How to Create a Great Painting
Too many people begin a painting by simply getting hold of a photograph, drawing it carefully on paper or canvas and then painting it. Whilst this can work successfully, it is a very limited approach. All you are achieving using this approach is demonstrating your ability to copy, there is no heart or soul or individuality in the painting. After all is that not what art should be about? The great artists such as Picasso are all individuals, working in a very individual way that is what people buy into, individuality.
So how do create paintings that will reflect your passion and individuality? The method I use is not unique in any way and is much more time consuming than copying photographs. However, using this method you will find you create much more interesting and creative paintings and should find the whole experience more challenging and exciting.
To start: Carry a sketch book with you wherever you go and draw anything you see. 10 second doodles to half hour drawings, it doesn’t matter just draw and celebrate the fact you are making marks on paper. Use your drawings as the starting points for ideas for paintings. DON’T dismiss any idea no matter how bizarre it may be, it could be the next big thing! If you must work from photographs, use a number combined together, cut them up, reassemble them, draw on them, use your imagination.
When you have an idea that is based on your drawings, try creating the idea as a tonal sketch using graphite or charcoal. Work out where the lights and darks are going to be. If you have access to a photocopier, copy your original idea and try different tonal contrasts and ranges.
Try sketching out your idea simply a few times and painting it with different colour schemes. If you have access to a computer and scanner, scan your drawing into the computer and play with colour schemes in a suitable drawing/painting package.
When you are satisfied with a good colour scheme and you have worked out the tonal values, paint your masterpiece. Remember, that oil paint, acrylic paint and watercolour all have their own unique qualities. Experiment. I have used acrylic paint with watercolour and even used acrylic paint with oil paint (you must always paint oil paint on top of acrylic paint, NEVER paint acrylic on top of oil paint or mix the two paints together)
If you are really stuck for a colour scheme or have difficulty with working out colour combination’s try this: Get hold of a colour wheel – most art shops sell them. – cover half the colour wheel and use the colours you can see as the basis for your painting, plus add one colour from the covered section. For example: choose the greens/blues/purples half of the colour wheel- plus one opposite colour; yellow/orange. Use the yellow/orange to emphasis elements in your picture that you want the viewer to focus on. You will be surprised the number of painters who use this method.
