While many artists work to create realistic images, others prefer stylized painting. Since most traditional instruction in the fine arts begins with a mastery of the tenets of realism, it can be challenging for artists to reject the restraints of painting things as they are and infuse their work with a degree of abstraction. There are, however, several stylized painting techniques that will make the entire process easier.
Choose a Subject
It has been said that all art is a balance between realism and stylization. Choosing a subject that lends itself to a stylized painting technique is the first step in creating a successful work. In general, subjects that can be reduced to simple forms are best, since the absence of detail is common to most stylized forms of art. Recognizable objects like buildings, flowers and the human body are good subjects since viewers are likely to recognize them without trouble even in a stylized rendering.
Choose a Medium
While stylized painting can be done in just about any art medium, certain media lend themselves to stylized techniques better than others. Some painting media, such as tempera paint and acrylic paint, are best for making precise lines and controlled forms needed in realistic painting. However, oil paints and watercolors can be thinned down and manipulated by the artist to produce more random, spontaneous effects that lend themselves to a stylized image. Choose the right brushes for the medium, remembering that large brushes work best for large areas of color and broad strokes while smaller brushes should be used for more detailed work.
Practice and Prepare
Practice working with your chosen medium before you begin your final composition. This step may involve creating a value chart in which different color motifs can be chosen. Practice with a variety of brushes and work with the paint itself on different surfaces or in different proportions of water or a thinning agent. Knowing how much control you will have over the paint is essential in creating a stylized work that still represents the intentions of the artist.
Composition
Upon beginning the painting, it is a good idea to decide on a composition. This means deciding how exactly the subject will be seen, from the point-of-view angle to the way the subject will be positioned on the page. Some forms of stylized painting, such as cubism, are known for breaking up the subject and rearranging its elements in an unusual way. Other stylized forms, like impressionism, may disregard small details, but accurately reproduce an image's basic form in a unique color arrangement.
Brushwork
Brush technique can also be varied for different types of stylized painting. Pointillism is based on producing small dots of pure color, working only with the tip of the brush. Many other stylized forms allow the brush strokes to remain in the paint as it dries, preserving evidence of the artist's methodology. Applying paint in other ways, such as by dripping it directly onto the surface, using a palette knife or your hands can also be used to create a personal style that will be as much a part of the finished work as the subject itself.
