Behind the Canvas: When a Scribble Becomes a Story

I’ve learned something over and over in my studio:

The beginning doesn’t get to decide the ending.

Some of my favorite paintings started with scribbles. Messy marks. Random lines. A “what am I even doing?” moment.

And somehow, those imperfect beginnings become the heartbeat of the finished piece.

Why scribbles are powerful

A scribble is honest. It’s unplanned. It’s movement without self-consciousness.

When we scribble, we’re not trying to impress anyone. We’re just making a mark and letting it be what it is.

That’s why scribbles are such a gift to an artist. They bypass the “inner critic” and go straight to expression.

Layering: where the story starts

In my process, I often build paintings in layers:

• a playful beginning layer

• a structure layer (shapes, balance, composition)

• a clarity layer (editing, simplifying, emphasis)

• and sometimes a final “spark” layer (contrast, accents, unexpected pop)

Sometimes I keep parts of the original scribble visible - like a memory under the surface. Sometimes it disappears, but still influences everything above it.

Either way, it matters.

RETRO RHYTHM

Reclaimed canvases: second chances on purpose

I love reclaimed canvases because they carry history. They’re already broken in. They’ve already lived a life.

And there’s something symbolic about that, isn’t there?

A reclaimed canvas reminds me that nothing is wasted — not the messy start, not the abandoned attempt, not the “wrong direction.” It can all become something new.

What I want you to know (even if you’re not an artist)

This idea isn’t just for painters.

Sometimes our lives look like scribbles too:

• messy seasons

• unclear direction

• imperfect starts

• layers of mistakes and learning

But the scribble isn’t the final story. It’s just the first mark.

An invitation

If you’ve been craving a creative reset, try this: Get a pen. Scribble for 30 seconds without thinking. Then look at it like it’s a map. Find one shape you like. Circle it. Build from there.

That’s how paintings begin. That’s how courage begins, too.

If you’d like to browse available original work (including some reclaimed canvas pieces), visit vivfineart.com.