Thumbnailing
An embryo of possibilities.
I am not sure if this qualifies as art. But for today it’s all I’ve got. I actually scribbled this little guy out at an artfair. I had a dream (of which I now have no memory) and this was the resulting sketch the next day. It is a painting to be. A little embryo of possibilities. (shown here pretty much actual size)
To thumbnail or not . . .
I am not a “thumbnailer” by nature. I think it is the wise and careful artist who practices the art of forethought when it comes to creating art. I however am a “fly by the seat of my pants” kinda gal. (It keeps it exciting for me. Sort of like not reading the end of the book while still in the middle.
Maybe what I am saying is that it is the journey and the challenges that “pop up” along the way that I enjoy. Long ago I didn’t even draw out my idea. I would just sort of work and slowly the animal came forth out of the paper. I would adjust and crop as I went along. Oil Pastels changed that for me but I still cling to the old ways.
Now if you were wiser than I, you would recognize the importance of doing thumbnail drawings. They allow you to makes important decisions regarding composition, lighting and color before you have begun. Drawing out thumbnails saves the heartache of having a piece ruined because you made a decision in progress and it was the wrong decision. Thus the wise and well reasoned artist create thumbnail drawings.
So what’s that say about me?
Hey, some people sky dive . . . I create art without the benefit of figuring it out in advance. Maybe that’s as much excitement as this Midwestern critter artist can handle.
Anita is just the same. I can’t tell you how many times I have been to her house to look at her latest painting, only to find that the next day it is a different colour! She gets through so much paint! Each painting will go through every colour in the rainbow before she finally settles on what she likes best.
I think I prefer to have things planned out more, but that’s probably because I’m too impatient to go through lots of changes - I just want it to be right first time so that it’s finished and I have a result. I do enjoy the process, but only if it’s going right!!
Interesting post, Mona — it will be interesting to see what becomes of this thumbnail. I can understand that you are rembering pieces where you “plunged in and plunged on” so to speak. But since I only know you from this blog, I just want to say I was very impressed with the detailed drawings you did to do the four draft horse team oil pastel painting. Your drawings were so detailed — then you go and change the composition with more detailed drawing — I saw you as much more deliberate and planned!!!!! Maybe you work in many ways, dependent on the piece. I would think the water soluable pencils would need more planning than OPs(???) because I see the OP’s as more correctable in process than the pencils, but your post seems to imply that you felt the need to be more planful with OP (???)
Maybe my website will be online tomorrow — will let you know. Though I know nothing is going to happen just because I push the go live button, I have been reading your posts about fear over several times. I am doing the “doing”. I do think that it may be a bit presumptuous of me to think I am really ready to do commissions — I do plan to keep working on many related things in the meantime (since nothing will probably happen without alot more marketing footwork) — I am feeling like, “Just who do you think you are” I did some WIP photos, thinking about a blog a recent CP golden retriever — all I can see is the mistakes — and would not probably post it (WIP) — the finished piece is OK - but not so much with the reference right next to it. My prices are just slightly lower than what those were in the beginning phases of some people whose work I think I am on par with. I am wondering if I need to get some vendor licenses from the state before pushing the button and being officially in business.
Went to the video game store Monday to buy one of my brothers who just got a Wii a game for his birthaday — found Medal of Honor Rising Son game used for Nintendo while I was there — don’t know if it is considered good, as I know I got the best one first — but it has started the addiction, or at least some interest, a little again!
Take care and Happy Painting, Angela
Angela Yes I do detailed drawing with the OP but never did much of any drawing with water color pencils. I assume it was because with the pencils I did the drawing as I went. Also it took so long that there was no need to have everything decided before I began.
This zebra is probably on of 10 thumbnails I’ve done ever. The only reason I scribbled him out was because I thought the idea would fade from my memory and I really like the way the lines fall on the body.
Let me know when your live with the site. You know I haven’t played any PS2 in months. I’m missing it but there’s just too much grabbing at me at the moment. I’ve played rising sun but don’t remember how it compares.
Undaunted I would think with your work you really have to have it all planned out. (Especially the triptychs) Could just be personalities too, you know Type A ot B. (I never really paid much attention to those so I have no idea what is an A or B)