Negative space is the empty area surrounding a subject in a painting, and in the painting process, it is just as important as the painted parts. Leaving parts intentionally unpainted forces the viewer’s eye to focus on the light, creates…
Deciding what to leave out of a painting is often harder than deciding what to put in. After thirty years working as a designer, I learned that the elements you remove create the clarity, tension, and emotional impact of the…
Tenebrism is a dramatic painting technique that uses extreme, almost theatrical contrasts between deep shadows and harsh light. It was made famous by the 17th-century artist Caravaggio, and while the style has evolved, the core idea is still very much…
Painting the background dark before adding light creates a unified void that lets the artist bring the subject to the surface using only pale tones. This approach removes the distraction of a white canvas, creates intense dramatic contrast, and allows…
For a standalone piece, the physical painting takes about two to three days from gesso to final white highlights. But I rarely paint just one. I work in collections of six to eight pieces at a time, so the total…
I begin with a dark ground. With acrylic, I add the light that lets a subject emerge and leave other parts unresolved. The dark space is part of the composition, not a background waiting to be filled. This way of…
