I recently took a trip to the antique store in my town and took some really interesting photos. I was searching for the right composition to start my new painting. I actually ended up with a few photos to paint from. I enjoy painting from life but I have a hard time getting myself to transport all of my supplies and set it up in a public place such as a store.
I have yet to make a series of paintings because I don’t know what I really enjoy painting the most. Although I think I have found something that could interest me long enough to create a series of paintings that are relatively simple in subject matter and tone. From the pictures I took at the antique shop I immediately went home and created two paintings. Sometimes I can just get lost in painting for 6 hours or more in a day.
These two paintings are going to be the start of a little mini series I want to do. I will be focusing on interesting compositions with a straight on view of cabinets or shelves with things on them from the antique shop. I want to improve on the way I apply the paint because I have a habit of making edges and things too smooth. Its not a bad thing but as I keep painting I will start to loosen up and develop a style of my own… I hope. It’s so hard to get good pictures right after painting with oils because of the glare so sadly as always my left photo is a little darker than it should be.
I’ve realized that the main things that make you a better painter is practice and time. You need to do it over and over again to find out what you want out of your paintings. With each time you paint you discover something that you like or want to change about the way you paint. Have a conversation with your painting; what does it need from you?
