I'm Warming Up / Quick and Loose Floral Paintings

I've mentioned once or twice (or 10 times) that taking a break is so important...and pretty great actually! While it has at times put me a little out of sorts from how I was doing my art business...it has landed me right in the middle of not knowing what's next! An uneasy feeling to be sure...and exciting all at the same time!

The business can take over the art if you aren't careful. I'm learning to let go and lean into being loose and free...unfolding and evolving. Of course that does bring with it a certain amount of uncomfortableness...though mostly the freedom to create overrides any unease.

To keep me grounded and in the studio, I've been starting each day with a quick and loose painting. I'm working on 11x14 mixed media paper and giving myself a half hour (more or sometimes less) to create a loose painting and see what shows up. So far flowers are the star...being so familiar with flowers as a subject gives me room to explore color palettes.

The Benefits of Quick and Loose Painting

Quick and loose painting gives me freedom and self-expression. It invites me to experiment without the pressure for perfection. Of course I'm focusing on florals, and working to capture nature's beauty using just a few strokes with mostly negative painting around the flowers and vase. These quick morning paintings allow me to loosen up and detach from the constraints of detailed work...just what I'm looking for!

The beauty of this technique is in its immediacy. Research shows that engaging in quick creative exercises can improve overall artistic performance. In fact, artists who practice quick sketches can enhance their drawing speed by as much as 30% over time. These brief, focus-driven sessions encourage spontaneity and often produce unexpected results that may inspire your next significant piece.

Choosing Your Materials

You won't need an extensive list of supplies for this practice...just your favorite brush and a surface to start. Making sure you pull materials together to start, frees you up to be in the moment and let the cretivity flow! And who doesn't want that?

• Paints: acrylics, oils or watercolor...heavy body, liquid, inks...your choice. This is a great opportunity to play with different mediums and not get too caught up in the details

  
  

• Brushes: Use a selection of various size brushes...flat, round or my favorite bright brushes. I would suggest you GO BIG with your brush and be expressive. This will also keep you from getting caught up in the details!

  
  

• Paper or Canvas: I've been using 11x14 mixed media and watercolor paper...though you could even use a flattened cardboard box! Being able to store paintings on paper is a lot easier than stretched canvas as they take up much less room and you'll be more likely to paint more.

  
  

• Palette: I've started laying out a large sheet of freezer or tracing paper rolled out on my art table as my palette. Using a larger space as a palette, you'll be more likey to squeeze out more paint...therefore be more painterly!!!

I've been using this book in my morning practice. I open it up to a page and use that color palette. It keeps me trying new and diferent palettes that I wouldn't ordinarily try...

I'm loving the experimentation!

(click the photo to link)

Finding Inspiration in Florals

Florals are a fantastic and accessible subject for quick and loose paintings. Not only do they come in countless shapes and colors, offering endless inspiration...but we all have an idea of the shape of a vase of flowers, making it easy to negative paint the background around them...you don't even have to know how to draw! You can paint from life using fresh flowers or work from photographs...or just let them show up for you. Focus on the flower's overall shape and color rather than detailed features...aim for broad strokes!

This quick painting below started out with torn up pages from a floral book and painting the background around to create the shape...I love negative painting! Adding in a few scribbles of oil pastel, a few brush strokes, Stabilo pencil and voila...a crazy mixed up bunch of flowers in a stripe vase! You can see the video on this piece over on my YouTube channel... just hit the big red button below.

Denise Cerro / RE-Arranged Flowers

Techniques for Quick and Loose Painting

1. Scribbling: Embrace a carefree approach! Use your brush or marking tools to create abstract shapes representing flowers. This method might just lead to surprising and imaginative results that inspire future works.

   
   

2. Layering: My students all know...I'm BIG on layering...more makes for a better painting! Laying down a soft blue can give the background a dreamy quality, while layering brighter floral tones over it keeps your subject popping.

   
   

3. Negative space: Pay attention to the area surrounding your flowers instead of just focusing on the blooms themselves. This technique creates more dynamic compositions and encourages you to view your subjects from different perspectives.

   
   

   

Enjoy the Imperfection

One of the most freeing aspects of quick and loose painting is learning to accept imperfection. Not every brushstroke will be flawless, and that is completely fine! Embrace the quirks and miss marks of your work. These unexpected imperfections can be exactly what makes your painting unique and wonderful!

Remember, the goal of these warm-up sessions is not to create a masterpiece but to enjoy the painting process. Allow yourself the freedom to experiment without the fear of judgment or failure...be loose and quick!

Wrapping Up

The artist that turned me onto quick and loose floral paintings, as a way to warm up and ignite creativity is Robert Burridge. I've been watching his videos for years, be sure to check him out on YouTube. Relax and be open to exploring quick and loose painting techniques...they'll truly reveal your artistic voice.

So, gather your materials, set the mood in your studio, and let your brush move quickly across your paper, canvas, cardboard box. Enjoy whatever turns up for you...and remember, it's only paint...you can always paint over it!

Robert Burridge Artist

Creativity requires the courage

to let go of certainties