Back to Basics

For anyone who has persevered and followed this blog for any time, it would be obvious that it's fairly unusual for me to actually finish a painting.

The lion featured in my last post more than three years ago joins a collection of partially-finished pieces, and I have no plans to resume work on it. However, with some changes to the composition in mind, and a new approach planned, I'm keen to make a start on a second attempt.

I acknowledge that I'm not totally without artistic ability, but it's also true that I don't do myself any favours; my usual way of working has typically been undisciplined, with little in the way of preparation in terms of underpainting or blocking in. As the photograph above demonstrates, I too often I find myself lured into applying detail to one area of a painting before I've even roughed in the remainder of the canvas or board. It's perhaps understandable that I've often become disheartened enough to have given up on a painting, but more difficult to excuse my reaction which has so often been to pack my equipment away and sulk for five years before I'm motivated to try again! A new attitude as well a new, more methodical approach seems to be called for if I'm to enjoy not only the finished result, but the process of creating it.

I'm intrigued by the process adopted by Guy Combes which seems to follow a logical progression, with a preliminary stage in the form of a monochromatic underpainting applied over a fairly detailed drawing. If you can spare a few minutes to view the video, you'll see what I mean. The plan is to emulate Guy's process, even if his level of skill remains out of reach.

We'll see where this new resolve takes me - lets hope it's to good places!

Cheers
Pete