“BLAST” is a shorthand term that I try to keep in mind when I’m painting. The letters stand for five principles of painting technique:

Whatever the medium, I like to begin with the largest brushes I can manage. I may switch to smaller ones later if I need to, but I always start with a brush that feels a little too big for the passage at hand. It’s not just about speed or efficiency. Large strokes help me see the subject in terms of big truths, sweeping up trivial details in the process.

 

 

Blacksmithing, gouache: My first goal is to establish the relationship between the dark forms under the tent and the simple light background. Once that dries, I can add the tiny details. 

Large to Small

Typically I aim for an overall statement right from the start, even if that statement is relatively light in value. Getting the big relationships in place first makes all later decisions easier. Once the big, simple masses are correct, I can proceed toward the smaller, more complex forms.

Ulster Avenue, gouache and pen: I saved the highlights on the car and the little dark accents on the windows until the end (plus threw in a surprise finish on the video).

Accents Last

Accents are the eye-catching notes: the darkest darks, brightest highlights or most saturated spots of color. They should stand apart from the rest of the picture. In oil, gouache or casein, they usually work best if saved for last. John Singer Sargent said, “If you begin with the middle-tone and work up from it toward the darks so that you deal last with your highest lights and darkest darks, you avoid false accents.”

 

 

Windshield, gouache: That is especially true in this painting. I want to convey focal depth by painting the far view softly, so that the raindrops appear on a closer plane.

Soften Edges

Edges shouldn’t be all soft or all hard; variety is essential. Softness, in particular, is a mark of subtlety and professionalism—yet it’s surprisingly difficult to achieve, especially in opaque water media. Without attention, it’s easy to fall into the “cutout” look. Early in the process I consciously aim for softness—melting, merging, blurring and blending—knowing that sharper detail will naturally emerge later.

 

 

Jeep, gouache: I’m not one to dash off five quick paintings in a day. This one took two long sessions, requiring lots of concentration as I studied the car as it was propped up on a display ramp.

Take Your Time

Patience and concentration are rare commodities in today’s attention economy. Painting requires both the boldness of a lumberjack and the precision of a watchmaker. I begin with big moves, then deliberately slow down to observe nuances and tiny details. My limits are less about materials and more about my ability to focus deeply for long stretches—something that demands tuning out distractions and immersing myself fully in the image.

 

The BLAST Rule is just one of many painting strategies I explore in my book Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn’t Exist, available signed (with free shipping) at my website store.