This week’s focus is on developing a painting from an initial foundation. As you’ve gathered, I’m a big fan of sound foundations as it’s so much easier to develop an image, add colour, detail, context – really, whatever you wish. I’ll develop a work in progress and paint it out in this session – with some atmospheric perspective!

Developing acrylic and oil paintings

In the following video, I develop the acrylic painting which I laid the foundation for in week 3. Many of the approaches are certainly applicable to oil painting as well. Apologies for the sound quality caused by a nearby waterfall!!

In this second video, I follow a similar approach for a portrait in oil. Notice that my approach is essentially independent of both medium and subject:

 

 

Method

Adding colour onto an already formed image, whether fairly developed or rudimentary, is helpful in a couple of ways:

1. There is already an image there to guide you, so that you can focus more on colour than form and value. As we explored last week, colour is a world unto itself and adding colour can now be accomplished without compromise.
2. The foundation has already covered up the white of the canvas. There’s nothing wrong with white canvas (some schools of painters insisted on it) however, many painters find the white lightens and gives a less solid result.
3. The background tone “peeks through” the layers which gives a consistent feel and also integrates the image.

I generally use the following approach:

1. I use a two or three-brush “system” which is a medium/light paint brush, a darks brush and, depending on style and application, a third brush for blending – perhaps with some added medium.
2. Work light over light, dark over dark. Remember, you have already formed an image, so use this to guide you and the trick is to not entirely cover it up. It’s not a bad idea to take a photo prior to starting this phase. The only real mistake is to add one tone over everything – thereby losing all of your darks.
3. I start the same way regardless of whether I’m looking to be realistic or expressive. The difference is in the vibrancy of colour,degree of blending and the level of detail I might add.
4. At this stage, I tend to paint around the forms which are there. I am however, careful to keep evolving the image, getting it to work the way I want.
5. I may build the colour into mid-tones and darks first, in that order, leaving highlights for later. As such, the painting might look a little gloomy, perhaps as if the lights were dimmed – you then get to turn up the light towards the end. This can give a real thrill as the highlights are applied. Talk about deferred gratification!
6. As discussed last week, my approach is to use a limited palette, so that I can concentrate on painting rather than all the colours I could be using.
7. One “trick” that I often use in the heat of the process is that I make any changes with whatever brush is to hand, almost regardless of tone or colour. This randomness does not always work, however when it does it can be spectacular.
8. Finally, my mantra is “always be painting” meaning that regardless of the specific process, I am looking for effects to improve the painting, often seeing details to adjust and paint effects that I like, so I will make any changes as I go: not strictly following the plan.

Exercise

1. You might like to continue working on the low-tone study which you commenced previously – equally, why not just start afresh: Keep the foundation simple, putting focus on the main forms and lights and darks, as you did previously. Here comes the fun…adding colour!
2. Following the general process above, add colour onto your low-tone foundation. By all means evolve the image as you go, being mindful of the power of lights and darks as well as placement of forms and features.

Painting in watercolour

With watercolour of course, layering (washes) needs to be handled with some care. However within this context, some of the same ideas apply. You need consistent blocks of colour and form, even within the constraints (and opportunities!) of the media.

In this video, I talk through a typical painting process:

Example from Week 3

In a previous video from week 3 I started a watercolour in a limited palette, using non-staining pigments. Painting now flows following my creative inclinations: taking advantage of opportunities I see in the work, keeping colour and some added definition in mind.

In this case, I started by lifting out some more colour from the green line at the left. I also decided that I wanted a fair expanse of field leading to the barn/farm. The problem was I had prematurely drawn a line in ink to limit my picture space. So I erased it! My paper is not the best quality to say the least, however with some water and a very stiff brush I was able to get most of the water-fast ink out. This process is more akin to scraping than lifting – I am definitely destroying the paper surface. Believe it or not, this damage rarely shows…however don’t try too much wet-on-wet on the damaged area!

Next, I added in a line of distant hills on the left. Intending to use purple in the sky, I took the opportunity to block the hills in with purple so that they would fade into the background. I’m following the idea of painting in three zones (as in  week 2) and these hills form part of the background, along with the sky. The other lines of hills, plus building, form the mid-ground. The lead-in pasture is my foreground.

At this stage, I added some light green to one field to add interest and some warm colour to the roof of the building – I started with yellow adding some orange as well, being careful to keep it in the light zone.

Then I added some depth to the sky with purple and ultramarine. I wanted it dark and purple-y at the horizon because my roof is lighter and orange/yellow-y! The distant hills now fade into the background – a little more than I intended, however, I like the result.

Next I added some gestural greens, yellows and browns to my field using Yellow Ochre. After some wiping I was happy…I like abstracted foreground lead-ins.

Finally, I added some detail to the building with a grey wash plus ink, then created a little fence or enclosure. I also added Phthalo green to the abstracted tree/bush on the right (so that it separates from other greens).

Not at all high realism eh? – however lots of fun and I like the resulting vibe.

Exercise for watercolourists

1. In watercolour, develop the initial painting using blocks of form and colour for the major areas. Don’t follow your initial drawing (if any) slavishly, but rather refer to your reference and evolve the painting accordingly.
2. Optionally, finish the painting with transparent colour washes perhaps adding detail and line. Always have an eye to keeping a strong balance of values.