Writers Are Like Painters

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When I was a teen, I took up oil painting. One of my favorite shows was The Joy of Painting on PBS, and I figured if Bob Ross could make happy little trees, maybe I could too. For awhile I actually thought I was going to be a painter rather than a writer, but that was before the writing bug bit me really hard. But here's the thing, and probably why I was confused for a little while---writing really is like painting.

These days I occasionally take up my oil painting between projects. Even though they're different (one changes a canvas, the other a computer screen) writing and painting have many similarities. One of the paintings I hope to finish someday features a rough looking cowboy (he's pictured above). He's been a work in progress for longer than I care to admit, but as I work on this painting, here's what I'm noticing:

Underpainting/rough draft
For this project I started with an acrylic underpainting, made up mostly of grays. It's like a rough draft. I can see the outline of what I want to accomplish, and the hints of where I want to be, but in no way is it complete.

Laying down the color/second draft
Then it's onto the color. I applied it generally with little thought to detail. The important thing was to get the darker colors where the shadows would be, and the brighter colors where the light would hit this character's face. Second drafts are like this for me. Since I tend to underwrite, often I'll be going back and adding layers of dialogue, character thoughts, etc. It's at this point I'll probably doubt my ability to see this project through. What was I thinking?

Getting the likeness/third draft
This is where things get tricky. This portrait must look like a human being. All the nuances of my character's face must be just right. It's the same with writing. The story needs to make sense. The character's motivations need to ring true. I'll need to sculpt away the excess, keeping only the important.

The fine details/final draft
I enjoy this step the most in both painting and writing. I can finally see I'm going to make it! I'm going to complete this project. The image in my head has finally (if I've done everything right) materialized. It's now I really step back and examine to make sure I'm satisfied. There might be some fine tuning still. I might decide I have to make the nose or chapter longer. That's okay. The hard part is done. The hardest part now is knowing when to sign the picture or type "The End".

[This is an edited version of an older blog post I wrote that's now being featured at the Scribble Chicks blog.]

The Power of Music - Flame by The Echoing Green music video

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I know this blog is about writing and books, but sometimes we gotta sit back and chill to a good song, don't you think? To me, this is a good song. The Echoing Green has been spinning in my CD player for years now, but they're still a somewhat unknown band in Christian music. The electronic genre hasn't made a big splash in the Christian market yet, I guess. These guys could be called synthpop in some ways (at least in their early days). They've branched into a little bit darker sound (not in a bad way) with their new tunes of late. I'll listen to anything they come up with.

This video is for their song called "Flame". The song's been around for a couple years, but they're just now making a video for it. I suspect it'll appear on the album they've been working on for about the same amount of time now. I'm intrigued with the concept behind this. It tells a story. I'd love to know what you think about the lyrics and the video. What story do you think it's telling?

That's one of the great things about music. It pulls on your emotions, takes you to a place. Think about movie soundtracks. Without a single word uttered a scene is set. Songs can inspire just like a magnificent painting. It's all art. Whether we paint with brush, pen or keyboard, we're all artists tugging on the emotions of humanity.

Maybe this post is about writing after all. :)

P.S. If you like what you hear, visit The Echoing Green's myspace page.

My Favorite Book Covers

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There's nothing like a great book cover. Sometimes they'll make or break a novel. I've picked up more than one book based on the cover alone. Here are a few of my favorite Christian fiction covers. What do you think? What are some of yours?

Shoofly Pie
by Tim Downs
Howard Books

I love the vibrant yellow, and of course the blood spatter adds the mystery/murder element which plays prominently in this story. The fly clues you in on the "buggy" elements. You can't see it in this picture, but there's some embossing going on with the cover that also adds to the experience. Perfect novel for a quirky murder mystery.




Forsaken
by James David Jordan
B&H

It's not entirely clear in this small photo, but the bullet hole through the glass is amazingly detailed and adds such a great element to this cover. The image of the main character, Taylor, is also compelling. She's beautiful, but the coat she wears hints of her harder edge, something a suspense lover like myself welcomes in a novel.



The Restorer
by Sharon Hinck
Navpress

I absolutely love how this cover hints at the themes of the novel. This is a modern woman who finds herself in a fantasy world. The sword holding is perfect and says so much. I also love the color. This particular designer, Dog Eared Design, isn't afraid to use vibrant colors, and that's nice to see.





Dark to Mortal Eyes
by Eric Wilson
Waterbrook Press

The cover of this book alone got me to pick it up off the shelf at Barnes & Noble. I was immediately intrigued with that eye. Some have called this cover too edgy or intense, but I think it's brilliant. Says so much and also hints at the story to come.






The Breaking of Ezra Riley
by John L. Moore
Broadman & Holman

I own this book because of its cover. Yes, my interest was piqued by the summary (features a man coming back to the family ranch) as it reminds me of the settings I tend to favor in my own writing, but I wouldn't have bought it if wasn't for the cover. Again, perfect match up of design that matches the theme and tone of the novel. I haven't yet finished this book, but it starts out during a bleak, brutal Montana winter.



Plague Maker
by Tim Downs
Thomas Nelson

I'm noticing I lean toward darker covers, but those fireworks really grab your eye. It's an incredible shot that plays wonderfully into the book's story, too. The images on black add to the effect, and the lettering is the perfect font for a suspense.