- Step 1: Setting Up and Exploring a Mixer Brush with the Tablet and Pen
- Step 2: Working with Dry and Wet Paint
- Step 3: Setting Up a Still Life and Making a Brush Sketch
- Step 4: Making a Custom Brush with Softer Bristles
- Step 5: Laying in Color for an Underpainting
- Step 6: Adding Details
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Step 3: Setting Up a Still Life and Making a Brush Sketch
For my reference, I arranged a simple bouquet of tulips in a vase, setting them near my computer in soft natural light from the left side. Figure 9 shows my photograph of the still life with flowers. I planned to use a variety of pinks, reds, and greens in the study, with variegated dark browns in the background. Think about the kind of color palette you'd like to use. I chose a medium pink, and the Flat Blunt Short Stiff preset to begin my sketch of a single tulip. Choose the Mixer Brush tool and the Flat Blunt Short Stiff. Keeping your hand loose, take your time and enjoy drawing your sketch.
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Figure 9 A photo of my simple still life. I chose the pink tulip in the foreground as the subject for my painted study.
For my simple still life, I loosely sketched the forms of a single tulip, while keeping interesting negative space in mind. I changed colors as I worked. Figure 10 shows my brush drawing in reds, pinks, and greens. The colors I used reflect the natural side lighting in the still life.
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Figure 10 The loose brush sketch, painted with a variety of pinks and greens.