Stop it, Stop it, Stop IT!!

This is the final rendering from the step-by-step I shared with you in my previous post. This is also a good indication of why I don’t do tons of sketching. I find it hard to stop myself from tweeking a piece to the ‘enth degree because I’m having so much fun in the rendering part of it. So much so that sometimes things look a little too “finished” when I get finished. Sometimes when you go too far, a piece loses some of its freshness. This didn’t completely happen here mind you, because I could’ve really kept working this baby up. But I didn’t. To me that’s the difference between a “sketch” and rendering. This piece is more of a rendering. The saying “Less is more” comes to mind here.

 

Come to think of it, that basically sums up my whole struggle with my paintings sometimes - I have a tough time pulling back and leaving more of a “sketchy” unfinished look to my work. Leaving something for you, the viewer, to fill in on your own makes the piece more interesting for you to look at. (I will try to do my best to let you participate in the future!) Plus the fact that when a piece is done in a more loose fashion, the artist can play with various brush strokes and techniques as opposed to getting that glazed photo-realistic look. But it’s just so easy to fall into and it’s so Damn’ much FUN!

That’s why I’m enjoying this Sketchbook Project thing. With the exception of this piece, much of what I’m doing is some of the freshest, quickest work I’ve done. The boys at Art House made the sketchbook small (something like 5 x 8 inches) so I can complete a few a day if I want, and the paper is so thin that if I erase too much, or are too heavy handed in working it up, the thing just gets destroyed.

Guess that’s why they call it a SKETCHbook.

Scroll through my previous posts to see more of my sketches for the Sketchbook Project 2011 and let me know which is your favorite by e-mailing me at joe@joewinklerart.com