Life and Art Share Same Successful Commonality

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"Life" and "Art" share a successful commonality...Planning!Ha!  did you come up with the same answer?  I'm sure there are many,  and today I'm going to  discuss, and show you how I  move from glorious inspiration to a finished painting I am proud to put out into the world.

Now, before I share ME... I really want to acknowledge that inspiration and the action of creating  fluidly coexists and spontaneously produces beautiful works that astonish!  I've seen this.  And I also know who the artist in me, IS.  I give thanks for the inspiration then sit with my supplies, capability, talent, and desire for this particular curiosity to emerge onto my canvas.  This very start makes me happy and tingly as I contemplate creating.

As a landscape painter, I'll often use a reference photo and as you'll see...I'll tweak, add, delete, and change according to what I desire.  But I always start with my road map!...my thumbnail sketch!

​The left photo shows my reference photo.  I see the photo BUT:  I  also remember my solo hiking up in the foothills of the Cascade mountains on the Bend, Oregon side...I was incredibly happy to have this time to myself to explore.....that 'Feeling' makes me want to recreate and paint.
Look at my thumbnail sketch... I have shortened it and added  mountains in the background.  I've also paid attention to  VALUES... the darks, mid tones, and lights.  Doing this always makes me look closely at my  images so I know what I want and expect.  This is my roadmap and I feel comfortable with my plan.

Here's my first sketch and blocking in of values...those darks, mid tones, and lights.  Yikes!  Look at all that purple!!!  Ha... no worries...I don't like starting a painting always with white so I'll cover the canvas with a color that might be advantageous peeking out somewhere.  So this is a good start according to my thumbnail sketch...but wait... I look and see too much mountains which feels over powering.  I think more foothills may tame that down.

Ahhh...that's better!  Now I paint in the sky and water and have my basic structure and values in.  Time for the fun of fine tuning.

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In this final phase I am still true to my thumbnail sketch so it's coming along easily as I know what to expect and do.  
The colors are pretty cohesive.... have you noticed?  That's because I pre select 3 primary colors ... a red, blue, and yellow and augment my palette with white and black.  

My composition is good, shapes, and colors.  What I am paying special attention to is brush strokes and I think you'll see evidence of that in the painting.

It's clean, fresh, gives the impression and feeling I want, but is not overly worked...which I like.  This is what artist's know...it's hard to stop sometimes.  We always feel the need for just one more brushstroke...it's hard to stop and be happy.

For you movie buffs, you may remember Forrest Gump saying, "My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get." 

I believe pre planning and thumbnail sketches help me to observe, identify, and proceed aware and with purpose, so I usually always get what I expect.
 
I'm painting alot as I get ready for my Spring Exhibition and group show the end of April.  Group shows...hoo boy...that's a crazy idea to write about... so I'll be sure to take photos for a future newsletter.  
 
I have acrylic and watercolor paintings on my website you may enjoy:  www.patricecameronfineart.com

If you enjoy my artsy offering, please forward to your friends.  I would appreciate that.
See the beauty around you,

Patrice