WORKING IN SERIES

WORKING IN SERIES

Spring is upon us, and with that I start pondering a series. Not a television series, but rather a series of paintings that are intended to be a single body of work.

Before we dive too deep, let’s clarify what a series is when it comes to painting. There can be many variations but at its core, the paintings in a series all need to have a common thread that connects them. Connections can be made by using a common technique, the same color palette, or even the same subject presented in d iffe r ent ways. The most obvious examples of series are in the lesser known paintings of the old masters using the same subject found in their masterworks.

When the series is complete, a viewer should be able to tell immediately that the same artist created them all. The cohesive thread running through the work is stated and restated in d iffe r ent yet inte r connecte d ways. This allows the viewer to look at the collection and understand more easily what the artist is trying to convey. One can hardly view a series and not appreciate the breadth and scope of an artist’s skills as well as the depth with which they can expound on a particular subject.

If you decide to take on a series, you’ll find it begins to take on a life of its own. With each

new painting, the original thought grows, expanding and changing into something more refined and bigger than a singular painting could ever be. Every new work allows your artistic voice to get louder and clearer, demonstrating that you are on a path, you know what you’re doing, where you’re going, and what you have to do to get there.

It’s quite empowering!

The art of creating a series of work that is cohesive is an excellent exercise to both perfect skills and explore a concept. I firmly believe this is why the old masters would paint and repaint a subject before beginning their final masterwork. They used the series to arrive at the most refined vision of their subject and used the process of creating a series to explore the techniques to get there.

Let’s take our cues from those that have gone before and build our skills with a series this spring!