"The method which I find that works best for me in planning and painting a picture is this: When I first start thinking about a picture I want to paint I begin with a series of "doodles" or small pen and ink sketches on paper, postage-stamp size, to develop the shape and composition or design of the picture. Because the composition is so small in size it has to be simple and make a strong statement. If I can accomplish this in my small drawing this statement will carry in a picture of any size."
"I then concentrate on the arrangement of the light, medium, and dark areas in the picture as well as the attitude and movement of the figures and animals. When I have finally arrived at an arrangement in the small sketch that is simple and easy to read and that moves in a positive manner I am ready to start drawing up the picture."
"On a large canvas I carefully draw the composition of my small sketch. If the picture is a person or people I get someone to pose for me so I can make a study of the lighting, drapery, and detail of hands, feet, or other important features. I then make a drawing or take a photograph of the model posed in the attitude of my composition with attention to the details just mentioned. I use this for reference for the detail for my charcoal drawing and my finished painting. A model is an absolute necessity to make the picture convincing. In the case of animals for animal paintings, one must become thoroughly familiar with animal anatomy. One has to know the skeletal and muscular structure in order to draw movement that is convincing. There is no substitute for drawing from nature in either people or animals. In the case of grizzly bears, for instance, I have sketched and watched them in Canada, Alaska, and in the West. It is also very necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the characteristics and habitat of the animal one is portraying."
"When I am satisfied that the charcoal drawing on the canvas is as good as it can be, I use a fixative spray on it before starting to paint."
"I think I should mention here that if one feels the necessity for making a color sketch before beginning to paint he should by all means do so."
"One of the most important things I have learned is to paint out of doors. There is no other way to learn the perspective of values and the perspective of color. You cannot learn the effect of sky color on the top of rounded surfaces and the effect of the color of the earth and grass on the underside of objects or animals from a photograph. Go out and look for this in nature. The more one looks and becomes aware of these features the easier it is to put it into one"s work."
"The first thing I paint in my picture is the sky. This gives the atmosphere color of the day. The distant hills are most affected by this color. I next paint in the middle distance where the transition begins between the atmospheric color and the local color. From this I work forward more and more into the local color of the earth, grass, rocks, and trees in the foreground. When the sky color and the ground color are established I paint the figures or animals, with the light reflecting up from the ground affecting the color of the underside of the figures and the sky color affecting the upper surfaces. This makes the figures take their proper place in the picture."
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