{"id":146,"date":"2023-06-23T01:44:53","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T15:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/?p=146"},"modified":"2023-06-30T21:37:42","modified_gmt":"2023-06-30T11:37:42","slug":"traditional-artistic-techniques","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/traditional-artistic-techniques\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditional Artistic Techniques"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Let me share with you the various stages I go through with an image using ‘traditional techniques’, along with some insights into my tools and methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1: Initial “Thought Scribble” in my Sketchbook<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Every painting starts with a simple idea that I quickly sketch in my trusty sketchbook. It’s a rough outline of what I envision for the artwork, capturing the basic composition and key elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2: Conceptualization and Gouache Paint Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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After the initial sketch, I refine my ideas and think about the colors I want to use. To bring my vision to life, I rely on the MIYA HIMI Gouache Paint Set 56 Colors. It’s a relatively inexpensive and versatile set that offers a wide range of vibrant colors and pigments, giving me the flexibility to express my creativity. With this set, I can experiment with different arrangements and color combinations and not worry about the cost.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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When I start working, I set up my painting space on a simple desk. It’s not fancy, but it provides a stable surface where I can focus on my artwork. Eventually the table gets covered in art supplies and the drawing board gets elevated at a 45-60 degree angle, which is much easier to work at. I paint in as natural a light as I can and I’m not a tidy person so things get a little crazy. BUT, that’s the way I’ve always worked and I enjoy it.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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3: Building Layers<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Once I have a clear idea of the composition and colors, I start applying layers of gouache paint to the paper. In this case I didn’t prewet the paper or tape it down – the paper was of a good thickness (300gsm) and though it warped with the water, it was within an acceptable range. (Eventually I did flatten it down before giving it to the intended recipient). At this initial stage I carefully build up the textures, depth, and dimension of the painting. It’s a gradual process where I pay a loose attention to brushstrokes, color blending, and the overall balance of the artwork – I tend not to ‘draw within the lines’ at this stage – I just let the work run free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4: Changes to the image<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

After stepping back and assessing the painting during Stage 3, I sometimes realize that the composition needs further adjustments to achieve the desired structural and emotional impact. At this stage, I carefully analyze the painting’s overall balance, focal points, and visual flow. If necessary, I make changes to strengthen the composition, ensuring that it effectively communicates the intended message and evokes the desired emotional response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether it involves rearranging elements, altering shapes, or redefining focal points, these refinements are crucial in creating a visually pleasing and emotionally resonant artwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In fact, it’s very rare that I complete the image as I imagine it – and for this particular image I found the background wasn’t working and so I staged it within an environment by adding a background wall and alcove, plus foliage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5: Plein Air “Field Trips”<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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To keep my creative juices flowing and gain inspiration, I occasionally take a beak from the image to go on a field trip to paint “plein air” in local parks and natural surroundings. During these trips, I take watercolour paints, or as in many cases, bring along my Gouache Paint Set and set up my box easel, which is a portable and convenient setup for outdoor painting. The idea is to look at the colours and shapes of what is in front of me – to get out of my own head for a while. Landscape is difficult to paint because things in the real world are so active and detailed, but I can’t get too caught up in details that are there. Besides, gouache is not the best thing for this process, yet it is flexible enough for me to just have a ball.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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6: Fine Details, Refinement, and the Finishing Touches<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

As I near the completion of the painting, I focus on adding fine details and refining the artwork. This is where I pay attention to small elements, textures, and any adjustments needed to make the painting stand out. It’s a delicate process that requires patience and a keen eye for detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7: Embracing the Final Artwork<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

As the creative process comes to an end, I embrace the final artwork, acknowledging that it now stands on its own, separate from the initial concept that sparked its creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this final stage, I acknowledge that the artwork has reached a point where it aligns closely with my initial vision. However, I also appreciate that it has grown and evolved throughout the creative process, developing its own character, depth, and meaning. It is a realization that the artwork has become an entity in itself, and it is capable of eliciting unique interpretations and emotions from viewers that I might not have considered with my initial drawings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I do have gratitude and a sense of accomplishment when I share the final artwork – that’s what I do it for, really. But then the next image is building in my mind’s eye.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let me share with you the various stages I go through with an image using ‘traditional techniques’, along with some insights into my tools and methods. 1: Initial “Thought Scribble” in my Sketchbook Every painting starts with a simple idea that I quickly sketch in my trusty sketchbook. It’s a rough outline of what I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-work","category-old-work"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":296,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146\/revisions\/296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lespetersen.com.au\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}