"The artist should not only paint what he sees before him, but also what he sees within him. If, however, he sees nothing within him, then he should desist from painting what he sees before him" - Caspar David Friedrich
In the previous post I partially divulged my thoughts on my own creative nature, and from where I derive my fuel to go forward in my artistic endeavors. But knowing is only part of the whole process. Without effective skills to explore and realize such a nature it becomes impotent and withers.
And those skills need a place. They require a means, a set of materials, to produce what I see within and before me. (I might discuss my place in the tension between observation and imagination soon.) And in my studio I have found a maturing procedure that aligns with my theology of making. This process is nothing I’ve invented, but is one passed down from my predecessors and the masters of old.
Simply put, I begin with a ground - a primer - on my painting surface. As of recently, I’ve used an oil-based primer on hardboard panels, which requires sealing my panel surface before applying the ground. This foundation allows me to use my oil paints more effectively from the beginning.
A rather rough drawing in burnt umber over a wiped layer of the same color.
Once the ground is set, I can start covering the prepared surface. And I like to start with a very rudimentary first layer drawing, or imprimatura, to craft my composition and locate my focal point before blocking in my color. (I will add that without a vision, and source material, I fall flat at this point.)
Drawing is crucial at this point. If I do not have a solid drawing I will not have a solid composition, and my painting will suffer. And then I’ll suffer a little bit…. Below is an example of my blocking-in stage; this stage helps me visualize the color, temperature and overall value of the painting. This way of painting requires a few layers of paint to build and magnify the image as a whole. No succeeding layer is [necessarily] better than another, as each one requires the preceding layer.
Blocking in my painting can be exhilarating; however, this skill is far from mature in my studio practice.
It is written that “desire without knowledge is not good….” Through many years of excellent education and brave exploration I’ve found a trustworthy process to help me build paintings that I see before me and within me. And this ritual is one that blesses me even as I work through it, knowing my works from beginning to end.
Until the next step.