Thursday, December 17, 2015

Painting Tip: Start Big, End Small



In this new YouTube video, I demonstrate a useful principle that will help you with speed and accuracy in plein-air painting. (Link to YouTube)

I do a study of an excavator in gouache (opaque watercolor), using big brushes and big shapes at first, and then I finish with smaller brushes, spending time only on the details that interest me the most. The whole study took about two hours, but it gave me essential information as I developed the design for the giant robot.

This is an excerpt from Fantasy in the Wild: Painting Concept Art on Location, a 71-minute video workshop packed full of such essential info. 

This video is especially valuable to you if you're interested in fantasy, science fiction, concept art, or anything that requires combining imagination with observation.

1 comment:

gyrusdentus said...

Are you making use of your "block-in" in the later stages or do you try to cover the block-in opaquely or transparently according to what fits best ?
The final color looks so much different from the first gray-greenish block-in of the excavator´s arm.

Lovely skills in painting from life!