Go for it - Starting New Paintings

I know the idea of a blank canvas can be exciting, full of potential and possibilities but it’s also a bit daunting. How do you get it started? I’ve definitely been in the position of gazing at a new painting surface, almost paralysed by the uncertainty of where to start.

I used to do a lot of work on large sheets of watercolour paper & I found these especially hard to get going. I’d be thinking. ‘what can I do on this surface that will be better than it already is?’ Watercolour sheets are such beautiful things, I couldn’t get over the idea that I would be spoiling it by painting on it.

This is ridiculous of course because that’s what they’re made for isn’t it? However, just because something is irrational doesn’t make it any less real a problem.

Uh oh! Double trouble.

So what do you do? I’ve come to realise that the best thing you can do is to just do something, anything. You just need to go for it and start painting. You don't need to have it all worked out, as long as you have a direction to go in.

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I find it’s best to have a simple, clear idea to work towards. I like to have just one thing to think about as a direction so that if (when) the painting gets confused later on, I can bring it back to the original idea. Ideas for paitnings don’t have to be world changing. I fact you’re best narrowing your focus. Things like, the reflection of a tree in a river (done this before!) are really good. It’s specific in the way that you can very clearly imagine it as a painting but it’s also vague enough to allow for experimentation.

I like having my sketches hanging around for me to react to.

I like to do lots of sketching as you know, so I’ll collect a series of visual ideas and either pin them to the walls of my studio or have the sketchbooks at hand. This, along with the idea gives me a direction and also something to react to as I start painting.

I do love a sketchbook!

Then I’ll just grab some paint, usually acrylic and start making marks. It’s important for me at this stage not to even think about composition. I’ll just think about my idea, look at at my sketches and make the marks that seem right at the time.

Making marks. Composition can come later.

And we’re off! Straight away I now have something rather than nothing, I can react to what’s happening on the surface in addition to my ideas and sketches. I find that once I’ve got going it can start to take on a life of its own. No longer just in my head, it gains momentum and rhythm.

It’s great to get going but this is just the start. As you go forward, you need to allow yourself the freedom to change and adapt. As it gains momentum, ideas may occur to you that you didn’t have at the beginning. These may be ideas for other new paintings but you might want to bring them into your current one(s).

This is part of the creative process and you have to let yourself make radical changes without feeling it’s a failure because you didn’t pursue your original intention.

There’s always the next one, right?