The one thing that draws me to realism is texture. With a few well-placed brush strokes, a painting comes alive. It becomes the object you are painting. It’s almost a magical process. The point where I go from laying base color to creating texture is my favorite part of painting.
In my painting, “These Are the Good Times,” texture played an important role all through the work. There was the weathering on the wood of the cabin, the trees in the background and of course, the chairs.
One of my favorite techniques for this type of work is to use old brushes. I never throw away an old paintbrush. I simply re-purpose it. Some of my really old ones only have a few bristles, but they produce some of the best texture.
The bristle brushes are great for splattering. My old fan brushes add grain to wood. The fact that they are frayed brings a bit more realism into what they bring to a painting. Besides, brushes are so expensive, especially the really good ones. Why not get the most out of them?
It was a lot of fun creating this painting. I suppose it helps living in a cabin on a lake to have experience and objects to draw from. It’s a theme I enjoy. The message is really good too. Relax. Sit down for awhile, and enjoy the scenery. It doesn’t get better than this.
