I’ve been working on this giant blue painting for some time, and while I like where it’s at currently, there’s still a long way to go before it’s finished.
Watch the video and see how I start to shift the composition. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
In gratitude, Nicholas
45 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
I saw the black and white as the background and for me there was a need for the complementary to the blue for the “transition” colour between the background (black and white stripes) and the foreground (confident blue)…
Thanks for the idea of using the cheap paper. I’m going to try that. Making the surface active, rich and textural while maintaining transparency is always a challenge.
I like that it is cheap so I don’t feel too precious about using it!
I go back frequently, sometimes the results are amazing. There are also times when I ruin it and eventually another painting emerges. All part of the dance
I just reunited myself with my oil paints. I love that flexibility which you don’t have with acrylics thho acryics allow you to advance faster because of the drying time. Love the dance
I save packing papers from stuff I order online, as well as using a roll of waxed paper for tools in removing newly applied oil paint. Since I don’t thin with OMS, and use cold wax medium in my oil paint, my new layer is probably denser than what you showed. But the wax paper can be crinkled up first before being pressed onto the new paint and it can leave great, sort of organic, marks.
Oh that is interesting…I will have to try that!
I like all these tips. Its fun to experiment with different things. I have a hunch the painter paper is cheaper but I like the idea of getting different textures. Thanks!
Nick,
If a picture is worth a thousand words, your videos are like a book. I glean so much information from watching you work!! I have learned that working on a painting involves a great deal of push/pull. Applying paint, taking it off, covering it up, scraping it, sanding it, add back detail. By incorporating these techniques, my work has improved immeasurably, plus it has become more enjoyable. Thanks for your constant inspiration.
For sure Debby…glad it is helpful!
Hi Nick
Love where you are headed here, great color and the black and white shape draw me in.
The application of layers is always the hardest for me sometimes, however, utilizing your process of paper removal and glazing will help me on the painting I have on the easel now. THANKS!!
I love getting clarity on the thing you are working on by looking at something else you have not made… this is the benefit of having a community of artists that you can see thier work..
I loved to see you working (and risking ) to modify your artwork. Great ideas for the ones (as myself) that are motionless in front of an easel. Your artwork looks much interesting so far, great!
thanks!
Nicholas, I wish that I could translate this principle to my current medium: collage. If you have any recommendations, I’d greatly appreciate them!
Well you can sand with an orbital sander–obscure the first layer of collage–then add paint on then more collage…build it up that way…
Thanks, Nicholas. Lately, I’ve been collaging on stretched canvas (old paintings), using either predominantly paper or more canvas, as indicated in the attached image. Unless the substrate is firm, a sander won’t work out for these pieces. But I’m rather liking the boldness, too. I nonetheless like what you’ve said about “richness.” It adds depth. This is something for me to consider as I keep experimenting with this medium. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/23e58b4ba3eb1c87d5e9103133f060112e14cb18ade920d2756bae44557ba1ee.jpg
Hi Pat! I do collage, and sometimes an element (or two or three!) turns out to be distracting in my composition. So I will create a light glaze (lighter than the collage element) like Nicholas did here, to “push back” those darker collage elements… removing some of the excess glaze to let those collage pieces still peek through, but not take over the whole composition. I might also use a light glaze overall to add a distressed or antiqued look to my piece, again, removing some of the glaze to let my favorite portions show through. You can make a glaze as opaque or transparent as you like, and you can test it out on some collage that’s not as precious. You can also add multiple layers in multiple colors to provide even more richness. i hope that’s helpful and gets the wheels turning!
Thanks Michelle! Much appreciated.
Thanks, Michelle. Unfortunately, I’m not glazing on most of the collages nor can I use a sander. I’m working, in most instances, on stretched canvas. These collages are a little more bold and direct, having sharper edges. I think that if I was working on a firmer substrate (like board or even paper) I could sand to make the texture a little richer, as Nicholas says.
I work on canvas too sometimes and I’m pretty rough with it. I put a stack of magazines under the section of canvas I’m working on and lay it flat on a table or the floor. Just wanted to mention that in case you did want to try some of these techniques. But probably not sanding, lol.
I wish that I could me more delicate with a sander! But I hate it when the canvas gets compromised. Thanks for your suggestions! They’re all good!!!
Thanks Nick for your wonderful video and posts. I would love to see this painting as a finished product. I assume you will add the lighter color to parts of the overall background as opposed to taking down the dark blue completely to a lighter shade?
I am finishing it now–and you are right – I kept the dark background but did provide variation in it…
Yes, I would love to see this painting when it is finished. It is so helpful to see how a work progresses.
There is nothing more fun than putting it on and taking it off! People who don’t paint would have a hard time understanding this, but this demo says it all for those of us who make art! Thanks, as always!
Yes Susan–you are welcome…
Ditto, x 10
For someone who has difficulties letting go of “perfection,” this was very helpful. And I really like it that you are wearing gloves to protect yourself! Thank you.
Agreed. My Perfectionism Devil is always on my left shoulder. Shudder. I loved this too, for the same reason
Thank you for this demo. I forgot “liquin’ and ‘odorless minieral spirits”. I don’t see them on the current list of supplies on Art2Life. … like where to buy it. My local store had odorless mineral spirits but didn’t recognize “Liquin” … is it made by Golden, Liquitex…get it online?Lame question but…I just drug my oils out and began painting with them once again… beginning again. Always the beginner. You inspired me to paint with both acryclics and oils. I had the oils but wasn’t using them… I am probably not alone
HI Phyllis, you can find liquin online at http://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-liquin-mediums/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=00445-2104&gclid=CPqYyPr8_tQCFRSUfgodYzwJoQ.
Love watching this… It’s nice to see that you were able to retain what was working on the first blue pass and improve on it. It’s hard to think it could come easy and so often I just keep covering everything up instead of really working on it. Very helpful. Thank you Nicholas!
Love seeing your process ! Thanks. Very informative.
Thank you for your generous painting videos Nicholas. I’m always learning and thinking through things as I watch.
Love the texture achieved from using this paper, excited about giving it a try! As always, Thanks!!
Love it. Very helpful.
I appreciate your generosity– seeing process is so engaging and invigorating, thank you.
Thank you for sharing.
I really appreciate these videos of your process. I actually liked it better before you added this layer but agree that it needed one more layer for interest. If it was me, I would’ve added orange and yellow geometric shapes on top. But we all work differently of course!
Great demo…thanks Nick! That masking paper has become one of my favorite tools for removing paint in a way that leaves kind of a nice veil.
You’ve shared with us to so many fantastic painting tools other than brushes, and I enjoy the rich organic feeling these tools can give a painting…plus they’re so fun to use!
Thank you for sharing your approach to developing a painting. So gentle and intuitive.
Hi Nick, thank you for posting this video. I have a canvas from a recent doodle painting that has the same problem, too many elements on a flat dark background. Didn’t know what to do with it, just know I have to re-work it, but am afraid to screw up what’s already there. Am really glad you showed me how to improve it. In gratitude, thank you.
Go back and get a bit of history….Wow! That is so wonderful. Aging the surface is a common technique in wall and furniture finishing, and the magic fills the same need for richness of history. Using it for composition is brilliant.
Thank you for going over your 5 minute rule! I love watching your painting process.