How to Be More Playful (Less Literal!) in Your Paintings
Often, as artists, we want to take that leap from painting precisely what we see in front of us to painting with a more free interpretation.
We may say we want to paint 'looser.' Or we may say we want to be more 'Impressionistic' in our style. Whatever we call it, I know exactly how it feels to be working from life or from a photograph and feel trapped in copying every detail because I simply can't make the leap from what I see to what I envision it could be!
It's not as mysterious as it first appears—this leap of faith from the literal to creating more from our emotions. Creating more from what we sense and less from the perceived known.
I've gathered several ways to detangle this and ideas to help you arrive at a pleasing way of creating. I invite you to try employing one or more and see where it leads!
Tip #1
Don't worry, you can get there from here
Truth is, painting tightly is likely on the way to painting looser. It's where I began so many years ago and it's how many of us first approach painting.
Loosening up comes in steps, and we get there when we get there, so it's okay to relax and paint what you understand now. Painting and drawing in detail actually serve to help us in our initial understanding of capturing things on our paper or canvas. When we do begin yearning to paint looser, we have a good platform to launch from! So go easy on yourself in this loosening up process!
Tip #2
Stand up for yourself (and your painting!)
Standing when painting seems to automatically loosen us up a bit, so if you can stand, do so. (If you can't stand, consider using a timer to remind you to get up and move away from your painting regularly.)
I am not sure what the science is on this, but I know it's easy to stay close and get picky on a painting when seated. (My personal theory is standing is tiring, so you stay more focused, doing only what needs to be done—less trifling with unnecessary fluff.) When you stand, you tend to use your arm and shoulder in the strokes, not just the wrist as is the case when seated.
Tip #3
Let go and allow for fun and exploration
I recently set up outside my cottage studio to paint. (Well aware that these things won't always be here in this way—I wanted to capture the magic of this little place of mine!)
With that in mind, I didn't go about trying to physically move everything 'together.' I couldn't! It was everything from a large market umbrella to a chandelier on the back porch along with my daybed and some peonies in a French pitcher—all strung out in different places. What I decided to do was simply start 'sketching' in with my brush, the big pieces of the puzzle, letting the peonies (which I did place in a spot that suited me) take the prominent spot and allowing the other things to fall in softly as it suited me and the painting. In other words, I moved the elements around to create what saw in my minds eye, not how they were actually appearing.
What I got was the result you see here, which I titled "My Favorite Things."
Things I Love, Dreama Tolle Perry 2020
The takeaway for me that day was this. I allowed a journey to unfold without knowing for sure where the outcome lay. I honestly wasn't attached to the ending—I just knew I needed to paint, it needed to be outside, and of things that made my heart happy--and I was willing to take the risk of failing.
As it turns out, I was happy with the ending as well—but truly, the experience was the very best part!
Being able to 'let go' is part of the journey of moving away from the literal and moving more into the fun!
Tip #4
Forget the 'thingness' of what it is that you are painting
I remember when I first heard this said that it sort of mystified me. Weren't we here to paint this 'thing'??
Yes, we are, but maybe we need to see this thing without all the knowledge we have about it. Often times we aren't really 'seeing’—we are painting what we know. If we forget what we know, then maybe a tree is just a few simple shapes—not a gazillion leaves of various shades of green with light and shadow and twigs and bugs.
Note: Children are naturally loose painters. A broccoli shape with a line to support it is obviously a tree. And we immediately recognize it.
Kids are not tripped up by all of their superior knowledge like we big folk are.
Tip #5
Simplify, simplify
Impressionistic, looser style paintings can be described as capturing the impression of the subject with a noticeable absence of what we would call detail. Flowers portrayed with outside shape and color but perhaps not enough information to say exactly what type of flower it is--that's a loose interpretation. Brick buildings rendered in such a way that we can't count the number of bricks. Sailboats in the distance perhaps merely suggested with a flick of white paint—no more than one simple brush stroke telling the whole story of that sail boat! Look for ways to tell the story with less information!
Branch of the Seine near Giverny (Mist) 1897, by Claude Monet, The Art Institute of Chicago
Tip #6
Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to paint it
Just because something (a person, a thing, a shadow, etc.) is in your view, it doesn't mean you have to include it.
You get to orchestrate the scene.
A good question to ask is this—does this element help elevate the painting?
Note: An easy way to decide is to hold your thumb or finger over the item in question. Look at it with it in the scene and look at it without. See how it feels. Sometimes, you realize it creates movement or a great spot of color to help move the eye through the painting. Other times you may realize it feels better without the item—it actually changes the mood of the piece. It's a fascinating thing to play with when directing your painting!
This is actually fun to do on masterworks—holding your finger or hand over an area or item and seeing how you feel about the painting—most of the time, you can see that it brought something extra to the piece—what a fun learning experience!
Tip #7
Think 10. Paint 1.
An artist told me this years ago. I was doing large watercolor paintings at the time, and he wanted me to think ahead before I actually put a stroke down on the paper. (A loaded paintbrush without a plan can be a dangerous thing, who knew??...tee hee!!)
I put his idea into practice and found it also works for painting looser. I'm talking about thoughtful painting. Instead of charging in with a loaded paintbrush, how about this... start thinking about the end from the beginning.
Painting a figure, or a jar, or a cat?
How can I state it with the fewest strokes possible?
Thinking and planning ahead can result in confident, simple brushwork, ultimately creating a painterly feel in your work!
Tip #8
Squint
Narrowing the vision by squinting helps to clear out the clutter, the detail, the minutia---the very things that are often what make us feel trapped to forever record every detail we see. Squinting helps us to see things as a mass. It groups smaller, individual items into singular larger masses, eliminating the need to render every leaf or every blade of grass. Want to loosen up and simplify your brushwork? Squinting is your friend!
Tip #9
When in doubt, wipe it out
Can't tell you how many times my fussy ways have gotten me in trouble, and I've rescued a painting by simply scraping out an area of no importance that has become overrun with detail. Going back in and stating the subject simply and with as few strokes as possible has often been exactly what it needed! Don't be afraid to use a palette knife or your kemper tool to scrape out an area that has become too busy!
Tip #10
Just paint
The more you paint, the more confident you become.
The more confident you become, the more it shows in the strokes and choices on your painting. And you'll find yourself able to say more with less, telling the story with fewer details.
Boldness grows with every painting you do—so just paint!
The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy, 1907, John Singer Sargent
The Art Institute of Chicago
Tip #11
Apply what you already know
Is there one subject that you tend to paint in a looser fashion? Does it come naturally to do broad sweeping strokes for a tree-lined field, but you become uptight when it's time to paint a glass jar or a street scene? It's worth thinking your way through your process. How are you approaching the subjects that tend to paint themselves in a looser fashion for you? See what tips and tricks you can carry over into your other paintings.
Tip#12
Live Performance
Think of your painting as a live performance, a conversation with friends, or a walk in nature. Leave off perfection, be present in spirit, letting your heart and your hand guide you.
Often times we overpaint in our quest for the perfect painting.
Real-life isn't perfect.
It's ….refreshing, warmth, love, unfettered, alive in the moment, may have a messy part, brings a smile, and delivers on joy.
We can want no more!
Some final thoughts
So how do we get to become that loose painter, playing hard and fast with reality? Leaving things understated or out of the painting altogether?
You gotta become willing to let go of the edge of the pool when you can't swim just yet because…
It really is about taking risks and chances. If you want to be more playful, you have to be willing to take risks. Risk of making a mess, 'wasting' materials, having nothing to show for time spent, actually ruining a painting or two. (There is no such thing as 'wasting' art supplies, but this another topic for another day ;-)
It builds your courage to take chances with your art.
Being open to the unknown.
Going for it (even when you're not sure where you're going!). Strengthening the muscles of possibility thinking.
You don't know what you're going to get every time. It's not cookie-cutter stuff. The only way to get there is to try it.
Exercise that muscle of creative risk!!
Suggested Exercises for Getting More Fun, Less Literal in Your Paintings
- Copy a master painting or portion of an artist who works in a looser, more Impressionistic style. (Note: This is just for personal study, not showing or selling, as works are copyrighted). As you paint it, notice how complex things or entire areas have been simplified by the artist. What choices were made by the artist? How did they handle something that perhaps could have been really busy with detail? Can you see ways to apply this knowledge and understanding to your own style of painting?
I can tell you from having done this, it's an eye-opening experience. Over the years, I've copied several Claude Monet paintings, a couple of John Singer Sargent's, a Nicolai Fecchin or two, a Winslow Homer, Van Gogh, and many others that I've long since forgotten. I had big takeaways each and every time! It is so worth it!!
- Do a painting or sketch of a subject using as few lines or brush strokes as possible. Set the intention to capture the impression of it. Lose as much detail and busy brushwork as possible.
- Take an afternoon to learn from paintings you've created in the past. See where you could have given less detail and still conveyed the story you wanted to tell. It's a fun and playful exercise!
Water Lilies, 1906, Claude Monet, Art Institute of Chicago
