How Artists Develop Paintings

Developing a Painting

Every artist has their own way of developing their paintings. Some use reference photos while others combine different aspects of several photos. Some draw from their own imagination. Others painting right at the source -- Plein Aire.

While I enjoy Plein Aire painting, my usual way of deciding what to paint is to go through a series of my own photos or clippings from magazines. When a photo hits me a certain way, such as "Wow" then I feel compelled to paint what's there.

However, unlike some who adhere closely to the reference photo, I do not. I don't like to show the reference photo because I want my painting to stand on its own. Sometimes it looks similar to the photo and sometimes it looks not too like the photo. Either way, I believe the painting has its own life and should not be a copy of photo. (Not to forget portrait painters, who sometimes have the real model but often take a series of photos to work from. These artists may choose to make their work very similar to a photo, but not always.)

After I choose a photo or a couple to combine together, I then make a value analysis of all the shades in the photo. To do that I use Photoshop to turn it into a black and white. That way I can burn into my brain what's dark, what's middle and what's light. Values are very important in rendering a good painting. So I keep that in mind when I'm moving forward.

After that I do a drawing on a blank piece of paper then use graphite to transfer it to watercolor paper. However, sometimes I just draw it directly onto the watercolor paper in an impromptu fashion. 

Then I do color testing to figure out how to arrive at the colors I want plus to add even more color and expression or what I call splashes of color.

 Sometimes the painting doesn't turn out the way I would like and I have to figure out why and then do another one. Such is the painting below called "Sunflower in the Morning Mist." The first painting did not turn out but the second one did to my liking.

You can find this painting for sale on my Ebay store:

Watercolor "Sunflowers in the Morning Mist" by artist Mary-Anne Reed