When I am planning a new series I usually am planning it based on a certain place or exploring a certain local area. If I’m doing a more locally inspired series, before I even start thinking about what exactly I want to paint I will walk around in areas that I haven’t been to before, or that I haven’t been to in a while. For example, when I wanted to start painting more florals and nature-based landscapes I looked at maps of my area and planned day trips to those areas. I went to the Morris Arboretum to walk around, and when I was exploring the garden I took pictures of everything that caught my eye. When I wanted to paint more local scenes around Philadelphia, in areas that I hadn’t been to before, I took a day and walked one of the trails in the Wissahickon Park, and took lots of photos.
Once I have compiled a good variety of photos and there isn’t somewhere else I want to visit for that particular series I take a look at all of the photos and select a bunch that I am particularly interested in. From there I prep paper on my drawing boards an tape it down, so that the edges don’t curl while I am painting. I use a water activated glue tape that works the best for me.
Once I have set paper up on each board I decide which board (based on size and shape) I want each painting to go on, and I clip it on to the board. Then, I get started with the under drawing. I like to have a full collection of drawings done before I start painting, so that I can go from one piece to the next as soon as each is done, so I do all of the under drawings before I start painting.
Once the drawings are done, I choose the piece that speaks to me the most at that moment, and I set up my easel and painting table, and I get started. After that, each piece develops in its own time. I work in fluid acrylics on paper. The way I use fluid acrylics is similar to watercolors, except the paint is thicker, and can be more opaque the more layers you put down. I like using it more than watercolors because I can build more layers without it getting muddy.
From this point on it’s just a process of working my way through each piece in the series. I do each piece one at a time, and when it’s done, I catalog it and put it online.