Why You Should Always Work in a Series
In this video I discuss why I love working in a series and why I recommend it for all artists.
Video Transcript
I always used to work on one piece at a time. It felt distracting to move on to something else - as if I was somehow cheating by not diligently working until I had resolved my painting.But when I started to work on more than one piece at a time, I was hooked. I now always have anywhere between six to 12 paintings in progress and I find it so much easier and more enjoyable.Why, you may ask ... (and if you didn't, I'm telling you anyway. lol)
It takes the pressure off
When I only worked on one painting at a time, I felt pressure not to make a mistake. But if I have 10 paintings on the go, none of them feel precious in that way. I am free to experiment, and I find the best results always come from letting go and experimenting.
It allows me to explore an idea
At the moment, I'm increasingly interested in abstraction. In my new series, I'm exploring how to convey my experience of the local landscape without including recognisable elements. This is stretching and challenging me, but - because I have several paintings in progress - I get to try different ideas in each one Each one in the series is taking on its own direction and personality, but all of them started with the same central idea.
I can apply what I learn quickly
If one painting teaches me something, I can quickly apply that learning to others in the series. This pushes them all forward much more quickly.
It makes me raise my game
I may consider one painting done, or close to done, but then I work on some of the others and they may surpass that first one. Now I have to go back into it and make that one even stronger.
It makes a cohesive body of work
Because I have a series of paintings that all 'grew up' together, they all tend to work well with each other. When I hang them, they make sense as a group.In the end everyone has to find their own way of working, but for me there's no going back from working on multiple pieces at once. I recommend giving it a try and seeing how it works for you.
Have you signed up yet for the Art2Life free workshop? It starts on February 15th and I can't recommend it highly enough. This is where I first learned to work in a series and the whole thing quite literally changed my life. In fact I wouldn't be making this video or writing this blog if I hadn't joined up for this 5-day workshop because at the time, I wasn't even a working artist. Get yourself signed up! Join HERE.