Gerben's Sketchbook - Sharpening the axe
#9
Back again with painting studies. Following Craig Mullin's simple advice now. 

"I learned to paint (still am) by doing hundreds, if not thousands, of little sketches. Don't spend more than 1/2 hour on them. Try to get the main information down as quickly as possible... ...The media, whether photoshop or real paint is unimportant."

So here we are. In the past I'd make a schedule, put it in my calendar, plan everything, sort the reference, make complicated photoshop files... I've gone through that process countless times already. But as I've stated in my original post, I'm here because I want to enjoy the process again. So instead of rigorous planning, I'm sticking to a simple principle from Marcus Aurelius: 

"Concentrate every minute like a Roman— like a man— on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can— if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered , irritable. You see how few things you have to do to live a satisfying and reverent life? If you can manage this, that’s all even the gods can ask of you.” 

With that kind of advice you can't go wrong haha. Painting on a 1000px wide file, that's it. No zoom, no fancy brushes, just the canvas and myself. So far I'm enjoying it very much. 


Happened to be first one in my folder of random pictures; an original Craig Mullins. Happy about the result, though the construction is a bit wonky. The figures need to be much improved. 



Russian painter, don't know who. I know Nick Gindraux studies him a lot. Getting sky values right is still difficult for me. 


An impressionist. Getting the face right on 50 px is very challenging.

"No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself." - Seneca
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RE: Gerben's Sketchbook - Sharpening the axe - by gerbenpasjes - 01-28-2021, 06:15 PM

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