The recent paintings I have my produced for my landscape project have all began in a similar way and each develop into different landscape paintings. So I would like to share the process I have developed that helps me make a start on a new painting.
1. Apply gesso to a canvas. When painting onto a shop-bought canvas, it is not required to prepare the surface before painting, but I apply two layers of gesso onto my canvasses as I feel it smoothes out the canvas and I prefer to work on a smooth surface. The first layer I apply is very thin and watery, and the second layer is thick and undiluted. When applying the gesso, I use a big brush to ensure I cover the whole surface and I push the gesso into the canvas using circular motions.
2. Next, I apply a warm colour to the canvas as an undercoat. The colour I have been using the most often is a mixture of magenta and titanium white. I like to allow some of the undercoat to come through my painting as I like the effect it gives and I believe it adds depth to my landscape paintings.
3. I then apply thin brush strokes of the basic colours I want in each area. For example, a blue brush stroke where I want to show distance in the scene and brown/green brushstrokes to show the general direction in which my landscape moves throughout the painting. I use a large brush for this step as it should be a quick layer to help move the painting forward.
4. Apply more colours, and more variety in the direction of the brushstrokes, thinking about the way the landscape moves. Use a smaller brush for the more distant areas, to help portray perspective.
5. Add more layers and colours using different brushes and palette knives giving a variety of textures. Also spray the canvas with water in some parts to allow the paint to move around.
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