My Painting Process

My painting technique has been an ongoing process for many years from which my palette of chosen colours has changed and expanded the most to try and achieve something nearer to my desired goal with my work.

I start with an idea on the subject I wish to paint and may follow this with some thumb nail sketches, look through previous photos or go out and take fresh ones to start the ball rolling.

For me, I think, using digital photos as a guide to work from is simply a tool to use as a means to an end but not the end in it’s own wright as in creating an exact copy. Painting in the field (plein air) is an invaluable tool to back up my painting in the studio; there is much to be said that photos lie as in the flattening of what you see and also in the colours to name but two examples, although in my view the latter is not as bad as the old film photos. I have been quite taken back when taking a photo with me to it’s location and comparing it from life.

My painting is then drawn up and blocked in to get the basic look of what I am about to paint and get the general colours and pattern to proceed with. I will then use photo references or go out and work plein air to work the painting up to a more finished level then leave it for a short while.

Finally I will finish the painting in the studio, often leave it for another week or so and then put on the final touches and the last my signature.