Tips for Pre Painting Prep
By Ann Solyst.
Do you ever find a blank canvas daunting? Well, you're in good company. Quite often, especially for people new to painting, applying those first marks of paint is intimidating; and after all, why wouldn't it be? Painting is not easy and there is a lot of pressure to make something that looks "good." Well, I'll let you in on a secret, for most experienced painters there is a lot of thought and planning they do before they even touch a brush to the canvas, so in this month's post I'm sharing some helpful advice for planning a painting.
First, though, let's establish why it is important to prep before you paint. It is only too tempting to turn the enthusiasm of a new idea into momentum for the painting of a lifetime! After all, you see the whole piece so perfectly in your mind, right? Actually, in my experience, not so much. Again and again I have been so delighted with a concept that I plunge right into a piece, thinking my passion and natural ability will bring forth a masterpiece to rival those of Leonardo! (Yes, da Vinci and I are on first name terms). But I often end up in a struggle, becoming frustrated and pushing one direction, then another, only to end up with a painting that feels stiff and overworked; a far cry from the confident masterpiece I wanted. This less than ideal result is usually because I didn't take time to clarify my vision before I started painting. If I take even one hour to reflect, sketch, and lay a foundation for a painting before I squeeze those tubes of paint, I can work out kinks, make some mistakes, and clarify a vision to inform my painting. That way, when I feel lost in the middle of a painting, I can take a step back, re-focus, and dive back in with intention and direction. So let's take a look at some helpful tips for pre-painting prep.
1. Do Some Sketching
Goldfish, oil on canvas and graphite sketch. 2011
2. Write Down Thoughts
When teaching a painting class I usually have my students fill out a simple questionnaire before beginning a painting. They respond to prompts like "What colors will you use?" and "Do you want your painting to be realistic?" Asking these kinds of questions can help my students clarify their vision. If you are an experienced painter you probably don't need to be reminded to think about color schemes or what style you paint in, but you can still benefit from writing down some descriptive words like "electric", "vibrant", "morose", "vacant." If I am diligently painting but my work is not emoting the way I want it to, sometimes looking back on those descriptive words can ground me and help me make some choices with real direction.
3. Research Other Artists and Artworks
This year for Christmas I was given a book of Alan Lee sketches that I love to pore over in my free time. I get wrapped up in the way he balances the clean lines of his architecture with the smokey suggestions of trees and mountains. I lose myself in the details of his squiggly contours and delicate hatches. But what I especially appreciate is the window into his thought process. I get to see him practice the posture of a figure or experiment with various architectural features on a column. I can see partially erased elements, a subject drawn from multiple angles, lines that overlap and shift, and in studying these visual thoughts I am encouraged to work though my own compositions, and to take as much pleasure in my own practice as I get from seeing the practice of another artist.
Studying finished artworks can, of course, provide just as much inspiration as looking at sketches. If I want to paint a scene with atmospheric waves I can begin by studying and copying some works by J.M.W. Turner. If my idea calls for dramatic lighting I can observe and practice from Caravaggio. Say I want to add some froth and romance to a painting, I need look no further than works by Francois Boucher. And those are just paintings by dead white men! I can learn a lot about negative space from 15th century Japanese ink paintings or experience enchantingly melancholy grays in works by Romaine Brooks. Really, the more you learn about painting, the more informed and rich your own paintings can be.
4. Prepare Your Mind
Everyday life is busy and full of obligations, distractions, and stress. From thinking about what to cook for dinner to remembering to renew my car insurance, I find I always have plenty to worry about and plenty of distractions. But when I am painting I need to be present, focused, and in a state of mind where I can give my whole self. When starting a new painting (and often whenever I sit down to paint) there are physical things I do to ensure I have the mental space to start off on the right foot. I will light a candle, turn on some calming music, and meditate for about ten minutes. When I do these things I am telling my brain it is time to paint and any other thoughts or concerns I am storing in my brain need to be put on a shelf for the next few hours. Preparing a productive mental state will look different for each person and can vary from day to day. Maybe you like to eat a snack before painting or, turn off your phone, or do twenty jumping jacks — whatever works for you. Regardless of the specifics of this practice, I have found taking a little time to focus my brain before I begin a painting creates a much more fruitful experience than if I try to jerk abruptly from answering email to mixing my paints.
If after reading this blog you are still not convinced pre-painting prep is for you, let me leave you with one final thought. Planning a painting can help you shut down self-doubt. If I haven't clarified my vision, I can easily convince myself that a good painting is actually a bad painting.
The world of painting is broad and diverse, consisting of different techniques, different styles, different end goals, which means there is no one right way to paint. The paintings of Van Gogh, for example, are vibrant and energetic, characterized by spontaneous and visible brush marks. The paintings of da Vinci are refined and pristine, characterized by almost scientifically balanced compositions and seamlessly blended pigments. Both of these men are indisputably great artists but what if da Vinci were to judge his ability as a painter on the strengths of Van Gogh's paintings? He might tell himself his paintings are too dull, too smooth, too controlled. He could become discouraged, lose track of his strengths, and begin making stilted, forced paintings full of insecure brush strokes, each applied with a question mark asking "Is this as good as Van Gogh?" On the other hand, in our hypothetical situation, da Vinci can be aware of and appreciate the artwork of Van Gogh but realize that that style doesn't fit with his vision. He doesn't have to worry about how The Last Supper compares to Starry Night because they are two completely different works which successfully evoke emotions and communicate in different ways.
When you take time to think about and practice what you want from your painting, I hope you too can paint more confidently, enjoying the process and learning from the experience.
Comments
Post a Comment