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Nov 20, 2018
I love to be out in all seasons looking for inspiration. But I have to say that I am a warm climate person. So what do I do this time of year? I paint even more! Cool weather and short days bring the opportunity to spend a bit more time in the studio.
I take all those sketches from my travels that I didn’t get a chance to turn into big paintings and start with those. Then I have hundreds of research photos of each location from every angle, referencing colors and textures. I find inspiration just looking at them!
Next is composition, a part that is tremendously fun for me. It’s when I have chosen the subject of my painting, but am trying out ideas of how it will actually look when finished. For example, when painting la Fontana di Trevi, what angle would be most expressive for the mood I want to convey? What time of day would set off its colors to their best advantage? How close or far away should the view be? These are just some of the questions I try to answer by making different small sketches and gauging the effect. They are not detailed, just gray scale pencil drawings to be quick and keep the ideas moving. After all, it is through actual sketching and painting that inspiration comes, not just thinking about it.
Next comes the big moment where I choose the direction for the finished piece. I draw it on large sheets of 100% cotton, hand-made paper that is acid-free and archival. It is from a special mill in Italy that has been in operation since the year 1262!
This is the final step before painting and I have to be very careful. Erasing very much could mar the surface of the paper making it uneven for painting. Also, I can’t touch it! I need to wear gloves. The reason is that oil from people’s hands can cause discoloration over time. So to preserve the archival qualities, it is better to ensure nothing but pencil or paint touches the paper. This produces a museum quality piece with true longevity.
Working on this drawing, I start to add more detail to give it character. This is what makes it recognizable as that specific location. It is also when I work out all the detailed perspective. This is why the painting looks like it has depth even though it is a flat work of art.
When these steps are complete, a new adventure starts. The painting process!
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To use this feature, Just look for the "Live Preview AR" button when viewing any piece of art on this website!