Have you ever found yourself in this creative trance, where you have an image in your mind that you want to portray, but you find it extremely difficult to transfer the idea from your brain to a canvas? Its like the “writer’s block” of art.
Believe me, you are not alone in your struggle. As artists, there are many obstacles we have to overcome to properly display the art that we have created in our minds. We cannot allow ourselves to develop a pattern of being overtly critical of ourselves or our work. Many times I have looked at a piece I am working on, and I feel dissatisfied with the progress I am making.
What I want to do today, is provide you with the techniques and methods I use to counteract that feeling of disconnect from my headpiece to my masterpiece.
WHAT MAKES YOUR ART DIFFERENT?
Finding your own unique style and identifying your source of inspiration is key. I am an extremely complex thinker. My mind works at a hundred miles an hour and I am constantly thinking of new ways to modify and tweak my art. I have a rule that implements an atmosphere of free spirited thinking when I am painting. I want to open a portal from the mind of my audience to the heart of my art piece. What is it that weighs heavy on my soul? What do I want people to feel when looking at my work? I view this oddly dimensional triangle as a relationship between myself, the viewer and the painting.
DEVELOP A TECHNIQUE THAT WORKS FOR YOU
Understanding the logistics as to how light sources and shading works, has radicalized my paintings and created the base for a more realistic pieces. If you aren't familiar with the term “celular shading’, it is essentially being able to identify a light source, or from what angle/direction light hits an object or enters the picture, and being able to cast shadows wherever the light isn't hitting the object. Using this celular style technique has given me the ability to bring my art to life. It adds depth and defines colour, which draws attention to the eye.
ALLOW YOURSELF TIME TO DEVELOP YOUR WORK
As a kid, I used to love those polaroid cameras that would print a picture as soon as you clicked the button. It was instant gratification when you wanted a picture to show people.
Acrylic painting isn't quite like a polaroid. Its more like darkroom. A darkroom is a room specifically designed for the development of photos. Every element is controlled within the space, including temperature and cleanliness. The process to fully develop a photo using photographic processing in a darkroom can take anywhere from hours to days, depending on the size of the photo.
I treat my art as if I were developing a photo in a darkroom, with patience and diligence. I take my time to pay attention to the small details. Doing this will bring intensity and richness to your work.
Most of all...
I HAVE FUN WITH IT!
