1. Art Theory - How to Study/What is Art
Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne
Ch 2: Selection and Composition - Preliminary Sketches, p 43
An exercise:
Choose a scene, and make one meticulous sketch, either of paint or pencil. In this sketch work out all problems by deliberately using conscious effort, then set this aside and do another of the same thing rapidly and with enthusiasm.
The first sketch has familiarized the artist with the main characteristics of the view, facilitating the second one to be more expressive and spontaneous.
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This is a fun exercise, and I encourage you to try it out. Especially if you have been pondering an idea or subject for awhile, but feel it might be too difficult. First step is to record all that you observe and admire in the scene with accuracy and then using all the information gained from the sketch. After this sketch is completed, you are now in a place to try your hand at painting it with an expressive sense.
This is one reason I have adapted my studio process to include a lot more alla prima studies, because these are opportunities to explore and analyze. And then when I have a good feeling about what I want to express, I feel I have gained the facility to capture those thoughts and emotions with paint in a more developed manner.
This is something you can do, and a perk is that it actually speeds up your painting time!
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