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| Erin, 9 1/2" x 12 1/2", oil. So close to color she can smell the paint. |
Over these last weeks with the Venetian Technique, old and new techniques merged nicely last week. While developing patience, control, an eye for values, skill with flat bristle brushes and tiny, multiple zero numbered sable brushes and the mahl stick, standing at the easel. instead of sitting, holding the long handle brushes at arms length. instead of gripping it up close pencil style and backing up and squinting often, remained part of the dance. Energetic brushwork was not sacrificed. It showed up between the sunglasses and Erin's left shoulder. Alla prima palette knife free hand work worked well in the background. Years of drafting, eliminated the distortion that comes automatically with grid drawing. The smaller size made the monochrome layer not very demanding. I would have been into color three or four days ago, if I hadn't decided to have my carpets, upholstery and windows cleaned for the holidays.
Observation and meditation, studying different approaches , come on the canvas so it seems that the hands and brain are able to synthesize what is most appropriate to you as painter. Happy moments so well deserved from you,Linda !!!
ReplyDeleteErin emerges, so natural and powerful in its expression that makes her portrait unique.
Have nice painting week!!!
It was a good move going smaller for this class. I didn't find working smaller at all difficult. I don't know why the instructor thinks bigger is better? Now, I'm sitting here deciding whether to take the painting to class this morning. It takes me as many minutes to pack up everything and drive over there as it would to finish this mono. I think I have gotten what I needed from this fellow and can handle the rest on my own. I'm anxious to see how I incorporate this approach with other techniques left on my own--which is pretty much how it has been after he handed out a paper describing the Venetian Method. I may be finished as a student at a school--but none of us are ever finished learning in our own studios.
DeleteYou have too much experience to "dangle from the mouth of anyone"(it says so in Italian), you're not curmudgeon...
DeleteI hope not, but others might not agree. :-))
DeleteWow! Great work Linda! Have the best holidays!
ReplyDeleteMichael
Thanks Michael. After adding color to Erin the Venetian way, I'll be putting the 'painterly' back in LWR's Technique. It's nice to know I could have gotten a job at a sixteenth century Guild. :-))
DeleteErin is coming along superbly! I do love that palette knife work in the background!
ReplyDeleteKathryn
thanks Kathryn. She's almost as done as I think she needs to be. I think the composition is a bit tight--but that's the technique for you. I'm anxious to see how helpful the monochrome is in determining color values--particularly when Ii get to that orange towel, not exactly a sixteenth century paint color. :-))
DeleteErin is brilliant. Will you colour her in Venetian style or L W Roth style?
ReplyDeleteThanks. My style. That's an orange towel she's sitting on and her bathing suit top is aquamarine---might have to tone down those contemporary colors just a tad. :-)) While I've learned a lot about reading values, mixing color runs, maneuvering the brushes, caring for the brushes, etc. It's time to just paint. I skipped class again today. It's too quiet there. Todd never corrects me, so I must be doing everything just fine. (I am ahead of the others in know-how). And there's horrible parking conditions with them repaving the lot. Who needs to go there, when painting conditions are just fine here? I did meet some nice folks who like to talk art and that was nice, but there's no connection outside of class. I think I would have to become a perpetual student. While I will always be a student, I can handle what I want to learn on my own--I think I could teach drawing. How's your teaching job going? Is it time consuming? Packing up supplies and driving a half hour to class was time consuming. I guess I've become a curmudgeon.
DeleteGood for you if you have out grown your class. You will do very well without the hassle. I'm not teaching yet. waiting on the getting- it- organised- stuff and they are very busy.
DeleteKnap heel knap gedaan Linda lieve groetjes Danielle
ReplyDeleteThanks Danielle. Greetings to you too.
DeleteAlways interesting to read your posts, Linda. I really admire how much thought and time you put in your painting. It is such a contrast to my spontaneous way of painting, with the thinking coming afterwards, but I learn a lot from your posts! Erin is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThis year has been a year for thinking, examining, making decisions. It was a year of study. I never did that before with painting. I painted like you, spontaneously. The difference being: I had only raw talent and no real know how.
DeleteI'll be going back to the spontaneous approach in January a bit wiser--with an understanding of the tools of painting and a knowledge of how the masters went about creating those priceless treasures in our museums, as well as a comprehensive understanding of our appreciation of alla prima's look of spontaneity thanks to Richard Schmid and Katy Swatland's marvelous books. This has been a great year for me. I've enjoyed every tidbit of a better understanding of the craft I picked up.
Erin looks just outstanding! I am looking forward to seeing the color progress shots too! I read in a comment above that you didn't feel like going to class because lugging your stuff around is such a chore. I can totally relate, even though I have been lugging things around for years now. Sometimes it just makes sense to not do it!
ReplyDeleteGreat painting so far!
Well I don't mind lugging around Erin, a much smaller canvas, but Linda is way too big--the canvas and the portrait size. Plus when I'm there and finally set up, I am not getting any comments other than how great the portrait is going. Add to that that there's no talking while everyone is painting. It's just not fun. So I'm doing a tedious piece in a tedious atmosphere. I'd rather be in my own studio doing great listening and singing a long with BB King or the Eagles. Today, I just set Erin aside. There's a few more areas that could use some tweaking, but she's darnn close to good enough. I needed to break away from Burnt Umbra and play.
DeleteBonjour chère amie,
ReplyDeleteJe suis heureuse de pouvoir admirer à ce stade la belle Erin.
J'aime comme vous nous expliquez une partie de votre ressenti... car je pense que vous étiez si profondément impliquée que vous et votre oeuvre ne faisiez qu'un en oubliant la vie qui vous entourait.
Gros bisous ☼
Thank you Martine for your kind words. You are such a dear heart. This painting technique turned painting into a job, not a joy. One must have great patience to stick with it. Mine was running thin. To refill my cup, I took a break. I have every intention of finishing both monochromes over the next months. I like the technique. I think it has great benefits, but it also requires stamina. Stamina is something one builds up over a period of time. The winter will be long enough.
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