How to design your artwork

Do you make prep drawings of your painting? ~

In all the arts, from dance to cinema, from music to literature, a work is planned, rehearsals are carried out and parts are rewritten before performing it. But many amateur painters are surprised that even in painting it is necessary to do all of this. However, I can't remember of a great master in history - from Leonardo to Hopper - who did not invest in studies and preparatory sketches.

A thought before picking up the brush

This photo it's a good example of the process of composing and designing a painting, regardless of the media we're going to use. Here we see the studies of my student Daniel, which in this case will be developed into a watercolor artwork.

Some steps before making a watercolor (Daniel)

Draw to get into know your subject

At first glance a photograph or life scene may look simple. But it is only by drawing it (therefore observing it in detail) that we realize its complexity. We must learn to simplify it to make it manageable according to our project.

The importance of a tonal scale

We translate the initial photo into a tonal drawing of a credit card size, at most a postcard. Here we are working on a toned paper that corresponds to value #2 in the five-value scale I use and suggest. The value #1 (white) is applied with a dense opaque watercolor titanium white.

These studies give us, among other benefits, these opportunities:

• simplify the subject and crop the framing and format
• consider more design options, for example varying some tones
• establish a focal element (such as the bell tower)

In version A (red dot) the mid field is cleaned of chiaroscuro details. Both the strip of land on the horizon and the sky become lighter (tone  #1). Clouds are grouped up except for a few accents, which will become blue in the painting.

The reference image of our painting

In version B on the right, the light of the clouds is reduced to spots and has a V-shaped direction. The ground on the horizon becomes darker again as in the original picture.

The monochrome preview in watercolor

The two pencil sketches are repainted in a monochromatic watercolor on cotton paper. Black is obtained by mixing complementary colors and dosing the dilution in five degrees. This phase brings us closer to the pictorial stage. Here we consolidate the lighting and atmosphere that we want to maintain in the final color version. Please note that in the watercolor draft A the ground below the skyline is darker than in the sketch. Daniel got 'distracted' by the photo rather than following the instructions implied in his pencil drawing.

 

Another example of value study before painting (Stefano)

The distribution of weights and shapes

The two first steps are very important to get familiar with the subject, both visually (light/dark) and as an anticipation of the type of brushstrokes to use, layering, dampness of the paper and for the edges and effects we desire. The compositional part definitely includes many other aspects, for example the distribution of forms and their weights in the space. Not to mention the color palette and harmony choices. But let's not go into more detail here.

These topics need a longer course to be covered. But you can comment and ask questions here or by email. In the next episode we will see how Daniel resolved his final painting.

Happy Art Life! - Francesco

PS. I you want to learn more about this, ask for a free 20 mins Zoom individual call at workshops@francescofontana.com We'll figure how to plan a set of mentorship sessions. 

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