so important. Moving between subjects, mediums and size are great ways to generate new ideas. The act of re-interpreting your style and finding different ways to express yourself not only enriches your experience as an artist but keeps you from stagnating.
On Comfort
If you’re at a point in your art career where you feel comfortable, you need to change something! Art isn’t about comfort, it’s about presenting yourself with new challenges and finding ways to overcome them.
If you always work on the same size canvas because it’s comfortable and practical, find a way to change it up. Always working the same way will almost always produce the same kind of work.
PS: Only a few more days to win a tote bag loaded with free art supplies!
Tags: art, art tips, Creativity
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