Working it Out.
I have found over the course of the past 2 years that being familiar with a subject drastically helps me in creating a more successful piece. I am not necessarily taking about painting something you see everyday (although that can be helpful) but studying the subject by making sketches and small thumbnails before you start.
This drawing was done in a 6x9 Moleskine watercolor sketchbook using a Lamy fountain pen with 2 refillable water brushes: one with water and the other with a 50/50 water and ink mixture.
About 2 years ago I started doing a thumbnail notan sketches before I started each painting. By success rate went through the roof. I have expanded that idea into other types of drawings as well. I love the notan sketches for just getting the abstract design in place, but I have found that doing an ink wash sketch helps me to establish a more sensitive value structure using just a few tools very quickly.
If you really want to improve how many more successful pieces you produce, draw, draw, draw and study, study, study!
Not necessarily the finished image, but this 9x12 may even serve as a sketch for a much larger piece down the road. This one is 9x12.
