As Artists, we sometimes lose the ability to paint as deliberately as normal when confronted with something appearing difficult or confusing, something we’re unable to interpret as shapes of color. For example, think of sunlight shining through a crystal vase. When this happens, instead of just jumping in with paint and brush, hoping something will work for you, take a step back. Study what you’re seeing. Take your time. Squint, if necessary, until you can determine the color shapes in a simplified manner.
Concentrating on color shapes will help you become less likely to get sidetracked by tedious details. if you want to paint in a deliberate manner, you need to “see” what you want to paint. This means you need to see each individual color shape, then, brushstroke by brushstroke, paint it. Brushing in color shapes with deliberate attention is crucial. It can carry the entire painting for you!
The best brushstrokes are those made with deliberate thought and intent. It doesn’t matter how you paint, whether with the bold, thick directional strokes of a Vincent Van Gogh, or the thin smooth, delicateness of an Andrew Wyeth. It doesn’t matter if you desire to paint thick or thin, loose or tight. if it is deliberate, it will work for you. You will just naturally gravitate to what works best for what you are trying to say with your art.
Tip: Resist adding to much detail until the painting is in the last stages. This way, you’ll find it much easier to adjust the relationships of the larger shapes. Once painting in the details it becomes harder to paint over them if there are adjustments to be made.
Remember, you, the artist, are in control of your painting from the first brushstroke until the very last one. No matter how good an artist a forger may be, they will never be able to do exactly what you do. You are one of a kind. Therefore, learn to “see” what you want to paint, and put it deliberately down on the canvas with well thought out brushstrokes — brushstrokes that belong only to you.
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