This series of images shows the process I sometimes use in developing the composition and values for a painting. I like to have a strong value pattern of lights and darks, and preparing these small studies helps me keep on track as I work on the final painting. When I am unsure of where to go next (or what color/value to use), I consult the sketch.
I usually start small with a pencil thumbnail sketch to block out the big shapes and values, then proceed to a small color version, sometimes using pen and ink. From there I prepare a larger version, usually in color. I begin to familiarize myself with the subject and note any details I want to add. After all of this preliminary work, I tackle the final version.
Even though I have theoretically resolved everything, I still leave a lot of room for change and for the "painting to work itself out on the paper" as Robert E. Wood said.
This is a scene at the former Ambassador College where stone steps go past a pond and climb up through thick trees.
Here is another sketch of the Pasadena City Hall, one of my favorite subjects. This was done with pencil and watercolor on hot press paper. I wanted a slightly different perspective, so I used a vertical composition.
This is a sketch of the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, from the back, where the building wraps around the wide lawn. I did the drawing with pen on hot press paper before washing it with color.
Here is a recent painting I did of the Pasadena Playhouse. I did a loose pencil sketch on hot press watercolor paper and painted it with bold colors, splashing and dripping paint in a casual way. I included a small value study in the lower right corner.
