Years ago I shared a studio with several artists. It was a public studio located at Alki beach, a Seattle waterfront park. Some artists would paint from live models while others worked on existing projects. Our models usually stumbled upon the studio while walking at the beach. They would come to pose wearing wonderful clothing and hats. One gentleman artist, Willard, used to constantly exclaim "You just have to nail it from the start! That's the best way to paint a painting." He'd struggle away while the woman next to him, who spent years as a professional portrait painter, simply nailed it every time - It was a very fun dynamic to watch the two of them. To this day I still hear Willard, half enthusiastically and half out of frustration, yelling "You just have to nail it from the start!
I completely agree with him. One of the benefits I find in doing the small daily paintings is that I can be loose and experimental so if I don't nail it, it's easy to move on. But of course 'nailing it from the start' is always the best approach - because those are the ones we all live for - collectors and artists alike. Thanks Willard!!
The Canyon acrylic on canvas 24x30 $1775
