Planning a Painting - The Value Study
Jul 25, 2010 Painting
So, you have a great idea for a painting. You’ve done some thumbnail sketches and created an interesting, dynamic composition. You know exactly what you want to paint…
Time to jump in? Not quite!
Before you dive into the real thing, it can be extremely helpful to do a value study: a smaller, monochromatic version of your painting.
A value study strips your painting of all colour, letting you work with the lights and darks, which is just as important to your composition as form. This is also your chance to make sure you have a range of lights and darks to create good contrast. If your painting isn’t interesting at this stage, it won’t be interesting when you add colour! Stan Prokopenko does a great job of explaining how a value study can help you create an interesting composition.
Also check out this post where Stapleton Kearns critiques a painting where the artist has confused colour with value. According to Kearns, “Value is more important than color, as it is a part of drawing. Color is a decoration you hang on your drawing.”
If we digitally altered the painting on Kearns’ blog to make it greyscale, we would see a very dark, very flat painting. That’s a hint!
Doing a value study can help you solve these problems before you get to them in your final painting. It’s easier to match the value (not the intensity) of your colour to the study than it is to figure it out on the fly. The intensity of the hue can be very distracting.
When I did my African Sunset painting, I knew that getting the values right was going to be essential in making the sun look like it was shining. Doing a quick value study (above) helped me see just how dark the sky needed to be to make the sun look bright in contrast. This kept me from wasting time and paint on painting a too-light sky. Below is the completed painting converted to greyscale.
If you’re having troubles with the values within a painting, taking a digital picture and converting it to greyscale can really help. This lets you see the lights and darks without that distracting colour. A bright or intense colour doesn’t always make for a dark value. Solve these problems in a value study and you will have a much easier time with your painting!
Tags: acrylic painting, oil painting, paintings, value study
Show Me Your Painting Palette!
Jul 8, 2010 Painting
What does your palette say about you?
I’m just going out on a limb here, but I’d say that my palette says I’m messy and disorganized! Then again, I have the whole house to confirm that theory!
Palettes are strangely personal and unique to every artist. Lori McNee did a great post awhile back on the importance of organizing oil paints on the palette. A short video explains how she organizes her own palette. I remember being a little in awe and jealous of her perfectly arranged palette, until I looked at the kinds of paintings she was doing: precise, clean, delicate.
The palette reflects not only the colours you are using in your work, but also the way you paint, and to some extent the way you think.
My palette is ridiculously messy because it doesn’t need to be organized. I paint quickly, responsively, haphazardly. For better or for worse!
I also don’t clean my palette, just like I neglect cleaning brushes. And if you’re wondering, I use an old dinner plate to mix my paints on… It’s not ideal, but it works!
So now that I’ve showed you mine, show me yours!
Post a link to a picture of your typical palette!
Drawing and Painting Glass
Jun 27, 2010 Drawing, Painting
Question: How do you draw something that’s clear?
Answer: You don’t.
Confused?
The key to drawing or painting glass is not to render the actual glass object but to render the way the glass distorts and reflects the objects around it.
Glass is clear so we see through it, but glass can be many different shapes. What we see through the glass gets warped. This warping is what gives us the information we need to determine the shape of the glass.
In the painting above, you can see a glass bottle sitting in front of some blinds. The way the blinds are seen through the glass tell us about the shape and volume of the bottle. When I painted this, I didn’t paint the bottle, I painted the blinds as they are seen through the glass. This is key!
When rendering glass, you’re going to need a reference image, either from life or a photo. You will also need to use your artistic observational skills. You really need to pay attention to what’s going on within the glass. That being said, don’t get too caught up in the myriad of tiny shapes that you can see. You will need to simplify and edit the shapes. Pick out the major light and dark areas, then work the mid-tones.
The other thing to remember is that glass is reflective. This means that shapes and objects in front of the glass may be seen in it, but it also means that there will be bright highlights. These highlights are what communicate the shiny, reflective nature of the glass.
Drawing and painting glass is not as tricky as it looks. Pick a simple object to start (the more complex your glass object, the more difficult it will be to draw). Focus on the lights and darks, pay close attention to the way the glass distorts the background, and observe the subtle variations in tone. As you draw the visible shapes, you will begin nto see your glass objects take shape.
Good luck! I’d love to see the results of your efforts!
Tags: art tips, drawing tips, drawings, paintings
Studio Tips for Renting Artists
Jun 23, 2010 Art General
So you’re wanting to set up a studio space in your home or another area that you don’t own. You want it to be a space in which you can let loose and get messy, but you want to keep your damage deposit! What do you do?
Well, from an artist who’s had a studio space in every rented home she’s had, and who has always gotten her damage deposit, here are some tips.
Preventing Mess
Prevention is key! When you set up your space, take into consideration all the areas you want to protect.
The floor: A drop sheet is absolutely necessary, wall to wall if possible! A plastic drop sheet works well, but the best ones I’ve seen are double layered. One layer is a light canvas, the second layer is heavy plastic. If you lay this out canvas side up, the fabric will absorb any spills so that it doesn’t run off the edge of the drop sheet, and the plastic keeps it from leaking through. The double layer also makes it less likely that you will put a hole through it. Whichever kind of drop sheet you choose, heavier is better!
Some notes on drop sheets: Spiders love these things, so just be aware that you might have a few unwelcome visitors! It’s also a good idea to take them out every once in awhile to double check that nothing is leaking, as well as to let your room air out. Plastic can trap moisture and you wouldn’t want mold to grow!
The walls: This is an area that is easy to overlook. Even if you’re doing nice, neat paintings on canvas, there are a million ways that paint could end up on the wall. Dropping a paint brush, a flicking motion of your brush, etc. Identify the areas most likely to get hit and drape some plastic there. This plastic doesn’t need to be as heavy, it just needs to protect the wall. A push-pin or two should be enough to hold it up, and that won’t damage the walls too much.
Storage: Having a safe, dedicated area to store things definitely cuts down on the number of spills and accidents that happen in the studio. Try to keep your work area tidy and put things away after you use them. Clean your brushes promptly, pour out rinse water right away and keep your palette clean or put away.
Cleaning Up Mess
No matter how many preventions you take, no matter how careful you are, you will inevitably get paint in a place where it shouldn’t be. Here are some strategies for effective clean-up.
The floor: Luckily, hardwood, lino and laminate are easy to clean up. If the paint is wet, it wipes right off and if it’s dry, it scrapes off fairly easily. Carpet is tougher. Make sure you clean it up right away while the paint is wet. I’ve found that Master’s Brush Cleaner works really well to get oil paint out of carpet, much better than carpet cleaner. Whatever you do, dab, don’t scrub!
The wall: I have a few strategies that have worked for me when trying to get paint splatters off the wall. The first is using fine sand paper and very lightly sanding away the paint. You need to do this very slowly and carefully! Another thing you could try is using your own paints to mix the wall colour and painting over top of your splatters. This only works if you have a few tiny spots of paint to cover up, and make sure you test your colour somewhere inconspicuous first. Obviously, these should only be attempted if your efforts are going to improve the condition of the walls. The whole idea is to leave them as you found them, but not at the risk of doing more damage.
The sink: Whether you wash up in the bathroom or in the kitchen, the sink is another area where paint can splatter. The area you really need to worry about is the counter, which can stain. Make sure you wipe up anything that gets on the counter right away. The sink itself may look stained, but will wash up with some cleaner like Vim, or in extreme cases, some kind of bleach.
Your route: The last place that is likely to get dirty is the route you take between your work space and your wash-up area. I know this from experience… A spot of paint on the foot can be tracked through the whole house, or a handful of brushes that need cleaning can make a mess of the wall if you’re not paying attention! I’ve also gotten paint on light switches by accident. Just be aware of yourself and your movements through the house during and after working in the studio. The sooner you notice a mess, the easier it is to clean up.
Conclusion
Just because you don’t own your house doesn’t mean you can’t fashion a functional area to make art. You just need a little extra precaution and fore-sight. I’ve always been able to rig up a space that allows me to get messy. I once had an entire room lined with plastic and it worked perfectly! So get some drop sheets, set up a space that works for you, and start creating!
Tags: art studio, organization, paintings
You Have Your Paints… What do You Paint On?
Jun 13, 2010 Painting
Although paper can be used as a painting surface, canvas is the most common choice. Fortunately, there are many choices when it comes to canvas, one to suit every artist’s level and budget.
1. Canvas Paper
This is a synthetic imitation of real canvas. The paper has more of a plastic-like sheen than a feeling of fabric, but it does have the texture of woven fibres. Canvas paper is available in pads, and is great for artists new to painting and for those looking for an inexpensive surface for studies and sketches. It’s also very easy to frame.
2. Canvas Board
This is a gesso-ed piece of canvas stretched over cardboard. You can buy these or make them yourself. This is another good option for beginning painters, but they can be tricky to hang.
3. Pre-stretched Canvas
Personally, this is my favorite. These can be bought from any art-supply store in a variety of sizes, dimensions and depths.
Painting on a stretched canvas is completely unlike painting on any kind of paper or board. As one of my instructors once said, the canvas paints back. The stretched fabric has a give that can take some getting used to.
When buying pre-stretched canvas, make sure you get the ones with the staples on the back, not on the sides. Also, double check for any dents in the stretcher bars.
4. Stretching Your Own Canvas
This allows you to customize the size and dimension of your canvas to your exact specifications. It also allows you more control over the tension of the canvas. Many artists prefer using their own stretched canvas for these reasons.
There are two ways you can make your own canvas: you can buy pre-made stretcher bars, which you assemble and then stretch the canvas over, or you can build your own canvas stretcher bars.
It’s important to note that there is a definite hierarchy when it comes to these four options. Most “professional” artists will tell you that an artist should make their own stretchers. This isn’t always practical, or possible, though. If you are selling your work, or trying to get into a gallery, I would recommend that you work on stretched canvas even if they are pre-stretched. If you approach a gallery with works on canvas board, you may get sneered at!
Tags: acrylic painting, canvas, oil painting, paintings
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