| Before the Barbizon School and the Impressionists | | | | back from the canvas at this stage you will see an |
| promoted the idea of painting on location or 'En plein | | | | impressive image before you, even though you have |
| air' most artists would work in the studio. While initial | | | | only applied two colours with the crudest of brushes |
| sketches and even some painting was done outside, | | | | and rags. |
| the majority of the work was completed in-doors. | | | | 9. Once the shadow has dried (a matter of |
| Using acrylics in a hot climate necessitates a return to | | | | minutes) you can start to consider the mid-tones. |
| this method of working, and thanks to the | | | | The wash will have provided this on the whole, but |
| technology that is now at our disposal contemporary | | | | you now need to think about a bit more detail. |
| artists can avoid prolonged spells in an inhospitable | | | | Using a slightly thicker mix of the same colours (as |
| climate and work in the relative comfort of the | | | | the wash) apply some more detail with a mid to large |
| studio. While some purists may argue that an artist | | | | brush. The size of brush is important as it prevents |
| should only work from their own sketches and | | | | you from concerning yourself with too much detail. |
| drawings, those who are willing to embrace the digital | | | | 10. At this point you will probably be able to see the |
| camera will find that the opportunities to capture | | | | squares still showing through so it is now time to |
| scenes and images are limitless. Spending seconds | | | | think about the next layer of the painting. It is only |
| rather than long minutes making detailed sketches, a | | | | now that you need to lay out your palette (acrylic |
| 21st century artist can capture the essence of the | | | | paint dries so fast that it would be a wasteful |
| scene before them and return to the studio with an | | | | mistake to put your colours out before this point). |
| album of photographs upon which they can base | | | | Your palette needs to be fairly limited as you will be |
| their next painting. If necessary these photographs | | | | concentrating on a few colours at a time. |
| can be manipulated with appropriate software until | | | | 11. Note all the places where you need to block in |
| exactly the right image is found, and at this point you | | | | this colour and work over the whole canvas at once. |
| are ready to make a painting. | | | | This is important as it ensures that you keep the |
| 1. Measure your stretched canvas and square it | | | | painting unified. Don't feel tempted to start working |
| up. You will not want too many lines across your | | | | on the detail in one particular area at this stage. |
| work so it is probably advisable to limit the squares | | | | Your brush should still be mid-sized. |
| to about 6cm (about 2.5 inches). | | | | 12. Repeat with new colours until you have covered |
| 2. Re-size your image to match the proportions of | | | | the whole canvas with a new layer. Your wash will |
| the canvas, and either square it up on the screen or | | | | still show through in places but the overall impression |
| print it out and use a pencil to do the same. | | | | will be getting closer to the final painting you may |
| 3. Using charcoal or a soft pencil, sketch the image | | | | have imagined at the start. |
| onto the canvas. The squares will help you to get | | | | 13. Now you can start on the detail. With a finer |
| the proportions right. It is the broad shapes that | | | | brush work over the whole painting, sharpening |
| you want to capture so don't worry about the detail | | | | edges and tightening the drawing. It is very much |
| at this stage. | | | | up to the individual as to how much detail they may |
| 4. Give the whole canvas a quick spray of fixative | | | | want to include. For a more impressionist style you |
| (or perfume-free hairspray) to prevent image loss as | | | | may consider the painting to be close to completion. |
| you go into the next stage. | | | | Alternatively you might want to achieve a more |
| 5. Study your image carefully and decide on the | | | | 'super-realist' finish to the work, in which case you |
| over-all colour (this will be provide the mid-tones in | | | | work over the painting several times, with ever |
| your painting). | | | | increasing detail. |
| 6. Using plenty of water and your chosen colours | | | | Main points to remember: |
| make a wash. Apply to the whole canvas with a | | | | 1. At each stage work over the whole canvas at |
| large brush. The wash needs to be thin enough to | | | | once. |
| see your sketch showing through. | | | | 2. Avoid starting in one corner and working across |
| 7. As soon as the wash has been applied you need | | | | the space, as the painting will not have a unified feel. |
| to quickly work over the whole canvas with a damp | | | | 3. Don't worry if you feel you've made a mistake - |
| cloth, removing the paint from all highlighted areas. | | | | you can use a damp cloth to wipe wet acrylic paint |
| Use your sketch and the photograph as guides, and | | | | away without removing the under-painting. |
| ensure that this has been done within 5 to 10 | | | | Alternatively you can paint over it within minutes |
| minutes; otherwise the wash will have dried too | | | | once it is dry. |
| much. | | | | 4. You can use tape and masks to protect areas |
| 8. It is now time to apply the shadow to the | | | | where you don't want paint to go (this will help with |
| canvas. Using a thinned mixture of ultramarine and | | | | straight lines and sharp edges). |
| burnt umber apply the paint with either a thick brush | | | | This article makes the assumption that you already |
| or, if you have the confidence, another rag. Again | | | | have an eye for composition and some basic painting |
| you need to work quickly and over the whole | | | | skills; if this isn't the case, I will be writing articles on |
| canvas. Don't be tempted to concentrate on details | | | | these things in the near future. |
| and don't worry if you make mistakes (quickly rub | | | | Images to follow in the near future. |
| the paint away with a damp cloth). When you stand | | | | |