What process do I follow in creating art...

It is more difficult to get my creative juices flowing when the world around us is in turmoil. An article by  Alyson Stanfield, What’s The Point of Making Art When The World Is So Screwed Up? came to my email just in the knick of time.  Her 8 points on why artists should keep painting lifted my spirits and my creativity.  I'll be happy to share this article with you, just leave a comment that you would like a copy.

So, here's my process:

 I spend hours looking through images and recreating a memory in my mind that went with that photo.  I might need to do additional research before I even consider that image.  I have to feel that excitement from that memory in order to start the process.  It reminds me of  the same choices when deciding what is for dinner -- some days I want to fix chicken and others fish.  

The same process goes for deciding on a theme to paint for several months.  Once I have identified at least 3-5 possible subjects from photos, I use my projector to enlarge the image to see what size looks the best and whether it is going to be a vertical or horizontal or square painting.  I need to decide what it is that attracted me to that image while thinking about design and composition. Does it measure up to the standard or will I be able to carry off a "breaking of the rules?"  Yes there are rules and they are there as guidelines but most successful artists have used them in their paintings.

Secondly I decide if this painting is best painted on which surface:  watercolor paper (cold press or hot press}, on a clay surface or Yupo. If I choose the latter, on a cradle so no framing or matting will be required or 1/8" to put in a frame.  

Now I do a value study using the App on my Iphone, NotanIzer, and usually use 4 values.  Once I have the values fine tuned , I can transfer the image from my projector to the surface I will be painting on (enough to get the prospective and important details in pencil).  I can choose my colors now.  I really love that the midtones have been selected through this process so I can concentrate on the lightest and darkest tones.  

Now the fun of painting can begin.  Sometimes the painting can be completed that same day. When it is more complicated, I want to be more deliberate and take it in stages over several days.  Often I paint on more than one painting at a time if there are similar treatments to do at the same time.

Hope that helps when you see a painting.  You can still ask me how long it took me but you'll have to hear about the steps...........