Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
BUILDING A PRACTICE
"Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you."
-> CHUCK CLOSE
i have been working as a professional artist for sixteen years. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been interested in art, taking classes in oil, watercolor, and acrylic mediums. I have tested and worked with various brands and products.
On the following pages, I share how I set up my workspace and which basic studio materials and tools that I always keep handy. Most, if not all, are affordable and easy to find, either locally or online. Supplies and brands can vary greatly in price, yet less expensive brands can be of similar quality to more expensive alternatives. For example, I normally find little difference among paint brands, especially acrylics and watercolors. Oils, on the other hand, are made with pigments that can be rare, such as cadmium, which can increase their cost significantly. If you limit your paint choices to just the water-based varieties, you can keep the cost of your materials at an affordable level.
preparing yourworkspace
i prefer to stand rather than sit when I paint and create. I enjoy the freedom of movement it permits. Acrylics, watercolors, and inks all dry fairly rapidly, so it is helpful to be able to move quickly and easily around a piece as you work.
While standing, I can easily step back and observe my progress from a distance. I can walk around a piece and view it from different angles and perspectives. It is important to consider your work in its entirety and not to focus solely on one area. Overall balance should be a priority as you create.
I work on the floor and use a waist-high work table, which allows me to stand as I draw. On the table, I keep drawing supplies within reach as I work. These include, but are not limited to, pencils, erasers, markers, and some inks. I keep the majority of my paint supplies separate in an effort to keep one area of the studio clean and paint-free.
Drop cloths are an inexpensive way to protect your floor and table and are found at most home improvement stores. I often stand on cut-up cardboard boxes. A bonus is that after they have become messy and covered in paint, they can be folded up and recycled.
Always work in a well-ventilated area or move your process outdoors, if possible. Not only does working outdoors cut down on paint fumes, it also provides natural light, which is the best lighting for painting. Lamps or fluorescent lighting can visually alter the colors in a painting, making them seem yellow, flat, or as if they have a blueish hue. If you have to work under artificial light, periodically view your progress in natural sunlight before making any big changes or decisions in terms of color.
materials
This is a basic overview of all the materials I use in my studio. Standard Materials (see at right) are the ones you will need to create the exercises in this book. The items in Specialty and Unconventional Materials (see page 17) are those I generally use and recommend, but are not necessary to complete any of the exercises. All of the materials can be found at most art supply stores, home improvement stores, online, and at your local grocery store (e.g., coffee, salt, tea, straws, and so on).
standard paints and inks
Acrylic paints and inks are the mediums I use most often in my work because they are versatile, fairly inexpensive, and less toxic than oils. They also come in many different shades and colors. As they are both water-based, they can technically be used together, but because of the difference in their viscosity, they are not interchangeable. I normally use one or the other, or if using both, I layer them as opposed to mixing them. Because inks dry faster than acrylics, they soak into paper more quickly. Acrylic paints allow for more time to be manipulated before the water begins to evaporate from them, leaving just the pigment behind.
-> INDIA INKS provide a strong, vibrant color and can be diluted and softened with water. They are permanent and adhere to nearly all surfaces. The colored inks are transparent, similar to watercolors, but the black is opaque and useful for drawing.
-> WATERCOLORS are water soluble and come in tubes or pans. Similar to inks, most watercolors are transparent, but less concentrated in pigment. There are some subtle differences between tubes and pans, but ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. The tube paints can be slightly more vibrant, but they also generally cost more. Pan paints are also more portable.
-> ACRYLIC PAINTS are also water soluble and come in a large variety of shades and colors. They can be purchased in tubes or bottles. The brands range from craft paints, typically found in bottles, to more art-specific brands normally found in tubes. I use both in my work, which allows for a larger variety of color choices. Also, I have noticed that there is no issue combining the two. The tube paints have a thicker, creamier consistency, which is something to consider if adding texture is one of your goals.
-> CONCENTRATED LIQUID WATERCOLORS are tinted, concentrated paints with rich color. I use these often because I love how the colors stay so vibrant and saturated when painting. Watercolors in general tend to soften into more pastel-like hues when water is added to them. (The concentrated liquid variety can be found online at discount school supply companies.)
standard paintbrushes
Artist paintbrushes come in various sizes and shapes. I prefer to use synthetic hair brushes, which are softer than natural hair brushes and much less expensive. They can be used easily with watercolor, inks, and acrylics so that it is not necessary to purchase separate sets of brushes for each medium. I paint most often with either round or flat brushes.
-> FLAT, SOFT-HAIR S YNTHETIC BRUSHES, 1" to ." (2.5 to 10 cm) in size. Flat brushes are suitable for filling large areas with color and making bold strokes. The edges are great for straight lines.
-> ROUND, SOFT-HAIR SYNTHETIC BRUSHES, sizes 6, 10, and 12. Round brushes have pointed ends and can be used for more detailed work, filling in smaller areas, and making lines that vary in thickness and curved lines.
-> FILBERT BRUSH, size 6. This brush is a combination of both round and flat. The hairs curve in on the side, forming an oval shape. This brush is perfect for blending and is what I use to make soft organic lines and shapes.
-> FLAT BRISTLE BRUSHES (ALSO CALLED " CHIP" BRUSHES), 2" and 3" (5 and 7.5 cm) in size. These brushes are inexpensive and can be found at most home improvement stores in the paint section. A downside to these is the hairs often fall out, so before use, make sure to pull out what you can first using your hands. Then, run the brush across sandpaper several times to release any loose hairs.
standard tools
Many of the tools below can be found around the house or purchased at art supply stores or online. (See Resources on page 117.)
-> Craft knife, such as X-ACTO, with extra blades
-> Scissors
-> Self-healing cutting mat
-> Regular pencils, numbers 2B, 5B, 8B, and no. 2 mechanical pencils
-> 1" (2.5 cm) painter's tape or masking tape
-> Permanent markers
-> Ruler
-> Printmaker's brayer
-> Water containers, such as glass jars (Used is fine.)
-> Sketchbooks, book-bound, as opposed to spiral-bound. This type of sketchbook helps to keep your composition fluid and not disjointed with two distinct sides. My preferred sizes are 4" × 6" (10 × 15 cm) (A6), 6" × 8" (15 × 20 cm) (A5), and 8.5" × 11" (21.5 × 28 cm) (A.). Always buy ones with multimedia or 140 lb (300 gsm) cold-press paper. This paper works well with water-based paints because it has increased amount of sizing, which is the protective layer of glue that's added to paper when it's made.
-> Sheets of watercolor paper, 140 lb (300 gsm) cold press. This thick paper has texture to its surface and can stand up to repeated uses.
-> Primed canvases, sizes 10" × 10" (25.5 × 25.5 cm), 11" × 14" (28 × 35.5 cm), 18." × 24" (46 × 61 cm), and any additional sizes of your choosing.
-> Acrylic glass, such as Plexiglas, for use as a palette. (See tip opposite.)
-> Dry rags or paper towels
-> Heavy matte gel or gel medium
specialty items
These are all items I use frequently, but are not required to complete the exercises in this book. If you are considering extending your art practice, I would recommend investing in some or all of these useful items.
-> Workable fixative. This spray helps to prevent pencil smudging and allows you to easily rework a piece.
-> Palette knife
-> T-square ruler
-> Kneaded rubber eraser
-> Pencil sharpener
-> Spray or squeeze bottles
-> Joint knife (housepainter's tool). It can be used to apply paint, create texture, and scrape off old paint from your palette to create a smooth surface.
unconventional materials
Many of the following items can be found home. Use this list as a starting point from develop your own set of materials.
-> Sponges
-> Scrub brushes
-> Yarn
-> Rubbing alcohol
-> Spray paint
-> Salt
-> Straws
-> Coffee/tea
-> Wood stain
using a sk etchbook
to develop your practice
the practice of keeping journals and sketchbooks is one of the main foundations on which to build your artistic life. Keeping a sketchbook centers you, focuses you, and allows you to explore your ultimate, true self, free from outside criticism and judgment. It is an essential artistic tool, whether you have just started to create or you have woven creativity into your life for many years. Sketchbooks also provide the opportunity to be creative, even when circumstances make it challenging or prohibitive to work in a studio. My husband and I lived in Paris for a few years when we were first married. It was ironic to live in such an inspiring city with its rich artistic history and status and not have any time or even physical space to paint or create art. I was in mental overdrive to soak up as much of the culture as I could, learn the language, and essentially start a new life. Every place we traveled in France and across Europe was breathtaking. During this time, I couldn't physically paint, but I sketched all the time, constantly collecting ideas and inspiration.
I have had other times in my life when painting was simply not an option — for example, immediately after the birth of my son. As any mother knows, during those first few months to a year, you have only one all-consuming job: to be a mother. Yet, when I did have a few moments of reflective thought, I used my sketchbook as an outlet. Sketchbooks are a meaningful thread that keeps you connected to your artistic life no matter what your circumstances.
Sketchbooks are also private. Art, by definition, is to be seen, studied, and displayed — made available for all to view and have opinions and assumptions about. Yet, your sketchbook is a sanctuary — a safe place to find ideas, experiment, and reflect. A critical facet of becoming an artist is to continue to search and discover new ideas. It is important to have a concrete way to record, examine, and develop these changes.
EXERCISE ONE
creative mental warmups
flex your artistic muscles with personal mark making
Some artists reserve their sketchbooks for writing and drawing. I love creating mixed-media artwork, which naturally extends to my sketchbook. For these exercises, I recommend buying a few sketchbooks of varying sizes — make sure they are made with either watercolor paper or are intended for mixed media. Make it a routine practice to do some mental, creative warm-ups using your sketchbook when you first walk into the studio or sit down to create.
MATERIALS
sketchbooks, either made of 140 lb (300 gsm) cold-press watercolor paper or mixed-media paper, in a variety of sizes paintbrushes, in an assortment of sizes and shapes
ink, in two or three different colors
prepare
-> Working in multiple sketchbooks gives you the freedom to move among ideas and execute your thoughts while they are fresh in your mind.
-> I prefer to use a book-style sketchbook, wherein the pages are sewn in signatures, as opposed to a connected by spiral binding. The connection at the binding allows you to use the entire work area as one large page rather than having a gap in the middle that clearly separates the composition.
-> Use at least three to four paintbrushes in various shapes and sizes to vary your mark making.
-> When learning more about paintbrush application and mark making, vary not only your brush sizes, but also your brush angles and the pressure that you apply. For example, flat brushes are great for making bold lines, but by just turning your wrist slightly, you can create a totally new and more delicate line.
-> For making a clean, saturated line, load up your brush with plenty of ink. This practice is called having "a loaded brush."
-> For this first exercise, I recommend using just one or two colors to avoid getting bogged down and visually stumped on color, texture, and contrast.
create
Start with one ink, creating lines, shapes, and marks. Ink is enjoyable to work with because it is so fluid, which makes forming different lines and forms fast and easy.
This is a no-judgment exercise. All you have to do is make the first mark to get started. Use the first mark to decide how to make the second and so on. Vary your lines using different paintbrushes and changing your directions of movement. I tend to mimic shapes and marks found in nature, but you will find your own sources of inspiration. Do this exercise multiple times using different themes for inspiration, such as architecture, the human figure, patterns, interiors, and so on.
EXERCISE TWO
using the sketchbook to achieve focus
collecting, arranging, and reflecting on inspirational images
a sketchbook is also a great place to save pictures, words, colors, and ideas that you find inspirational. During the course of the day or week, you hear, encounter, and experience things that you find exciting or noteworthy, yet you may not be able to fully reflect on or digest them at the time. A sketchbook is a perfect and safe place to store all these words, images, colors, and thoughts for future examination.
Even though art is primarily visual, words are an enormous influence in one's work. Whether you jot down a dream or a song lyric or simply write in a stream of consciousness, you can start to piece together and find cohesion across your interests. Magazines are another great source of inspiration, as they typically stay current with ever-changing trends that you can use to inspire or experiment with in your own work. And you can cut up images in them for your sketchbook.
MATERIALS
medium or large sketchbook magazine clippings,
color samples, old photos,
or similar items paintbrushes, in a variety of sizes and shapes
prepare
-> For this exercise, collect several items of paper ephemera such as magazine clippings, color samples, old photos, or simply an assortment of words and thoughts.
-> Dedicate one side of an open sketchbook and arrange them in a way that makes sense to you. In doing this, you can start to mentally and visually organize yourself in preparation for creating a larger piece of work.
-> Use the facing page to organize and decipher what these images mean to you. You can create color palettes or make marks, simple contour shapes, and other gestures that are your interpretations of these items.
-> Make notes and jot down words and/or phrases that accompany the images you are creating and that you would like to reflect upon further.
This practice is a great way to keep ideas fresh, evolving, and personal. It gives you the power to generate your own inspiration, rather than relying on an outside source to create that spark. It can be reassuring to know that your ideas have been inside you the whole time.
Developing Your Artistic Language
A significant, artistic developmental stage in my life was my move to France in 2007 with my then fiancé (now husband). During this time, I studied the French language and absorbed as much of the beauty and culture of the country as I could. I was overwhelmed with how much inspiration was around me. From the people, countryside, and architecture to the food and museums, everything was fascinating.
I paused from painting during this time and instead resorted to my sketchbook as my place for quiet, artistic reflection. It was the sketchbook in which I was able to sort through new ideas, colors, and concepts. This is why a journal or sketchbook should be an important tool for an artist. You never know where you're going to be when inspiration strikes. Ideas and images can be jotted down and captured in the moment and referred to later.
Even though at the time I was not making larger, more substantial pieces of art, I was gathering ideas and inspiration from the routine of daily life to incorporate into art later. I was organizing and recording all that was happening externally to be understood and evaluated internally. I was cultivating the practice of creating a personal artistic language. What is most important about finding your own artistic language is to make sure it comes from your own self. Outside voices, experience, and visuals influence you constantly, but it is how you internalize and decipher them that allows your own artistic voice to develop.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Paint Alchemy"
by .
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