Thoughts on warm-up paintings? - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

This topic has 17 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by KreativeK Moderator.

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March 13, 2018 at 9:24 pm #452905
bookat
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Hey! I’m wondering if anyone out there does warm-up paintings? If so, do you do them daily, or prior to working on a painting?

Bonus question…how do you store/maintain them? In a sketchbook? Canvas boards? Loose sheets of mixed-media or canvas paper?
March 13, 2018 at 10:10 pm #584119
Mayfly
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Hi bookat – welcome too.

Yes at times, and wishing daily, I will try some warm up stuff with no intention of it going somewhere yet, as a result, I find myself having something to work with to the end. In some cases, I just throw left over paint on paper that yields some really interesting opportunities to further work as warm up. I am learning to not fear the bin which is good advice for a painter.
Check this out:

https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/watercolor/getting-trashed/

As to storage, well that is my shortfall at the moment. I have multiple layers of mainly paper, some canvas, and few boards swarming around me in my painting area ready to attack. Not a pretty sight. So I will be interested to hear ideas.

Hope I answered in part your questions. Cheers

Carl
March 14, 2018 at 5:15 am #584126
fedetony
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I’m always in warm-up mode :D… I experiment with many pieces, different styles and ways to use the materials, I normally have a parallel piece where I do this experiments when I am insecure to apply it directly to my work and in the end it becomes a piece of its own…

Federico Garcia
My Blog
C&C always welcome

"...when someone gives a critique of your work, fear not. It usually means they like or care more of your work than when they just pat your back." - Tiago
March 14, 2018 at 10:35 am #584121
Old_hobbyest
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all my ptgs are warm-ups and most are paint-overs!
March 14, 2018 at 10:51 am #584116
talisman
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I don’t do warm ups but I do experiments, sometimes.
I usually have 2-3 paintings going at a time, so working on rough fill or background on one and fine details on another.

Dianna WC! Guide: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Art
C and C always welcome.
My DeviantArt Gallery
March 14, 2018 at 8:59 pm #584128
bookat
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I’m always in warm-up mode :D… I experiment with many pieces, different styles and ways to use the materials, I normally have a parallel piece where I do this experiments when I am insecure to apply it directly to my work and in the end it becomes a piece of its own…

That’s a really neat idea to have a “parallel” piece! Couldn’t that get expensive tho…since you’re kind of doing a duplicate of a painting? I guess the masters did lots of duplicates…I’m just too frugal for that I suppose!

I also love that idea of “always being in warm-up mode”! That’s such a good attitude to have, and it takes a lot of the pressure off (pressure that it HAS to be perfect right off the bat).

thanks for the comments everyone.
March 14, 2018 at 10:26 pm #584117
talisman
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Every painting you learn something and you can bring that to the next one.

Dianna WC! Guide: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Art
C and C always welcome.
My DeviantArt Gallery
March 15, 2018 at 5:25 am #584120
tiago.dagostini
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Usually do some sketching at newsprint with conté to warm up.

"no no! You are doing it all wrong, in the internet we are supposed to be stubborn, inflexible and arrogant. One cannot simply be suddenly reasonable and reflexive in the internet, that breaks years of internet tradition as a medium of anger, arrogance, bigotry and self entitlement. Damm these internet newcomers being nice to to others!!!"

"If brute force does not solve your problem, then you are not using enough!"
March 15, 2018 at 12:39 pm #584122
Colorado_Ed
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Like exercising, I should do warm-up paintings more…

"The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you." Neil deGrasse Tyson

My blog: http://ejsherman.blogspot.com/
Instagram: edward_sherman
March 15, 2018 at 2:23 pm #584124
cliff.kachinske
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Nope. Sometimes I will do a small preliminary study, but I’m usually just winging it.

A painting is never really done as long as I can get my hands on it.
March 15, 2018 at 2:48 pm #584123
oldnmartist
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I like to start somewhere that is not as critical when warming up, and tackle the more challenging areas when I have loosened up. I believe there is definitely a warm up period, just like almost anything else.

Everything else being equal, I would rather be in the painting zone.

Website: www.mikesartshack.com
March 15, 2018 at 8:08 pm #584130
dave woody
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I never ever consider painting the same thing twice, trying to make another one that would be better..etc.

My friend Milton Grubert is an accomplished artist with history and reputation and I asked him, as a Pro, for his insight into why I only ever have the intent to paint just once.

His reply made perfect sense, suggesting that elaborating on a picture again and again is…… ‘work’.
…..he was SO right. I paint for fun…..not for any other reason.
March 15, 2018 at 9:00 pm #584125
cliff.kachinske
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If you’re after photo-realistic effects, it probably would be work. But if you’re using the reference as a point of departure for a free interpretation, then subsequent works based on the same reference can be as much fun as the first.

A painting is never really done as long as I can get my hands on it.
March 16, 2018 at 6:12 pm #584131
dave woody
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If you’re after photo-realistic effects, it probably would be work. But if you’re using the reference as a point of departure for a free interpretation, then subsequent works based on the same reference can be as much fun as the first.

That makes sense.
March 17, 2018 at 7:48 pm #584118
talisman
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I haven’t done any re-dos, yet.
However I have several ideas that I keep waiting for my skills to come up to the level that idea needs.

Dianna WC! Guide: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Art
C and C always welcome.
My DeviantArt Gallery
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