Author: info@redmothart.com

Start to Finish – The progress of a painting.

Purchase the original here.

Painting is always a process. From your brain to the canvas, it becomes it’s own creation. So let’s dissect it, viewing the steps needed to complete a piece. Featuring “Blissful Thinking.”

Step 1 : Bones

All creation starts in the mind. then the heart. After they agree what shall be visualized, they pass control to the soul. Who then creates the narrative. This is science, people.

All that depth and wonder starts off as a faint, pallid, chicken scratch sketch. Like so.

Step 2 : Adding base details.

Now it’s time to coax the details. Adding a base of black, grays will allow the blues, pinks and white to blend better. Creating more shadow.

Ya gotta trick gel sticks into working with you, not against you.

Step 3 : Building up shadow, mid tones and light.

Now is the meat and potatoes ( or mushrooms and potatoes if you prefer 🙂 ) of the process. Here is where you decide where the shadows, mid tones and light source will be.

With gel sticks they blend similar to oil pastels. So prepping the underside layers is crucial.

Step 4 : Aggressive Color Shading

We’ve been a pansy up until this point. Lightly grazing the page with pigment. Gingerly layering color. NO MORE!! It’s time to go ham, and pile on the blue shades!!.

Step 5 : Finishing touches

Notice how her expression is fully formed. Step 1 had her looking like she just came out of the woods. Whereas now, her peaceful, slightly melancholic stare comes through.

Adding more black has allowed the blue to become even more bright. And white highlights help to create better shape definition.

Wall Visualization

This piece is for those who understand, wishful thinking is blissful thinking. Two highly charged clashing energies, (represented by hot pink and electric blue) can “clash” together and find new bliss.

A calm between the chaos, between the sentimental dreaming, and electric melancholy.

I understand this sounds nuts. But I’m an artist. I can’t help speaking like this. (kisses kisses)

It’s funny typing this, because these few images bely hours of work and countless adjustments. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Every piece is handmade. Infused with soul. May it awaken yours.

Love, Red Moth