Painting Helpers: Seeing Your Shapes as ABSTRACTS

Sometimes when parts of a painting are too obvious, they lose interest. Even a realistic painting needs to have ambiguity, otherwise it can either be too boring or illustrated. With my students, for example, we always talk about drawing what we see instead of what we think we should see. If you don't see the details in the eye because it is in the shadow, then don't draw it.

When we focus more on the abstract elements of a painting, we focus more on how the shapes, values and colors interact with themselves. In Harold Speed's “On Painting,” he described this idea beautifully. Although he was a realist painter from the early 20th century, he explains how a painting is 100% design, made of shapes, shades, and colors. If all of the elements of art can work together in a piece, you will have a successful painting

One artist that I really admire for using abstract shapes within a realistic setting is Antonio Mancini. Though his paintings are realistic, they are also incredibly abstract. In his painting “Lost in Thought” for example, if you were to only look at the bottom half of the piece you would think it was an abstract painting. And in many ways, ironically, it appears more realistic than any photo.  

Reasons Working Out Helps My Art: Solve Your Problems More Easily

A majority of painting is problem solving. Even if we know ahead of time what we will be painting, there are always obstacles along the way. Should this tree be moved? Is this too green? These are the questions that help make a strong painting, although they aren't always easy to answer.

Exercise has had a profound impact on how I solve my problems in a painting. For one thing, it has helped resolve difficult areas a lot sooner. Instead of locking myself in front of my painting when stuck, doing a 30 minute workout allows me to get my blood flowing while thinking about the painting at the same time. Creativity doesn't always happen in the studio. Oftentimes it happens when we are away doing other activities. In fact, most of my “aha” moments happen when I'm about 5 minutes into a workout.

If you are really stuck on a painting, one thing I found that helps is to take a picture of the painting and keep it visible during a workout (if running, I hold the phone in my hand). As soon as you start to breath heavier, take a look at your picture. Oftentimes the problem areas will stick out like a sore thumb.

After my workout, I try to get at least 10 minutes into a painting to address the problem areas. Even if I just leave a note for the next day, I know I have made a lot more progress than if I stayed in the studio all day.

Reasons working out helps my art: Just feeling good

Making art is such an incredible way to relieve pain. Whether it is psychological pain or physical pain, the benefits of making and observing art are incredible. 

However, a common misconception about making art is that you have to suffer to make “great art.” We have drastically over-romanticized the idea of the tortured or starving artist, slaving away on artwork and never being happy with life.  We went to think of Jackson Pollock or Van Gogh as prime examples. 

Artists, just like anyone, want to alleviate pain and suffering. In fact, artists can actually improve their creativity by taking care of themselves. Jackson Pollock, for example, had 2 years where he was sober in the 1940s, and these were also known as his most prolific years. “That was the period when he really came into his own as a creative innovator,” Hellen Harrison proclaimed. Even Van Gogh was known to be more prolific when in the hands of Doctor Gachet.

Many artists actually make sure to include working out into their daily routines. Joan Miro and Earnest Hemingway used to box (even with each other), Picasso was an avid swimmer, and Charles Dickens used to walk over 20 miles a day. 

When I started working out more, I noticed a major difference with my mood. I felt more optimistic and excited about the day. I now have a lot more energy and am able to sustain that energy most of the day. In return, this helps my paintings head in the right direction where I am happy with the results.

Reasons working out helps my art: Taking Action

There are so many components when it comes to making a painting.  Whether your composition is abstract or realistic, there is  a  lot of analysis and organization into making sure you have a successful piece. 

With all of the components in painting, you would not be able to accomplish anything without the ability to take action.  Artist block is literally the inability to take action on your own artpiece. Any amount of experience, advanced theory or technique means absolutely nothing if you cannot even get the motivated to work on your canvas.

When we are able to take action and just work on our paintings, even if it means making a mistake, it is almost always better than being stuck.  Many of the Masters in the past would work and rework canvases until they were satisfied with the results.  Look at Monet, for example. In Ross King’s book “Mad Enchantment,” he talks about how Monet would have a “slashing day” in which he would destroy all of his unsuccessful paintings with a knife.

When I was younger, I used to spend so much time trying to get motivated to paint. What I started to realize is that even if you aren't in the mood to paint, if you just get started you will eventually get yourself into the mood you want to be in. Working out is exactly the same.

Exercising has really made a profound impact on my working ability in art. In many ways, taking action in exercise is very similar to taking action in art. Some days you are super excited to get to work. Other days, you can feel like a slug. When you just take action and put in the work, you will eventually get into the flow.

Reasons Working Out Help My Art: Push Through The Difficult Parts!

There are always parts on a painting that are more difficult than others. Things like adding details to a face, trying to be bold without overworking the painting, or committing to some strong brush strokes can be very challenging. These are areas that require a lot of strong focus and mental energy.  

More often than not, a painting requires us to change directions or redo problem areas. So often with my students, the hardest problems aren't necessarily finding what isn't working with the painting, but finding the grit  to actually make the necessary changes. 

To make a strong painting, you have to find ways to work through the difficult areas until you find a solution that works. It is easy to make a painting, but difficult is to make a successful painting that is bold, emotionally powerful, and timeless.  In Picasso’s Guernica, for example, there are hundreds of pictures (in the Reina Sophia Museum in Madrid) that cover rooms with all of the stages of this painting. Picasso never settled with his first draft, but continued to work on it until he was satisfied. Even Sargent, Sorolla, Velazquez, and Rembrandt were known to scrape down and rework their paintings until they were satisfied.

One thing that working out on a regular basis did this year was get me used to being uncomfortable (in a good way).  Not only do I feel much better when the workout is finished, but the rewards are so much better.  Just like in painting, if you push through the hard parts, your hard work will eventually pay off. 

More than anything, working out has allowed me to have the mindset to take action with so many things in my life. Painting does require a lot of analyzing and self reflection, but it is so easy to overthink what to do or, even worse, procrastinate. If you haven't started a workout program yet, I highly recommend finding something you really enjoy. You (and your paintings) won't regret it! 

Reasons working out helps my art: Helps me formulate ideas

No matter how much you try to plan your next painting, there are always areas that are more difficult than others. Not just in technique, but also in the places where we get stuck and aren't sure what to do next. This is actually one of the reasons that I love painting so much.  If it was easy and we knew exactly what to paint, it would have become boring years ago. But even with these anticipated struggles, one thing that can be very problematic with painting is overworking it to the point where it is no longer interesting. 

When I make sure to work out on a regular basis, a lot of times I get ideas in the middle of the workout. They can either be ideas on a new painting, or ideas on how to resolve an issue on a painting. Generally the more I  get out of our comfort zones, the better the ideas become.

One of my favorite things to do is to bring a picture of my painting with me when I am working out. Whether I am running with the image on my phone or bringing a print with me to the weightroom, there is something very interesting that happens. The point when the exercise gets very difficult is often the times our minds start to look for ways to push through. Just glancing at the painting at this point is so incredible because the parts that aren't working will stand out like a sore thumb. Now you can feel good for not only pushing yourself in your workout, but also resolving a difficult area in your painting. 

If you haven't tried working out with an image of your painting, I highly recommend it. Even if it is a completed painting, you may be surprised to find an area that isn't working.

"This Is Exactly What It Looks Like"

This was custom dog painting of a black lab and a yellow lab. "It is Exactly What You Think It Is" was an enjoyable painting of these two dogs in their true loving states.

Labs have always had a very special place in my heart. We grew up with black labs, and no matter what your they was like, returning home to a lab would make you feel like you were the most important person in the entire world.

I can admit, the main motivation for making this painting was to make something my wife and I smile each time we saw it. A lot of the paintings I love can be very dark and emotional, however the ones that are silly and loving can have an equally emotional impact.

Artwork That Moves Me: Diego Velazquez, "Mars Resting "

There are so many reasons why I love this painting. However the 2 biggest things I love about this painting are the humanity with this character and the surprising lack of detail in the focal area.

At a time when Mars was always depicted as this very strong, untouchable God, Velazquez decided to paint a very depiction of Mars. He is shown out of armor, rested, and even a little defeated. He seems more human than God.

Compositionally, I absolutely love how Velasquez painted this. The face is still the focus, yet it doesn't follow the rules most painters use to draw attention to the main focal area. It doesn't have the strong contrasts most painters use to draw attention, and it seems to have less detail than the rest of the painting. Yet it still draws our eye in and makes for a very strong composition.

Artwork That Moves Me: Albert Oehlen

Artwork That Moves Me: Albert Oehlen

So many of my favorite contemporary painters are from Germany. One of my all-time favorite painters is Albert Oehlen. Especially his paintings from the 80s and 90s. These paintings are bold, energetic, playful, and incredibly beautiful.

What I really love about Alber Oehlen is how bold yet playful each of his pieces are. His brushwork is strong, yet he keeps his edges soft. His paintings have a background that is realistic, yet once the piece is complete it becomes abstract and ambiguous.

What I guess I love most about his pieces is how I can never put my finger on why I love them so much. There is so much mystery and playfulness, yet at the same time so much control and care. I love it!

Artwork That Moves Me: Sir Thomas Lawrence's "Miss Harriet Clements"

Artwork That Moves Me: Sir Thomas Lawrence's "Miss Harriet Clements"

I have always been a fan of Thomas Lawrence, but this piece especially really has a lot of characteristics that make it stand out. Even though she is sitting, there is such a sense of movement with everything outside of her face. The glowing highlight is so beautifully done without being too garish. I could look at this all day.

Boston's Finest

This is an oil painting of a Boston terrier I painted at the beginning of 2023. This is painted on panel. Also known as the “American Gentleman,” they have the largest eyes of any other dog breed. If that title isn’t funny enough, I recently discovered that Boston Terriers were originally bred to fight rats in garment factories. These dogs always crack me up so much, and to be able to paint them is even better. This painting is a Christian Ives original oil painting that is colorful and semi-abstract.

Why I love Painting Dogs

For the longest time, I mainly painted people and landacapes either realistically or as semi-abstracts. They were, and still are, a constant source of joy. However, in 2018, I started primarily painting dogs since more people were interested in having their dogs painted. This became one of my biggest joys in painting as it helped me free up more than anything I had ever done before.

When I grew up, we always had dogs. At my dad's house, we had black labs and a sheepdog. At my mom's we had shelties. Dogs have always been a part of my life. In fact, on the Chinese Zodiac I am the dog as well The same reason I actually started painting dogs in 2018 was because it was the Year of the Dog.

Whenever I paint people, especially if it is a commissioned painting, I always feel like you have to flatter the subject in some way. Sometimes you can never be too honest in a painting, especially if the person you are painting has something they don't care about like a larger nose or double chin.

A dog, on the other end, is very different. You want to see their wild and playful side. Whenever I paint dogs, the painting is never complete until I can see how wild and playful they can truly look. You never have to worry about flattering certain features of a dog. If they have a large nose or crooked tooth, it is almost better to exaggerate it since it captures more of their features.

When is a Painting Finished: My Personal Checklist

How do you know when a painting is finished? This can be one of the hardest questions to ask when you are close to being done. The last part of a painting can sometimes drag on unless you have an idea of what you are going for.

During the last few years, I started using and updating a checklist that is used whenever I feel like a painting is finished. Having a checklist may sound like a creativity killer, but trust me. It is quite the opposite! It has not only helped to make a faster and smoother process, but has prevented me from overworking a painting.

Here is my personal checklist that I like to use. I hope it can help you as well:

• Looks like it was fun and it was easy to paint (compare to Joan Miro)

• Painting should reflect original goals

• Is this a Christian Ives painting? 

• You shoud have at least  TWO paintings completed in this same color scheme

•     Compared to another painting you did with this color scheme (if none, start new one at this point)

• Competes with other paintings I’ve done when hung together

• Light enters the painting and GLOWS out-helps to glaze the right color WITHOUT white

• 3 Pillars:

• 1. Loooooooove this Image (Pontormo/del Sarto  helps)

• 2. Ehh eh, want to understand but can't (BLACK and Brice Marden helps)

• 3. Playful Chaos (Addictive song and Grunge helps)-“Should Almost Collapse on it’s own ambition”-Vincent Desedro 

• Do the colors scream “eeeghhh, aahhhhhhhh?!”

• Red/Yellow-eeeeeeehhhhh

• Blue-Ooooooooohhhhh     (Wizard of Oz song)

TECHNIQUE

Check 1 color at a time looking @ specific color on color chart (stare at the color then your painting)

• Hang on wall surrounded by other art you love (Art Room on mural wall with art posters around) and in the dining room

• Is it true to color sketch 

• Compare to most recent paintings you completed and loved 

• Directional lines of strokes, are you craving any new direction?

• Keep taking pictures and comparing to other pictures on phone

• “Too much reality is always a disappointment to the soul. We love suggestions and not hard facts” -Carlson 

• Tracy quote” Every single piece you make is infused with your heart and soul.”

• What do you think is beautiful? 

• Find a couple art books and find this months’ beauties)

• Abstract shapes- “You label it, you lose it!”

Can Exercise Make You More Creative?

Over the last few years, I have come to realize that the most creative times in life were also the times I was taking the best care of myself with diet and (especially) exercise. The times I really watched what I ate and exercised were times that my paintings were the strongest. I not only took more risks, but I also had a lot more focus and stamina to complete each painting. In comparison, the times that I have focused excessively on painting were also the times where my paintings suffered the most. They were either overdone or didn't quite reach the mark I hoped they would.

Exercise and movement not only help us feel better with endorphins. It also helps with dopamine release, better energy, stamina, and focus. After looking more into it, I found there was a lot of science to back up the idea that exercise helps creativity. The New York Times even wrote a great article directly on the subject.  This is a great realization since not only can exercise help us to be more creative and productive in art, but also more fit and active in life. It's a win-win.

Unfortunately, artists can get labeled as being inactive, bad at sports, extensive drug and alcohol users, etc.  Many of the idols we have in art (Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock) were known to have very self-destructive lives. These stories are romanticized but aren’t very accurate to the majority of artists.  There were, and still are, many artists who included daily exercise into their routines (Joan Miro, Ernest Hemmingway, Picasso, Frank Stella, etc.).  I’ll write another post soon about specific artists and their routines. 

Part of the reason artists weren't always labeled as being active could have to do with the popularity of fitness in general. Exercise was not a popular activity until the 1970s. In fact, a lot of the health benefits weren't really known until last century as well. Even with that said, many artists included forms of exercise in their daily routines since they saw it as beneficial to their art.

This is not to say you have to be an athlete to be a good artist. Even if you can't exercise 10 hours a week, anything you can do to improve your health will in return help everything you do, including your art. I hope this helps. 

Even Realistic Paintings are Exagerated

This last year, I read Harold Speed’s: The Practice and Science of Drawing,” which was written close to 100 years ago. While there is an incredible amount of knowledge in this book, the main thing that really stood out was on how the greats (Rembrandt, Rubens, Sargent, Velazquez, etc.) exaggerates reality in their paintings. If you look at their paintings, the design was much more important than creating an exact copy of the subject. Harold used the analogy of a piston in an engine: if the connection is too tight, the piston will not move. Too loose, and it will be all over the place. A piston, like a good painting, works best when it is loose enough to be maluable yet secure.

Many artists that study realistic drawing today can make the mistake of focusing more on making exact copies of their subjects than on having a strong design. While learning how to draw what you see and learning anatomy are incredibly vital for any artist, the most important thing of a painting should always be the design if you want it to be successful.

If we take a look at John Singer Sargent for example, his paintings could be classified as realistic interpretations. But wait! Take a look again and you will see how exaggerated they really are. Is it because he as an unskilled craftsman? Not at all! John Singer Sargent was strongly influenced by Velazquez, El Greco, and Goya.

During a recent show in The National Gallery on John Singer Sargent: Spain, it was amazing to see how much Goya, El Greco and Velazquez had an impact on his artwork. I had always noticed the exaggerations in artists like El Greco (look at those long arms!), but it never hit me how overly exagerated Sargent's paintings really were.

The same can be said with Rembrandt and Rubens. As both artists got older (and better in my opinion) their line work loosened up and their forms were a lot more exaggerated.

But one thing always stay the same with all of these artists. Whether the painting was extremely exaggerated or exaggerated just a little, the design was always the most important aspect.

Cleaning and Maintaining your Brushes the Healthy Way

When I started painting with oil paint over 20 years ago, we learned one way to clean our brushes: use lots of turpentine. In art school, turpentine was used in the painting studio the same way calculators were used in the math class. Need to thin your paint? Use turpentine. Need to clean your brushes? Use turpentine. The smell alone was enough to kill a baby sheep. Turpentine can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, kidney damage, and bleeding of the lungs just to name a few.

It is no wonder oil painting got such a bad reputation for being an unhealthy medium. Many artists, including Bob Ross, got very sick from over exposure to turpentine. When I talk with most artists who paint with acrylic, their main reason for not switching to old is because “oils are to toxic.” I am here to tell you not only is that wouldn't inaccurate, but that oil painting can be one of the healthiest mediums of paint out there. You just need to know what to use with it.

While most art stores sell “healthier” alternatives to turpentine that are now odorless, they still have the same negative health effects. Just because it said”odorless” first mean it doesn't still create a toxic fume.

Outside of being so bad for our health, turpentine is also very bad for our brushes. Think of your own hair for a second. If you use harsh cleaners or dies in your hair, after time it will start to stiffen and get split ends. Brushes do the same thing. If they are cleaned too often with turpentine they will start to become more stiff and out of contro For cleaning bushes, there is one main thing that I have found to be the most effective.

Best Overall: Walnut Oil:

Cleaning your brushes with oil not only will get the oil paint out but also kee the hairs in your brush healthy and last longer. I have some Rosemary Brushes that have been used for years that are just as maluable as the day I got them. I like to use walnut oil since it is also the medium I use when painting. In the long run, this method is much more cost effective than buying turpentine since it will drastically increase the longevity of your brushes.

Runner Up: Safflower Oil:

Another great cleaner and medium to use. The reason I put Walnut Oil and Sunflower Oil towards the top is they won't cause your paints to yellow over time like linseed oil.

Most Economical: Canola Oil:

This is by far the cheapest way to clean your brushes if you choose to use oil. I would just prefer to use a paper towel to really try to remove any excess oil since this would cause your paints to yellow over time.

After your brush is clean:

Cardboard and Paper Clips:

To keep the shape of your brush after it is clean, you will need something that can secure the hairs of your brush for at least 24 hours to prevent the brush from using it's shape. If you cut up strips of cardboard and fold them in half, they can be used to hold the ends of your brushes together (pretent the cardboard is an alligator mouth biting the end of your brush). Use a clip on the cardboard to keep it secure, and walla! Your brush is not only clean but secure to keep it's shape.

"The Fox and the Sun"

The Fox in the sun

The Fox and the Sun” 16” x 20”

This is an oil painting of a fox calmly sitting in front of a hill. When we first moved to Virginia in 2022, I was surprised by the number of foxes. We would see them all the time in the fields on our walks and drives to school. I wanted to capture the personality of one especially resting in the sun. I love how soft and dynamic the features are in their bodies, and how intricate their faces can be.

This is an oil painting with Gamblin and Williamsburg Oil Paints on hand stretched canvas. This painting is a Christian Ives original oil painting that is colorful and semi-abstract.

Boston's Finest

This is an oil painting of a Boston terrier I painted at the beginning of 2023. Also known as the “American Gentleman,” they have the largest eyes of any other dog breed. If that title isn’t funny enough, I recently discovered that Boston Terriers were originally bred to fight rats in garment factories. These dogs always crack me up so much, and to be able to paint them is even better. This painting is a Christian Ives original oil painting that is colorful and semi-abstract.

Quotes from other artists: When is a Painting Finished?

A few years ago, I went to an Open Studios event in Portland, Oregon where there were over 50 artists available to talk with the public. I made sure to ask each artist I met how they considered their painting to be finished. This is a very tough question to ask, especially if you are really wanting to make a strong painting. The following are the responses I got from each person:

-When there is nothing else you can add to it

-When my wife takes it away

-When nothing else can be added to make it even better

-It looks good hung in my dining room

-I have to put it away for a few weeks and not look at it. When I look at it again I can’t think of anything else I would like to add.

-When I view my painting next to other paintings I love, including ones I made

-Looks like it was fun and it was easy to paint

-It has the shadow of a God (originally quoted from Rembrandt)

I still struggle to know when my paintings are completed, but these quotes definitely helped me. The beautiful thing about all of this is, even with so many professional painters, there never is a clear-cut answer for when a painting is complete.

Top 5 Books on Making a Strong Painting

There are so many books out there on painting. My favorite painting books have always been the ones that explain the fundamentals of making a strong picture. Step-by-step books are great for someone who has never painted, but I don’t think those books really help the artist with the main issues of creating a strong painting (realistic or abstract). The books on this list have helped me understand what makes a visually strong painting without feeling stuck in a particular style or step-by-step method.

1. Andrew Loomis-Creative Illustration

While this book isn't strictly about painting, it does have a lot more information than any other book on constructing a strong composition. What I love most about this book is that Andrew Loomis writes in a way that is very strait forward, easy to understand, and is so accessable to whatever type of painter you are. It does a great job explaining how to set up a strong design, how to simplify your values, make your colors more harmonious, and how to draw attention to your main focal areas. I can't praise this book enough.

2. Andrew Loomis-The Eye of the Painter .

Andrew Loomis continues where he left off with “Creative Illustration” from above, but focuses more on specific painters between the 16th and early 20th centuries. His different chapters talk in great detail about unity, simplicity, design, proportion, color, rhythm, form, texture, values of light, the beauty of the subject, and technique. A lot of what you will find from Alla Prima (including Richard Schmid’s famous squinting technique), can be found here. He specifically talks about specific paintings from artists such as Goya, Titian, and Velazquez and how they used these methods to achieve their painting results. Unlike Harold Speed, Andrew Loomis takes a bit more time to make sure the viewer really understands these principles without rambling. While this book is currently out of print, it is free to download online since it is past it’s copywrite. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

3. Richard Schmid-Alla Prima II. Everything I Know About Painting - And More.

This is a beautifully written book. Richard Schmid (rest in peace) was an incredible Plein air painter. Not only does Richard really open up about the process of his paintings, but it also features incredible reproductions of Richard Schmid's paintings. The book is beautifully laid out and goes into great detail about what he focuses on in creating a painting. His color charts alone are worth doing. I felt comfortable before reading this book with mixing my own colors, but these color charts really did help me get a clearer understanding of the color combinations you can truly get. If you can afford this book ($120-$180 if you find a good deal), I highly recommend adding this to your bookshelf.

4. Harold Speed- Oil Painting Techniques and Materials.

I love this book! Harold goes into great detail analyzed a large range of artists from Titian to Joshua Reynolds and how they would have applied their paint. He divides his chapters into the different stages in creating a portrait, the various techniques premiere and Velasquez used in their paintings, practices for creating a strong composition, and many different analyses of paintings that he finds strong in the National Gallery in London.

5. Robert Henri- The Art Spirit.

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This book was made from a collection of letters Robert Henri wrote to his students over his many years as an artist and a teacher. He covers many issues that his students had with their own paintings such as how to compose their portraits, layer their colors, and compose their pictures. Even though Henri was a realistic painter, his ideas focus more on being more expressive and talks about ways to loosen up. This is such a great book to help you feel more free and in control of your own paintings.