How to start a painting

March 23, 2015 - Steps for a landscape painting

This is one way that I start landscape paintings  on a canvas first toned with Indian Yellow.  I usually take black and white photos as I go to be sure the dark (notan) is strong.

 Steps for a studio painting that I did from a photograph taken several years ago.  The wisteria on this porch against the color of the house looked beautiful.  The house is on Washington Ave. in Fredericksburg, Va.  It will be part of my Fredericksburg Series.   This painting is an 11 x 14. 

 

Step 1 - loose drawing, simplify big shapes

 

This photo shows the color of the toned canvas using Indian yellow.  The photo above was photographed in black and white. 

 

 

 Black and white photo of Step 2

 

Step 2 -  used dark color blocks of big simplified areas

Step 3, added opaque paint and more detail. 


I like this method because it helps maintain the darks.  Notice how the darks show through in the final painting (11x14)