Wild Color

Farm animals are a subject matter that brings joy to many people. It also can be an excuse to get really wild with color. For example, Roosters have a variety of color, usually very harmonious and fun. But also, notice I have not abandoned basic principles, like values. All good artists will always keep a sound value structure (also called Notan) in order for the subject to read well.

In the painting on the left, I have neutralized the background because there is so much color in the rooster, anything in the background would fight with the main thing, Mr Rooster (or the foreground). Also, the brush strokes mimic the direction of the feathers. Most impressionists or contemporary painters are not going to paint 5 million feathers--boring and not an exciting product. By suggesting, you invite the viewer into the painting to finish the process. By defining out everything, it is boring because I can see a photo by myself--who needs the artist. Therefore, by massing in the main body and softening the edges, you create the feeling of feathers to impliment the sense of reality in this bird.

Another tip on brushwork, keep the brush strokes large and loose whenever possible. Create a shadow even if it is not there. Drag the brushdown (or up) and away to create the whispy (feather feeling) on the bird. Of course, the colors on this guy were great. Ask yourself, are the colors (or strong blacks and white) interesting. Look and observe--there are subtle blue greens (I used Viridian) or burgundy (quinacradone rose is good) within this animal. Build in strong contrasts by making the background opposite the foreground. For example, if the bird is black, make it white. If white, darken the background with grass, barns, etc. Be sure and put dabs of these strange and unusual colors that are typical in roosters. Small note--have a leg up, adding movement as opposed to simply standing still. Can you have any more fun that this? Let me know if you enjoyed this painting or information. Next time I will show a portrait of a cow.

Design

12x16 Pacific Grove Iceplant Right, actual area

Reconstructing from nature is important when considering design- the interesting placement of objects and material so the eye can go back into a painting and enjoy and its unique characteristics. The painting Ice Plant, below , didn't look that way. In fact, you can see the actual landscape on the photo in upper right--not much to work with, huh? There was a big blob of ice plant on the right with a nice shadow but that was it. By making a path and having the upper left trees go back via graying pushing them into the distance, I created a much more interesting picture than mother nature gave me. The tree on upper right I pulled down, forward and enlarged it. I also developed a path so the eye would go up and back. In other word, don't be a slave to what is front of you. Move things around, push em back or forward for interest.
Paul Strisik was well known for this. He was an artist back east, died some 10 years ago but he would have a most boring bottom third of a painting before him and changed it to fit his design. One student asked me if it was okay to change the subject in front of him-not only is it okay but important and necessary. You are the creator in your painting--occasionally mother nature drops you jewels where you needn't change a thing, but that is not the rule. Enlarge, shrink, push back your subjects to arrange a better composition. The rule is have a way to get into a painting, leave and stay in a painting. You will have better art that way.

Figures en Plein Air

This painting, Harvest, is only 11x14, as a primer for a larger piece. When including figures in your work, you want to think of several things. Do the figures look cutout? Sometimes there is failure to bring the prevailing light into the colors in the figures. If the sky is mostly yellow, make sure you place that color in your figures. Of course, the second consideration is correct drawing--do the figures have a gesture (bend or curve that is natural and interesting.

Often the mistake beginners make is that they are too stiff. Have them doing things. I ask myself what is she doing, how is he holding onto the load, does it show the weight, balance, etc. Arrangement; are the people is a pleasing order, low to high, forward and backward. Is my painting successful in this category. One painting I remember from my trip to Russia is how the impressionists would use figures as a lead in. Very unusual in western art, yet highly interesting technique.
Perhaps equally important is what direction are the figures looking. Have them go in different directions, most of which go into the painting, not out. My own preference is to keep them loosely painted. That doesn't mean throw proportion out the window but try doing two strokes for an arm instead of ten. Suggest, don't over define--that will take the life from the painting. Are the skin tones dark enough with warm tones that indicate truth or honesty. Perhaps workers aren't cool to put into the painting. I think they are but that is my personal preference.
Finally, look for harmonies in the entire painting. The example on the left has a secondary color scheme- orange, violet and green. Therefore, to have your figures pop, use a primary like blue. While I might push some of the secondary colors into the blue to make it connect, it stands out because blue is non harmonious. Can I get away with this nonharmony? Of course, in fact it breaks up the secondary scheme somewhat but make sure it doesn't destroy the harmony in the overall painting.
Mass distribution? That is an important principle. Notice I have the wagon sliding to the right. It might be too precarious if I didn't have two things to counter balance it--the worker in blue holding it up and the tree upper right tilted to the left. These small things make it balanced in my opinion. You may disagree but I like things unevern. Brings in excitement and dynamism..
To sum, consider the following factors when bringing figures into your paintings: prevailing light color, perspective, gesture, overall harmony, mass distribution, dynamism, and facial direction. Use warm skin tones and suggest, don't tickle with the brush and overdefine. Okay, that is about it. I know it sounds like a lot but I have been studying this stuff for 20 years and my knowledge mounts up. Read Andrew Loomis on figure drawing and illustration; free on line PDF file. If you do these things, your paintings will improve. Good luck and remember my critiques via email. Having a teacher assist you can be an invaluable process.

Use of Greys

Most people, including myself, have a hard time understanding tonal, greyed down color. I have a friend of my whose wife says," Have you mastered greys yet? " as a joke. Mastering greys is a lifelong ambition but what I am trying to get at is most master painters don't use color right from the tube. To get a grey color, the old adage is to pick a color and add its compliment. For example, if you have orange, add blue to grey it down. Another, probably more useful technique is to have a mother color, a grey collected from your last scrapedown, and add small tincture into each color to the canvas. This will be a natual harmonizer, (bringing all colors into a pleasant interrelationship). This coastal from Big Sur is all greys, creating a sense of atmosphere typical of fog along the coast. The strongest color is up front, in the yellow bushes on the left and the rather strong blue-green below the large rock on right front. This brings the foreground forward, the rest is pushed back . To make an element in your painting recede in the distance, add cool and grey tones. Also, think of dividing up your major masses into thirds. ( I thank Ron Rencher for this approach) This also helps in keeping things simple and arranging all the elements mother nature reveals to you outdoors. So work at values, understanding the lights and dark tones of your painting and it will get stronger. Bring greys into your painting--green grey, blue grey, mauve grey, brown grey and you will have better harmony.

Positive Art Thoughts

Since reading Jack Whites book, Fear of Art, I have been struck by the valuable contribution of he and others who address thought patterns as they relate to the world of art. In my own thinking, I have negative thoughts like, " I can't paint what I want" or, " I can't make it successfully, I will have lots of paintings and store them up so after I die, they will discover me". These and other negative, victim type thoughts are actually prescriptions for how I live my life. Obviously, they have negative consequences. I have been identifying these and canceling them with improved positive thinking like," I can paint anything I want" and " I can be successful in my art and financially sound" and " Who cares after I die, let's make it now" . I am not sure where these will lead me but they will probably have a better outcome than the former.
I had a student ask me, "Can I paint this?" Of course you can paint anything you want, I fired back. Many of us who came from moderate or severe dysfunctional childhoods were shamed when we were young, stifling our inner urges, creative intelligence (psychologists finally have labeled this as an valid indicator of "smarts", and ability to express ourselves. These old messages can be replaced with new messages that are upholding, validating and supportive. Try saying, You are well loved, You can do anything you want to do, or you are a creative talented person, capable of great art! Such new positive thoughts are bound to take you to a better outcome than shame based thoughts. I have notice an improvement in my work since I began this program a month ago based in Joyce Meyers book, Power Thoughts, where she encourages this process from a Christian perspective. I will put a plug in for my ongoing favorite blogger Stapleton Kearns. He writes daily and on artists I have always admired (Sargent, Zorn, etc) and topics of great relevance. Check him out. Let me know if this helps you by commenting.

Whimsical portraits

Perhaps because of the season, Halloween, I am extra whimsical in this painting showing the Venice Carnivale, a time in spring where everyone dresses up in masks and historical italian costumes. I love the colors and unique masks that are somber, erie, yet provoking and interesting. Note how the mask follows the same undulations as a persons face, yet is removed and strangely beautiful. There is the minimal amount of "landscape" where the figures dominate. There are two distant figures and a gondola so everyone knows where this is (Venice, Italy). Keeping the hands soft was a huge challenge, something Bye Bytney taught me, it is known and deconstruction; you paint or render the object, in this case hands and a purse, then scumble over it to eliminate edges. The end product becomes mysterious and suggestive, making the viewer go to the more interesting parts of the painting. Impressionism leaves so much room for experimenting. If you don't like the look, render it again. Don't ever be afraid to go over and over a painting; one thing Dan Hatfield teaches gained from James Singer Sargents notes, but not to the point of killing the spontaneity. Also, note the amazing amount of interest just by a cook, angle of the head that is facing you. These small gestural tweeks can add so much to a painting, keeping it life like. People angle their head, not everyone keeps it stiff and upright. In my class on Fridays, we have a live model where I now teach the subleties of portriature but abstracting the portrait, as in this painting, is such a fun, good exercise.

Counterpoint in Composition

I am doing this blog on developing oppositional lines and angles within the structure of a painting. While doing a show in Utah, I was exposed to the work of Steve Sanger, a Park City artist who has multiple pitches in his paintings. This creates a fluid, poetic motion in a painting and is difficult to create without forethought. To obtain this motion, one must start with a line up from left to right, then have a focal point back to the left so the eye zigzags if you will. Always have curves, it is a counterpoint in direction, not light as the term often implies. This kind of motion has a singsong effect, good movement and captivates the viewer better than straight lines going in the same direction. Notice the green and earth tones are not even clear. Are they grass, vines, ? Who knows, leaving it abstract in the bottom third of the painting leaves mystery because you don't want the viewer to spend time there, merely open the door for them. This is an 11x14 (sold) of a Murphys, California vineyard. I have had this in mind for over a month, then saw this scene and immediately got out of the car and painted, esp difficult because my wife was in the car. Sometime I will do a blog on spouses (oh how they suffer) that you may want to share with yours. New classes starting up in Newcastle, Auburn area so join us!! Live model to draw and paint!! So, in sum, design your painting with curved lines that sway back and forth for a more interesting product.