I’ve been working on big canvases lately. Big canvases are imposing, sometimes daunting. They are also expensive, and require layers and layers of oil paint, which is also expensive.
With all this pressure, big canvases can become a chore. To alleviate the stress, I’ve begun some oil studies. These are sketches in oil, and I’m doing them is an exercise of sorts. It’s also an exorcise, hashing out all the ideas keeping up late at night.
This little one is 8x10”, and while I won’t be using the image in a larger painting, it led me a step closer to the heart of what I’m trying to convey. I have several more studies in the works. The rest will be larger, so I don’t have to paint with a teeny brush. Teeny brushes restrict my freedom of movement, and I loose some expression in the process.
I’d write about what I’m trying to convey, but I’m still hashing that out. It’s been weeks now, where I write every day, and stay up working through sleepless nights. I’m crystallizing themes I’ve been painting my whole life, and trying to express them in a more direct matter. This one touches on dreams, fairy tales, and castle walls, with a bit of fashion thrown in. I’m not entirely happy with it-but it’s just a study, and that’s the beauty of this process.
As an artist (as a human), it’s important to challenge yourself to break out of old habits, and jump into new territory. Push harder, and learn as much as you can in the process. You may not come up with the masterpiece of your lifetime, but you will always break new ground. Paint on!
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