I always start a new quarter by explaining to my students how important it is that we develop a practice of simplification and analysis before beginning a drawing or painting. I have them do an exercise to find large simple shapes based on value within a reference image. This helps tremendously!

We look around us and see a beautiful arrangement of forms. The scene, whether it is in nature, a grouping of objects, such as a still-life, or a figure, catches our eye. We decide to draw or paint what we see.

By beginning with a drawing, I can let the composition of a piece start to tell its story without the complexity of color