Painting what's in your head

[tour de poop]

How well can you paint/draw/create what you imagine?

I find myself making big compromises when I draw because I can't get the idea down quick enough on paper.

Then when I do, the technical aspects of it like lighting, perspective, etc. as well as painting, take too long to make. I mean, I get tired of my idea because it takes so long to create and I want to move on to one of my other amazing visions.

How do you stay focused on one painting and carry through with it to the end? Does it come out as you imagined, or do you make changes because you don't have the skills to make something?

I wish I could just shoot the wonderful pictures straight out of my mind onto canvases. :[

[FraserMcT]

Draw from life until you are good enough to capture your imagination. If you can't capture reality, then I wouldn't attempt a finished imagination piece.

[Skesku]

some people can literally visualize exactly what they want to put down on paper. then trace it.

alot of our imagination unconciously comes from the world around us, i mean try to think
of a new primary colour in your head right now.

i think the more you record life, in whatever way possible the closer you get to materialising your own imagination.

[haste]

i think its a huge misconception to think that the best artists are able to trace whats in their heads.

Taking an idea from imagination to the canvas is a process. Drawing and painting can be boiled down to problem solving.
Where is the focus of this painting? How do i get the light to fall on this form to create the mood i want? etc, etc. These are all problems you have to solve when you put the idea on paper. Noone is able to just "trace" something from their head. Keep improving, and dont get discouraged.

To answer your question about taking pieces to the end, dont let the technicalities of art making stop you. Its not cheating to use reference or use 3D to help you achieve your vision. Use every tool available to you in order to achieve your vision.

[Bruce Pluto]

To accomplish what I think you want to do, finish an image you see in your head as quickly and as accurately as you envision them, well it takes time, experience and practice. If there is another way of getting there then it is unknown to me. So I guess what I’m saying is every art creator must pay their dues.

It usually takes me a day to do the pencil work and 4 or 5 days to actually paint the image. That is if I can work on the piece without stopping to attend to something else. I think what you’re looking for is speed. You will get much faster the more you draw or paint. It’s frustrating but it’s just the way it is. Along the way you may come upon ideas that give you a way of speeding the process up. With each work you will become faster and faster and there may be little hints and tricks that other folk can provide that will assist you.

The main thing is to just stick to it.

If something isn’t coming out just the way you want and you are beginning to become bored then set it aside and get back to it later. This is something I struggle with at times but I always keep a thumbnail sketch so when I’m ready to get back to it I can ( if I am choosing to begin again).

BP