Hi everybody! I recently started a new painting and I thought I’d use this post to share my process with you. The style I’m working in these days is very particular and tight. I don’t always spend this much time plotting my plan of attack and I actually prefer starting a painting with paint being the first thing to touch the canvas, without planning or drawing anything on first. But this time it’s anal, it’s exacting, and quite similar to the way I plan out my commercial painting projects. I sketch, I plan, I photoshop and then voila, I paint!
Rendering my ideas.
-
- Choosing the best can design.
-
- Overlaying elements using tracing paper.
-
- The final look in black and white.
-
- Blown up to actual size & ready for graphite transfer.
I had just started touching paint to canvas (red in fact) when I started doubting my original thoughts and began to wonder if the can needed some writing on it after all. My initial reaction was to do more of a generic “Sesame Street” kind of can like these ones in the following video (one of my all-time favourite Sesame Street memories):
But I started changing my mind and there was still time. I stopped painting and worked on the fonts; which is actually terribly time consuming. I completed the font changes then I contemplated if I really wanted to add it or not. Part of what I wanted to consider is if I don’t put words on the can will it still match some of my other past work? I asked a couple of friends for their opinion and then I finally decided to scrap it after all! Generic can it is!
My can in based on the Morgan Oyster label design, hence the name.
Paint touches canvas!
-
- I start with the background so the other layers of paint will end up on top.
-
- Worms!
-
- My little husky chills out with me as I start with colour on the can label.
-
- Now all the colours have been blocked out. It needs some further tweaking and then I will go in with the black lines.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite finished and I still have a bunch of hours of work ahead of me. So close though! I promise I will post the final work, as soon as it’s finished, to my Facebook Page bsteis. Click here, like my page, and then you’ll be updated as soon as my painting is complete!
Are there any artists out there with some painting tips for us? What are your methods when you have to be very precise?
