Painting is the same way... The block in stage of a painting is the free, fun, idea stage. Anything goes as I work my way towards what I think I want to express about the landscape. Color, marks, shapes are more expressive and less descriptive. It is always my goal to stretch this stage of a painting out as long as I can because I know the more serious stage is coming. Soon I will have to make critical decisions about what gets to stay and what has to go. Often times, this is where the excitement ends and the painting never gets finished. The substance of the painting at the block in stage has to be enough to sustain me through to the end of the painting. If there isn't enough fun at the beginning, there definitely isn't going to be enough fun at the end.
Enjoyed and appreciated this, Tommy. You might enjoy parts of Lorne M. Bushman’s book, Make to Know.
Painting is the same way... The block in stage of a painting is the free, fun, idea stage. Anything goes as I work my way towards what I think I want to express about the landscape. Color, marks, shapes are more expressive and less descriptive. It is always my goal to stretch this stage of a painting out as long as I can because I know the more serious stage is coming. Soon I will have to make critical decisions about what gets to stay and what has to go. Often times, this is where the excitement ends and the painting never gets finished. The substance of the painting at the block in stage has to be enough to sustain me through to the end of the painting. If there isn't enough fun at the beginning, there definitely isn't going to be enough fun at the end.