Annette Turow, noted artist and art educator, describes the process whereby artists create art. These ideas are inspiring for both students and artists alike. Let ideas come first.The viewer sees only the end product -- painting,writing -- not the process which was employed to arrive there.
If no conscious ideas are available,
try a simple circle...
...try a
random line.
Make choices based on visual and emotional needs and prior knowledge.One small aspect of the current work can
become an entirely new piece of work and may suggest another direction. Let one idea suggest the Next. To arrive at these paintings, I took time to think and allow a feeling to emerge which came from a prior experience.
I created a line sketch and talked to myself
about what art techniques and materials I would use.
Painting, scraping, printmaking, wiping, layering,
waiting, looking,and questioning all were employed.
Materials were acrylic paint, gels, pumice gel, sand,
oil stick, sponges, palette knives and rags.
Where do Ideas Come From?
Almost anywhere.
Sensations, dreams,
experiences, shadows, impressions, feelings,
actual events or objects, stories, studies, names...
Don't rule out anything.
Creating this "form" for the idea
is a process of
visual thinking,
trying, waiting, changing,
doing, rejecting, adding,
waiting again, accepting,
feeling excitement,
redoing, finishing and
feeling resolved.
Visual Thinking
There are choices, decisions and alternatives to all problem solving tasks which are practiced and honed when creating a work of art. When seeking solutions try to avoid making arbitrary distinctions between "art" and all other subjects. Take a familiar form and turn it upside down or look at it backwards. Think about single numbers or letters as objects.
Technique in Art Process
The techniques used to complete these these pieces result from years of development and experimentation. Basically, the techniques evolved as the paintings demanded more complexity.
The desire for more "surface"(texture) and enhanced color grew over time.
To build up the surface, gesso is applied to seal the canvas or paper. Then 3-4 layers of white or light colored acrylic paint mixed with various gel mediums, pumice, sand, modeling paste and liquid mediums are applied to build up a thick "under-surface."
These layers are applied with a knife and at some point the "sketch" is started by scraping into these layers with a palette knife. Acrylic colors are slowly added to begin the development of a composition. I manipulate the surface from light colors to dark, arrange the forms and begin to create depth in the sketch.
After several layers have been applied and dried I begin to apply color with oil sticks to get a greater range in my palette. These colors mix well and dilute with baby oil to stain and enhance the acrylic surface. These phases take more time because the oil is slow to dry.
Working on more than one piece at a time allows me to keep working while some surfaces are drying. The oil stick surface is blotted with rags, scraped, rubbed and sometimes thickly applied. I maintain an active questioning dialogue with myself as each color is applied as to the effects and results and what (if anything ) is demanded next.
