A Blank Canvas

While I know a blank canvas isn't visually stimulating, it actually plays an important part in the process so I decided to show it. I did mention that I would take you through the painting process from start to finish, I really wasn't kidding about that part.

This is the beginning, this particular piece will be painted on another large 16 x 20 watercolor canvas. I've already decided on one of the 3 butterfly subjects below for this painting, I'll wait and let that part be a surprise. But it is all the same, whether I picked canvas or paper, large or small, this is the very beginning of my next piece of work. This to me, represents the most challenging part of starting a painting. While there are a lot of possibilities, there is also a lot of blankness. While this part of the creative process can be a lot of fun, it can also be intimidating.

I'll be taking the many photographs I've assembled, plus all the ideas I have for this painting and I'll be making a sketch from them. This is a crucial step, anything that I do now, will affect the overall look and feel of the painting, it can make it a good painting or a bad painting. So, I never rush through this process, I take my time and make sure that whatever I put down on my blank surface is something I'm happy with.

Usually when this first step is over with, I sigh with relief and feel I've gotten past the most difficult part of the painting, starting from nothing.