Making a Painting
As a painter the question I get asked the most is "Steve, why do you bother?" Then next one I get asked is - "How long do these things take?" And then the third question I get asked, less often, is - "How do you make these?" Well here, I shall endeavour, in part, to answer the last question. The first I've given up on wondering about and the second varies. Obviously.
Well, the first thing is... get an idea. Preferably, one you like, and one that you feel has possibilities. It doesn't have to be too concrete, it should have room for you to move within it. For example - I've always liked Mad Scientists. Fun clothes, faces, with a lot of possibilities for settings, decor and narrative. So... One sketches, doodles out ideas. Often - they are hardly even 'ideas.'
These are all ink on paper. Usually a fountain pen - Cross being my favourite.
So, skipping a few chapters here - after a while, a drawing - a final drawing, is worked out. As you can imagine, in between the doodles above and this one, there is a lot of erasure and thrown out bits of paper. But I believe that one must end up with something - it won't do to give up, throw the towel and end up with nothing. Ok, so it may not the Golden Creation you had in your head, but... give it a chance! It should exist. Let it live.
This drawing is called 'The Alchemists' Club.' It is about 75 x 55 cm. Ink done with dip pen and brush. The paper was not really high qual stuff, but heavy enough not to collapse under the washes.
