Percolating a painting- what does that even mean?
I don’t know if you’ve noticed how long it takes me between finishing a painting and starting another. Well, it does, but there’s a reason.
It’s the ‘in between’ time work once a painting is finished and the next one begins. While it doesn’t sound like work, it really is! I can’t go forward until that part is done.
It’s easiest to explain what it is by explaining how it works.
1. The choosing of a subject
Because I’m always seeing interesting sights and taking photos to capture them, I have many, many options when it comes to what to paint next. So ideas for what to paint is never in short supply.
The barred owl has been on my list of things to paint for a while, along with the other subjects I posted in my poll. So, after hearing the thoughts from those of you who replied, the owl won out over all of the other choices.
Subject chosen.
2. The Percolation Phase
Just because I know WHAT to paint, doesn’t mean I know HOW to paint it.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the technical how, but also the optional how. One thing that kept bothering me about the owl photo reference is that the setting didn’t move me.
I love the owl itself, and the setting is alright. I just don’t LOVE it. It was missing something.
So the idea of how I wanted to paint it hadn’t percolated down into my consciousness yet from the ethers.
3. The Ah-ha! Moment
It happened while I was on the dirt road heading home yesterday evening. All the background thinking I’ve been doing about it, figuratively and literally, finally resulted in a revelation and a vision that now excites me and I can’t wait to start bringing it to the canvas.
I want a background that combines this photo with the owl for the main subject. I love the sunburst and will somehow figure out a way to use that – even if it isn’t exactly like this, because the proportions here won’t work. But the idea of it is what I want to capture.
Percolating a Painting
So here I am. Now I’ve got the subject, the setting, and I’m ready to begin working it out into a composition. The next thing I’ll do now is make a sketch of objects and placement. While I’m letting that do a little steeping in my mind, I’ll prime the board and get my paints ready and set up my easel.
And now it’s time to go have a cup of coffee and let the vision settle.
Contact & About
email: madison@wildozark.com
phone: (479) 409-3429
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I’m a nature-lover, real estate agent & artist. Sometimes, I also write things. I began using local pigments to paint scenes from nature in the Ozarks in 2018.
If you’re interested in buying or selling in rural northwest AR, get in touch with me by phone, text, or email. I’m happy to help! I have a separate website for my real estate blogging and information at WildOzarkLand.com.
All of my artwork is available in prints, and where originals are available, they are for sale. You can find all of that over at shop.WildOzark.com.
Call me “Roxann” or “Madison”, either one works.
For pretty much everything online, I go by Madison Woods, a pen name I adopted when I first began writing and then later with my art. For real estate, I use my real name, Roxann Riedel. And for my fiction, there’s yet another pen name: Ima Erthwitch.
Do you want to learn how to use your local rocks, soil, or clay to make paints?