CHECKING YOUR SUBJECT OUT

I actually wanted to call this piece ‘Checking your subject out from all angles before settling on a final viewpoint’, but it seemed a little clunky and wouldn’t fit neatly into the drop-down menu when it’s added to the On-line Watercolour workshop site.

This was prompted by two paintings which I’ve completed recently, titled (rather imaginatively, I thought) Barns in Hawes and Barns in Hawes II.

Finding good subject matter is one of those things I am often asked about. If you’re a landscape painter, then your source material is just sat there waiting for you to paint it isn’t it?; which sounds easy enough until you’ve packed your sandwiches and flask and sketchbook and took yourself out into the wilds only to find the weather’s a bit dull (if not downright wet and cold) and you just can’t seem to ‘settle’ on anything. Not being able to see the wood for the trees is probably as good a saying as any to describe this frustrating sense of creative helplessness that can so easily take the unwary. It must be easy, you think, to be a flower painter – you just take a walk into the garden and there they are, or a still life – all you need is a trip to the fruit section of your local supermarket. Granted, it must be difficult if painting nude female models is your subject of choice – luring suitable subject matter into your studio is one thing; getting them to bare all is quite another. Rather makes you hanker for the simple undemanding, rural delights of the countryside, doesn’t it (Yeah, right – prospective subjects please don’t hesitate to give me a call! I’m rubbish at painting the human form, but it’s got to be fun trying! I’ll even buy dinner).

I’ve come to suspect that finding potentially promising subject matter and developing it into an interesting and aesthetically satisfying composition is a bit of an art form in its own right, and one which can be as difficult to master as the process of painting itself.

To this end, I thought I’d try and give a few pointers to help you through the minefield of subject-finding in the hopes that it will help you to identify the makings of a good painting.

[1] Do your research – maps & books of local interest
If you’re going to be visiting an area that’s new to you, it’s always worth checking local guidebooks and maps for subjects that you might otherwise miss.

[2] Walk around and look at your subject from all angles
If a subject is a well-known landmark, it’s tempting to just approach it with a view to capturing that ‘definitive’ view – the one everyone recognises. Whilst, of course, the definitive view might be that because it is probably it’s best view, it can be rewarding to discover a new way of looking at it from a distinctly unique perspective.

[3] Spin around 180 degrees – what’s behind you?
It’s easy to get ‘locked in’ to where you’re going when out walking and sketching. Stop occasionally and look back at where you’ve come from – you might be surprised at what’s there!

[4] Zoom in on distant objects
The landscape can be a huge and daunting prospect. One effective way of dealing with that is to isolate portions of a view by ‘zooming in’ on them. A distant barn, if it is in the perfect surroundings, shouldn’t be dismissed purely on the grounds of it being too far away. You don’t have to be standing a few feet away from a subject for it to be viable (in fact, the lack of detail on distant objects can be refreshing – we are often bombarded with too much detail that has to be filtered out as it is).

[5] Look closely at small objects
Stopping and looking closely at the ground you’re walking on can be enlightening. Rocks and stones are a myriad of patterns and textures just waiting to be painted. Also, supplementary sketches of what might be termed ‘other items’ can be filed away for future use, and integrated into larger works.

[6] Don’t always be looking for the big picture
This rather summarises the previous two points, but is one I like to remind students of, when out in the field. Don’t be too intent on finding that ‘big picture’. Be broad-minded in your approach – the view that makes you gasp in reality might not be so easy to capture in paint. Likewise, a view that at first may seem uninspiring might become one of your greatest masterpieces simply through extended study. Good paintings have to be coaxed out of the medium. I don’t mean for this to sound quite so mumbo-jumbo; it’s just that I’ve been recommended views in the past that have simply failed to inspire me yet have been totally blown away by subjects that I least expected to be.

[7] Be prepared for the unexpected
Again, following on from the last point, really. Basically, just keep your eyes open and be as receptive to your surroundings as you can. Even though you may set out with a pre-formed idea of what you are looking for, time and time again you’ll probably be disappointed with what you find. In these instances, your subject-matter radar should be turned up to full. Dismiss nothing until you’ve looked at it again (from every angle).