Stop following the rules and start writing your own.
Packed with 50 rule-breaking practical hacks and painting techniques to unlock your creativity, this is the maverick’s guide to creating truly innovative art.‘Don’t use black.’
‘You mustn’t lead the eye out of the painting.’
‘Never put your subject slap-bang in the middle!’
Maybe you’ve heard one, two or all of these ‘golden rules’… But why? As Picasso put it, you should: ‘
learn the rules like a pro so that you can break them like an artist.’
- Paint outside the box: 50 fun, rule-breaking exercises, each with an inspiring finished painting, practical techniques and handy tips.
- Lose the fear of getting it wrong: Learn to reconnect with your creativity, develop an eye for innovation, and never feel afraid of a blank canvas again.
- Perfect for artists of all abilities: Discover inspiration for your next project – dip in and out if you find a rule you want to challenge, or work through them in order.
- Reinvigorate your painting practice: the practical exercises are worked in oils, but the principles apply across different artistic mediums.
This book, from best-selling and award-winning author Haidee-Jo Summers, is the perfect gift for artists of all abilities. It contains 50 fresh, lively ideas for challenging conventional artistic wisdom – showing that you can create something really, really
right, even when you do everything
wrong!
Introduction 6
Breaking rules of colour 12
Rule 1Avoid using black at all costs 14
Rule 2Never use black from a tube 18
Rule 3Dont use too much white 22
Rule 4Dont use white too soon 24
Rule 5You must tint with pure white 26
Rule 6Never paint straight from the tube 30
Rule 7You need all three primary colours 34
Rule 8You must paint only the colours you see 38
Rule 9Never use black in portraits 42
Rule 10Distant shapes are always blue 44
Rule 11Dont use greens from the tube 46
Rule 12You must not use too many colours 50
Rule 13You must not use warm colours in the distance 54
Rule 14Dont overmix colours 56
Breaking rules of structure 60
Rule 15Dont place anything in the centre 62
Rule 16Figures must have accurate proportions 66
Rule 17Dont lead the eye out of the painting 68
Rule 18You must guide the viewers eye 70
Rule 19You cant hide the subject 74
Rule 20You must not paint a boring subject 76
Rule 21At all costs, avoid symmetry and repetition 78
Rule 22Dont paint over the lines 80
Rule 23You must paint on a rectangular surface 84
Rule 24You must have one clear focal point 86
Breaking rules of materials 88
Rule 25You must paint on a top-quality surface 90
Rule 26Painting must be done with proper brushes 92
Rule 27Stain your darks, load your lights 94
Rule 28Big brushes to start, small brushes to finish 98
Rule 29Always start from an outline drawing 102
Rule 30You must work thick over thin 106
Rule 31You must work fat over lean 110
Rule 32You must paint on a smooth surface 112
Rule 33Standard brushes give the best results 114
Rule 34You must start from a blank canvas 116
Rule 35Blending must be soft and gentle 120
Breaking rules of behaviour 122
Rule 36You can only paint outside on sunny days 124
Rule 37You cant paint in the rain 126
Rule 38Your studio must have north light 128
Rule 39You cant paint a moving subject from life 132
Rule 40Dont paint in the midday light 136
Rule 41Always work from dark to light 138
Rule 42You cant paint outside in the dark 140
Rule 43Dont skip the planning 142
Rule 44You must cover the whole surface 144
Rule 45Youve got to do your best work every time 146
Rule 46You cant paint using your non-dominant hand 148
Rule 47Dont paint too sparsely 150
Rule 48Criticism is the only way to improve 152
Rule 49You cant start a painting without a subject in mind 154
Rule 50You must follow all the rules 156
Afterword 158
Index 160
Haidee-Jo Summers is an award-winning artist whose work has appeared in exhibitions worldwide. Oils are her preferred medium, though she has taught in many different media, on subjects ranging from gardens to portraits. Hooked on painting and exploring, Haidee-Jo paints anywhere, no matter how busy or crowded the setting, how complex the scene or how difficult the weather.
Since graduating from De Montfort University in 1994, Haidee-Jo has received many awards for her work. She serves as the Vice-President of the prestigious Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and has also been elected to membership of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. Her work, which features fresh and vibrant brushwork coupled with keen drawing and observational skills, has an international following. She is an editorial consultant for The Artist magazine and has published two bestselling books on oil painting, Vibrant Oils and Plein Air Painting in Oils, in 2017 and 2022 respectively.
Visit her website www.haideejo.com
Follow her on Instagram @haideejosummers
