Lake of Stars, 12 x 36 cm (41⁄2 x 14 in), oil on board
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First published in 2008 by Collins
Copyright © Hazel Soan, 2001, 2008 Based on material from What Shall I Paint?
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Hazel Soan asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
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Source ISBN: 9780007274901
Ebook Edition © MARCH 2015 ISBN: 9780008144579
Version: 2015-11-19
Seeker on the Shore, 50 x 25 cm (20 x 10 in), oil on paper
Everybody Waits for Something, 28 x 45 cm (11 x 18 in), oil on canvas
To John and Sean, my inspiration.
Contents
In a diverse and magnificent world we are inspired by both natural creation and man-made invention. Even the constant bombardment of images in the media has added to our visual repertoire. It is not just the picturesque that can move us to paint – everything and anything can interest us.
So how is it that, with all this pictorial wealth on offer, confrontation with a demanding sheet of all-too-white paper or a blank canvas often provokes the question: ‘What shall I paint?’.
The elements of painting
To be inspired to paint you need to know what a painting requires, so I have set this book out in three sections. The first section, ‘Finding Inspiration’, looks at the basic elements of a painting, what to look for in a subject and how to find it.
The second section, ‘Tools of the Trade’, looks at what we paint with and the surfaces to which colour is applied; the medium will influence the painting, and can have a bearing on your choice of subject. I have limited the scope of this book to watercolours, oils and acrylics, but most of what is said will apply to other media as well. The third section, ‘The Adventure of Painting’, puts your new-found vision into practice. Each chapter relates to different environments and explores the inexhaustible inspiration available.
There are chances throughout for you to put theory into practice with suggested projects. I also include some demonstrations. Soon you will find even the clutter on a table will inspire a painting or the queue at the bus stop will excite you to open your sketchbook!
Future Expectations, 43 x 56 cm (17 x 22 in), watercolour
How do you decide what makes a good subject for a painting? You can rely on tried and tested themes, the timeless stalwarts that historically make good pictures: the bowl of fruit, the vase of flowers, the seated figure or portrait, or the classic view. But what about other ideas? Much around us, the details and small corners, the events that move us emotionally – these too are visually interesting, but not always immediately obvious to us as inspirational subjects for paintings.
‘Do not seek—find!’
Picasso
In the Beginning 71 x 102 cm (28 x 40 in), oil on canvas
Learning to see, learning to feel
‘… the artist has only to trust his eyes.’
Rodin
Most people probably accept there is nothing the artist cannot paint, but, even knowing this, still find it difficult to pick out from the view in front of them the inspiration for a good painting. They may go in search of a subject but find it wanting in some