One of the ways to ensure faster painting is to choose subject matter that the viewer will automatically recognize; portraits, landscapes, flowers, dogs etc. Known quantities from a photo or from life, not showing anyone something they haven't already seen. Their eyes fill in the loose gaps. Can get away with so much. For example, in a portrait, we already know what hair looks like and so there is no point in painting every single strand. In context of a recognizable face, a loose blob or darkness will suffice. If an image has elements important to the narrative that the viewer might not recognize, the artist has to slow down and include enough detail to show us what new object or living thing they have created. This is a major point that I haven't heard any painting channels talk about. Thank you for your content Chelsea.
Can you please do a video focusing on painting backgrounds and how you decide what background would compliment your painting? Thanks! Enjoy your channel
Simplest shorthand is the complimentary (opposite) colour on colour wheel to the dominant colour in the subject (here, subject is mostly reddish, background desaturated green)
For practice in oils the last class I took had us do quick gesture sketches with thinned paint to block In value then wipe it off and repeat all before the thinner could evaporate. It was very helpful as a transition between charcoal and paint while I’ve been learning oils
I’m definitely going to try the shorter face studies you’ve suggested, I’ve recently been using line of action to quickly practice anatomy, but hadn’t thought to do this for portraits 😊
A great exercise is to do a speed portrait with a time constraint. (Doing this digitally works especially well) - 12 mins is a good target. The benefit is that the exercise speeds-up the mental decision making process. And having strengthened that mental muscle, the next "slow" painting happens with a bit less effort.
Thank you Chelsea. Good idea to go back to charcoal and 2/5/20 minutes, to pick up speed and "facilite". I joined a portrait group with a sitter, we do 20 minutes on, 5 min breaks for 2 hours, 1x per week. We have a consistent showing of say 8 -12 artists doing pastel, pen and ink, watercolor and oils so we learn from each other too. I'm hearing lately that I've improved but am always trying to get better- and faster! My media have been watercolor pencil and watercolor. Your talks and outlook are interesting.
Thank you for sharing. You are right about it all. When you learn how to sketch free-hand, it helps you gain the confidence to use broad and different brushworks, not scared of loosing your drawing. Because you know now that you can draw it again if you miss it up. That attitude also makes you paint faster, sort of. It never really gets easy, it is just that you gain more experience and get used to doing more and more. So, practice as often as tou can to create that habbit. Cheers. 🍻
Really good points. Another artist (their names escapes me at the moment) has compared quick loose painting to quick hand note taking. You only get to that stage once you really understand the fundamentals and the loose sketchy lines is your brain's way of taking down the key points of what ever you're trying to express so you can built on top of it later. If you're a beginner it doesn't really work as well because you don't have a good enough grasp of the fundamentals (which like you said deliberate mindful practice will really help with).
I'm one of those painters who work on paintings for weeks, sometimes months, and it's mostly because the cognitive load of painting is just too much for me and I get decision fatigue veeeery quickly. what slows me down the most is values and colours. I have to repaint everything so many times I stop focusing on the drawing, lose it, and end up shifting the features. and then I have to spend time fixing the drawing and getting the likeness back. it's not a very enjoyable process... but that reflects my skill level I guess. nothing more to do than study. might still try this exercise though, it's probably gonna help.
One of the ways to ensure faster painting is to choose subject matter that the viewer will automatically recognize; portraits, landscapes, flowers, dogs etc. Known quantities from a photo or from life, not showing anyone something they haven't already seen. Their eyes fill in the loose gaps. Can get away with so much. For example, in a portrait, we already know what hair looks like and so there is no point in painting every single strand. In context of a recognizable face, a loose blob or darkness will suffice. If an image has elements important to the narrative that the viewer might not recognize, the artist has to slow down and include enough detail to show us what new object or living thing they have created. This is a major point that I haven't heard any painting channels talk about. Thank you for your content Chelsea.
Can you please do a video focusing on painting backgrounds and how you decide what background would compliment your painting? Thanks! Enjoy your channel
Simplest shorthand is the complimentary (opposite) colour on colour wheel to the dominant colour in the subject (here, subject is mostly reddish, background desaturated green)
For practice in oils the last class I took had us do quick gesture sketches with thinned paint to block In value then wipe it off and repeat all before the thinner could evaporate. It was very helpful as a transition between charcoal and paint while I’ve been learning oils
These drawings are amazing - I love this -- can't wait to see how your painted portraits evolve because of this practice!!
😊
I’m definitely going to try the shorter face studies you’ve suggested, I’ve recently been using line of action to quickly practice anatomy, but hadn’t thought to do this for portraits 😊
The part I like most about your video is narrations they are great really great journey .
Wonderful! You have an amazing talent
A great exercise is to do a speed portrait with a time constraint. (Doing this digitally works especially well) - 12 mins is a good target. The benefit is that the exercise speeds-up the mental decision making process. And having strengthened that mental muscle, the next "slow" painting happens with a bit less effort.
(I wrote the above comment before watching the whole video. D'Oh)
Thank you Chelsea. Good idea to go back to charcoal and 2/5/20 minutes, to pick up speed and "facilite". I joined a portrait group with a sitter, we do 20 minutes on, 5 min breaks for 2 hours, 1x per week. We have a consistent showing of say 8 -12 artists doing pastel, pen and ink, watercolor and oils so we learn from each other too. I'm hearing lately that I've improved but am always trying to get better- and faster! My media have been watercolor pencil and watercolor. Your talks and outlook are interesting.
Thank you for sharing. You are right about it all. When you learn how to sketch free-hand, it helps you gain the confidence to use broad and different brushworks, not scared of loosing your drawing. Because you know now that you can draw it again if you miss it up. That attitude also makes you paint faster, sort of. It never really gets easy, it is just that you gain more experience and get used to doing more and more. So, practice as often as tou can to create that habbit.
Cheers. 🍻
Exceptional content today - thank you!
please make more of these drawings ty🥰
Really good points. Another artist (their names escapes me at the moment) has compared quick loose painting to quick hand note taking. You only get to that stage once you really understand the fundamentals and the loose sketchy lines is your brain's way of taking down the key points of what ever you're trying to express so you can built on top of it later. If you're a beginner it doesn't really work as well because you don't have a good enough grasp of the fundamentals (which like you said deliberate mindful practice will really help with).
That's so well said, thank you!
I only know your work is truly beautiful
I'm slow....I have to try this and see.thank you
You are awesome
For all the quick sketches what reference images are you using and where do you find them please.
In chess, all great classical players are great blitz players.
But not all great blitz players are great at classical.
My classic car paintings sometimes take weeks.
I'm one of those painters who work on paintings for weeks, sometimes months, and it's mostly because the cognitive load of painting is just too much for me and I get decision fatigue veeeery quickly. what slows me down the most is values and colours. I have to repaint everything so many times I stop focusing on the drawing, lose it, and end up shifting the features. and then I have to spend time fixing the drawing and getting the likeness back. it's not a very enjoyable process... but that reflects my skill level I guess. nothing more to do than study. might still try this exercise though, it's probably gonna help.
Your content is different than mine but I wish people watched them like yours! 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️