When I speak to aspiring artists about subject matter or the creation of art, most claim the hardest part of creating a piece of art is the beginning. The fear of touching a blank canvas or paper. For me, that is never a problem. Perhaps once it was, but now I seem to have enough ideas floating in my head that I have plenty to choose from. The trick might have been that at one point I passed a hurdle, and now I just start a piece and know that it will either be successful or it won't. If it isn't, I usually learn a lot from a mistake and come out of it a better artist. So what is there to lose in messing up other than a little money in materials? My time certainly was not wasted as I came out better for it. (The only exception to this is if I am working on a commission with a deadline--but we won't go there...) Now blank white paper does intimidate me a little, I will admit, so maybe that is why I like scratchboard. I start with a black board.
Recently, I finished the 16 X 20 scratchboard I have been showing progress on and want to show how I decided that it was finished.
Recently, I finished the 16 X 20 scratchboard I have been showing progress on and want to show how I decided that it was finished.
Here is the point where I was just about finished scratching. Just a little more left of the sleeve was all that needed to be done. Here is also where I began to question when I would be done. Should I scratch off more? Leave a lot of implied lines? How much might be too much? Should I try to hint at any of his clothes in the shadows or just leave it black? Was it necessary to add the reflected light on the front of his jacket? Should I add color? You see how the hardest part for me is finishing. It is much the same as when writing. I want to forever tweak and knowing when to call it finished is an art and skill within itself. Sometimes, just as in writing, I will put a work aside for a few days to a few weeks--depending upon when I need it--so that I can look at it with fresh eyes. My goal is to be truly finished. If someone were to ask, "What is one aspect of this work that you wish you would have done better on?" I want to be able to confidently say, "None. It is perfect. I cannot see anything I would change."
This is hard to say and why putting it away for a short time is sometimes a good idea. (Another thing I will do when I am short on time is to put my work in front of a mirror. By looking at a mirror image of my work, it gives me a new vantage point and helps me find any mistakes I may have made.)
Now to finish this work, I was happy with the progress and it was not difficult for me to decide to leave a lot in shadow and add just a touch of color.
This is hard to say and why putting it away for a short time is sometimes a good idea. (Another thing I will do when I am short on time is to put my work in front of a mirror. By looking at a mirror image of my work, it gives me a new vantage point and helps me find any mistakes I may have made.)
Now to finish this work, I was happy with the progress and it was not difficult for me to decide to leave a lot in shadow and add just a touch of color.
I have recently completed several works with just one splash of color added and rather like the effect, so I decided on this work to pigment the soldier's sergeant stripes and cuffs. The historian in me spoke up, as I like the coloring and idea behind the militia uniforms during the War Between the States, but then his trim would be black--so no color. As a result, I decided on the sky blue of infantry. Before adding color, I first scratch off just a little more black ink. I like my colors to go on slightly on the bright side and then scale them back with a wash of darker ink.
What I use for color varies, but most of the time is ink, whether bottled or in pencil form depends upon the area and what I am coloring.
What I use for color varies, but most of the time is ink, whether bottled or in pencil form depends upon the area and what I am coloring.