Mapping your painting is a habit that reinforces information you already know!
As an artist, you already know that most objects can be reduced broadly into three tone masses, the light (including the high lights), the half tones and shadows. The habit of reducing objects into a simple equation of three tones, as a foundation on which to build a complex painting, should be sought out early.
Try this simple exercise…(you can do this mass drawing with the brush)
1) Select a simple object
2) Place it in a strong light and shade
3) Use artificial light
4) Have the light coming from either the right or left hand, but not from in front.
5) Set the light so that the tone of the cast shadow comes about equal to the half tones.
Using charcoal, outline the light and dark masses. Note the shapes of shadows very carefully, taking great care that the shapes are blocked in proportionate to each other. The drawing will be done with a brush full of paint.
Fix the charcoal well by spraying with a spray diffuser.
Using raw umber and white (oil paint), mix up a tone that you think is equal to the half tones of the cast shadow before you.
Extreme care should be taken in matching this tone.
Now scumble this with a big brush, equally over the entire canvas (or whatever you are making your study on.)
If the paint is too stiff to go on thinly, mix it with just a tiny bit of oil. Do not use turpentine.
Scumbling means rubbing the color into the canvas, working the brush from side to side rapidly, and laying in just the tiniest solid tone that will cover the surface. If this is done properly, and your drawing is well fixed, you will be able to see it through the paint.
In future blogs, there will be information that will help you mix these three tones.
In the meantime, I invite you to order the book listed at the top left. There are many helpful tips in “Canvas Painting 101″ for the artist, not just for oils and acrylics.
This book is only available for the next 20 days. In other words this offer ends at midnight on October 13, 2009.
Honor Your Creative Spirit!
Ellene
Ellene Breedlove Davis
http://ellenebreedlovedavis.com
Listen as The Landscape Artist Speaks. I’m teaching color, one color at a time on this radio show.
Listen live at 10am, each Wednesday morning or listen to the recording anytime.
