Painting Fodder = Inspiration I've stored up

Occasionally you may have seen me refer to "Painting Fodder".  This is a term I use to encompass anything that inspires me to create art.

I usually rely on three sources.

1) - Painting fodder outings - these are a combo of snapshots and sketches taken during a day out, I very rarely get a chance to just go out and paint en plein air right now, as my car is shot. No one wants to drive you someplace and sit around for hours doing nothing while you paint.

Even if someone loved me enough to put up with that, I would feel awful asking and be unable to get comfortable enough with the arrangement to paint, (also I never know when I will be done, so being dropped off and picked up isn't an option).

 So I find I need to get quick inspiration when out. Friends can sometimes be okay with the time it takes to sketch something and no one ever is too hurried to wait for a snapshot.

Snapshots are helpful for color reference later on, and to sketch from if sketching was not an option at the time. Since I use the computer to view rather than printing out the pics, I save on paper.

I have often thought maybe taking a video of some scene I would like to paint and looping it might be and interesting thing to work from, to get the motion I miss from not being able to go out and paint.

2) - "The problem with my brain" fodder - Occasionally ideas will hit me in the normal out of the blue sort of way.

But then there's "The problem with my brain" fodder, which usually describes things or themes I get stuck on.

Not "stuck" as in a block of some sort, "stuck " as in a complete set of themes or a series of subject will sit in my brain till I work them out.

I get stuck on colors, toys, moons and suns, trees , cycles, times of day, seasons and such and I can't move past that till I get them all out.

Yesterday's daily is a good example of that, as there is a companion design in my brain that goes with it, (And will probably be tomorrow's daily)

3) - The Still Life Fodder Box - I have a box in my studio full of stuff, a lot of it came to me when my gramma passed. Some of it I have added, from either coming across it while looking for something or from dollar/thrift stores. This is my go to artists' block breaker.

If I just can't think of anything to paint I will grab out a bunch of stuff and play with it till I get something that turns me back on.

Often times I will sketch from the still life arrangement straight onto the support in thinned oils. But sometimes I will photograph it and tweak the photo till it's exactly how I want it and then work from that. (usually for watercolors and acrylics-on-paper I will do it this way).

I also have a fodder box of old photos, but usually I use these as ideas or jumping off points rather than literal translations.


Rarely, I will meet someone I have to paint, and I will ask them if I may. But honestly I do not seek out portrait and figures to work from, I do enjoy doing them, and I make a lot of sales of commissioned works like that. But, I am uncomfortable asking people to come and sit for me unsolicited.


So that's what I mean when I say 'Painting Fodder' I am just talking about the things I collect for inspiration.

Today there is no daily as I hope to acquire some painting fodder on an outing today with my best friend, Miss Pink.

Have a great Saturday!