Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to share five tips from my studio that can help you improve your painting quickly, with a bonus tip at the end.
First, a tiny bit about me so you know I’m the real deal: I’ve been an artist since I was a little kid. I worked with companies like Disney, Nissan, and Safeway back in the day as an illustrator. As a painter, I’ve worked with all manner of painting media and in many styles, from photo-realistic to loose impressionism. You can find my work in books, in galleries, and in lots and lots of medical offices (I’m not really sure why). Now I paint primarily landscapes, and I’ve been teaching art for over 30 years.
While many resources claim to have the secrets to improving your art, I don’t think there’s a magic bullet. Honestly, it comes down to consistent practices. So without further ado, here are my five tips to creating more dynamic, interesting, and technically sound work:
Paint more often: I know, I know, it seems really obvious, but the key to success as a working artist is being prolific. Aim to paint every day, treating it as a practice or a job rather than waiting for inspiration to strike. When you consistently put yourself in the position to receive inspiration, those fairies will show up more often.
Paint smaller: Painting smaller pieces can make a big difference. Painting smaller will allow you to paint every day, even if you only have 15 or 20 minutes. It’s just easier to fill a smaller amount of real estate. That sense of accomplishment is crucial for staying in the creative groove. Plus, working on smaller pieces makes us less precious about using up materials, fostering a freer and more experimental approach.
Plan it out: Spend some time planning your compositions. A small investment of time doing thumbnails, value studies, and color studies will definitely pay off. Although it’s really fun to just dive right in, a little preparation ensures consistency and direction, especially if you’re working from photo references. Planning helps avoid getting stuck on unresolved areas and keeps the creative process running smooth.
Build on what is working: Focus on areas of your painting that are working and build from there. This prevents you from getting bogged down on problem areas and overworking them. Work the entire painting simultaneously, not just one section at a time like a puzzle. Most every painting goes through an “ugly” stage; concentrating on what’s working will help you navigate through it. Remember that success hides a multitude of errors.
Work from life: Whether it’s plein air, still life, or working from a model, painting from life will hone your observational skills. Although you don’t have to do this all the time, integrating it into your routine will make a noticeable difference compared to working solely from photographs.
Bonus tip: Paint a little faster. Speeding things up will help you establish a piece as a unified whole more quickly and keep you loose. I suggest setting a time limit for the beginning stages of a painting.
I hope these tips help you improve your paintings. Stick with them, and I have no doubt you’ll see big improvements fast.
Happy Painting,
Marla
