How to Create a Speed Painting

Hello everyone, today I propose to show you how to do speed painting. You will see that there are many ways to approach the technique of speed painting to have fun and be creative.

Get your pencils, paper or tablet ready, and most importantly, your creativity!

WHAT IS SPEED PAINTING?

Speed painting, as the name suggests, consists of painting quickly. The idea is to reproduce an image in a relatively short time, usually around 30 minutes.

Speed painting is often used to learn key drawing concepts: composition, values (different levels of grey) or colour by studying photos or drawings by other artists. Speed painting can also be useful when you want to present several illustration ideas and are not yet sure which idea is the most interesting or attractive.

The most interesting aspect of speed painting is that, given the limited time available for drawing, you have to get straight to the point and find the best way to convey your ideas. Very often the final images are interesting from a distance, but very striking when viewed up close - that is where the interest lies!

No need to worry if your image has very few details or looks a bit messy, the main thing is that the idea is well conveyed.

Some points will facilitate a good understanding of the image:

Having very clear lines (in red in the examples below) will make the image immediately more readable, understandable, and impactful. Knowing how to add some areas of detail (in blue in the examples below) will suggest a large part of the drawing (thus saving time) while giving the impression that it is complete.

As for techniques, it is true that digital is often recommended because it is more permissive. If you are fond of traditional methods, I recommend using opaque media, which will allow you to be quicker; the most common is the alcohol marker, but paint or pastels can also work very well. Ultimately, the most important thing is to feel comfortable with your tool.

Similarly regarding the working method, some prefer to draw only with lines, others with circles, others will mix the two; in my opinion, everything works as long as we are comfortable and able to simplify each step as much as possible.

SPEED PAINTING AND COMPOSITION

One of the main interests of speed painting is being able to study photos or illustrations from other artists in order to understand key concepts and learn how to depict them. In this section, we will look at how to simply analyze the composition of a photo and depict it.

The following steps are a study task to be done even before starting to draw, first we observe, then we analyze and then we draw.

A - I choose a reference photo that I like;
B - I will start by looking for the leading line in the picture, here it’s easy: it’s the line created by the path. It’s this line that gives all the interest to the composition of this photo;
C - Then I identify the different levels that make up the image, here a first level with the rocks, a second level with the stairs, the hill and the lighthouse, and a third level with the sea and the mountains;
Q - Next, I will break down the different planes of my image using simple volumes, which will allow me to redraw them more quickly and precisely.

Now, I can move on to drawing, I set myself a time of 10 minutes (without coloring)

1 - I start by sketching the different planes to have a reference in the image.
2 - I add the simple volumes of all elements including the path.
3 - I start detailing the stones and rocks very quickly. The goal is not for them to be identical to reality but to clearly understand whether they are steep, rounded…
4 - I add details with blades of grass, steps... The whole remains very striking, but in a composition study I might as well stop here.

This exercise helps to train your eye and fill your brain with a database of different compositions, which will allow you to use them later. It also helps you find quick methods (like the small bushy lines for grass, for example) that will enable you to sketch much faster in the future.

5 - For those who want to learn more, here is an example of colour application; I have set a time limit of 20 minutes.

LIGHT AND VALUES OF A DRAWING

Light! It is well known that this is a rather complex and vast subject. Speed painting allows you to study light and deepen your knowledge of the subject. In general, it is advisable to start studying light using only values (i.e. shades of grey), which allows you to focus exclusively on light, putting aside all colour theory.

As with the previous point, the following sections are analysis work to be carried out prior to drawing.

A - I start by choosing a reference image with distinct lighting, ideal for this type of study;
B - I apply a black and white filter (or I print it in black and white) to make my study work easier;
C - I identify the different planes of the image. Here, a foreground with the shadow and the bushes, a middle ground with the mountain on the right and a part of the plain, a third plane with the mountains on the left, and a last plane with the mountains in the center.

You might notice one fundamental thing: the further away elements are from the foreground, the lighter and less contrasty the grey tones become; if there is one thing to remember, it is definitely this.

I then analyze the areas of light (in yellow) and shadow (in purple) and determine where the main light source is coming from (here the sun).

I can now start drawing, I set a time of 20 minutes.

1 - I start by placing the horizon line (in red) and the silhouette of the different mountains.
2 - I sketch the different shadow areas.
3 - I blur this first sketch and create the sky with a very light grey gradient.
4 - I start with the last plan, I create a gradient from light gray (at the top) to an even lighter gray (at the bottom) which will give atmospheric perspective. I also add a few lighter strokes to suggest the sun's reflections on the mountain.

5 - Now I work on the 3rd layer, starting with a light grey base and adding details by drawing horizontal or vertical lines to add some texture. Then I use a darker grey to fill in the shadow areas I had drawn. I also add some details with vertical lines in a darker grey.

6 - I completed the second layer, starting with a very light grey on the plain and lighted areas of the mountain. Then I use a darker grey to fill in the shaded areas. To add depth, I add details in an even darker grey and further contrast the mountain.

7 - I finish with the foreground, using the same shade of shadow as the mountain, add details in dark grey for the bushes and try to represent the different volumes with horizontal lines.

SPEED PAINTING AND COLOUR

Colour! It might be one of the most difficult aspects of drawing, here we won’t dive into the details of colour theory, but this speed painting exercise is perfect to learn how to draw, or even paint, using only colour as a reference.

A - I choose my reference image;
B - I will try to see what the main colours that stand out in the image are;
C - I then observe the distribution of these colours, here it is very simple, the upper half of the image is made up of warm colours, the lower half of cold colours.

To better understand, I have included the colour wheel as well as some of the colours present in the image. It is worth noting that the main palette contrasts shades of red/orange with shades of blue/green to cyan, these are complementary colours.

For this colour study, I will not draw sketches; instead, I will try to reproduce the image by working only with colour zones. I'm setting a time limit of 30 minutes.

1 - (Digitally) I start with the sky, which is barely visible but will serve as a base and background.
2 - I start with a rough sketch of the pier using shades of green/brown/cold grey for the shaded areas and beige/brown/warm grey for the light areas.
3 - I roughly apply touches of blue and green to the area with the water. The aim is to replicate the colour areas without necessarily working on all the reflections and details of the water.
4 - I do the same thing on the other side of the pier, transcribing the different green areas with a colour block.

5 - I work on the background of the trees using shades of yellow and orange. I do not draw the leaves one by one, but use colour dots to represent the effect of the foliage.
6 - I now add the trees by applying flat areas to which I only add shades of grey and green.
7 - I then add shades of red to the leaves in the foreground and work them in with touches of colour similar to the previous ones.
8 - Finally, depending on how much time is left, I add other details, such as the pier features, a few touches of light green to suggest the plants and some shades in the trees and water.

We just looked at how speed painting can be used to study images and improve drawing skills, I invite you to watch this video (This is a URL link provided and does not contain any French text that requires translation to English. Please provide the text you need translated.) if you want to learn more about how to do a speed painting without reference. 

I hope you enjoyed and found this article informative! 😊

Illustrator and writer: Chloé Pouteau