Red Cabbage Patch, Art Tip #18 Thumbnail Sketch

" Red Cabbages "

Oil (in process)

24"x24"

Here is the current painting I am working on. I like to use acrylic Yellow Oxide to tone gessoed canvas or linen. The background is completed and some of the cabbage leaves are roughed in. You can see my premixed palette in use (I posted it a few days ago before I started painting. The colors across the top are straight from the tube colors, not part of the painting, just hanging out ready to remix more color if needed.

I use Liquin as a medium, also for mixing glazes. My current favorite brushes are Robert Simmons Titanium. For the small 6x6 panels I will do the entire painting with a #4 Bright.

Art Tip #18: Thumbnail sketch...a tiny little sketch, 3"x 4" or so, of my idea for a painting. I try several to see basic shapes/line/form/value....it's a necessary plan, step one in composing a painting. You need a "road map" or "plan" to see where you are going..otherwise you'll be making changes when you get into the painting process..one change leads to another and pretty soon you have a "mess" and most likely a weak painting. Start with a simple plan...a strong base on which to later/lastly put some details, if needed.