One Process for Painting

In a previous post, I covered the importance of Notan. Here is another method of getting the composition worked out ahead of painting. Here you also decide where your values will be dark or light. Once you have established a great composition, you can then start to paint. Pictured below is the composition layout. It’s actually nice as a monochromatic, don’t you think?

I have started with the sky because I find it difficult to make it neat otherwise where the sky meets the ground. Typically, one might paint the darkest values first.

Below is the sequence or progression of the painting from the initial layout sketch to the finished painting. This is one method of assuring a great composition with correct values. I have come to appreciate the saying that “a failure to plan is a plan to fail”. In my enthusiasm to paint, I often forget to plan.