As a portrait artist, I faithfully followed my teachers’ instruction: do a complete pencil or charcoal drawing on paper first, then transfer the drawing onto canvas, then paint.

But ever since I discovered that you could directly sketch on canvas, my painting life has been so much easier!

There are only three steps:
1: Priming the canvas with gesso. It helps achieve an even texture and enhances the durability of the artwork.

2: Use a graphite pencil or charcoal directly sketch on canvas. I like to use charcoal because pencil marks are more challenging to see on a canvas than on paper. Also, I can smudge charcoal to make different shades instantly. See my before and after photos of my newest painting at the end of this post.

You can do a full-value range drawing or simply do an outline. But you must take time to ensure the drawing is correct because you skipped the drawing on paper stage. Below is a drawing I directly sketched on canvas.

3: After you are totally satisfied with your drawing, use a spray sealer to protect your drawing, so it won’t get smudged when you paint over it.


You must take your painting outside for the spray, and hold your breath when you spray.

How to spray: seal the can first, then spray circular motions about two to four inches from the canvas.
After that, I will leave the canvas outside to dry for about 30 minutes.

This approach allows for preserving initial sketch details while adding richness and depth by applying oil paints.

Of course, regular practice of drawing is important. This post is meant to give you another option when you paint under time constrain or want to explore a new method.

Below is the final painting from the drawing on canvas.

I hope this post is helpful!

Cheering you on!

Ying

The post How to directly sketch on canvas appeared first on Ying McLane.

This happened to me during the COVID pandemic.

Like so many of you, the pandemic had beaten down my creative spirit to a state of dormancy for over a year. I don’t think I touched my brushes one time during that period.

After things finally got better, I started to have visions in my head: images of women floating underwater, some of them meditating, some of them reaching for the surface. So I created a series of paintings about those visions.

Then one day, I was staring at a big blank canvas. I suddenly had the inspiration to paint the face of Jesus with unusually bright background colors. I also have a gold pen handy, so I scribbled many prophetic Hebrew words about God and Jesus onto it.

Now I know I was creating prophetic art.

In short, prophetic art is created with the Holy Spirit. Thus, it can also be called spirit art.

When I saw women underwater, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear: paint the images to express this idea: the weight and depth of troubled time can not dim the God-breathed and nurtured human spirit of resilience.

My painting of Jesus is a piece of even more apparent evidence that the Holy Spirit had inspired me.

I Corinthians 3:9 points out:” For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”(NIV)

Friends, as you can see, we are called to be co-workers of God. Our Father is the Alpha and Omega, the creator of the universe, so we are also called to be His co-creators on this earth— what a noble task!

To know more about prophetic art, check out my mentor Matt Tommey:s article here: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/what-is-prophetic-art.html

To read more about my thoughts on art and God, check out my post:

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