Find Your Freedom in Structure
I just finished teaching an in-person workshop in my Santa Fe studio and it was wonderful to meet face-to-face and let the creativity flow. Painting alongside others is inspiring and energizing. Zoom simply can’t replicate that energy. A lot of structure goes on behind the scenes to provide a free-flowing process. A building must have a solid foundation along with the assembly of footings, beams, crossbeams, headers and all the elements that hold it together. Just to prepare for the workshop took weeks of preparation. Creating the curriculum, getting the materials and then preparing the space itself was a major undertaking, but having a structured plan made it flow.
The biggest challenge in a three-day class is to fit in as much information as possible and finish the chosen projects. To do this means I must limit what I teach. I have spent decades learning, exploring, creating and writing. Three days is but a single drop in the ocean. Limiting and structuring the course materials and information is how I create the best learning experience.
I teach all about acrylics. This includes types of paint, viscosities, transparencies and sheen. Then there are acrylic gels, pastes, mediums and crackles. Throw into the mix the variables of surfaces, tools, weather and layers. It can be mind boggling even with limited materials. The best practices begin with charts and graphs. That doesn’t sound very fun or creative but making color cards can be very satisfying, rewarding and addictive.
How can structure keep you in a creative flow? Which elements and limitations will provide the best learning organization? How can you build a foundation that will support your process from inspiration, through the slinging of paint and finish with how to share your work? Here are some steps to get you started.
Inspiration Structure
I love to keep a few inexpensive spiral lined notebooks around to jot down ideas. Keep one in a drawer in the bathroom along with a pencil. I find the repetitive actions like brushing teeth opens a part of the mind to creativity. An idea pops into my head and by the time I reach the kitchen to write down the idea it has disappeared. Trust me on this one. Get a little 2-inch notepad or sticky notes and keep it with a pen in a baggie so you can grab it and jot it down before it floats away. I have little notebooks all over the place and I occasionally gather them up and transfer my ideas to a doc on my computer.
I have written about journals where you can paste pictures, words, ideas and patterns to keep for inspiration. I also have Pinterest boards that I use for the same purpose.
Color Structure Exercise
Making color cards or charts is very rewarding. You will begin with 6 of your favorite colors. First, cut up some mixed media paper or watercolor paper into card size pieces. Grab your paints and begin to create simple cards using a single color. Write on the card what color and paint brand you use. Then bring black and white into the mix and create shades and tints. Now you get to mix two of the colors along with black and white. It is incredible the range of hues and values you can create using only a handful of colors. Remember to write down the colors you are using and the ratios on the back of the card. You will probably find that you want to make more of these cards. Select some colors you don’t use that often and explore how they mix with other colors you like. This exercise will provide a very valuable color structure on which to build your paintings.
When you have an assortment of cards select 2-3, no more, and create your painting based on these color cards. Having the structure and limitations will provide you with greater creative freedom.
Limitations as Structure
Set a timer for your next painting session. Begin with a small size like 8” x 8” or something similar. Choose your color palette of 2-3 cards and select your brushes. Sketch out the basic shapes with a pencil and know what you want to paint before you begin. Will it be abstract, a loose landscape, or a still life? When you are ready set your time for thirty minutes. I find that the best work is done in the first 15-20 minutes and when you go beyond that the work doesn’t improve. Try it and you will surprise yourself. Preparation and structure are the key.
A Few Other Things
There may be a few tiny details that need to be added but most of the painting can be done in the least amount of time. Of course, when you are working larger or using more texture products and collage the time will take longer but use the previous steps to organize your plan.
Photograph your work in process. This is a great way to check values when you convert the photo to greyscale. Also, the photo can show you things that may be off. I also like to use this method to rotate the work or do it physically. This trick also helps you to see when it is finished as well.
Plan your finishing steps. I use acrylic mediums to seal my work. If I have used collage, I will also spray a UV varnish after sealing the work. Assure that the work has had sufficient time to dry and cure. I like to carry the painting colors around the edges on cradled boards or gallery wrapped canvases. If I am painting on flat panels, I paint the edges black prior to framing. Sign and title your work.
I will be discussing the business of art and how you may carry this idea of structure into the next phase of your process. The conversation is with Northwind Art on April 5th, and you may register through this link. https://www.sandraduranwilson.com/workshop/29946/the-artist-entrepreneur-lecture
Comments