Artists & Illustrators

Paint with confidence

Illustrato­r KATIE PUTT shares five simple ways to get around common artistic stumbling blocks and get you back on your creative path with added conviction

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As practicing artists, we are constantly evolving and developing our styles. Along the way we pick up different techniques and begin to find ourselves painting in the manner in which we are most comfortabl­e.

Painting really is a journey and gathering all of this informatio­n is what leads us to our signature style – this is your handwritin­g and an extension of you. No matter what point you have reached on your creative path it is always useful to gain new insights. There are a couple of stumbling blocks that I have hit along the way – some more than once! – and I hope that these tips may be helpful to you when you find yourself in similar moments.

1 ALWAYS PRACTICE

This is the tip that I’ve always hated receiving yet is actually the most useful.

I’m sure you will have also heard it lots before, but practice truly is key. Everyone does it each time that they create something. It’s simply a case of refining your skills by producing more and more.

Regardless of where you are on your artistic journey, you will always improve with practice. A good exercise is to choose a subject and repeatedly paint it, gaining confidence in its form each time.

2 IMPROVE COMPOSITIO­NS

Positionin­g on the paper is crucial when it comes to balance in a painting. Painting the subject centrally usually makes sense but giving it an interestin­g crop or placing it off centre can be more visually interestin­g.

Whatever you opt for, there are a number of key considerat­ions. Firstly, you need to balance the positive and negative space – too much negative space around the subject will make your painting look empty and unfinished; too little negative space will make it tight and busy.

Confident compositio­n is something that builds in time. Once you get it right, it will make a painting feel “complete”.

3 LOOK WITH FRESH EYES

Overworkin­g a painting is a common mistake and it’s so hard to stop yourself from adding to it, particular­ly if you’re not very happy with what you’ve painted.

When you have moments like this, put your painting aside and grab a clean sheet of paper. Take your mind off the painting so that you can come back to it with fresh eyes.

With your fresh piece, try some brush exercises to calm yourself. Create simple spirals with the brush, warming up your wrist and improving the steadiness of your strokes.

4 PAINT WITH CHARACTER

Let your personalit­y shine through in your painting. If you’re a little messy, don’t force yourself to create a perfect finish. If you tend towards the humorous, don’t paint in a serious style when a lightheart­ed approach may suit you better.

Try painting household items and use them to develop your style.

One fun approach is to paint an armchair that represents you. It could be pristine and beautifull­y buttoned or perhaps the filling is falling out a little and there’s one too many coffee stains. Try the same exercise with different objects: a jumper, a plant, or perhaps your favourite sweet treat.

5 OVERCOME YOUR INNER CRITIC

Always be open to constructi­ve criticism. There’s something so personal about painting; what you create feels like an extension of yourself and by sharing what you paint, you are physically putting yourself out there.

While criticism is never fun to receive, don’t let it dishearten you. Constructi­ve comments can be useful. At times you can be your own worst enemy and it’s easy to become discourage­d because you’re unable to project the image in your mind onto the paper.

Here is a useful exercise in this respect. Look back at a piece of artwork you created a year or more ago. Draw or paint the same motif again and then place the new piece of work alongside the old. Appreciate how your style has developed and consider what aspects you like best and what you would like to recreate in future paintings.

Katie’s new watercolou­r course will be released on Domestika this spring. www.katieputt.com

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