I have a variety of pieces that I like to create. Sometimes my work is very realistic, sometimes it's more abstract, and sometimes its in between. Often I fluctuate between finished pieces and sketchbook work. Occasionally I'll even throw a digital piece in the mix. Regardless though, there's always a generalized process I follow.
Planning
Unless I just unintentionally bring my sketchbook along for a wait somewhere, I always plan out my pieces. For my sketchbook, this will often just be in my head considering the composition or overall flow. For larger or finished pieces, I usually make a thumbnail sketch in a notebook or scrap on scrap paper. For certain pieces I also include a color swatch to make sure my intended colors work well together. If I get an idea while at work or out and about, I'll use whatever I can do do the quickest little sketch just to keep the idea alive until I can flesh it out at home.
Occasionally what will happen is I'll paint something that I like, and then later decide to turn it into a series. This is actually how most of my series' start, but the planning that goes into it only happens after that initial spark ignites. Planning from there usually consists of several thumbnails, or at least a list of following subjects to be considered.
Overall, planning can save you a lot of frustration while painting. If you already know what you're going for then you'll be more likely to set yourself up for success. This also gives you the opportunity to gather relevant references so you're better prepared once you start.
Sketching
The sketching phase is always my favorite. Sometimes my sketches look better than the final product to be honest. This is the one step that I always include. No matter what type of art I'm making, there's always a sketch.
Starting your piece off with a sketch probably sounds like a no-brainer to most. But I put it here to document it anyway. If I'm working in my sketchbook sometimes my sketch will stay under the artwork so I can see what my thought process looked like. Usually for finished pieces I'll lighten it with my kneaded eraser before going in with paint. For graphite pieces I try to make sure my sketch is cleared away in the drawing process, but sometimes I press too hard and end up with frustrating remnant lines. If you zoom in you'll see them in my Blue October graphite portrait, for example.
I like the lucidity of sketching and the way it lets you be free with your ideas. You can change things, make mistakes, and not ruin your final painting. I often find my original sketch gets revamped four of five times over the course of this process from simple shapes to more refined lines.
Drawing
Most times I do like to have a proper drawing visible under my painting, or as a traditional graphite piece. Because I started with a drawing/graphite background, I feel more comfortable establishing my pieces with a pencil rather than paint. Admittedly, this is something I'm trying to push myself past as I like the look of paintings that don't incorporate this more, but for now it remains a part of my process.
A good example of this is my portrait of my friend's dog Mikey. I drew the whole piece with pencil before using my kneaded eraser to lighten it. This helps my mind know what my goal is for the painting, but ultimately slows me down.
Painting
This step is pretty self explanatory, but to break down my painting process, since 95% of the time I'm using watercolor, I work light to dark. I try to work on multiple places at a time, and work in layers. I start with my lightest layers anywhere that needs color such that the paint won't bleed together. My palette has many wells to hold different color, so it's not often I run out, but that would be the only problem I could foresee with this methodology. If I'm outside using my travel set, this may not work as well.
From there, I continue building layers. Typically I only do two or three layers because I want to avoid muddy colors, but on certain pieces I do go through and add more. For gouache pieces I find that I add a lot more layers, which ultimately can lead to cracking since it is a much more opaque and dense medium, but because the colors stay true, this is typically the approach I take.
Final Touches
Typically my paintings have some linework added in at the end with ink. Usually this is with my fineliners, but sometimes I pull out my bottled ink and use a brush, or I use a white gel pen. I like adding these things because the values I get with my paint often aren't harsh enough to add intrigue. Sometimes though this step can mess a painting up, so I try to use it sparingly. Try to.
Overall my process for each painting stays the same. But it's always fun pushing myself and experimenting, so I am always looking for fun variations and methods to try. I'm an avid consumer of art youtube, and have many drawing and painting references I'll discuss in another post. Thanks for reading!
Happy painting!
Sabrina