I start my paintings by drawing a one-inch grid on the canvas and printing out the original photograph with a grid overlay, then I use the grids to guide my drawing of the composition. I try to get the relative proportions of canvas and photograph to match up as closely as possible, but sometimes I've had to "invent" the drawing along one edge of the canvas.
I drew this canvas way back at the beginning of 2006, along with the other canvases that I've been working on since then. I like having several prepared in advance. I have since realized that it's best to use a very light pencil, especially with the grid lines, otherwise I have to go back over them with an eraser. I paint in very thin layers, and the pencil can show through if it isn't faint enough. On this canvas, some of the contour lines were penciled in much too darkly, but I'm interested in emphasizing contours in the final painting, so it should work out okay.
The second step is to use a very thin wash of raw umber to block out areas of light and dark and some shapes. I do this very loosely and quickly, not laboring over it at all, doing just enough to help guide me when I apply the color. I started doing this in November 2007, and it's been very useful.
The next step (where I am now) is to work with the original photo on the computer screen and make decisions about color, emphasis and brushwork. In other words: planning ahead! I find it helpful to keep the easel in my living room, next to the staircase, where I have to walk past it every day. It gives me a regular opportunity to think about what I'm going to do next. All of my studio art teachers, at some point in my lessons, urged me to think less and paint more, but that's just not my style.
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