Planning a set of paintings using Resene testpots, process unleashed. What Spring Means to me.

Painting by Marti Somers.

I am planning to do a set of collage paintings for a show about Spring,  using Resene testpots and mixed media. 
Before I  begin  a series I always  do some research and brainstorming. 
I go to my Pinterest site and have a look through all of my boards
Then I pick out paintings with the colours and compositions that I like. 

What do all of these paintings have in common? 

 I try to identify the feelings and shades want to use.

 In this case its gentle pastel pick tones and reds mixed with greys and muted oranges. 

 This is the sensation of Spring to me.

  I never copy other artists images. 
I have them up around me so that the colours will influence me.

I will also gather images from books  and magazines that I like and place  them around me as well. 

  This is adorable and really inspires me, so I have the magazine open in front of me.

I want soft muted tones.
This makes me feel like drawing a girl in a Spring garden holding a chook.

Love these pinks, love the idea of butterflies

 

Love these soft muted tones of pinks moss greens beiges and creams.

Then I will go out into the field and take photos of the colours that I like and come back and make a double exposure of them. 
Trying to replicate the tones I'm after.

I work across a lot of mediums at the same time so that everything can feed into the body of work I am about to embark on. 

Rabbits are fascinating me at the moment so they are popped into the mix.

Professional artists often spend a lot of time in the researching stage.

 I will write haiku  about my ideas , dream about them  and let thoughts  percolate through my mind, body and soul.

Making art is another type of meditation and praying.

I will also do some sketches in my visual diary and some practise on canvas and make some cards.

Felt pen and pencils in visual diaries. 
Quick working sketches

 



 

Then I pick out flowers I like from the sketches and paint them onto canvas as samplers

 These samplers will be made into a series of cards to go with the paintings

I will go out and take more photos, so I build up a large visual map of ideas in my subconscious. 
While I'm doing this I am thinking about the process and adding my stories.
 Always on the look out for what the universe wants to present to me.
I'm wanting to be in the zone and sometimes you need to climb your way in there.

The ideas keep on coming and then it is time to start the real thing. 
 i usually mediate before each painting session.