more work on the WIP (still untitled)
15" x 20" watercolor
Things are coming along on this painting, even if it is a little slower than I'd like.
It's funny, when I mess up on a painting I usually approach my next one with a little more. . . caution? I guess you could say. Not timidity, just approaching the painting with more of a plan in my head of what colors to use and in what order, more careful looking at shapes and placement.
Which really is a pretty good thing, because I've realized (and I seem to be forced to make this realization every couple of months) that when I think I've nailed my process and I know exactly what to do and I'm basking in my own awesomeness of painting skills (totally kidding, I never bask, sheesh how prideful would that be? ;), that's when I mess up.
I think I have it all figured out, and I'm rushing to get it finished, and then I make that fateful error that I cannot fix and the painting's ruined.
Sometimes that really sucks. I hate having to learn things the hard way, but it seems like I always get to anyways. :)
So, at this point in the painting I'm laying down the skeleton, making sure that my framework is accurate and all set for the big splashy finish. I once heard an artist say, "first make it strong, then make it pretty." I've always remembered that. Sometimes I think I'm a little too anxious to get to the pretty making part.
So far I'm using light value colors so I can still make slight adjustments to his face and proportions that are so dang important with portraits. I'm making it strong right now so that at the end I can come back and make it vivid and beautiful (hopefully, that's the goal anyway).
In other words, I've been planning. No winging it this time around.
So, fellow artists and creative types, here's my question for you: Are you a planner or a pantser (pantser= fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pantser)?
As much as I'd like to be a pantser, I'm pretty sure that I'm a planner.
