Clarify the creative intention
Emotional expression: Consider what kind of emotion you hope to convey through this painting, whether it is joy, sadness, anger or tranquility, etc. For instance, if one wants to express their longing for their hometown, the picture might revolve around elements such as the landmark buildings and rural scenery of the hometown, using warm tones to evoke the warmth in the memories. If one wants to express criticism of war, one might choose gloomy and dilapidated scenes, as well as painful character images, highlighting the cruelty of war with strong color contrasts and distorted lines.
Theme description: Determine the core theme that the work intends to express, such as nature, characters, historical events, abstract concepts, etc. Take the natural theme as an example. If the theme is “The vitality of the forest”, when conceiving, one will focus on how to showcase the luxuriance of trees, the brilliance of flowers and grass, and the activities of animals. Through delicate brushstrokes and rich colors, the vitality of the forest is reflected. If the theme is “the accumulation of history”, ancient buildings, cultural relics or historical figures might be chosen as the subjects of creation, using heavy colors and stable compositions to convey the sense of the weight of history.
Concept communication: If a work aims to convey a certain concept or idea, it is necessary to deeply consider how to present it through visual language. For instance, to express the concept of environmental protection, one might depict the contrast between the polluted natural environment and the originally beautiful natural scenes, using a strong visual impact to draw the audience’s attention to environmental protection issues.
Material collection and organization
Realistic observation: If the creation is based on real objects, such as people, landscapes, still lifes, etc., meticulous observation is necessary. For example, when drawing characters, observe their facial features, body postures, clothing characteristics, etc. When painting landscapes, pay attention to the changes in light at different times of the year and the influence of seasonal characteristics on the scenery. One can record the observed details through methods such as sketching and taking photos.
Reference: For some historical themes, myths and legends or abstract concepts, it is necessary to consult relevant books, pictures, videos and other materials to understand their background, characteristics and forms of expression. For instance, to create an oil painting with the theme of ancient Greek mythology, one needs to understand the characters, storylines and symbolic meanings in the mythology, and draw inspiration by referring to related artworks.
Material screening: Select the parts that best match the creative intention from the collected materials and remove irrelevant or redundant information. For example, among numerous photos of people, select the expressions and postures that best reflect the characters’ personalities and emotions; In landscape photos, select the most distinctive and expressive scenes.
Composition design
Picture layout: Consider the position, size and proportion of each element in the picture to achieve a balanced, harmonious or tense visual effect. Common composition methods include triangular composition, S-shaped composition, symmetrical composition, etc. For instance, the triangular composition can make the picture more stable and is suitable for presenting solemn and serious themes. The S-shaped composition can guide the viewer’s line of sight and enhance the dynamism and rhythm of the picture.
Visual focus: Determine the visual focus of the picture, that is, the main element that attracts the audience’s attention. The visual focus can be highlighted through methods such as color contrast, light and dark contrast, and size contrast. For instance, in an oil painting with a figure as the theme, place the figure at the center of the picture and highlight it with bright colors or intense light and shadow, so that the viewer’s gaze is first focused on the figure.
Spatial expression: Utilize the principle of perspective, the warmth and coolness of colors, and the contrast between reality and illusion to present the sense of space in the picture. For instance, a three-dimensional spatial sense is created by following the perspective rules that objects appear larger when they are closer and smaller when they are farther, and that objects are more solid when they are closer and more blurred when they are farther. Use warm tones to represent the foreground and cool tones to represent the background to enhance the spatial layering of the picture.
Color planning
Color tone selection: Choose appropriate color tones based on the creative intention and the theme atmosphere. For instance, warm tones (such as red, orange, yellow, etc.) give people a warm and lively feeling, while cool tones (such as blue, green, purple, etc.) convey a calm and mysterious atmosphere. For example, warm tones might be chosen to represent joyous festival scenes, while cool tones are suitable for depicting peaceful nights.
Color matching: Consider the matching relationship between different colors. For instance, the combination of contrasting colors can create a strong visual impact, while the combination of adjacent colors is more harmonious and unified. For instance, red and green are contrasting colors. When paired together, they can create a lively and bustling atmosphere. Blue and green are adjacent colors. When combined, they give people a fresh and peaceful feeling.
Color emotion: Understand the emotions and symbolic meanings represented by different colors and apply them to your works. For example, red symbolizes passion, love and revolution, blue symbolizes tranquility, melancholy and wisdom, and yellow symbolizes light, hope and happiness.
Technique Anticipation
Brushstroke application: Consider which brushstrokes will be used in the creative process to represent different objects and textures. For instance, use delicate brushstrokes to depict smooth surfaces of objects, and use rough and bold brushstrokes to express rough objects or intense emotions. For example, when painting silk, one can use gentle and smooth brushstrokes to express its soft texture. When painting rocks, one can use thick and powerful brushstrokes to reflect their hardness and roughness.
Material properties: Understand the characteristics of the oil paints, brushes, canvases and other materials used, and adjust the creative methods according to these characteristics. For example, canvases of different textures have different abilities to absorb and adhere to pigments, which will affect the effect of the picture. Different models of brushes can produce different brushstroke effects.
Special techniques: Consider whether to apply some special oil painting techniques, such as thick coating, thin coating, scraper technique, and drip technique, to enhance the expressiveness and uniqueness of the picture. For instance, the thick coating method can give the picture a sense of weightiness and three-dimensionality, which is suitable for expressing the texture and volume of objects. The dripping and sprinkling technique can create random and natural texture effects, adding a touch of vitality and liveliness to the picture.