Final painting: The Nightingale as 6 of Cups

I’ve been using the same basic illustrative methodology since my late teens. That is not to say that I haven’t deviated from my technical repertoire, but the basic formula  from initial sketch to finished painting has pretty much remained the same.

First comes the sketch. As you can see from the photo in part 1, I’ve filled many sketchbooks while brainstorming Fairy Tale. The purpose of these drawings-in-the-raw is to help me connect conscious deliberation with automatic delivery.

The sketches represent unfiltered, intuitive thought processes. Oftentimes, the initial sketch (design-wise) looks very much like the finished product. For me, over-contemplation of a drawing dooms it to failure. If it doesn’t flow, I leave it, only to return when inspiration strikes. Some ideas can be fleshed out with immediacy while others need time to ripen before the creative juices are ready to flow. While teaching, I used to tell my students to doodle a series of thumbnails and follow the designs that felt *right*. If it’s not working, take a break or turn to another task in the interim. It’s amazing how effective this was.

Then comes the refined sketch. At this juncture, I would research and acquire reference material such as pics of period costume, accouterments and photos as needed. Here you can see my husband assuming a pose as the spirit.

FINAL DRAWING & TRANSFER

Final Drawing

I then draw on tracing paper, rub the back with a 6B (softness of lead) pencil and transfer it using a 4H (hardness of lead) pencil to final watercolor paper. I use 140lb hot press Waterford paper that I’ve soaked in a bathtub for 15 minutes before stapling it onto watercolor board. As it dries, it tightens up like a drum, thus preventing the paper from wrinkling while painting. The paper I use is rather pricey, so once a transfer is made there is little room for mistakes. If one is made, I integrate the “mistake” into the piece sometimes with a surprisingly positive effect. The drawing is refined using a mechanical pencil before initial watercolor paint is applied.

FIRST WASHES

my wonderful, magical palette

The initial paint application is done in broad water-saturated washes using a 1/2 inch paintbrush (I’ve been using the same large paintbrush for 25 years–talk about quality materials!). Effects like the ones seen around the figures can be achieved by sprinkling salt directly on the washes (a technique I learned from the legendary illustrator/educator Lauren Mills back in the 80s). I love to see what happens as the salt separates the paint from paper, leaving a lovely texture filled with figments of my imagination ready to be born. This is when I paint additional images spontaneously—as I see them appearing out of the paint (some may see this as a sign of madness, I see it as being pellucid-haha). The figures are painted with deliberate technical facility (as I’m a stickler for anatomical accuracy) while the peripheral material is improvised.

The painting in progress.

As I begin to refine the painting, I will slowly limit the water and create details using a dry brush technique (very little water). Upon completion, I’ll put the painting away for a few hours and come back to it for a final review before taking it off the watercolor board. If my rhythm is good, I can usually finish a painting within a week or less, depending on the complexity of the image. How do I know a painting is finished? I listen to that inner voice that tells me “ahhh, it’s done”.

~ Lisa

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The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - Early sketch

Usually I’m the conversationalist, the girl who engages herself in the free flowing exchange of ideas, happily segueing from one topic into another with tangential inflections in between. As a former art college teacher, the balance of talking and listening was a wonderful exercise in human interaction.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - final sketch

Now I was the quiet observer and instead of being enslaved by a protraction of oral recitations, I found just listening to be strangely freeing. Though I couldn’t talk, I could gesticulate and express myself in other ways, a good reminder of the nuances that we tend to take for granted. To smile, put a hand on a shoulder, to hug, pause and look people in the eyes; subtle deliveries full of human sensitivity, compassion and nurturing—universal expressions that transcend language. The good handshake can speak volumes and a smile is wonderfully contagious. I don’t think losing my voice had been a nuisance. Rather it has helped me to be more demonstrative in important, meaningful ways.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - B&W Drawing

This week I’ve chosen the Little Mermaid (Princess of Cups). This was a piece that flowed like the powerful waves sweeping over the drowning prince. My paintbrush had a voice of its own and spread the watercolor washes with gratifying effect. As I continued painting, everything about the piece felt animated; with the Little Mermaid, prince and sea all coming together in a confluence of divine energy. All the while, the dawning sun emblazons the scene with warmth that hints of what is to come.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - Final Painting

Be open to the messages of others as you connect with your heart. Listen, feel and show how you feel. And remember, always help others to shine.

~Lisa

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