Engaging in Art Practice: Ideas to Help Conquer the Blank Page
Oftentimes, we find ourselves in the mood to make art and engage with our creative side. We gather our materials and play some fun music, only to find ourselves stuck staring at a daunting blank page or canvas. It is such a clean, smooth surface that looks almost perfect, and you may worry about making a mistake or creating something that does not resemble the image you have in mind.
As a fine artist and perfectionist, I often felt intimidated by the blank page. I worried that a painting would not be as good as the last, or that I would not be able to create the image I had envisioned. I remained in this cycle of worry until I met a painting professor who changed how I approached starting a new piece. She taught me that sometimes to begin, you must alter the surface in some way to help prepare for the process. Through many different classes and compositions, I gathered a slew of techniques that can help transform the blank page to be more approachable.
Toning to Transform the Blank Page
One of the most common techniques across all artistic mediums and materials is called toning. Toning is the practice of creating an initial layer of translucent color on a canvas or piece of paper. This layer often serves as the midtone for the piece. A midtone is the middle value between the darkest and lightest colors. Artists often choose a midtone as a base layer to help unify the colors in a composition, enhance their vibrancy, and set the overall mood.
In painting, toning involves applying a thin, translucent layer of oil or acrylic paint to create the initial base at the start of a composition. This base layer is often created by thinning paint directly from the tube—oil paint is thinned using mineral spirits or turpentine, acrylic paint can be thinned with water or an acrylic medium, and watercolor with water. The paint should be thin enough to move easily across the canvas or page, creating an even layer.
When working with charcoal or chalk pastels, or even when creating a preliminary sketch, vine charcoal is another tool commonly used for toning. Vine charcoal is a softer charcoal that can be used to turn a white page into a soft gray. It smudges easily and is highly erasable, making it ideal for toning the page, providing an opportunity for sketching and mark making without fear of permanence.
Another simple way to move past the starkness of a blank white page is to choose a sketchbook with colored paper. Many art stores offer sketchbooks with tan, gray, or black pages, which can help creators feel more confident and supported when beginning their work.
Having this initial layer of toning can serve many purposes. It can enhance the vibrancy of colors, establish a cool or warm tone, and provide comfort by reducing the starkness of a blank page. This layer also offers an opportunity to make “mistakes,” try out ideas, and explore, as additional layers of toning can transform those marks by softening them, removing them, or enhancing them into something new.
The Creative Process
The creative process can be daunting; it takes time, exploration, and patience. One technique or tool may not work out or perhaps it does, and you create something that feels true to you. There is no correct way to create. Creating is a process that holds a piece of you from a specific moment in your life. You may find the result beautiful, sad, happy, or something you never want to look at again, but it is always worth exploring and truly feeling.
As an art therapist in training and a fine artist, I believe the creative journey looks different for everyone, and sometimes it is okay to not want to explore it alone. It can be helpful to feel seen throughout this process and to have a witness alongside you—someone who can hold space for both the process and the product.
Francesca Crevoiserat, BFA
Art Therapy Intern
