Follow the Path

Series 17:  Beyond Studies – S17L4

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A study sometimes ends up being a block-in for a painting.  But taking it to a fully resolved painting requires a different sort of thinking.  Using hue to re-set a circular path is one method for doing this.

 This lesson is S17L4  Follow the Path of the BEYOND STUDIES series. Beginning with the study from Series 14, Lesson 2, Circular Paths,  Dianne takes us step by step through a process using repetition, continuation and placement of warm hues to reinforce a circular visual path to bring the piece to a resolution. To create visual clarity her guiding questions are: What to use? What to ignore? What to emphasize? What to subdue? What to change?

Doing studies is a proven way for learning visual principles. Many times, a study will speak its potential to become a finished painting. When that happens, the artist switches intentions to bringing clarity to the work while reinforcing the principle from which the study grew.

This series of tutorials focuses attention on ways to move beyond the study towards a finished piece. All these are taken from studies done in previous lessons.  The principles used for resolving each one are the same as the focus of that lesson.

With every brushstroke we make, we are composing.  Just as with any creation, we begin with a structure, then as the art work begins we place shapes and colors according the concept with which we are working.  But the time comes when we move to a different level of thinking and decision-making–that moment when our intention becomes to bring clarity and resolution to the work.

Among Dianne’s passions about painting and teaching painting is how composing principles can expand creative freedom if the artist transcends the “rule” idea and instead, transforms the principle into a tool that opens creative doors.

This lesson is built on the study created  HERE.  Read Dianne’s Compose blog posts HERE.  Visit Dianne’s website and example her work HERE.  And visit her YouTube Channel with dozens of Quick Tips HERE.