This may not be the most important step but it is the largest hurdle. You are going from simple lines to defining form. It's very important to not let yourself get discouraged during this step; this is why it's called the first pass. The most important thing to remember during this stage is that you're giving yourself something to change. Rough form is always better than no form at all. This step is all about defining rough shapes that you will further refine later. Work a piece at a time, get it as close as you can and move on to another area. A good rule of thumb would be to work up an area until it looks good from 10 feet away with your eyes squinted, and then move on to another area. When your looking at a blank canvas this step can seem quite daunting so to simplify- give yourself small goals. More on that in a moment, but first we need some paint.
Needless to say this tutorial is describing my personal process and there are many ways to start in on your painting. When working in a world of infinite possibilities limitations are your best friend. I work with a very limited pallet in the beginning of a painting.  So lets get mixing, you are going to need 2 colors (Titanium White, and Burnt Umber). Mix 10 even values with 10 being Titanium White and 1 being Burnt Umber. You're giving yourself 10 values to work with to define those shapes of light and dark that you first gave yourself notes on in your drawing map.
So now we have our paint and all we have to do is start, but where to begin? |
