How do you go from this, a blank page in your sketchbook to this, a finished painting with a complex composition ? In this video, we’ll follow the creative process, starting from scratch and I will share a super important artist secret to get the best possible start. And make sure to stick to the end because I’ll also suggest a couple of fun exercises you can do if you want to follow along.
So, how does art start ? It has to start somewhere but, contrary to a common misconception about inspiration, the idea of the final painting doesn’t simply appear like that in your head, all of a sudden. It’s a slow grind, chaotic and uncertain not a sudden burst of light. You know how the symbol of the light bulb is often used to illustrate inspiration and having an idea, well… this is a terrible image, because it’s nothing like this!

It all starts with a blank page or a blank canvas. And this is actually where most people stop. It’s very hard to face this emptiness when, in front of you, there is an infinite number of possibilities. Creative anxiety is a real thing and, surprisingly, it doesn’t from a lack of ideas but from an overwhelming number of possible, equally interesting options. The job of an artist is to decide which one is the best and to make it a reality.

I’m going to share with you a simple trick that can definitely help you get a good start and figure out the composition of your future painting early on. It will help you release your creative anxiety, explore more and, overall, make you a better artist.

This trick is so simple but sadly often overlooked! Today, let’s talk about the power of thumbnails! Let me grab my sketchbook and show you!

Chapters:
00:00 The difficulty of Starting from Scratch
03:15 Appreciate the blank canvas
06:11 Start with a Thumbnail, not a Model
09:52 What next ?
12:39 Fun exercises you can do!


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The material I use most of the time (not necessarily in this video) :

Drawing
✓ Kneaded eraser
✓ Plumb line (DIY)
✓ Small mirror
✓ An old synthetic brush
✓ Masking tape
✓ Cutter
✓ Sandpaper or sanding block
✓ Mahlstick or Hand rest (DIY)
✓ Level ruler
Graphite
✓ Pencils 2H, HB and 2B
Charcoal
✓ If available: Nitram charcoals (H, HB and B)
✓ Square charcoals
Black and white chalk
✓ Sketch pencil Conté white
✓ Square Conté noir : HB and 2B
✓ Chalk or pencil holder
✓ Pencil sketch Conté Pierre noire : H and HB
Sanguine
✓ Sketch pencil Conté : Blood and blood Medici
✓ Crayon Polychromos Faber-Castel : sanguine
✓ Sketch pencil Conté white
Oil painting
Palette
(Extra-fine paint, recommended brands depending on availability: Sennelier, Lefranc Bourgeois, Winsor and Newton, Royal Talens Rembrandt, Blockx, Michael Harding, Gamblin)
✓ Titanium White PW6
✓ Flake White (or substitute) PW1
✓ Cadmium Yellow light (or "lemon") PY35
✓ Yellow Ochre PY42
✓ Raw Umber PBr7
✓ Transparent Red Oxyde PR101
✓ Burnt Umber PBr7
✓ Venetian Red PR101
✓ Pyrrole Red PR255
✓ Quinacridone Rose PV19
✓ Quinacridone Magenta PV19
✓ Ultramarine Blue PB29
✓ Mars Black PBk11
✓ Cobalt Teal Blue (turquoise light) PG50
✓ Phthalo green warm PG36
Brushes
✓ Filbert hog bristle and Synthetic sizes n° 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12
✓ Flat Synthetic brushes (same size)
✓ Round sable brush or round Kolinsky sable n° 4, 8, 10, 12 (from the size of the nail (about one inch) or synthetic imitation
Medium
✓ Linseed stand oil
✓ Odorless mineral spirits
✓ Or Alkyd medium (Liquin, Galkyd, Flow'n'Dry etc.)
✓ Safflower oil
Surface
✓ Linen canvas, fine grain universal coating
✓ For studies : Canson oil-acrylic oil paper Figueras
Others
✓ Palette
✓ Sponge and spalter brushes
✓ Palette knife in the shape of a water drop, no souldering
✓ A few small pots, containers, jars...
✓ Paper towels

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#art #painting #inspiration
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Thanks for watching !