Grow as a Painter - Paint Over Your Painting

Before

After

Who wants to paint over a finished painting? Why would you do it? After all, you've committed precious time, some expense, and perhaps your blood, sweat, and tears as well.

By painting over your painting I mean improving on what you have already painted, not painting a completely new painting.

You should paint over your painting whenever you know you have grown as a painter and you realize how much better your painting can become.

Caveat--this is only recommended with acrylics and not oil, watercolor, or pastel without due consideration since those mediums do not lend themselves to over-painting as easily as acrylics.

Anyway, here's the scenario. You're straightening up (or whatever) your studio and you run across an old painting you did way-back-when. You now see it with a more objective and much better informed eye.

"Why did I paint it like that?"

Good news and redemption. Since then, you have put in more hours painting. Since then you've read and watched more instructive how-to's. Since then you have been to more museums, galleries, art shows and exhibits.

In short, you have grown as a painter, and you can improve upon it, and as painters, we all want to improve.

Today images are my before and after paintings.

Today's Image on OrbisPlanis

The Corridor
Acrylic on Canvas Panel
11 x 14 in/27.9 x 35.6 cm
Copyright 2014

Today's image is somewhat of a departure from my recent paintings. Instead of a natural landscape or seascape, it's almost an interior shot, although there is a view to the outside at the end of this corridor.

It was painted from a personal reference photo that was so striking that I felt compelled to paint it.

I decided to paint it in acrylic, mainly because of the many layers needed to give the illusion of receding light and shadow. One of the great attributes of acrylic paint--to dry quickly--allowed me to complete the painting, and to repaint as necessary, over a couple of afternoons.

My favorite part was painting the bright, outdoor light outside the arched entryway. The visible structure and the distant mountain provide depth and atmospheric perspective.

I hope you like it.

Pintura al Oleo

Marina de Espana - al Oleo
Oil on Canvas Panel
8 x 10 in/20.3 x 25.4 cm
Copyright 2014

Well, I'm sure you've been waiting all week.

If you recall, in the last blog I talked about a perceived bias for oil over acrylic painting. I decided that my goal of painting with acrylic so that it looked like an oil painting might better be: to paint with oil so that it looked like an acrylic painting.

So that's what I did, and today's image is the same motif from last week, which was painted in acrylic, only this one was done in oil.

Can you tell the difference? Do you like one better than the other? Does anyone actually care?

An Oil Painting that Looks Like an Acrylic?

Marina de Espana
Acrylic on Canvas
11 x 14 in/27.9 x 35.6 cm
Copyright 2013

I think goals are a good thing to have, although I don't have too many in painting, and I don't have a bucket list either.

One of my goals has been to paint in acrylic so that it looks like an oil painting. I won't say that I have achieved it, but I am closer, in my humble opinion.

Then I got to thinking. Why do I care, and why is it a goal? Good questions both.

As I recall, several years back it seemed to me there was a bias for oil painting. Acrylics were treated somewhat like the second-cousin who was invited to the party only because he was family and not because anyone particularly liked him.

That doesn't seem to be quite so obvious today. I see more (and more) acrylic paintings and painters featured in magazine articles and on the art-discussion websites. I think that's excellent and about time.

But back to why do I care. I gave it a role-reversal and decided to think of it this way: One of my goals is to paint in oil so that it looks like an acrylic painting. How about that?

Today's image is a painting I painted in acrylic. To see how I'm doing, in the next blog I'll post the same painting I did in oil, so check back.

1000 Painting Decisions

A Mountain Morning
Acrylic on Canvas Panel
7 x 9 in/17.8 x 22.9 cm
Copyright 2013

The headline of today's blog says it all, at least in my case.

I remembered this when I was working on one of my recent paintings. Not that I actually counted, but from the moment I began planning for what I would paint, it was nothing but one decision followed by another and another and another.

I'm hoping you don't think about the decisions as you paint because if you do focus on them rather than the painting itself, well, that's not good.

What motif will I paint? Should I paint en plein air? What surface will I paint on and what size will it be? How should I draw the main elements? Should I try a new medium? Which colors of my palette are best suited to this painting? What brushes should I use? Which brushstrokes? Are the values correct? Should I add something here or make a change there?

What? Which? How? Should? The decision-making even continues right up to the end when you have to decide one of the hardest things--when is the painting finished?

Don't get me wrong. It's nice to be in control of at least one thing in our lives, but it can be overwhelming. I prefer to think of it as problem-solving. Or maybe we should just remember the quote from an unknown art teacher: "A painting is a series of corrected mistakes."

Painting on the Good Days

Good Day
Oil on Canvas Panel
8 x 10 in/20.3 x 25.4 cm
Copyright 2014

Some painting days are good days, some painting days are not so good, and some are downright terrible.

On the good painting days, I can't wait to begin. On the days that I think will not be as good or will be downright terrible, I try not to paint at all.

Some painting days start out good and go unfortunately downhill from there--sometimes slowly and sometimes rather quickly. Those days may be worst of all because they start out with such high hopes and good intentions but become complete failures.

The goal is to overcome the not-so-good and the downright-terrible painting days.  How exactly to do that, I don't know as I have not been able to overcome those days very well. If I continue to paint on those days, the painting will almost always be un-salvageable.

Why this is, I don't know.

However, I am of the opinion that painting is surely as much a psychological activity as it is a creative one.   

Painting Negatively

Misty Shoreline
Oil on Canvas Panel
9 x 12 in/22.9 x 30.5 cm
Copyright 2014

I'm not talking about painting when you're in a bad mood.

I'm talking about using a painting technique that can help you improve or overcome what  may have become an issue, that is, boredom and dullness in your brushstrokes.

When I say painting negatively, I simply mean that you paint around the focal point or major elements before painting those objects. In other words, rather than painting the object, you paint what's around it first.

For example, rather than painting a tree or trees in a treeline first and then painting the sky around the trees, you do it in reverse order. You paint the sky first, and then go back and paint in the tree(s).

This may take a little getting used to because it's more intuitive to paint an object first and then paint the background. But once you learn to plan ahead, you may find this gives a new look and feel to your paintings.

In today's image, I painted the sky and sea(coast) first. Then I came back and painted the land.

Try it, you may like it. If nothing else, it will make you think more about how you control your brushwork on edges. And that's a good thing.

That's How We Learn

Post Office Street
Oil on Canvas Panel
8 x 10 in/20.3 x  25.4 cm
Copyright 2014

The new year brought a burst of painting energy. This time of year, with fewer hours of available daylight in which to paint and facing almost three months of winter, it was a nice surprise.

I would like to attribute it to wanting to paint with some new oil paints that were received as a gift; however the painting was completed using the paints I already had on hand because I want to use them up before opening new tubes of paint.

Call me process-driven.

I keep up my interest this time of year by viewing some paintings of a few favorite painters, such as the ones listed over there in the right-hand column and on sites, such as FASO's Boldbrush painting contest.

I attempt to take what I see and consider as good painting and incorporate some of those techniques into my work.

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

As a painter friend of mine always says, "That's how we learn."

Happy New Year.

Far-Away Places in 2014

Far-Away Places
Oil on Canvas Panel
8 x 8 in/20.3 x 20.3 cm
Copyright 2013

Like many painters this time of year, I think about what the new year will bring.

For me, I hope it brings a new and better appreciation for painting. It's not that I have not appreciated it in the past, but I hope I take it more seriously. OK, a little more seriously anyway (fortunately I don't have to paint to make a living).

That takes away a lot of the pressure. But some pressure is good. Without pressure to produce or achieve, I don't take it seriously enough, and my work suffers for it.

During this last year I moved in a new direction, which is difficult to do. I decided to work with oil where previously all my effort had been for watercolor (for several years) and then back to acrylic.

But the way I want to paint currently, contemporary impressionism, seems to lend itself to oil--what with the softness and blending required with this style.

I also began painting smaller paintings. I think this will help me to learn what I need to know about this type of painting. We'll see. I'm hopeful that I will improve, and I tell myself that as long as I am satisfied, that is all that matters.

Today's image represents those far-away vistas we see and the future coming right at us.

Here's to a 2014 filled with wonderful paintings for you and me.

For Painters, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Winter Wonderland
Acrylic on Canvas Panel
20 x 16 in/50 x 40 cm
Copyright Byrne Smith 2015/

Painters aren't known for their shopping skills, even for art and painting supplies. I think I know what I need to purchase; that is, quality paints and supports and supplies. However, I also know that I am frugal--what painter isn't--and I'm always looking for ways to save a buck (or depending on where you live, make that a pound, yen, peso, euro, etc.).

This time of year is the best time to be purchasing supplies, either for yourself or for other painters.

If you haven't noticed, art supplies are on sale everywhere!

Your local art supply store is probably (over)stocked with everything a painter's heart and studio could desire. And if you're an online shopper, as I was last week, the big online stores, such as Blick, Cheap Joe's, Jerry's, and Utrecht all want your business very much. What's more, you can even get free shipping if you buy enough stuff. Can't beat that.

So if anyone is wondering what in the world to get you, tell them exactly what that perfect gift would be and don't forget gift cards.

It is the most wonderful time of year for painters.