Lesson 12 consists of more sketchbook exercises, a masking "batik", and another negative painting project.
But, first, I want to share with you a ritual that I suggest you do, at the beginning of a series of paintings, or before starting on a big project . . .
PREPARING TO PAINT
This ritual takes place AFTER you've planned your painting, or series; and usually after you've done the drawing and mounted your paper on a board.
Start with a clean palette, which is not this . . .
Wipe off the inside area of the palette, as well as all around the palette. I also clean up the yellow wells, which have usually been contaminated with greens, blues, and reds.
After you've cleaned up your palette, it is ready for some fresh paint . . .
Gather all the tubes of paint that you have on hand, or have recently purchased, and line them up at the corresponding wells. (You can see that I don't always have every color.)
Then, squeeze each color into the appropriate well -- right on top of what is already there. No need to discard the existing paint in the well, UNLESS it is so old that it is crumbly. If that's the case, then scrape that old, crumbly paint out of there.
Use a palette knife to spread and smooth out the paint. Try not to leave it in a mound or coiled in the middle of the well.
Continue this way, squeezing out and spreading the paint, working your way around the palette -- until you've used every tube that you have. (You usually won't have to use the whole tube.)
It's kind of a messy process . . .
To set up your "painting station", choose the brushes that you think you will need, and have them handy. Prepare a "pad" of paper towels, made up of about 10 pieces of paper towels, folded in half and stacked. Put this just to the left of your palette and to the right of your paper/board (if you are right-handed).
Fill up a plastic container with water and fill up a mister with clean water . . .
. . . and, you are ready to paint!
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