Since I use woodblocks for painting, I cannot simply start painting. It’s a multi-step process, some of which is proprietary information on my process – just a fancy way of saying I keep that my trade secret – but I like my clients to know the care and time that go into their art collection long before it ever reaches them.
A board must first be cut down to the desired size; typically I work on pieces that are 20×24″, 20×30″, or 30×40″ as favorite common sizes. The boards come in 5-foot x 5-foot pieces and all measurements have about a +/- 1/8″ allowance for saw cuts. Since wood absorbs what’s placed upon it, the wood must be sanded, primed, sanded, primed, etc. a number of times to create a painting surface that’s ideal for portrait art so the wood doesn’t suck in the paint and leave it chalky and dull. We want vivid bold color art!
Next comes the texture – one of my favorite prep stages! This is the part where I can lay out interesting peaks and valleys on the surface of the wood. The highs and lows take paint differently – creating interest and variety in the background of the portrait. It takes about 12 hours for the texture to cure. The artwork then goes through another sanding stage again – knocking down the roughest edges so it doesn’t eat my brushes!
How much texture I place depends on my whims, instinct, and, if it’s a commission, client interest. What’s pictured is pretty typical for a medium amount of texture before sanding.
While the texture cures, I get to planning! Long before I ever put a brush to my canvas, so to speak, the artwork is laid out visually using computer software. I plan where the subject will sit, rough proportions needed to both fill the space and leave a desired negative space so the finished artwork has an aesthetic layout. I also work from a black & white reference in most cases, so I will prep the reference image removing color so it does not influence my color choices. Since I paint with non-typical flesh colors most of the time, removing the color information allows me to be creative with color choices and not be biased by the colors in the photo reference. I also do not follow the reference exactly, so I plan changes and parts of the photo I wish to include and exclude to make it truly a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork.
Next comes grounding. I don’t love working on a pure white background to start so I tend to choose a medium or mid-value. While many pros recommend starting with a neutral color, like grey or brown, I often start with a blue or blue-green color background. Why? I usually work warm tones into the skin, so I like starting with an opposite on the color wheel to help balance warm and cool tones right away on my surface. While some may warn that starting cool will influence the eye, so far I have loved the balance it provides to the bold, warm colors I prefer in faces in my artwork. When I am planning for a cooler end image with dominant blues or cool colors, I will usually ground the surface with a peach or pink in contrast.
All of this process requires a few days’ time, a bit of planning, and all happens before I even begin. Perhaps I’ll come back and talk about the steps that come next. That’s where the magic of bold color begins!
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