Acrylic on Panel.
In rescuing files on my computer I found this image of a painting I did in my first year in University for a project called "Autobiography".
I've been reading on a couple of blogs about studies and it has echoed what I have been reading in books lately. Without exception they all emphasise the value of doing studies, both value (tonal) studies and colour studies before starting on the painting proper. Personally I find it hard to do a study before I start painting. i just can't wait to get in and paint. I might make a quick pencil sketch to work out composition but that will be it. I would be interested to know how many people do any kind of study before they start painting - particularly plein air.
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7 comments:
Anita, before working with Plein Air I always went staight to the bear canvas without a study, maybe just a conceived idea but I was used to letting the painting take me. This I still do with abstracts. With Plein Air I do just a priliminary sketch so I won't go out of the format.
Interesting work!
since i began working from imagination i always do studies. i have to! it's absolutely necessary to work out a fairly believable and eye pleasing piece. before that i was like you...i just wanted to get painting! prep work sounded so dull but i often found i was floundering and second guessing myself during the painting process. studies have taken a lot of the guess work out of my painting and made it a much more pleasurable experience.
wow thats a painting...you have patience...incredible!
HI anita, I also do just quick sketches just for comp..i am too anxious to dive into the painting.
Anita, I don't think I would have the patience to paint that. Good for you and wonderful that you kept it too.
Sometimes I do sketches or thumbnails but those tend to be when I'm sketching on site and don't have time to do a painting on the spot. Or its doodles of ideas that I get and make some thumbnail sketches to block out composition and light. But most of the time, I just jump right in too.
Mary - I can see that with abstract just going with the flow would work better, letting the materials and mood dictate what you do.
Billie - and working from imagination I can see you would need to plan what you are going to do to some degree.
Lisa - I have seen your preparatory work and how you work out your compositions. You are very dedicated in your approach.
Jeanette - I am going to try and be more disciplined in my approach to a painting for a while and see if it changes the outcome!
I always used to do at least a preparatory charcoal drawing before launching into paint, but over the years that's fallen by the wayside. However, I'm beginning to think I've lost something by letting that happen.
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