Acrylic painting tutorial and thoughts on canvas size for a painting
Choosing canvas size for your painting should ideally be based on what painting you are painting, and the idea you have chosen for yourpainting.
Full acrylic painting tutorial is included in this video.
No doubt the canvas format and size of a painting have great significance for how one experiences a painting. So ... what is the best size and format for the painting you want to start painting, and is one size better than another?
In my view the answer is ... Yes and no:
No, there is no "right" format, you can always adjust your painting to fit whatever format … and … yes, some formats are more suitable to better support a certain idea, which I will demonstrate in this video.
You have unlimited options regarding the format of your canvas. You have in fact endless possibilities so it can be really difficult to choose.
Some prefer small canvases, because a small size mentally is easier to comprehend, and then again some will prefer larger formats ... feeling that “big is better”.
Many of the superstars in the history of art for example Van Gogh, Vermeer and Renoir almost exclusively painted on small canvases.
I also mostly paint on a small or medium-sized canvas, because you quickly can change the entire painting using only a few brushstrokes. It is more complex and time consuming to change direction if you paint on a larger canvas.
I don't know if "big is better, but I feel that a big canvas is giving you something for free.
The decision on finding the right canvas size is often based on dull practical reasons far away from the creative process, and practical reasons are tough to deal with.
For financial reasons I often buy larger quantities of canvases and matching frames, and I like to show several images in the same format on an exhibition.
I prefer formats I am used to paint on, and to be honest, I then arrange my motive according to the format. This is not ideal, because I know, in the back of my head, that the choice of canvas size should depend on the idea and what you want to paint. Not the other way around.
I usually paint on ready-stretched canvases, and sometimes on paper. That’s it. My normal formats are:
30x30, 40x40, 50x50 60x60, 60x80, 80x80, 90x120 cm
Of course your preferences may be different, but I like the square formats. That's in my comfort zone, because I can rotate it in the initial phase to create new opportunities and ideas for my painting.
The comfort zone is nice, but not very challenging. You need to challenge yourself in order to develop your skills and process. So, sometimes when I am in a gallery or a museum, I look at sizes. When I see the size in front of me, it is much easier for me to decide, if a new format could be interesting to try out.
So, once in a while, I buy a new size. It's refreshing and I get a new perspective on my painting.
I am a member of an artist group called The Blue Tower. We are 17 artists who exhibit together once a year. When exhibiting in a group, it is important to have a common theme for the exhibition. Furthermore, working with a common theme forces me to paint pictures I wouldn't otherwise have painted.
For the past 4 years, our exhibitions have based on the classic elements: air, water, earth and fire, and in 2024, the theme is: "The 5th element"... whatever that is.
After some reflection, I came to the conclusion that TIME should be my 5th element... the fact that time passes.
And the idea for my painting is to show a progression in time, a motive that develops from left to right, which in my part of the world is the direction of the sun across the sky. To achieve this I decided on a long horizontal canvas 60 x 120 cm. This will beautifully support the idea.
So, to answer the initial question … yes … in my view, this is the right format, for this painting.
Timecodes
0:00 - Intro - is there a right canvas size?
0:26 - Yes and no, depending on the painting's idea
0:50 - Choosing a canvas size for a painting is complex
1:14 - Canvas size: Is big better or should smaller sizes be preferred?
3:00 - My preferred formats
3:30 - Challenging your comfort zone
4:05 - Working in a group using a common theme: The Blue Tower - a group af artists
4:45 - Choosing "The 5th element" to be TIME
5:00 - The long format is the right format for this painting
5:30 - Full painting tutorial using the theme idea: TIME
12:49 - Ending the painting - balancing the composition
14:48 - Correcting a mistake
15:38 - Adding details and finishing the painting
16:20 - The development of the painting photos from start to finish
16:49 - Ending the process
17:00 - Outro
I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did, please hit the like button and subscribe to my channel.
Please let me know what format you prefer for your paintings.
Also I would highly appreciate to know if you have any ideas for the 5th element. I may be able to incorporate your ideas in my next exhibition.
Se more videos on my channel : @skora-theoldguy.
Пікірлер: 100
I feel so mush joy whenever I see you have posted a new video. I designed magazines for over 35 years. I suffered a heart attack in 2019 and been trying to rediscover my art again. I’m still searching and also a little scared to put myself out there again. But your videos and art continue to inspire me to keep believing. Keep up the great work! 👏
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi I am very happy to hear that my videos are beneficial to you. I am sorry to hear that you are suffering from the after effects of a heart attack. Do you have normal agility in your hands? Have you tried painting with water color? It is less demanding and can be very satisfying. I hope you find a way that works for you, and then let it be...what it will be. Remember that maybe ambitions are good, but they can also destroy the joy of the process. Just paint ... the process is the important thing, not the result. Get well and good luck! Greetings from Henrik
I have to admit, I have never painted anything in my life. For some reason, I have felt the need to do so and to learn technique, coloring, etc. Today I have made my first purchase of painting supplies and many of the colors you have mentioned are now on their way to me. If I can only get a taste of yours and your artist group's talent, I would be very happy. Your videos are filled with wonderful information for the beginner and it is very appreciated.
@skora-theoldguy
2 ай бұрын
You are about to take the first step into a very exciting world. The start may be difficult, but keep at it and soon they will be able to see the progress. Especially in the beginning, you can clearly see from work to work how you get better, it's immediately worse when you've been painting for 30 years ... then it takes longer in between ... but if you work, you will develop. Congratulations on your decision, and best of luck.
@r.k.2823
2 ай бұрын
@@skora-theoldguy Thank you!! I'm fairly excited to get started.
@grittykitty50
Ай бұрын
@@r.k.2823 remember to enjoy it! i'm excited for you!
@ChristinaFlowers1
Ай бұрын
Disciplined application of paint to canvas is a useful vehicle for the creative process. I allow the work to fulfill itself through me. Rather than forcing something to manifest, it’s more fun for me to relax and let it happen to me. Blessings.
Stunning and breaktaking, thank you for sharing your gift!
I am so happy to see you have posted another very inspirational painting…………….I love your style. Thank you for sharing, learning so much.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
You are so welcome. Thank you for watching.
❤ I think the fifth element is love. It’s a combination of all. It’s as gentle or as turbulent as the air. It’s as refreshing or as dangerous as water. It’s as exciting or destructive as fire and as comforting and solid as earth. But I wouldn’t say it’s the fifth element…it’s the first. By the way, love your videos!
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi JILL I love your comment. Thank you! Love is a good suggestion. I will look into this, and see if I can use it in a painting. I use love in many of my paintings, but it's more like, for example, love for something else. It's a bit difficult, but it's also the difficult that gives the best pictures. I will make some skeches. But thanks for your input. Gretinge from Denmark
Really love the progression photos you show. Another fantastic video and painting. I would be very satisfied if i had painted anything like your presentation here. Bravo old guy to old guy 😂 👏
The video emphasizes how your experiences serve as invaluable lessons for us, continually inspiring and motivating our artistic endeavors. It highlights the profound impact of your work on our creative journeys and the admiration it evokes within the artistic community. Thank you so much Old Freind JAM
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi Jam Thank you for your support and your kind words. Hope your painting process is going well
My favourite channel to watch! Thank you for demonstrating how you paint and why. Your work is so inspiring! I am exploring with different canvas sizes and shapes so this was very relevant! Thank you from Calgary, Alberta, Canada!
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Wow ... thank you. Formats are interesting and inspiring. Greetings from Copenhagen Denmark.
I hope this finds you well. I was looking to see what you are painting lately. You are very talented. Thanks for the interesting videos. 😊
Absolutely stunning! Thanks!
Beautiful 🎉 Thank you for guiding us step by step. I can feel the change of seasons.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Nice, that you feel it! I love that. Thank you for your comment.
It’s always a pleasure to listen to your insights. I like square format. The fifth element can be human. Thank you.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thanks for your input regarding "human" as the fifth element. I really will look into this.
Your videos are my favourite and love it when I see you have posted a new one
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you for this kind comment.
Your work is astonishing and very beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. Here is my humble suggestion for the fifth element: You could do a complimentary one to the painting in this video (which is incredible!). For example: Earth = to show the sapling growing Rain = to show its nourishment Fire = to show it burning Wind = to show its total destruction. Hence, the fifth element would complete destruction of the earth. Very literal I know, but you could have fun with the ‘fifth’ element. Also Could you post in advance when and where the exhibition takes place. Many thanks.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi. Wow ... very good. This is a good suggestion. I will look into this. I'm not too happy about the "complete destruction part" (although sadly maybe that's what's going to happen). I will find a way to include hope...we must have hope. But thanks, I can really use this suggestion. Well spotted. The exhibition takes part in the Danish city Hillerød at "Annaborg" 13 june - 29 july. Opening day: 15 june 14:00 - 16:00 ... you are welcome: Hillerød Kunstforening, Frederiksværksgade 2A 3400 Hillerød, Denmark annaborg-hilleroed-kunstforening.dk/om and ... det-blaa-taarn.dk/ Kind regards Henrik
Insightful, informative and entertaining as always. I too am more comfortable using smaller/medium sized formats, but get a buzz of adrenalin when faced with filling a big canvas. Your paintings and videos are very inspiring, tusen takk!
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi. Thank you. Yes! Small canvases inspire and you quickly get an overview. It works well for me and I agree with you...the big canvases are the ones that make your heart beat faster.
Your colours make my eyes very happy. I am inspired to do the same with my space paintings and will try to add a 5th element of dark matter to them some way. I enjoy your videos a great deal as they are precise with a hint of humour. Thank you for sharing your process with the world
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi Allison Thank you for "Dark Matter". I will look into this although, I think it's a bit difficult to imagine the pictures ... but it doesn't always have to be easy either. I will start on a 40x40 cm and see what happens. Thank you for your kind comment. Greetings from Denmark
You have a refreshing outlook on colour combinations. It is exciting to watch the evolution of your paintings and your thought process. Thank you for sharing your ideas and talent with us.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you for your nice comment.
Thank you for showing the process. I love it.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
You are welcome.
You are an Amazing artist!!!!
@skora-theoldguy
16 күн бұрын
Thank you. You are too kind. Thanks for watching.
Really enjoyed this video. Your mosaic shapes are so beautiful
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed my video
I love your paintings. Beautiful.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you.
Thank you for your videos and sharing your thoughts and experience. I love your work and the colors ❤️❤️
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you. You're so kind🌹 Greetings from Denmark
Thank you for explaining your process in detail. Love your work!
@skora-theoldguy
2 ай бұрын
You are welcome. Thank you for watching.
Earth Water Fire Air and Space Thank you for the addition of time. A beautiful painting. I also think of music/ sound as an element too.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi Wow ... sound ... brilliant. Why didn't I think of that? Thank you for your kind comment.
Thanks a lot for having us participate on the progress of your artwork - the effects after balancing the winter part are astonishing! Also interesting that you chose a 2:1 format to show the idea - to me it's a difficult and slightly 'uneasy' format that adds to the 'conceptualness' of it - as opposed to e.g. a format close to the 'golden ratio'. A bit like the square format, which is quite hard for naturalistic painting (with most natural subjects lending themselves more easily to horizontal or vertical dimensions), but a good choice for abstracts ;)
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you. It took me some time and consideration to come up with that solution, but then there was no doubt at least that it worked. Subsequently, I have considered whether a snow white or in different shades would have the same impact. I will have to see in an other painting. Regarding th format I had good results from earlier paintings. I look at is as sort of an "antique scroll". That is the TIME aspect. Thank you for watching.
I feel like I comment and say the same thing every time but your videos are truly amazing and informative. I look forward for your posts and they always inspire me. You are a gracious person teaching and showing your process on paintings that are very much your own style and I always feel honored to be in your studio. The time and effort that you put into your videos is much appreciated. So again and as always thank you for sharing. 🎨🖌️
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
HI and thank you. I am happy that you find my videos interesting. I like making them and I highly appreciate your comment. Thank you too.
Beautiful! Thank you for showing and teaching us!
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
You are welcome.
I like square sizes too.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Yes ... many opportunities in that format.
I could watch you paint all day! I love your finished (for now) painting. For the fifth element I would choose the element of surprise! 😊
@maryrasmussen8002
2 ай бұрын
Love your videos! I'm always so happy to see you've posted another.. For the 5th element, I'm going to say compression, because you can't have any any phsical elements on earth without compression. (Although I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me)
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you. Regarding compression: I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Compression...how can it be an element? I would really like to understand, so can you elaborate a bit? But thanks for the suggestion.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Surprise ... that was a good one, at least in English ... not så much in Danish language. I will work a little on this. Thank you.
@SimoneWhippArtist
Ай бұрын
@@skora-theoldguy How about unexpected then? 😊
Thank you for explaining your personal preferences on canvas
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
You are so welcome.
Beautiful and wonderful process…color matching with real color of leaves is really inspiring..thanks for sharing
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank for your comment ... and thank you for watching.
love it
Thanks for sharing. I love 2:1 for landscapes just getting into square and liking 60x60cm Coming from a photography background my go to size is 16x20 inch. Really appreciate your posts. Thank you
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Lovely to hear. I am working on a 100x100 cm canvas right now, and this is a lovely format. Big and beautiful. Thank you for your comment.
I was looking forward to your next video so I was delighted to see this tonight. It’s great to see your process and I’m inspired by your beautiful colour choices. It’s such a huge subject (colour) that I imagine we could all keep learning till the day we die! I’ll keep trying… Thanks for your generosity. 🙏
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi Chilli You are so welcome. Glad my videos inspires you. Thank you for watching.
Genius idea, arrangement , color choices, beautiful! Your style is what I would call for myself a “perfectionist’s abstract”. Uplifting and philosophical. Also, I love large size paintings.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi. Thank your for this nice comment. I am glad you like my videos. Wow. Greetings from Denmark.
Thank you for sharing this topic with us. I love watching you paint.
@skora-theoldguy
2 ай бұрын
Thank you for watching.
Great video. Thank you sir.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
You are welcome!
Exquisite work once again. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the painting develop over the video. The work is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing the process. I would like to suggest Space as a fifth element? The other four elements relate to our Earth, and by extension, perhaps the Earth can be considered an element in our space called the Milky Way? Just a thought. Either way I will enjoy seeing what you come up with in the end. 😊
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you for you interesting input. Space is relevant ... my fellow contryman Andreas Mogensen just got back from the International Space Station 3-4 weeks ago. I believe that space is where we eventually need to go ... the 5th element ... thinking aotside the box so to say ... interesting. Greetings from Denmark
Thank you so much
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
You are welcome!
You ARE a master, sir.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you!
Ether - I’ve heard the ether referred to as the fifth element. I love the thick gallery canvasses. I do better with larger canvasses and I like the challenge of different formats. Thank you for your contribution to others.
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Thank you. Ether? In what way. Can you explain better for an old man?
too perfect
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi Too perfect? ... no ... not even prefect. But thanks!
Beautiful ❤ thank you for the video. I have fallen in love with abstract. Could space be an eliment? As a beginner, I am still learning about format, so I don't have a favorite yet 😊
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Hi Thank you. I will look into space as an opportunity. Let's see what happens. Thank you for watching.
Thanks for this video - never seen anybody consider the question before! Its an important question for me. Haven’t done anything over 16x24 - proportions can be important for me sometimes.
@skora-theoldguy
2 ай бұрын
Hi. Why not try the bigger formats ... it's fun.
@jdmosaics
2 ай бұрын
I enjoyed watching and hearing your process. I was waiting for all the beautiful nuances of White for Winter. A completely White painting with all the different cool through to warm Whites would be wonderful for the Fifth Element of Temperature. I have just started using the 30 cm x 30 cm format and am enjoying it. In 2019 I went to Amsterdam and was enthralled by the Vermeer’s… they are so small, yet have so much going on in them. Thank you again for sharing your creativity. ❤
The painting and its colours are stunning!... very alive! I thought it was curious that at 16 minutes 31 seconds into video, I see an old man wearing a brimmed felt hat, and a three quarter length winter overcoat walking into the forest. (you see it just right of centre at bottom, before u cover it with blue). Did you paint him in deliberately and then paint over him?.... or did you unconsciously include him? ... perhaps you painted yourself ...?🙂
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Ha .. no, I haven't seen him. But you are not the only one telling me this. I wish I've seen him, but I did not. Entering "the fall" of his life ... he was transformed into a tree ... maybe it's me? Ha! Thank you, and well spotted. Regards Henrik
@peaceforchildren4303
Ай бұрын
@@skora-theoldguy Ha!... Mysteries abound. he's a creature of the forest now 🙂
figure of old man is most apparent at 16 minutes 26 seconds into video
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
Ha .. no, I haven't seen him. You are not the only one telling me this. I wish I've seen him, but I did not. Entering "the fall" of his life ... he was transformed into a tree ... maybe it's me? Ha! Thank you, and well spotted. Greetings from Denmark
@peaceforchildren4303
Ай бұрын
@@skora-theoldguy wonderful! thanks. 🙂
🏃 "Promosm"
@skora-theoldguy
22 күн бұрын
??
better every day
@skora-theoldguy
Ай бұрын
👍