ART TECHNIQUES 60 One hour is all you need to be a better painter! M I N Focus your artistic efforts to get powerful painting U results. Craig Nelson’s “Quick Studies” help you to T stop over-thinking each project by relying on proven E techniques that get the most out of your time at the S canvas. t o 60 With this book, you’ll learn to: B ➤ wield your brush in a style that suits your e painting—energetic, careful, soft or crisp t t ➤ overcome procrastination and explore new subjects e ➤ render rough compositions before committing your r idea to a larger canvas M I N U T E S P ➤ prioritize your painting efforts—see basic shapes a fi rst, then the fi ne details i n ➤ paint with newfound confi dence t to Better Painting i n ➤ grow as an artist by welcoming mistakes g ➤ explore composition, color and light effects ➤ draw mass and form, not just the lines that make Quick Studies up your subject in oil and acrylic Ten step-by-step demonstrations, with each step timed to the minute, ensure that you spend the right amount of time developing the most important skills. It’s the most effi cient, effective way to improve your Craig Nelson efforts at the easel! N e l s o n US $24.99 T4852 (CAN $27.99) ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-4001-7 ISBN-10: 1-4403-4001-3 52499 N A E C artistsnetwork.com P U 0 FnL1 04 0120 01 JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo 02 SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL 03 cnVlZ2VyAFP+/rUCMTMDMTAwATEFVVBD 04 LUEMMDM1MzEzNjYyNTUz5A== 35313 66255 3 ideas. instruction. inspiration. 9 FnL1 04 0124 01 JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo 02 SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL 03 cnVlZ2VyAFP+/28EMTAuNAI4MAExBkVB 04 Ti0xMw05NzgxNDQwMzQwMDE3AA== 781440 340017 TT44885522__CCMM__6600MMiinnuutteess..iinndddd 11 99//55//1144 11::1144 PPMM 60 M I N U T E S to Better Painting Quick Studies in oil and acrylic Craig Nelson CINCINNATI, OHIO artistsnetwork.com 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 11 99//55//1144 11::1155 PPMM 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 22 99//55//1144 11::1155 PPMM 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 33 99//55//1144 11::1155 PPMM About the Author Craig Nelson graduated with distinction from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California, in 1970. He began teaching in 1974 and currently teaches painting and drawing three days a week at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, where he is Department Director of Fine Art. His work has appeared on many record album covers for Capitol Records, Sony and MGM. He has also painted many portraits for various stars including Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, Rick Nelson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Loretta Lynn. Craig has won over two-hundred awards of excellence in various national shows including being selected for the Arts for the Parks competition for the last eight years. His work can be found in several galleries throughout the United States and continues to appear in exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His paintings also appeared in the book, Art From the Parks (North Light Books). Craig is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the American You Go First • Oil • 24" x 36" (61cm x 91cm) • Art from pages 2–3 Society of Portrait Artists and a signature member of the California Art Club. He resides in northern California with his wife and three children. Visit his website at craigzart.com. 60 Minutes to Better Painting. Copyright © 2002 by Craig Nelson. Man- ufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be repro- duced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F+W, A Content and eCommerce Company, 10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, Ohio, 45242. (800) 289-0963. First Paperback Edition 2014. Metric Conversion Chart 18 17 16 15 14 5 4 3 2 1 To convert to multiply by Library of Congress has cataloged hardcover edition as follows: Inches Centimeters 2.54 Nelson, Craig, Centimeters Inches 0.4 60 minutes to better painting : sharpen your skills in oil and acrylic / Feet Centimeters 30.5 Craig Nelson. Centimeters Feet 0.03 p. cm Yards Meters 0.9 ISBN 1-58180-196-3 Meters Yards 1.1 1. Painting—Technique. 2. Acrylic painting—Technique. I. Title Sixty Sq. Inches Sq. Centimeters 6.45 minutes to better painting. II. Title. Sq. Centimeters Sq. Inches 0.16 Sq. Feet Sq. Meters 0.09 ND1473 .N45 2002 Sq. Meters Sq. Feet 10.8 751.4’26—dc21 2002025515 Sq. Yards Sq. Meters 0.8 ISBN: 978-1-4403-4001-7 Sq. Meters Sq. Yards 1.2 Pounds Kilograms 0.45 Edited by James A. Markle Kilograms Pounds 2.2 Designed by Wendy Dunning Ounces Grams 28.4 Interior layout by Kathy Gardner Grams Ounces 0.04 Production coordinated by Mark Griffi n 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 44 99//55//1144 11::1166 PPMM Dedication To my wife, Anna, and to my children, Sasha, Brendan and Ian, who serve as sup- port and constant inspiration. Acknowledgments Th ere are many to acknowledge: My mother and father for their constant encouragement and my Aunt Lois, who supplied me with reams of paper as I was growing up. I’d also like to thank Richard and Elisa Stephens and the Academy of Art College for allowing me to develop the quick study concept into a course of study. Harvest Portrait • Oil • 11" x 14" (28cm x 36cm) 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 55 99//55//1144 11::1166 PPMM Table of Contents Introduction 8 chapter 1 Chapter 4 Why Do Quick Paintings? | 10 Build Brush Confi dence | 56 An overview of how to become a better painter in under Different brushes produce various effects on the canvas. an hour and the skills you will develop by practicing Being bold makes all the difference. with quick paintings. chapter 2 Chapter 5 The Quick Painting Process | 22 Exploring Various Subjects | 66 Learn the supplies and the thinking process needed to Stretch your skills and learn tips on painting still lifes, work in an abbreviated manner. landscapes, water, animals, the fi gure and more. Chapter 3 Chapter 6 Editing | 48 Exploring Various Compositions | 80 Find the essence of your subject or scene and learn to simplify it into a coherent composition. The composition or design is the fi rst element of a painting to catch the viewer’s eye. 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 66 99//55//1144 11::1166 PPMM Chapter 7 Chapter 10 Color | 88 Recreation and Practice | 126 Color is the main consideration for many painters; the Enjoy your studies through fun-fi lled practice. possibilities are limitless. Chapter 8 Chapter 11 Creating Light Effects | 100 Conclusion—What Is Important to You? | 134 The lighting of any subject helps to create the mood of the painting. Determine your own voice for each painting by discov- ering what is important to you. Chapter 9 Finishing a Painting | 116 Analyze your studies and develop them into completed paintings. Index 142 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 77 99//55//1144 11::1166 PPMM Introduction Painting is sheer joy when it goes right and a great frustration when it doesn’t. It is impossible to be a genius every time you set up to paint. When everything is clicking, it is as if your brush is dancing across your canvas depositing dabs and slashes of lus- cious color exactly where they should be. Th e passion of painting is something that we, as artists, experience during the painting process. Th e magic that happens when we wield the brush with confi dence and conviction is what we all strive for. Th e use of practiced skills combined with insight and individual perceptions makes each of us unique. All painters want to improve. Th e novice aspires to be good. Th e average painter wishes to be advanced, while the advanced and professional measure themselves to selected masters, and so it goes. Th e com- mon thread is that everyone realizes that they can improve, no matter what their lev- el. Th e “How to…” is the constant question. How does one become a better painter? Th is is perhaps the most commonly asked question by students of all levels. Th e answer is just paint or brush mileage. As simplistic as it sounds, it’s the truth. Studying basic prin- ciples and methods are helpful, but there is nothing like experiencing the feel of it. Granted, there must be study and careful perception, but the old line “Practice makes perfect” carries a lot of weight here. Along with practice must come patience. Nothing great happens immediately. Learning and developing one’s ability is a slow process, a lifelong pursuit, and one that brings great per- Boathouse for the Birds • Oil • 18" x 14" (46cm x 36cm) sonal accomplishment and satisfaction. A common problem that is constantly encountered is the lack of time to paint. 8 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 88 99//55//1144 11::1166 PPMM Each painting becomes precious and must should not keep you from attempting diff erence, they allow diff erent degrees of continually be better than the last, or so one something. Th at is how we all learn. fi nish and enable you to use your brushes thinks. Th is can burden the artist to over- 3 Learn the diff erences between line and for diff erent eff ects. Th ese short time analyze and overwork a piece. mass. From our earliest memories we frames will help with pacing a painting. Approaching any painting is a mental have all drawn with pencil, crayon or Subject matter may dictate the time frame process followed by technical skills. One pen. Generally, when we draw anything, you wish to work within. For example, without the other is fruitless, like a sentence we start with lines. Th is, however, is not when painting on location, you may wish without punctuation, or a joke without a how we see. We see mass and form; to give yourself 45 to 60 minutes on a punch line. A painting that is to be done therefore, mass and form is how we must study. A head or a simple still life may over several hours or days is automatically paint. Lines are a shorthand for painting. work better within a 25- to 45-minute time considered a fi nished painting, and there- 3 Learn brushwork. Th e way in which a frame. I recommend that you use a timer fore carries some preconceived notions and painter yields his brush is much of the and keep a constant eye on it. If you are self-infl icted pressure to be right or to be beauty of a painting. It may be energetic, working with a model, it is easy to know perfect. Th is will aff ect the mental approach careful, soft or crisp. It oft en is like hand- when time is up. He or she may just stand of most painters, particularly those without writing—very distinctive. up and walk away. A still life or landscape years of painting mileage. 3 Understand how to see. We see images of takes more discipline to work within your Aft er teaching at two most prestigious various kinds. A painter must learn how given time frame. Remember it is a study. art schools for the last twenty-six years, I to see in stages. Th ey must not see the Be bold and keep pacing yourself; fi nish it have realized that one avenue of improve- detail fi rst, but must see the larger more and move on to another. ment is studies done in short periods of basic images before studying the smaller 25 –30 minutes: Th is abbreviated form time—quick studies. Quick studies allow for and oft en more interesting areas. It is of painting truly helps with decision mak- no overworking, or overthinking, but uti- important to train your eye to see in the ing. In order to truly capture the essence of lize basic studied knowledge and begin to proper order so your subject can be your given subject, this time frame will not bring this to a more intuitive state, much approached as if it were a painting allow you to overthink anything. It is ideal like learning a language. 3 Get started. Th e evil word, procrastina- for 8" × 10" (20cm × 25cm) or smaller, tion, is the constant enemy of all paint- although a 9" × 12" (23cm × 30cm) may Quick Studies ers. Th at blank canvas and the concept of work as well. By painting quick studies you will: a fi nished painting can be a burden. Th e 40–45 minute: Th e addition of only 15 3 Break inhibitions. Painting is oft en intim- study, as opposed to a fi nished painting, minutes aft er doing three or four shorter idating. Th e concept of taking a blank sur- can eliminate any burden. It is stated as a studies seems as if you suddenly have a lot face and creating a fi nished, pleasing study; to learn, to improve, to try some- more time. It is important to keep up the image on it can be overwhelming. It may thing, not a precious fi nal piece of art! quick pace and utilize the additional time paralyze the painter and lead to a tentative When procrastinating on what to do, for refi nements, and a bit more thought. approach without confi dence. how big, etc., do a study. 60 minutes: Th e one hour study allows 3 Not be afraid of mistakes. Whenever 3 Learn, explore and enjoy! for a more fi nished looking study. It still doing anything, you will make mistakes. requires an abbreviated approach but it In sports, music or any other endeavor, Basic Time Frames gives a bit more time for decisions, devel- you must go through some growing In order to help simplify the time you may opment of color, form or detail. pains in order to become profi cient or to work on a study, I recommend three basic excel. To be afraid of making mistakes time frames. Although only 15 minutes in 9 000011--000099__TT44885522..iinndddd 99 99//55//1144 11::1166 PPMM