The October 31-pastels-in-31-Days Problem is properly behind us now. The first function of the Problem is to get one thing painted every day. And this may be oh so onerous!! One factor that helps me make this each day follow occur is having a sketchbook of thumbnails.
Why is this convenient?
As a result of lots of the onerous work has already been executed!
Think about. You get to your studio prepared to color however first, ack!, you want to determine what to color. For those who’re portray from images, you want to select a photograph. Then you want to choose what a part of the photograph to make use of. Then you want to simplify…and create a great composition and in addition decide a robust worth sample. You must determine what format to make use of. A lot to do earlier than you truly put pastel to paper!
And that’s the place a sketchbook of thumbnails is available in. The work’s already executed! Right here’s a sheet of thumbnails – all besides one was used to color from final yr.
Every day of the Problem (and that is true of any day I’m in my studio to color one thing representational), I simply flipped via my sketchbook and selected a thumbnail that jumped out at me. Then it was a matter of grabbing some paper and sketching up the piece. And sure! then it was time to leap into pastels. (The sketching-up-on-paper course of may all the time be executed the day earlier than. It doesn’t require creativity so doing it on the finish of the day works properly. The following morning, you’ll be able to leap straight into pastels. Whoot whoot!)
For those who’re portray from life, eg from a still-life arrange, you want to do the identical issues in preparation to use pastel. It’s trickier to create a sketchbook of thumbnails already accomplished although, so this concept works greatest when utilizing images.
Most of the thumbnails I labored from on this yr’s Problem had been created final yr.
Right here’s an instance. A lot of the thumbnails on the web page beneath had been used for the 2020 Problem. There are two that weren’t used. In 2022, I chosen one among two unused thumbnails to color from.
Joan Miró, “Determine in Entrance of the Solar,” 1968, acrylic on canvas, 174 x 260 cm, Miro Basis, Barcelona, Spain.
Right here’s one other instance. Thumbnails executed and painted from final yr, one thumbnail used this yr, and one chance remaining.
So When To Do The Thumbnails?
Everytime you don’t have time to do a full-blown piece!
- Once you’re feeling underneath the climate, possibly a bit sniffly, and don’t really feel like getting caught up in mud or supplies
- Once you don’t have lots of time to dig in
- Once you really feel you wish to do one thing however you will have solely a small quantity of vitality.
These are all nice alternatives to get a thumbnail executed!
It’s superb how good you’ll be able to really feel after doing even one thumbnail. This IS progress! This IS displaying as much as do the work. And sure, thumbnails do take effort. They are work! Because of this it’s such a deal with to flip via a sketchbook of thumbnails already executed and simply decide one!
Right here’s one other instance. That is an assorted instance of thumbnails – structure and gallery goers. I selected the Tuscan city scene to color. It was a pleasant change from the figurative work halfway via the Problem.
I like engaged on a collection. I’ve been doing Canine Walkers and Gallery Goers for a few years now and they’re nonetheless going robust. Engaged on a single theme (eg Gallery Goers) helps me know what to get to work on when I’ve time to do thumbnails. And since I take pleasure in portray these topics, the extra thumbnails I’ve in stock, the higher!
Right here’s a web page with numerous Gallery Goers. You’ll additionally see there are two thumbnails on the prime (from a kitchen in Costa Rica) which are nonetheless accessible to color from. (Can’t wait to start out that new collection!)
I additionally created new thumbnails over the course of the 2022 Problem however didn’t use all of them so there’ll be there to work from each time I’m prepared.
You’ll be able to see an instance of that right here – the three decrease thumbnails are nonetheless to be painted – yay!! I get excited after I take a look at them and picture the chances!
So each time I’m in need of time, or after I simply don’t really feel like portray, I get out my images and have enjoyable scrolling via. I decide a picture after which get to work on a thumbnail or two in my sketchbook. It’s such a aid to have thumbnails able to go!
Do you will have a sketchbook of thumbnails? Do let me know. And if not then have you ever been impressed? I’d LOVE to know so you’ll want to depart a remark!
Till subsequent time,
Gail
PS. You’ll be able to see all my work from this yr’s 31-in-31 Problem HERE.
PPS. It is a nice little pocket book to have available. It comes with clean pages and a web page marker. And it is available in lots of colors!!