10 PAINT IT twice

Follow Heather Ihn Martin’s example and tackle the same subject in different media

THE BENEFITS

Chances are, you are stronger when using one medium than you are others. Or perhaps you are trying to learn another medium? Either way, by painting the same subject twice, using a different media each time, you will gain a greater understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of each and be able to apply that knowledge to your future work.

THE PROCESS

Select a subject and at least two different media that you want to try. Take a moment to visualise how a painting of it in each of your chosen media might look. Try to imagine how you might approach each painting in your head. Ask yourself, what might be the more challenging parts? In which areas might this particular medium shine? For my examples, I chose oils and gouache.

Oils allow you to create really thick and luscious textures or mix nice rich, dark tones, so you might emphasise this by putting in a dramatic backdrop against which the brighter highlights can pop.

Meanwhile, gouache tends to have a lighter and softer feel, with the advantages being clean lines, bright colours and a quick drying time. Gouache is a great medium for pushing subtle temperature shifts, as well as getting more fine detail in the fruit and leaves.

Full disclaimer: I was already very familiar with both media, so I knew when I painted these two examples how each would likely turn out. This meant that I was able to adapt my subject slightly to suit the medium. Such knowledge comes with practice. If you are not sure about the differences, try painting the same subject exactly the same in both pictures, without any changes. Start with your strongest medium to get familiar with a subject. www.heatherihnart.com