I have been making a concerted effort to make thumbnail sketches, value studies, color studies, detailed drawings, and work out problems before I paint. Doing this really does not take anymore time than just jumping right in and painting (even jumping right in and starting painting, I still have to understand my values, get an accurate drawing, and work out problems).
The big difference between the two approaches is I make most of my mistakes on the studies, and when it comes time for me to do the actual painting, I can paint it in one session, and be more direct and vibrant. The other big difference is I can study lots of compositional and value combinations with the thumbnails that I could not if I went directly to painting.
Also if I go directly to the painting, and it is not working, I spend lots of time trying to save it, and if it is a bad composition, or essentially a re-do to correct painting wide values, I often end up with a mediocre product because I am loath to start over.
I feel a great freedom doing the studies. They are all quick (except for the detailed drawing, and that is usually a keeper anyway), and so I do not feel bad if I reject one for another idea. I also have the freedom to check out lots of ideas, and see which one I like best. Sometimes the best idea comes from a mistake in the studies, but the resultant value changes or compositional changes can really enhance the final painting.
I believe that when I am doing the studies, not only am I experimenting with different approaches and ideas, but I am training my hand and mind for the final drawing. I also get more and more familiar with the subject so my final drawing feels more correct.
Painting to me is solving the visual problems of creating art. The more problems I can solve during the study phases, the more sophisticated the problems I can deal with during the actual painting phase. It is like my boss used to say -- "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." By doing studies I have basically reduced the "elephant" (my painting) into lots of "bites" (my studies).
When I first started doing art, all I wanted to do was get in there, and get painting. I wanted to create masterpieces, not practice. As a beginner, I did not know that the only way to create masterpieces was through practice. Now I have gone back to what I wish I had done in the first place. Practice, practice, and more practice. I make my mistakes in the studies, and deal with the sophisticated problems of paintings when I produce my finished project.
The old adage, practice makes perfect, was never truer than in art.
