Not sure how to really loosen up your work? Here’s a great lesson for you. Along the way you’ll discover the joy of painting in a colorful impressionistic style using large brushes and loads of paint. Follow me step by step as I show you the techniques I use to paint this light filled scene. Designing an inviting scene, painting with freedom and a variety of fun techniques are all demonstrated in the video lesson. Suitable for oils or acrylics. Enjoy!  

Reference Photo: Auckland, New Zealand. 

 

Blocking in the darks.

 

Richard Robinson, The Red Boat, oil on canvas, 15 x 15" (38 x 38 cm)

 

Starting with Gusto
If you want to paint more loosely, try starting more loosely. In my experience, once I start to tighten up on the detail in a painting my mind switches gears into a much slower, measured pace, which can often be the end of the really expressive part of the painting. That is, unless I can divorce myself from being precious about the detail I’ve labored over creating in my painting.

If you’re happy to risk sacrificing your detailed work in the later stages by attacking parts of it with more vigorous brushwork, then by all means start out in a tight fashion with a careful drawing and so on. But if you know that you do find it difficult to paint broadly after the details are painted, then I encourage you to start out as loose as possible.

In this painting I started out with a large brush sketching in the major shapes, then blocking in my most vibrant color, then my darkest darks, and then dashing in a darker version of the final background gray, leaving bits of the ochre-toned background to show through. A fast bold start for a gestural painting.

Student Critiques

The Red Boat

Nancy Murray

Great work Nancy! Beautiful clean color and bold brushwork. I particularly like the brushwork in the beach and the big sail. The sky and small sale are a little smoother and controlled. The tallest figure could do with a little work—that little light stroke on his head has flattened it too much. The light line under the other figure’s arm isn’t right either, just confusing. I’d darken that off. Also check the height of the right wheel as it should match the other one. Those are tiny details. As a whole this works beautifully.

The red boat, oil on canvas, 15.7 x 15.7" (40 x 40 cm)

Elena Sokolova

Nice painterly work Elena. Love the variety you’ve got in there! It’s really vibrating with color harmonies. I don’t feel you’ve nailed the drawing on this quite as well as some of your recent work, which is understandable since the goal of this painting was looseness, but I caution you to spend a little more time getting the key drawing elements correct even in a very loose painting. I’ve seen you do it well before. The angles of the boat, the details in the figures and the tracks in the sand could all do with a few minutes extra care. Looks like you had fun with this, and I know it’ll look fantastic on the wall at this larger size.

May workshop, acrylic on canvas, 10 x 10" (25 x 25 cm)

Karen Woodhouse

Interesting take on this painting, Karen. You’ve got great strong color in here and decent drawing. The goal I’d encouraged was looseness and I don’t know if you were trying for that particularly, but you’ve achieved it to a certain degree in some areas like the brushwork in the sand and some scumbling in the sky. But in most areas you’ve kept it pretty tight.

If you are trying for a looser feel you’ll find more success in more consciously losing some of those sharp edges to the background. Really losing them. It is more difficult with acrylics because of the fast drying time. The solution is to use loads more paint, paint faster, and keep spraying your palette and painting lightly with water every five minutes. A stay-wet acrylic palette helps as does re-wettable acrylics and adding a little retarder medium to your paint. (You can also move to a cold damp country.) On the other hand, if you’re not trying for a looser feel, keep up the good work!

Red Boat, oil on panel, 25 x 22" (63 x 55 cm)

Jose Felix

Wow, you’ve achieved some great expressive brushwork here Jose, palette knife included. The beach is a little more orange than I’d expect, taking a little of the color glory away from the boats, but it’s certainly a punchy look against all that gray background. The light on the torso of the closest figure is not reading quite right yet—always think about the direction of the light and how that will play out across a form. Also the angles of the boat are a little off. Keep a close eye on the drawing in the center of attention, even in expressive paintings like this one. Good job. —