The Creative process

I am regularly asked about the way in which I work and my creative process. How I plan the painting beforehand, and the application and use of colour. As a painter I do not work in mixed media generally, I paint exclusively in acrylics, Golden artist materials in particular.. This is s wonderful material with a high pigment content in the paint and a wide selection of mediums and pastes to create texture and variety.  I used to paint in oil paint, but find this a better alternative with paints ranging from Heavy Body to High flow. Paintings mostly start off with a black gesso surface occasionally mixed with a texture paste such as pumice gel or moulding paste. At the moment I enjoy working quite freely by applying colours to the surface in a selection of flowing patterns, organic geometric shapes, drips and marks. There is some planning involved and colour sections are kept relatively clean and defined. These marks and shapes inform the next process of finding the correct composition for the artwork as it comes to the fore from a the busy background. There is some structure to this, I add some painterly brush marks and an interesting surface as this helps to create interesting areas to work with.

Once I have figured out the direction I want the painting to go, I use the colour and marks to guide the process. I find this way of working create a different kind or energy and use of shapes other than the marks I would normally create when making a painting and planning a composition before I start, I use this way of working for still life, landscape and more design led paintings.

The painting develop further as layers of paint is applied mixed with a matte painting medium.

More layers  and colours of paint are applied.

In this case I finalised the painting 'Sunday morning' with a dry brush technique using Golden' titanium white fluid paint.  If you would like to see a time lapse video of a painting being created sign up to the mailing list. If you are interested in doing a two weekend long e-course focusing on colour, creativity and mark making, sign up as well. More detail to follow next week. The course will take place in the second half of 2015. 

Blueberries.

Here's another painting's progress:

Starting with coloured texture areas that allow me to 'see' objects and let the painting flow from there.

I continue to fill in the negative space.

More detail added

And the final outcome

Blueberries 30x30cm acrylic on deep stretched canvas. 

Both paintings are deep stretched on canvas and available.

See other available paintings and prints: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EsteMacLeodDesigns