Class Notes: How to Use a Sketch

Something as important as a sketch can get over looked; - we sort of know it's a good thing - we aren't always sure why-
or worse, we don't know HOW to use it.
In class we have been painting animals using photo reference.
So- how does doing a simple sketch help with complex material?

Our purpose is not to make tight realistic drawings before we go to paint BUT to use the sketch to make the most important design decisions before going forward.
For the painting below, I had a photo of this crazy jackrabbit with lots of good detail.
It might be tempting to simply copy the photo reference as it is -  but the best way to use reference is to redesign the material to suit YOUR purpose - not the photographer's.
I will sidestep the discussion about photo copyrights - too involved - but suffice to say, it is always better to use photo material as "reference" not to COPY it.  Unless, of course, you took the photo yourself.
But when using ANY photo reference, design decisions must be made before touching the canvas with paint -
and this is where the disconnect happens.
While making these simple design decisions in your head seems like a good idea -  it's like pointing your car in the right direction just hoping you will arrive at your destination.
I never cease to be amazed at how willing beginners are - to strike out onto the great white canvas with out a map or a clue. Maybe doing a sketch seems too basic?
Hmmm . . . . The PAINTING is our destination.   And while I never have the whole piece figured out before hand -  I can go forward with greater confidence if I have made the basic design decisions in a sketch.
The simple sketches at the top show 2 ways my painting could have gone. One is vertical, of a rabbit in the landscape,
the other is horizontal and more portrait like - both from the same photo reference material.
The face of the rabbit attracted me to the photo in the first place, - so it made sense to design the painting with that in mind and not commit to a lot of extra background landscape, etc.

My sketches are about 3 inches wide, and easy to do;
size does not matter but the information does. I can visualize and arrange the information to see how it best works before committing any paint to canvas.
Once I have done a few sketches  it may become apparent that not every route is a good one, or I may end up choosing between 2 good ideas - No bad thing.  When I am satisfied with the arrangement of my shapes I will use the sketch as a road map and the basis for what  I want to do on the canvas.
Sometimes this takes only one sketch, sometimes 5.
Start with small, simple sketches and soon you will be adding more information to them and they will get better and will serve you better. You may even start to show them off as something you are proud of.

Winter's Inspiration

Back in January, the San Luis Valley enjoyed a exceptional moonrise over Mt.Blanca. I saw it in the twilight of early evening and snapped this shot. Not great as photography goes - but just enough information to remind me of the impression that moon made on my mind.
In February I posted that photo with the hope of creating a painting from the inspiration - see February 2nd post, Getting Inspiration.

Below is my quick study at 6"x 8"- and I'm happy because it captures the essence of my inspiration. Of course, there was some editing of the view- which is, by the way, from my back porch. I have countless photos of that landscape and fortunately, most of them were taken before the house was built.
Now I hope to recreate this scene at 16"x20". . . . .  I will keep you posted.

Class Notes: Manitou Workshop

My weekend in Manitou included a one day workshop in the lovely space at the Fare Bella gallery,  run by Patti Filler and right next to the TracyMiller gallery.
Because this was not an outdoor (plein air) workshop we worked from photos brought by the artists.
My focus, as always, is on design, and in this case how to bring out the strengths of your reference material.





This black and white photo was the reference for the demo.  My sketch below shows how I ALWAYS start by simply dividing the space into thirds and moving shapes to strengthen the composition.
As a class we all took part in deciding how to break up the space:
#1 We chose to move the horizon to the upper third line.
#2  We connected the major elements:  the large tree and the barn, moving them to the third line on the right- thus creating a strong focal point.
#3  We placed a balancing group of trees to the left side.
#4  Even the division of the foreground follows the grid.
Below the sketch is my quick 9x12 demo.



Compare the demo sketch and the demo to the plein air piece below, done at the same location as the reference material. 
In both cases I make use of the Rule of Thirds by dividing my sketch area into thirds both vertically and horizontally.
This is a classic compositional idea that deals with both the composition and placement of the focal point - meaning,
it helps you organize the space and position subject matter to be visually balanced.

You can see how I clearly made very different, and important choices about - the horizon line, the major elements and the secondary shapes.
Both compositions are strong because they are governed  and held together by the Rule of Thirds.
Read more about the Rule of Thirds by going to LABELS on the right side of this blog, scroll down and click on Class Notes: Rule of Thirds.

. . . and this is a good place to
 plug the benefits of doing a sketch, no matter how simple.

Class Notes: The Shape of Things

In this last class session we focused on elements of the landscape in preparation for the transition to painting out doors. (That class session starts on Tuesday night, July 16).
We spent a couple of weeks on trees, tree shapes, clouds and cloud shapes  and tho' we are working with good reference material  it is not like plugging the right numerals into the example math problem - that never worked for me anyway.  We do not copy the reference exactly any more than we would try to paint exactly what we see in the landscape. What's to do?
It's all in the shapes.  In every segment of the landscape: trees, water, river, mountains, clouds -  what we are practicing is good shapes.   Students skimp on the design of shapes, preferring to focus on materials or exotic techniques and wonder why the outcome is so unsatisfying. Books discuss the painting process but never explain that inelegant SHAPES make for paintings of the same.
I encourage my students to be designer first; be design driven, not image driven.  Principles of good design were revered by the ancients and foundational to the "old masters".  A casual viewer may simply admire a painting for it's image content, but a devoted student must see beyond the image to the elements of good design that make a painting work.   But I digress. . .
Our class time has not been in vain, if what we come away with is the simple idea that trees are shapes, clouds are shapes - and all parts of the landscape must be subject to the design eye.
For beginners this may sound like Greek - but start by creating beautiful shapes. To the viewer it may be a group of trees, a distant mountain,  the sky, or a winding river or path -  but to the painter they are carefully crafted SHAPES; beautiful for their having been designed with intent.
For every shape included in your painting- stop and ask yourself:
 is that shape - elegant, sophisticated, beautiful?

...and Now For Something Completely Different

I painted this in class a few weeks ago from reference material; a task outside of my usual method, style and subject matter. Painting animals is very much like portrait work- and fun, once in a while.
Aside from simply getting a likeness my challenge is to work as broadly as possible while still giving the illusion of detail for things like tufts of fur and whiskers.
In some areas I chose to show brushwork that reveals what brush was used, in other areas the brushwork is sublimated to the subject matter.


... more in my own vein -
this Caboose was a special
commission, (finished
right before Christmas)
to be a companion piece
for the Locomotive
purchased by a collector
a couple of years back.
Both paintings are 11"x 14".
Click on any painting
to see it larger.