Sunday, September 3, 2017

SKETCHES PLUS COLOR BEFORE PAINT




Before putting paint onto paper, I am going to work out the shapes and colors on sketch paper with crayons and graphite.  This will help me plan a bit more than just start on paper and go from there (that intrepid style of painting probably takes years!).



I have been cutting out elements from magazines and pulling together some things that mean something to me, personally.  I'll use a little of this, a little of that, and come up with something good (I hope).  





Painting this way takes a lot of thinking about:
shapes
colors
values and
composition!

I liked the colored sketch above, but decided to go for more personal things around the house.



I started with a light graphite pencil sketch, then put some magazine cut-out elements on the sketch to make changes.





At this stage, I pulled out some real elements (to look at as I paint) = the aluminum coffee pot and a small cup (both belonged to my Momah, who made a cup of coffee that was so strong, it would walk out of the kitchen right to you :)






Another magazine element = the velvety peach/orange chair.




Planning this way lets you see what works and what doesn't work before getting to the real painting.  





And then you can just go for it!



My goal for the whole painting is to make things less flat = more dimensional, using whatever works to make the shapes and colors pop.


6 comments:

Chris Lally said...

Rhonda, Love the description of the coffee!! So funny!
The way you have been considering the painting-to-be is really interesting. There is more to be said for planning a painting that I had realized. Great post!!

Jennifer Rose said...

I hardly ever plan acrylic or oil paintings, probably should but I just toss the paint on the canvas :p

watercolour paintings I do plan but often those plans go wrong lol

I like all the different textures and shapes you are putting in your painting, makes it interesting :)

RH Carpenter said...

Yes, Chris, her coffee was STRONG!! ha ha. A lot of planning goes into this type of painting that looks loose and intuitive (but really isn't). Hope I end up with something I like - that's my main goal right now until I learn more about this process.

Jennifer Rose, I have a problem with acrylic painting because there is no end in sight! Most people like that you can add, subtract, change - but that just gives me too many choices, I think :). Thanks for commenting on this. As it's just the first of many, I don't expect a masterpiece, but something I like. And I'll learn more as I go on in this way.

Debbie Nolan said...

Rhonda - fantastic elements here. It is so good of you to show how you are working things out. Magazine elements really help us see certain things...especially colors for me. Thanks for sharing.

laura said...

Great process, and it looks to be yielding results!
I really love the first painting--puts me in mind of Matisse still lifes, the colors and shapes

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks, Debbie :). I think by talking it out this way it helps me get the process in my mind more strongly so I can work this way in the future when I do anything (not just still lifes). I would love to be able to just put paint/brush to paper and begin without the lines that do tend to make one "color within the lines" and not have the freedom. Of course, you have to really slow down to paint this way or you get too excited and paint too much or mis-shape things as you go.

Laura, thanks so much. Yes, Trevena's work is inspiring and I find myself at a bit of a crossroads here - is this just a temporary play time or will this become something I continue and incorporate into other things (can't give up on my birds/crows or hydrangeas, either!).