Alan Lloyd was examining paintings at Grace Cossington Smith’s studio. He found four paintings that had been painted on both sides. Why? When she had the inspiration to paint and no board she used the back of an already finished work.
While this is a boon for collectors who have an extra painting hidden on the back of their GCS there may be better systems for the artist in you! Have a ready supply of boards or canvases. It's difficult enough thinking of an idea and getting started. Don’t allow a lack of materials to stop your process.
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Often tone is even more important than colour. Tonal value sets the mood, creates depth, invites the viewer to enter your painting. Flashes of both accentuate and dramatise. Drama and movement, balance and depth.
Develop the skill of thinking in greyscale… light, medium and dark. Try the rule of thirds: two thirds one tone, one third another tone and a little bit of the third tone. Consider the value of considering value. The reality is that you are probably not going to get picked. The dream of an artist being plucked from obscurity is so intoxicating… being discovered by the next big gallery or being the next YouTube viral sensation. It’s a version of waiting and hoping, but it’s not a plan.
But what’s exciting about this is when you realise that your future is mostly under your own control. Step by tiny step the journey begins. Bit by bit the mountain is moved. The dream becomes a vision. The vision a goal. The goal a series of manageable steps. My dream was to become a full time artist. It took decades. Hour by hour, week by week. Tiny steps. Always to the goal. . . We see paintings in books. They look slick. Very professional. Unobtainable. I saw a starry night. I saw the brushstrokes, threadbare canvas, spaces. And I was there with him painting...
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AuthorRichard Claremont - artist. A peek into my studio. How I think. How I paint. How I run my art business. Bite sized daily chunks of goodness. Just me talking aloud, really. Join me for a chat over a cuppa. subscribe to newsletterArchives
August 2018
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