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Writer's pictureAntoni Lopes

Creating a Masterpiece: My 5-Step Process for Preparing my Next Painting

Updated: May 6


 


Blog content in a snapshot:

In this blog post, I’ll share with you my 5 steps to create my next painting.


Table of contents:

  • Which story do I want to tell next?

  • Plan the photoshoot / Check own gallery

  • Check my painting supplies and get the ones I need

  • Mood check

  • Take massive action


As a creative person, I get tons of inspiration. Any experience, mountain hike, ski ride, or walk in town can be a source of inspiration to me.

I write most of the ideas that I think of in my notepad (I carry one with me everyday and everywhere), so that, in case I cannot get to them right away, I still have them in the back burner.

There are some ideas that require more organisation and planning than others but still are so valuable and can turn into a great painting. That is why, it is so important for me to write them down in my notepad. Doing so, also helps me plan for my next project.


The first question I ask myself is: “Which story do I want to tell next?” If you have seen my work, you can tell that I am passionate about tradition, culture and landscapes. My mission is to honour the past by bringing it to the present through the creation of an authentic and aesthetic painting that tells a story about a specific place. With that in mind, I either take my notepad or check my mental notes and decide the story I want to tell. Then, the idea of the painting starts forming in my mind, until I clearly visualise the completed painting.


By visualising the painting, it then becomes easy to think about what I need in order to start painting. Sometimes I need to plan for a photoshoot, which will involve going to a specific place with specific people and agreed upon clothes. Sometimes, I can reach for my own gallery of photos. My phone and camera are full of pictures that I take while hiking, walking in town, etc. that I label as “for my next paintings”.


What I do next is check whether I have enough painting supplies or if I need new colours or new paint brushes. I will then go to my favourite store (online or brick and mortar) to get everything I need.


After these three steps, I am ready to start painting. Before I take the paint brush, I make sure I am in an optimal mood for painting. Now, I know that I work best with a morning routine as it will set me up for success. After my morning routine, both my body and my brain are working at their highest levels. This means that I am energised and I can think clear. With this daily mood check, I am ready to sit in front of the canvas and start painting the story I want to tell.


I am now ready to take massive action. I take the paint brush I need, get the colours, start mixing colours, put on a podcast or instrumental song on the back, and literally start transposing the story onto the canvas.

But hold on! There are days where it takes more courage to wake and do my morning routine, which then impacts my mood. Somedays, my brain is still foggy or I do not feel as energised. And the result is a mood check that is not optimal. However, I still push myself into doing something. I tell myself to take a smaller steps towards the painting. By taking smaller steps, I build momentum and confidence which slowly puts me in a better state of mind. After all, taking massive action is the final, and surely, the most important step to start creating the project  of our dreams.


Keep on painting your path!

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