ART INSIGHTS: To an artist, a blank canvas can be intimidating
Oil painter Frank Gray's slogan for starting a painting is, “When in doubt, fog it out; when in doubt, wipe it out.” He gets rid of all the white by loosely applying pigment over the entire blank canvas. He then wipes it with a cloth soaked with paint thinner to lighten it. Shapes begin to appear, much as images appear in clouds. These guide his layout.
Courtesy photo
A painting can only be finished after it is started. Artist Diane Barron recommends diving into the project and seeing it through to the end.
Frank Gray triumphed over a blank canvas to create this oil painting, "High Mountain Monarch."
Barron
All that glaring white staring at me!
The dilemma of the inspiration/idea is behind me. Avoidance has gone on long enough. Cat nose smudges have been wiped off windows, undies are in the dryer and there are leftovers for dinner. I have been stalking the canvas for a couple of days.
Now the brushes must strike! It’s like taking a plunge into cool water. Now I must get moving. Like tearing into a remodeling project, it’s ugly and messy for a while.
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