Expressive Painting in Mixed Media E-Book

Soraya French

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 207

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Painting in mixed media combines all the excitement and potential of different materials and techniques, while giving the artist the opportunity to express themselves without any of the limitations of each separate medium. Whether you love the vibrancy of pastels, the versatility of acrylics or the dynamism of collage, this book shows you how to combine them to make a unique piece of art. Alongside Soraya's beautiful paintings, it encourages the artist to express themselves, to experiment with their own creative ideas and to enjoy the magical potential of painting in mixed media. Materials include gels, pastes and paper collage, as well as paints. Step-by-step demonstrations explain how to build paintings layer by layer and projects put theories into practice. Advice throughout leads you through techniques and warns against common mistakes, with ideas to suggest ways to create your own personal visual voice. Fully illustrated with 366 beautiful paintings by the author.

Leseprobe

EXPRESSIVE PAINTINGinMIXED MEDIA

SORAYA FRENCH

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2014

by The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2014

© Soraya French 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 84797 799 1

Frontispiece: Pink Sensation

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1. Getting started

2. Exploring the media

3. Tantalizing textures

4. Collage

5. The language of colour

6. Experimental flowers and still life

7. Expressive landscapes

8. Exploring further

Recommended suppliers

Index

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My sincere thanks and gratitude to Golden Artist Colors along with Sandy and Jason Mackie at Global Art Supplies for their continued support over many years. Special thanks to Patti Brady for organizing the supplies for this book. I would also like to extend my great appreciation and thanks to St Cuthbert’s Mill for their generous supply of Saunders Waterford paper over the last few years.

My deepest gratitude to my special daughter for her patient and meticulous help with photography, layout and text reviews, you are so clever and the most gentle and wonderful teacher, it was pure joy working with you.

I am so glad that I had the insight all those years ago as an eighteen-year-old to choose a husband with so much practical and technological knowhow. Your love and support throughout our life together has enabled me to follow my dream and for that there are no words to thank you enough.

This book is dedicated to Tim, Yasmin and Saasha.

The author in her studio.

INTRODUCTION

If you are reading this book, the chances are that you are ready to take the challenge of delving into the exhilarating world of painting in mixed media. This genre of painting is by far the most liberating form of expression for artists. Each medium’s individual characteristics bring something fresh to the table and broaden your artistic horizons with a myriad of possible techniques. You can set aside many of the anxieties associated with the limitations of working in a single medium and push the creative boundaries by the many different and exciting combinations. Incorporating gels, pastes and paper collage as well as a whole host of mark making materials widens the margin for experimentation and will help you create exciting visual and tactile textural effects in your paintings.

However, thinking creatively and the ability to process your creative ideas in a cohesive manner are just as important as your expertise in applying the materials and the elements and principles of design. I am hoping that this book will help you develop your understanding of a variety of possible painting techniques with mixed media, as well as address some of the behind-the-scenes psychological factors that go hand in hand with the technical aspects to help you create better paintings and, most importantly, increase your enjoyment of the process.

A word of advice: ensure that you take time to get to know the attributes of each medium so that you can make informed decisions about its contribution to your painting. This simple step will help you avoid producing paintings overladen with incompatible layers of discordant materials.

To get the most out of this book be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and start experimenting with some new and challenging ideas to help you progress with your painting.

The City Beyond detail.

French Irises(watercolour, acrylic inks, oil pastels and collage).

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

The craft aspect of painting deals with the ability to apply the materials in the most creative and dynamic way using all the elements and principles of design. However, in any creative pursuit, and painting is no exception, there are also psychological barriers that may get in the way of the artist achieving their full artistic potential. Sometimes these factors are caused by external influences such as lack of encouragement in childhood, or they can be due to internal limitations: setting ourselves unrealistic goals, having high expectations, aiming for perfection and above all, the fear of failure.

In this chapter, as well as exploring practical matters such as some of the essential equipment you need, we will also be looking at the ways in which you can gain confidence, by putting aside the fear of failure and building a positive, creative frame of mind. Learning the best way to format and compose your painting, being prepared to experiment without expecting a masterpiece at the end of each session and recognizing your level of ability to avoid disappointment – these are just a few of the steps you can take to begin your journey. Discovering your sources of inspiration will help you find your ideal subject matter and keep you motivated so that you make time for your painting.

Learning to paint is no different from learning to play a musical instrument; it needs time, effort, patience and plenty of practice. Taking things one step at a time and setting realistic and achievable goals will help you progress so much more in the long run. Painting in mixed media offers you the freedom of experimenting and applying the materials in any sequence until you find your own natural rhythm.

Purple Rain(acrylic, collage and aquarelle pencils).

Steps along the way

Visualization

I am often asked by my students if I have a clear idea of the image I wish to achieve before I start a painting. The answer to that is both yes and no. As is the case in many aspects of painting there is not a clear-cut answer or solution. But the best way I can describe my personal approach is that I usually have a subject in mind but mostly I paint my reaction to a scene rather than what I actually see. I try to visualize the end result loosely while keeping an open mind and let the painting take its natural course and guide me along the way. In other words I find that by being too strict with my ideas I may lose the magic and the spontaneity. Laboured and forced brush marks applied through desperation and boredom can do no end of harm to the finished result, and on balance I am happier with a lively image even though it may not be exactly what I had in mind in the first place. Once in a while, however, one can get rewarded when not only does the visualized image come to fruition but the process is organic, enjoyable and fun. Inevitably there are some failures along the way; they are not only great teachers but make the successes taste even sweeter. Accepting the unpredictable nature of painting in a loose and free style is a step towards getting tougher in the face of the inevitable failures and celebrating the successes.

Kathmandu Market(collage, acrylic ink, water mixable wax crayons), an example of letting the painting build up layer by layer and leaving the abstract marks for the viewers’ imagination.

Sources of inspiration

Sources of inspiration and subject matter are not one and the same thing, although sometimes the line between the two can become blurred. Our sources of inspiration lead us to find the subject matter that we can connect with at a deeper level. The source of inspiration deals with the bigger picture; for example, subjects such as landscapes, seascapes, rocks, flowers and trees will come under the umbrella of the natural world, while architectural subjects and the urban landscape attract those who are interested in all things man-made. Some artists are inspired by certain elements of design itself, such as colour combinations, textures, shapes and patterns, and will be inspired by a wide range of totally unconnected sources that will allow them to manipulate and explore these elements. For example, an artist whose source of inspiration is light but has no interest in depicting the natural world may choose a floral subject purely to portray the effect of light.

What inspires us differs immensely from one artist to another, and something that is highly inspirational for one artist may leave another totally cold and uninspired. In my workshops I often meet individuals who desperately wish to be creative but have not yet found what inspires them. Discovering the elements that excite you and set your heart racing and make you run for your paints and brushes is such an important breakthrough for a newcomer to painting. A whole world of possibilities will open up to you, helping you to focus and never be short of subjects to paint. Conversely emotional detachment with your subject is the biggest killer of a painting.

Recognize whether your sources of inspiration are internal and come from your life experiences or whether inspiration is triggered by external influences. Through learning to ‘see’ you will become hypersensitive to all the stimuli around you and more receptive to creative ideas.

The Edge of the Poppy Field.

Loosening up

Painting in a loose and free style is far from just slapping on the paint and hoping for the best. There is great skill involved in a painting that looks effortless and spontaneous. Many of the great masters of the past and contemporary artists with this kind of style are capable of painting in both traditional and representational detailed work. To paint successfully in this way you still need the knowledge of sound composition, balanced colour scheme, correct value structure and all the rest of the elements that go into making a painting successful. Unfortunately beginner’s luck does not strike too many times. You need to know the rules to earn the right to break them in a meaningful way.

A solid and worthwhile impressionist and free style is a progression and comes with much hard work and practice. Those seemingly random blobs of colour are put together with knowledge and thought, or the end result will be a confusing muddle. If you are new to painting and wish to work this way, be patient and take things one step at a time. Painting the same subject several times is good practice, starting with a careful study and detailed depiction of the subject until you get to know the details intimately. The next stage is learning how to simplify and being selective about the components of the subject – what you leave out is just as important as the bits that you leave in.

There are several stages to this kind of style. Although there is a certain amount of planning involved before you start, nevertheless the early stages of an impressionist painting in mixed media offers more freedom. Then it is necessary to take time and observe the painting from a distance so that you can preserve the happy accidental marks which add the magic to the painting. The following stages are about careful observation and control capitalizing on the manipulation of the random shapes within the painting. So the end result may look free and spontaneous but the process is a combination of free application with some thoughtful observation and a high degree of control, without the tentativeness that comes with inexperience.

Painting in mixed media is an ideal way to go towards this kind of style of painting as you are safe in the knowledge that you can rework the unwanted passages and rescue a failed painting. Learning when to stop is part of the process of loosening your existing style. A perfectly executed loose and free painting can easily go over the edge with just a few unnecessary extra touches and become tight and overworked. The devil is in the detail. Take frequent breaks to gauge your progress.

If you are a detailed painter who wishes to go towards this style allow yourself time and work your way towards your goal by practice, practice and more practice to be able to make informed choices.

Going with the flow

One of the joys of painting in mixed media is the ability to be spontaneous and not to have to bother with too much forward planning, such as stretching paper or masking out to preserve the whites or drawing outlines before you start. You will still need to have a good idea of composition, colour balance and similar issues. Often we put too much pressure on ourselves to be absolutely perfect in everything we do, and creative activities such as painting are no exception. We become too intent on slavishly replicating the subject matter, whether from life or a photographic source.

Learning to go with the natural flow of the painting can be incredibly liberating and a great skill to nurture. Let the painting guide you to where it wants to go. Take your time and assess the progress frequently by standing back to preserve the pleasing marks. You will be rewarded with much more expressive paintings that do not look laboured and overworked.

Generating ideas

You must gather ideas by any means you can to keep yourself motivated and to avoid the painter’s block. Most artists have an inherently reasonable photographic memory, but use quick notes and loose sketches to back up their memory. A sketch book does not have to be elephant size – a small notebook and pencil for jotting down ideas are perfectly sufficient. In the absence of these, find a napkin, borrow a pen, write on an envelope or the back of your cheque book, but do not let ideas slip away. Embrace the new technology; digital or sophisticated phone cameras are brilliant for recording transient moments. We do not live in the dark ages, after all. Make use of modern gadgets such as an iPad if you own one, to record and store inspiring ideas. These are all valid tools for collecting valuable information.

Developing your skills

Never underestimate the importance of nurturing your drawing and observational skills. You can improve these skills and consequently help your painting enormously by attending regular life classes (if possible), by setting up a still life or sketching outdoors.

Hillside Greek Village(acrylic ink on textured canvas with gel media). This painting started with random washes of acrylic inks on a textured ground, once the washes dried, I saw the shape of some of the building forming and carried on finding more shapes and let the painting evolve gradually. I could have gone on bringing more detail to the painting but felt this stage summed up my emotional response to the scene enough to leave it at this somewhat unresolved state.

Do not let the old-fashioned and archaic ideas of a well-meaning tutor hold you back. Photo references are great as long as you use them alongside gaining experience of painting outdoors and can compensate for their shortcomings. Photographic source materials are not a substitute for drawing skill, which is a separate issue and must be done regularly. But do not let anyone make you feel that you are cheating by doing this. Remember the only form of cheating is copying another artist’s work and claiming it as your own. Ultimately your aim is to create a painting that is totally original and has the right balance of design, colour and sound value structure, and would capture your viewer’s imagination. No one cares whether you painted it inside, outside from a photo or a sketch. Be inspired but never copy; the emotional detachment associated with copied work will make the painting lack the feeling and the soul of the original piece. It will always be a paler imitation.

If you like painting from photographic sources then start the painting process by composing and taking your own photos; this way you can also experience a sense of place. At the other end of the spectrum it must be said that copying birthday cards and calendar photos can potentially create soulless results.

Sketch of a Yorkshire landscape.

Yorkshire Vistaen plein air.

Sketch of a French village, south of France.

French market photo reference, south of France.

Sketch of two women in a French market.

Headland in Skiathos.

Sketch of Andover market.

Poppies and olive tree, South of France.

Processing ideas

Setting aside a limited period of time for your painting and creative pursuits can lead to high expectations, when you may feel under pressure to produce a good painting within the alotted period. Painting should ideally have a natural process from the moment of that little spark of imagination to where you start applying the paint right through to the final stages should be an organic process. In other words life should not get in the way if you can help it. Expecting to produce a great painting on every day that you set aside for your creative activities can potentially lead to huge disappointment.

Some days it seems that you can do no wrong and everything you touch turns to gold; on other occasions all you manage might be thinking through various ideas. As a younger artist I used to get terribly anxious about these unproductive times, feeling that I had wasted precious time. However, through experience I have come to regard these times as merely an incubation period for ideas until such time that through much contemplation, brain storming and exploring various avenues I reach the point of illumination and suddenly the floating and disparate ideas piece together like parts of a jigsaw puzzle.

It is so important to learn to live through these periods of seemingly dormant creative times. I find painting in mixed media is such a life-saver during these periods, where I rework unfinished or failed paintings by bringing other media into the equation. This process works for me by taking away the pressure associated with a fresh piece of work and it helps me to move forward. In time the ability to process and clarify fresh and cohesive ideas and inspirations returns, and all will be well with the world once again.

A fusion of doodles leading to sorting through ideas.

The power of doodling

I have come to respect and value what I once thought of as an annoying habit which I have had since childhood and occasionally got into trouble for. Doodling has always helped me to cope with boring situations – long repetitive lessons in the classroom, wait at the surgery or, and especially, during long telephone conversations. However, I have come to really appreciate its advantages and meditative process, and for the last few years it has become my way of processing and sorting through my ideas. At the end of painting sessions, if time allows; I tend to doodle with my leftover inks rather than wasting the material. These seemingly simple and aimless pieces have sometimes taken me to a new direction. Without the pressures of having to produce something worthwhile, some magical things happen from time to time.

Doodle of trees.

Doodle of flowers in sketch book.

Ink doodles.

Composition and the elements of design

Composition is the arrangement and design of the components of your subject matter in the most pleasing and dynamic way in order to capture the viewer’s attention. In other words it is the way you divide your picture plane using the elements of design, such as line, shape, form, colour, value and texture, creating a cohesive, dynamic and captivating image. A sound composition is the foundation of your painting.

However, applying the same rigid rules and formulas time after time can potentially make your work become stale and boring. Once you have mastered these guidelines, you can start to have fun by breaking them occasionally.

Elements of design

The following are some of the tools to help you compose your painting.

Line is the path between two points and creates a visual guide for the viewer to meander through the painting. It is one of the most expressive of all the elements of design. Line can be thick or thin, straight, jagged, horizontal, vertical or curved. You can imply motion, direction and orientation through line to convey a certain feeling. For example, curved lines suggest sensuality, horizontal lines create a feeling of serenity and calm, while vertical lines are about power and stability, and zigzag lines are dynamic and high energy. Used cleverly, line can be a very important tool.

Shapes are constructed by the closing of the lines. Shapes are defined by edges within the painting and should be separated by a change of colour and tone rather than outlines. Most components of any subject matter either fall into common geometric shapes such as circle, triangle, square and hexagonal or can be organic.

Colour is one of the first elements that engages your viewer with the painting, and as such the colour scheme of your painting has a great bearing on the overall success of the piece. Colour also has the power to affect our emotional response to paintings; colour psychology is extremely powerful and a fascinating subject that can be explored in great depth.

Value is the lightness and darkness of the tone within the chosen colours, which turns the shapes into form and gives the painting its fundamental structure. Without the correct tonal values, the painting can become flat and lifeless. Of the all the components of colour and indeed design itself, value is at the top of the list for composing with colour.

Forms have volume and a three-dimensional quality. A change of value in the colours turns a shape into a form.

Texture deals with the surface quality of your painting. In mixed media painting you can create tactile as well as visual illusions of textures.

Rule of thirds: it is a good idea to compose your painting according to a few simple rules until you are confident with composing and can get away with breaking the rules. Dividing your picture plane into thirds on each side and joining the lines will provide you with four intersections placed on the two thirds. These are the best areas to place the focal point of your painting, which could be the biggest shape or group of shapes, the most dazzling light or vivid colour, or the darkest point in the painting. This division is known as the rule of thirds and is a simple form of the more complex and scientific golden section. Not every painting has a clear focal point, but the artist usually compensates with other elements to create the impact that is usually delivered by the focal point.

Rhythm is the repetition of certain shapes, patterns, colour or texture that creates movement within the composition.

Variety: Although repetition of shapes creates rhythm and movement, too many similar shapes of the same size can be quite boring, so vary the size of the echoing shapes to create variety and excitement in the painting. It is good practice to choose odd numbers of similar elements.

Balance: It is very important to create a balance between the busy and quiet, light and dark areas as well as negative and positive shapes, the percentage of vivid to quiet colours and so on to create visual equilibrium. Assess your painting as you work by frequently standing back from it, turning it upside down or sideways or look at it in a mirror; you may be able to tell the unbalanced areas of the painting this way.

Simplify: Take time to study the source material fully; simplify the subject to the most important shapes that have something to contribute and leave out any unwanted components. If you are working from photographic source material, be selective and only include the important elements.

Lead in: Use lines to lead the viewer in, and arrange the components in such a way so the viewer is not immediately taken out of the picture.

Edges:Treatment of edges is such an important issue. Unless the subject or your style absolutely calls for it do not have a hard edge on every part of the painting. A balance of soft and hard edges encourages the viewer to engage with the painting.

The format of your painting

Choosing the right format for your painting is absolutely crucial to give you the most dynamic composition. If you are painting from life then a view finder can help you decide the best option. If you are working from your own sketch then there is a great chance that you have already chosen the best format.

However, working from photographic material can create a problem in this area. Always make sure that the shape of the source material matches the shape of your support. Producing a few thumbnail sketches from your photographic material will help you choose the best format and avoid the confusion of the paper shape you choose to paint on. This small step can save you a lot of frustration in the long run.