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