always vaguely planning

"Time spent doing plans on a small scale is time well spent. Planning prepares you for the visual problem-solving ahead and helps you avoid time consuming missteps as you paint." - Kevin Macpherson, Landscape Painting Inside & Out

"Always vaguely planning and never taking off." - unknown


I had gotten a bit behind on things here lately but with spring in the air I have succeeded in shaking some cobwebs out of my skull and have a had a crack at it this past week.

I'm still staring at water towers and have started a painting based on something scribbled in my sketch book. My paintings often come from something insignificant which nonetheless caught my attention.

I like to do a really simple, straightforward watercolor of the composition, based on my notes. This is basically a color comp --- not an expressive painting --- just to help me get the sense of the whole thing before I dive into it with the oil paints or the egg tempera or whatever. Sometimes I need to go back and do a watercolor study there on the spot but if my notes are complete enough I shouldn't have to.


Then I trace it .......


....... and transfer it to a traditional, oil-primed panel. Now it's ready to paint. I'll start with an under-painting and go from there.