Save the Whites and Paint the Negative Space

My goal in this painting was to suggest the movement of a regatta race.  I started by painting the negative space around the white sails.  The design of those sails was crucial.  The big shape of the foreground sail was balanced by the shapes of the other sails as they recede.  I created a sense of movement with brushstrokes and with the tilt of the sails which gave the negative spaces different sizes and shapes as well.  Once that was done, the colorful accents and darks were dashed in to create texture and visual interest in the white shapes.

Keeping the negative shapes relatively neutral in color was also helpful to keep them subordinated to the sails.  As a result, any orange and black accents stand out.

Don't forget about my May workshop in St. Charles, Missouri, and my annual Maine workshop in July!