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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Painting Large and Quick....My Top Tips

'Blue Marsh'               18x24            pastel             ©Karen Margulis
painting is available click here $350
 I love doing my daily quick studies. But they are usually small....5x7 or 8x10. Every once in awhile I make time do do a much larger quick painting. It is a great exercise for getting away from fussy detail. Painting large and fast has helped me become more expressive in any size painting I tackle.
Here are some tips that have been helpful to me.

  • Set a timer. The goal is to paint and respond quickly. 30-45 minutes is ideal. I prefer 18x24. It is not too large to handle easily but large enough to get your whole body involved in the painting.
  • Make a Plan! The key to painting a large painting quickly is to know what you plan to do. take time before picking up a pastel to plan the composition, value structure and colors. Know what your gal or concept is.
  • Do an underpainting of some kind. If you have your big shapes blocked in and a layer of color on the surface the painting will go faster. I usually do a 4 value block in and rub in the first layer for a dry wash.
  • Play music that makes you move! It really does help!
  • Paint with your arm not just your hand. Move your body and arm. You will make bolder and larger marks. You can't get too fussy when you are dancing with your pastels!
  • Have fun. It's not about creating a masterpiece....it is about creating a study and exploring a new way of making marks!

At the evaluation stage....can you spot the changes I made?

possible block in colors....I chose the blues!
Painting notes: Uart 500 paper with Terry Ludwig pastels.

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