Sketching

I like to sketch my ideas first before I start painting on a canvas. This allows me to play with layout, colours and even textures. It also saves me a lot of time and frustration. Painting is relaxing most of the time, however when you are trying to push yourself out of comfort zone to create something completely different, it can be quite difficult and constant changes of the same idea don't help.

Ideas are collected during the time I am travelling most of the time. Photographs helps me to refresh the memory of the place that made an impression on me. Then I sketch a particular view, focusing on the feel I want to create. I ask myself if I want this painting to be peaceful or more dramatic? Sometimes the weather influences me during the painting. for example cloudy sky is becoming a regular element of my landscapes but this is what I see all the time and I just love it.

I use mix media to sketch. One of my favourites are dry pastels as they are great to blend. Then I add more drama by applying some acrylic and black ink.

All of those element shape the final vision that grows in my head. When the tests are finished I give it a moment to rest and let my instinct to pick the best one that will be developed into a painting. Sometimes paintings are very similar to my sketches just like the example of the three paintings above and sometimes they evolve during creation into something slightly different. I apply changes reacting to my emotions and simly let the magic happen. Hope you find this post useful. If you would like to see more details about the development stage please let me know and I will post in the future.