What Happens When You Don't Plan Before Painting

Most weeks I emphasize the need for planning a composition before you begin to paint. But this week I just head in without any planning to see what happens. And I do run into problems that could have solved if I had given more thought to the composition. It was a good experiment.

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Link to some recent paintings by Ian Roberts for Sale:

The colors on my palette:
Titanium White
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Permanent
Dioxazine Purple
Ultramarine Blue
Chrome Oxide Green
Phthalo Green

#ianroberts #masteringcomposition #planyourpaintings

[sunnyseacat]

"...structural issues need to be addressed or could be addressed in advance of painting."

Excellent insight to and demonstration of painting without a plan and cropping, too much.

[C.Hawkshaw]

Hey Buddy- I got your book on composition. I’m reading it and started doing daily compositions in pencil this morning. Went to the park and for the first time was taking photos not of objects or subjects but of structures of lights, greys and darks. Got back and couldn’t believe it- the best reference photos I’ve ever taken! Thanks man! 😁

[lindawilson]

Your book 'Creative Authenticity -16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision' is absolutely awesome. Thanks for all your teachings. The best.

[pierresurprenant]

I am always impressed with the way you come up with a subject to paint that i would never imagine doing.

[martimajor]

Someday my CV will include “studied composition with Ian Roberts”. I am so lucky.

[davidwright]

There's a comment made by a famous golfer to other pro golfers on the first tee of the tournament. "Gentlemen, if you didn't bring it with you, you aren't going to find it out there". Going into a painting hoping you find it without planning is a wishful thinking. Lots of corrections.

[priscillaallen]

It is a joy to see an everyday cluttered scene become something simple and lovely. I seems to me that you select which shapes to include and emphasise as much subconsciously as consciously.

[amarasiridesilva]

This proves that you are a great painter. It reminds me of Edward Hopper's morning sun painting.

[Winnie-]

I love the secret "of having plenty of paint on your brush" it helps prevent muddy paint. It makes the painting pop.

[annedelmar]

Coincidence but nobody has ever said - have the frame first! And this is just where I have reached in my journey. Whyever not? This seems so sensible it shouldn't need to be said, but it does. Thank you.

[pleinaire]

YeS!!!! Seems counterintuitive but planning makes it soo much easier to be loose with painting. That's why I always do thumbnails and even gridding if it's a complicated subject!
Thanks again for another excellent tutorial on planning.!

[colettemorgan]

You painted your wife in the kitchen beautifully regardless of not sketching it before. Anyway you are a professional. If would be even harder for me if I tried that.

[pk]

I am a watercolorist. I use the no thought method to do small warmup exercises to chose colors and test how they work together or to practice a technique I want to use in my painting. I then plan my painting composition and include any of the successful experiments. Love your video and thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.

[allenvoss]

I had the same exact problem with. Had to cut down to a 18 x 14. Composition is the most important thing in my book now. The use of grids, proportional dividers, I use it all !!

[riffsandpics]

I quite like the painting in the end. I'll keep the lesson of planning in mind, thanks!

[lindaolsen]

I find the painting is evocative of a soft warm morning while the photo is just a picture. This example shows the art in art and also that you were making decisions as you painted. But it really is important to plan, especially for those of us who normally don't think about the hierarchy of shapes and the mood we want to convey. This speaks to knowing what you want to say with the painting (IMHO).

[daveanderson]

I often don’t plan in my paintings, not because I think there is a ton of value in it but probably because
Have a lot of imagination in my elements some of which I don’t use reference photos for .
This has made me take pause now on this series of paintings I’ve been working on.
Thanks so much Ian for your sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Dave Anderson .happy, Valley Or

[indianahoosier]

I watch your videos and how you simplify everything. It is so hard to learn new tricks. The ability to look at a subject and look passed all the detail... that is my struggle... thanks for your help.

[monikacroker]

Thank you, I'm glad I found you, you are so nice to listen to

[jeromepizinger]

Love you videos, I don't know if you have . But a video that just explains shadows, how you pick the colors, why you pick those shades. I love the way you explain things, thank you for these videos .