Take Command of Your Painting

Original Art by an Original Artist

Take Command of Your Painting!

Taking command of your paintings doesn't mean that you are painting by "formula". It means that you decide what you want to do with the painting. You make a choice how to approach the painting, what your intent is. Twenty artists can paint the same scene twenty different ways and one artist can paint the same scene twenty different ways. An artist paints a response to a scene or many responses to a scene.

If you think that planning your painting will stifle your creativity, . . wrong. I think it actually frees you up. The planning part can be as exciting as the painting part. Planning saves time and cuts down on frustration. Believe me, there is still lots of room for spontaneity, happy accidents and intuitive insights if you have a plan in mind.

This is one of my favorite "plans". OK. Make yourself a value scale or buy one at the art store. Decide to paint part (about one third, not half) of your painting to match the darkest end of the value scale. Paint the other two thirds from the light end of the value scale. Make a value sketch of the scene with pencil on a piece of paper so you can see what's going on. Notice how the light and dark shapes are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together. This approach adds interest and drama to a painting.

Look at the example at the top of the page. This is a painting of the fountain beside the Historic Courthouse in Concord, N.C. Notice how the bottom of the fountain, the folliage behind the fountain and the hydrangea bush are almost the same value, from the darker end. Squint and you can see it better. The reflection in the pool and the folliage in the distance are on the other end, the light end of the value scale. Can you find the shapes of the puzzle pieces?

Try this! It's great fun. When I paint this way, I actually get excited to see how my "plan" will work out. I am less anxious about the process and enjoy it more. I say, more joy! More joy! Who says artists have to suffer. Not me.

I hope you have "enjoyed" today's blog. Do you have questions or suggestions about painting? Add your comments. I'd like to hear from you and other people would too.

Keep painting,
Diane Overcash

Keep on Painting

Original Art by an Original Artist

What's new in the art world?

I'm getting ready to start on the Outlaw Ballplayers project. As soon as I locate some canvas big enough to paint life-size men in baseball uniforms, I'll get started. The first one will be "Alabama" Pitts. The whole story is told at www.outlawbaseball.wordpress.com

I am a huge fan of learning the fundamentals of art if you are a realist painter and even if you are not. You don't have to always follow the rules but it helps to know what they are. That way you have more command of your paintings, allowing for happy surprises of course, and ending up with a more exciting and more interesting result. Next week I'll spend some time on how to plan a painting before you start.

I thought of few more painting tips. Did you find a new project from last week's suggestions or do you have one still in progress?

Here are a few methods I use if I get stalled and don't know what to do next. So, here I am standing in front of a painting with a wet paint brush in hand and a puzzled look on my face. Ok, now what? Sometimes if I stand there long enough something will occur to me. Other times, if I work on another area of the painting while I give my brain a break, I can go back to the area that was giving me fits and see what to do with it.

Often your eyes and brain just need a break. Turn the painting to the wall and work on something else. I like to keep several paintings going at the same time for that reason.

Also, it may help to think back to the original intent of the painting. Is it a technical problem or have you lost sight of the purpose of the painting?

Looking at your painting in a mirror big enough to see the whole thing at once will show you with lightning speed where composition or proportion is out of whack. This works great for portraits.

The most important thing,
keep painting,
yea art,
Diane Overcash

How Much Joy Can You Stand

How Much Joy Can You Stand

I'm getting ready to submit a piece of artwork for a competition that a local bank is sponsoring. This prospect is unnerving to me because somewhere in the back of my mind I have a hard time separating what I imagine they are looking for and how a really want to paint the piece. I don't know who the judge is yet, and I don't think it is going to matter much. So, how about a new concept for me. Paint it the best I can and turn the darn thing in, on time. Then go on with my next project and stop worrying about it. I'll try that and see how it works.

Ok, for the next project. You know how much I like painting the figure (and painting in general). I love it. It is challenging and I get totally involved in it. Here is a hint. It involves baseball in the 1940's. It has something to do with "outlaws". And it wasn't my idea. It was Hank Utley's idea. I hope to have it well on the way by the next Art Walk on November 10.

For all you painters out there looking for a next project, try this. Look around you and find common-place, ordinary objects. The refigerator or kitchen cabinet is a great place to start. Paint a close up view of bright colorful jars of peaches and pickles with a cabbage. Turn the bottles and jars on their sides or arrange them in an interesting pattern. You don't have to find the "perfect" painting already there for you. You are the artist. Make something ordinary into an exciting, interesting piece of artwork. That's what we do. Inspiration is everywhere, just look for it. Here's a twist. Paint the objects the complement of their local color. Red pickles, purple bananas, blue peaches. I'm getting excited just thinking about it.

Now, I want to go work on the painting for the competition. Now, that I 'm not worried about pleasing anyone but me.