Why You Should Plan Your Composition
Many painters, new and experienced, struggle over what to paint when they first sit down with a blank piece of watercolor paper. Some dive right in with a wet paintbrush and hope the pigment, water and paper will make the decision for them or at least push them in a particular direction. Many of my teachers have pounded the idea of making at least a small pencil sketch to quickly plan out composition and value placement. I never did this in the beginning but lately I’ve been taking the time to grab a scrap and a pencil and quickly edit the plein air scene in front of me or the photograph on my iPhone.
A speedily rendered value sketch can remind me to work light to dark and to think about countercharging light areas with dark areas. This helps me focus on where the light source in my composition is coming from and to keep my shadow placement consistent. It also helps me reconfigure a flat photo or a less than lively local beach into a more dynamic painting by following a few simple rules: Dividing my scene in thirds both horizontally and vertically, keeping my horizon out of the center and making sure my focal point is also off to the side and out of the center of the page.
Every so often it can be quite fun to attack a blank piece of watercolor paper with a big, sloppy brush of paint, sometimes you get an inspired, exciting result and frequently, a big, muddy mess. It just depends on your personal budget for time, supplies, and hubris. It’s a good strategy for when you are stuck or feeling uninspired, but I really do recommend taking a little time to do a quick sketch, so you are not inadvertently making those common mistakes that sink a painting before you are far along.
Keep painting!
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