The First 6 Steps of the Creative Process

The process of painting "Lucy" oil on canvas...

Outline...

Background & figuring our light & shading...

Adding more shading using natural skin tones...

Adding more details to the face. Getting the correct skin tones down & leaving my light areas alone until later.

Giving more accurate shape to her features, more work on the eyes, background & overall shading

:Hover over photos to see notes:

Currently listening to: "The Lion's Roar" -First Aid Kit

My inspiration comes and goes in waves. It always starts with me having some crazy dream, or coming across a really cool editorial photo. Usually creativity hits me at the most inopportune times, like in the middle of the night when I have to wake up early the next day and be a productive adult. However, now that I have a studio that is separate from my home, I am better at managing my time when working on a piece & tend to keep to a better schedule. I am currently working on a portrait called "Lucy" using oil paint on canvas, which for the past few years has been my preferred medium. 

The first few steps that I take involve choosing what scale I want to work with, then getting a rough outline of the idea in my sketchbook before putting paint on canvas. After the idea is out in the real world and not just in my mind, I get started. Here is a short step by step:

1. Using a very light color, preferably in the same color family that my end result will be in, I create a gesture of my subject matter to get the proper scale in place.

2. I start working on the background and get an outline of my shadows and highlights. (I always go in later and add some more layers and depth) 

3. I get more in depth with shadows, this time using the natural skin tones of my subject. 

4. Begin to add more details to the facial features.
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5. Finally start working on the eyes. These will be a focal point so I really study my reference and take time, but try not to overwork.

6. From here on I continue to add more details over all until I complete the piece.

"Lucy" Is still a work in progress. I try not to put a time frame on my paintings. If I feel rushed, it will definitely show and will just end up a mess. If you are struggling with painting in oils, patience is key! If you need any other tips or tricks, please send over your questions via our contact page, instagram, or twitter.  

Janet

Co-Creator of Glitter & Neon