I have been painting, teaching, and observing watercolor painting for over 35 years. One of the most recurring thoughts that occur to me is “get to the point”. What is it you are trying to say? What is it that you are trying to get people to take away after seeing your painting? If you are one of these painters who have nothing in particular to say it will surely be evident in your painting. If, on the other hand, you do have something to say, make sure your idea is clear and concise. Don’t fiddle and fuss all around your idea on non-essential fluff and unimportant trivial parts of your painting – get to the point and stay with it throughout the painting process. Don’t get distracted!
Have you ever listened to someone speak who rattles on and on and wanders all over the place with the conversation? When they’re done you ask yourself “What was it they were trying to say?”. Have you ever seen a movie or read a book only to finish and say to yourself “I don’t get it!” Painters quite frequently are guilty of this trap. They go on and on leaving the viewer to ask the question “what is the point?” Unfortunately with painting, the viewer sees the entire work at once and if they don’t get the point quickly they are gone and off to view other work. The painter must be clear and concise to grab and keep the viewers attention.
With that in mind, here are few tips for keeping you “on the point” during the painting process:
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Write down your point on a piece of paper stating what it is you wish to say and tape it near your painting. Refer to it often.
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Filter what you want to put in your painting. Does it help say what you want? If so include it! If it doesn’t help make the point discard it.
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Simplify the idea. Many paintings I see these days, in my opinion, are too complex. The thinking seems to be the more you add to a painting the better it must be. Unless you are trying to convey the complexity of a particular subject, think in terms of simplification. Get down to the essence of your subject.
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Step back and reflect. Is your point coming to the forefront? Or is it getting lost in the process? Adjust your painting accordingly.
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Keep it clear and concise. The strongest statements are often the simplest ones. This holds true for paintings as well as the written word. I often see students who nail the essence of a subject very quickly while painting in just the first pass or two only to muck it up by overworking because they are not clear what they want to say or how they want to say it.
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Continuously critique your own work. Look for the good, the bad, and the ugly. This should be done in all phases of your painting process, not just at the end. You should even get in the habit of critiquing paintings you have previously completed to learn how to say things better the next time. This is why I always encourage my students to mat and frame their work even if they don’t like it or are unsure about it. You get to study it when it hangs on a wall. Tucked in a portfolio or under the bed the learning process stops.
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Try it again. One of the best exercises I know to learn to say something crisp, clean and simple is to try painting a subject again. It doesn’t have to be the exact same painting although there is nothing wrong with that. Try painting a similar scene or a series of a particular subject experimenting with various compositions, techniques, and even styles and then compare to see which painting says it the best.
Have fun with your watercolor painting but remember if you just want to catalog something you see, a camera will always do that better and quicker. People are interested in what an artist has to say so say it clear and concise.
Ronald Pratt
Gallery And Store
