starting a painting

Avoid the Blank Canvas - Use Gesso to Paint

Avoid the Blank Canvas - Use Gesso to Paint

Starting a painting and making that first mark on a blank canvas can be daunting. In this video, I show you how to avoid this nervous starting point by using Gesso to create a beautiful surface instead of a flat blank canvas.

By painting with Gesso, applying it with a variety of tools, and allowing water to flow through the thick paint, you can build depth and subtlety into those first layers. Before you know it, you’ve started a beautiful and exciting painting and avoided the nervousness altogether.

Watch this video and alternate between Black and White Gesso to create depth and interest to your canvas. Using a variety of tools, from squeegee to comb, you can experiment and discover the effects you love as the foundation to your next painting.

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Abstract Art Painting Demo with Stencils and Adhesive Frisket Shapes

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Abstract Art Painting Demo with Stencils and Adhesive Frisket Shapes

To ensure my finished paintings have a luscious surface full of surprising paint effects I have found that working in multiples and laying down a foundation of experimenting with different materials and techniques delivers the effects I want in the finished painting.

In this video I demonstrate these techniques as I begin to create 10 abstract paintings at one time. By working in multiples and using glazes and solid paint effects I am able to create a series of work that are unique, all different and yet share the same language.

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How To Start By Playing With Paint and End With A Finished Painting You Love

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How To Start By Playing With Paint and End With A Finished Painting You Love

It’s exciting to start a painting but do you have trouble finishing it? In this video I show you how to start by just playing with media and then a great tip to quickly add interest and intriguing, surprising elements into your work. Then I take you through how to clarify your composition and create a strong finished artwork.

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How to Get Your Painting Started- When It's Hard

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How to Get Your Painting Started- When It's Hard

In this week's Vlog, I break down how I got myself into these new paintings - from actually getting myself into the studio to the first marks I made and how I moved forward.

Hope it helps if you're starting some new work or finding some resistance to keep working on some tricky paintings.