Richard Schmid
Pansies, oil on canvas, 12 × 24in (30.5 × 61cm).
The selective start is a method of painting evolved as my painting skills developed. It is about going from the parts to the whole. I call it selective because typically I select a small part of my subject, finish it, select the adjoining part, finish that, and so on. I know it sounds a little nuts, but with the right subject and circumstances, it works. It made sense that if I could see colours and shapes well enough to correct them, I could also get it right first time and thus eliminate the almost-right stage! All I had to do was be very exacting about how I looked at my subject and then equally fastidious and patient about what went onto my canvas. And I must have a very clear image in my mind, a sort of conceptual block-in, to guide my steps.