My Process
As a self-taught artist, I have my own process for creating my art. A good deal of time and effort goes into each piece, and progress typically looks something like this.
Step 1
Underpaint & Start Point
I prefer a multicolored base layer instead of the usual single-color. Because I don't like to waste my product, I start my next painting by using up any leftover colors on my palette and maybe a little ochre or titanium white if the colors are dark. I allow this new base layer to sit overnight and get nice & dry before I continue. Then I start with some basic small strokes to kind of pick a direction and see where it leads. If this is not a project I feel like working on, I'll just put it to the side until I am ready for it. It's art, so you really have to feel like dealing with your subject if you expect a good result!
Step 2
Build the Basics
I tend to put a lot of detail into my paintings, so progress can be slow. I paint small shapes of solid colors. I prefer acrylics because of the quick drying time. It allows me to move from one side of the canvas to another, and by the time I'm ready to go back to where I started, the paint is just about dry. In this particular painting, I did all of the dark purple dots first, then mixed in some white for lighter purple, and kept mixing new colors to start to form these intricate but beautiful hydrangea blooms.
Step 3
Fill in the Negative Space
I tend to paint the main image first, then add details and background to make the image fit the setting I envision. Here I'm (finally) mixing a number of green colors and adding it in between the flowers. Notice that toward the top of the canvas the paint is not as detailed as toward the bottom. That's because background images tend to recede into the distance more if they are blurred. It keeps your eye on the front blooms, which is what I want the focal point to be. Notice that I'm still painting primarily single-hued shapes. There's just so many small shapes (some overlapping) that this looks detailed.
Step 4
Final Details & Signature
In order to create a lot of depth and more detail in this painting, I took an incredible amount of time with a tiny brush to outline individual flower petals toward the bottom of the canvas. This made the image look like you could reach out and touch the blooms. I kept the yellows in only certain areas to replicate the sun shining through some overhanging trees. The same with the light highlights on the flowers--I only put yellows and almost-whites where the sun would be shining.
I think the toughest part of any painting is knowing when to stop. One can get lost in the details and end up overworking a piece. I always move the canvas to one corner of my studio, then go to the opposite corner to look at it. If I like what I see and I feel the emotion I was trying to convey, I go sign it right away. If I'm not sure what a piece needs, I'll usually put it away and return to it another day after I figure out what to do. Some of my pieces have taken months to finish! I never return to a canvas once I put my mark at the bottom.
