I have found that the same observation sequence of relaxation, attunement, point of concentration, and recuperation can be applied when painting.
The preparatory phases of relaxation and attunement go together. Whether the subject is a figure, a still life, or a landscape, you have to decide where to stand and how to position your easel for the most unobstructed view. Then you have to attune to the subject, taking it in as a whole before choosing what specifically you may want to paint.
The exertion begins as you sketch and then start to apply pigment. Here the points of concentration unique to painting come into play – proportion, composition, values of light and dark, bright and dull, warm and cool.
Just as in movement analysis, this phase is the heart of seeing and painting. Yet it is also where you can get lost. That’s why recuperation is essential. Find out more in the next blog.