# Loose vs tight



## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

I have come to realize that my style of painting tends to be very tight. I don't think that makes for the best paintings and I want to try to do a painting that is loose and lets the brain put together the painting instead of the eyes....not sure I explained that right. Here's an example. This is my favorite painting from the display on the ship


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 If you get up close to it you can see what I mean..no harsh distinct objects...loose strokes of blocked in figures.


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 This is the kind of work I want to do. What I'm doing now isn't much different than paint by numbers...I sketched in the painting...I follow the photo and try to duplicate it with a few personal touches. It's not what makes a really good painting.  I think @dickhutchings painting of his wife's happy place is a wonderful example of what I am talking about. It is loose and an excellent painting.

Having said that I'm going to try doing another street scene while waiting for sections to dry on my current painting, and this new one I am going to try to make loose and free. I'm not at all sure I am capable of it actually.


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## Susan Mulno (Apr 13, 2015)

I understand what you are saying Terry. I keep getting distracted by and drawn into details when I am trying to flow "free and easy" per-se. If you figure out how to accomplish this maybe I will learn from your example. :biggrin:


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## Liz (Jan 10, 2015)

I totally understand what you're saying Terry because that's what I'm trying to achieve with my animal paintings but it is so hard to do. I never thought that painting loose would be so difficult, I always admired those artists who do photo realistic paintings and thought wow what skill that requires, but painting loosely requires just as much skill.


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## dickhutchings (Oct 6, 2015)

I got lucky one night and haven't been able to repeat it. The way I got lucky was in thinking I was only going to block in my painting. Before I got to the actual details, I stopped. That was because my wife suggested I stop. Art is so difficult. Not. We make it difficult.


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## WFMartin (Nov 10, 2015)

There are some actual "tricks" in the form of specific "operations" that when performed, on an oil painting, can turn a very "tight oil painter" into a more "painterly" one.

The best way to teach yourself how to do it is to get a close-up look at a successful painting that has been painted in that manner. Notice their brush strokes, and try to determine what you would do to emulate such an appearance. It makes no difference how many layers you may need to accomplish it, or how fast or slow you work......it is the overall, final APPEARANCE that is the determining factor.

Tip number one. Use a flat brush. Apply paint with short, "choppy" strokes, rather than sweeping flowing strokes. Use random, criss-cross strokes for things such as skies, and foliage, but use both vertical, and horizontal strokes for things such as pathways, waterways, sidewalks, etc.That is just a few of the things I have noticed when I've viewed such impressionistic paintings.

It's worked well for me.:wink:


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

WFMartin said:


> There are some actual "tricks" in the form of specific "operations" that when performed, on an oil painting, can turn a very "tight oil painter" into a more "painterly" one.
> 
> The best way to teach yourself how to do it is to get a close-up look at a successful painting that has been painted in that manner. Notice their brush strokes, and try to determine what you would do to emulate such an appearance. It makes no difference how many layers you may need to accomplish it, or how fast or slow you work......it is the overall, final APPEARANCE that is the determining factor.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice Bill. My next painting I'm going to give it a shot. I have a few more weeks before I'll be done with the one I'm working on.


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