Every artist has their own way of creating - their own way of going from the spark of an idea to a finished painting. It can vary greatly - especially from medium to medium.
Over the years, my process has changed and evolved. I've tried different techniques, mediums and processes I've learned from other artists - some stuck and some not. I'm sure my process will continue to change and grow, but I thought I'd share my current process with you.
I start with a reference photo, like this one. This was a photo I took in a friend's herd.
Then, I put the image in a program called Procreate on my iPad. I'm no expert on the program, but I can make it do what I need it to do! From there, I play around with cropping, composition, and adding and removing elements. I love to play and try to "push" colour in the photo - adding more saturated, bold colours or subtle pastels. Sometimes I'm inspired by the colours from the image, but a lot of time it's the animal's pose or expression. I experiment with different colours in the photo until I am satisfied. Having my colour palette and composition worked out ahead of time helps me solve many of my problems at a stage when they are easier to fix. Here is how that first photo ended up after I was done playing around in Procreate.
Then, I'm ready to hit the canvas. At this point, I'm paying more attention to the detail in the animal from the original photo, but taking my colour inspiration from my digital painting in Procreate.
This painting isn't quite done yet - there are a few details that I need to fix after glancing at it in my studio over the past week or two. Sometimes that is also part of the process.
I hope that gives you a glimpse into how I approach a painting!
Kristin