My painting class continues and I learned a lesson in the importance of focusing on shapes when painting landscapes and a trick in how to do that – paint upside down. No, not painting while standing on your head, though that might provide some interesting lessons in how to amuse your classmates, but rather turning the picture your are working from upside down. This forces you to see only the larger shapes, without context, to avoid getting caught up in focusing on the details too early.
I’m afraid I neglected to capture a shot of the painting I’m working from (I’ll provide that next week) but here is my painting upside down and what I saw as I was painting it.
I really felt very foolish and incompetent while doing this. The only parts I felt good about were the larger spaces, the sky, of course, is easy for me, the bit of water and the buildings to the right and left. I felt the top part was a hot mess but I was having fun slobbing the paint on. Then, at the end of the class I turned it right side up and voilá…
Mind you, this is mostly under painting so it’s missing a lot of detail, though I’m already liking the sky, water and those buildings. I didn’t realize while I was painting that the lower center vertical shape was a man, currently with no head. Details, details…c’est la vie.
If you look closely, you will see some blotchy spots. When I was gathering up my things at the end of class, I prepared my canvas for transport by putting a layer of plastic wrap over it but then was worried about it sticking. I lifted it off and sure enough it did stick to some wet spots, lifting off some of the top layer of paint revealing a different color underneath. Oops! I showed it to my instructor Maureen and I think I startled her when I explained what happened and that I liked it, it created an interesting texture. She agreed and I think she even learned something new, too. After all, this is the kind of thing we textile artists do all the time…add color, discharge color, embrace the happy accidents.
Stay tuned for the finished painting. I’m not promising that it will be good so…
kathy
3 Feb 2016Nice work in progress…lots of talent…you’ll be good in this medium I can tell!
elena
3 Feb 2016Thanks, Kathy, it’s tempting but don’t expect me to switch mediums, I’m mostly doing this to strengthen my work in textiles. But, I must say, I’m really enjoying the process and, because I have no serious expectations, I find myself painting with a sense of reckless abandon. Reminds me of when I was 6 years old and finger painting in the first grade – wee!
jill
4 Feb 2016Working in unfamiliar media is a great way to help with our primary medium. It strengthens our eye and opens up our mind. We have to THINK hard when working in an unfamiliar way (Like upside down!!) Have fun!!