It is just
reality that certain painting techniques and tools will get more of your
attention than others as you develop your artistic interests and style. But
knowing how to paint the way you want to paint should still leave room for new
things, too--painting materials that you might have never come across before or a
new painting approach. Or it might be going back in time a bit--revisiting
painting lessons you learned long ago.
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Looking through old sketchbooks can lead you to new ways of painting as well as
leave you with the urge to retry forgotten techniques. |
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For example, I
often forget just how helpful it is to have a
color chart at my side when
painting, detailing tube colors and the mixtures that can be created from them
in combination with others. They can show primary color mixtures, secondary
color mixtures, and can even be tailored to the color palette of a specific painting
you are creating.
Also, how
rewarding and eye-opening can it be to open up old sketchbooks and see what
jogs your memory? Whether it is notes from an instructor that you jotted in the
margins, ideas that you might have had for projects that didn't get fully
fleshed out, or an exploration of how to paint a picture in a way that you
haven't thought of in ages. All of these can be helpful in our art!
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Painting over a failed work is a process, but it is possible.
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I'm also a fan
of
turning failed paintings into new works. It is a great idea for any painting
artist to see how an old canvas or board can be given a new life. If you have
an oil painting with a slick surface that you want to reuse, try to wipe the
surface with a cloth soaked in mineral spirits. Allow it to dry. If that
doesn't work, use a mixture of half mineral spirits and half linseed oil and
let the surface dry. Or you could always apply a coat of thinned white oil
color, let it dry, and then start on your new painting--learning from what
you've recently covered over.
And you can
always learn new painting tips (or rediscover painting lessons you may have
forgotten) from any one of the great resources in the Artist Daily store. Right
now, we are having our Fall Sale Event, and I urge you to look through
the offerings to see if any will help you learn to paint the way you want to,
or enhance your painting process for the better. Enjoy!
