Today I was in the MFA and I saw the Dutch Master Show. Really quite magnificent. Everyone should go and see it for it's history, beauty, skills and great subject matter. I was particularly taken with the exquisite luminous fabrics...how they were described. One portrait would have a satin black fabric and the other black velvet. And how distinctly different these fabrics were but so subtle that they were hard to study to see exactly what went on to create different illusions. For one thing: the blacks are rich, sometimes flat and sometimes luminous with other colors present in them and whites glow off the canvas. Lead White is an amazing rich material that we don't have today. It fills my heart to see such skill that we don't value today as a present day artist skill. In two years of taking random classes, some people consider themselves professionals. What ever happened to years of drawing and getting educated in the baseline skills. I did my fair share and studied with Robert Cormier and Paul Ingbretson of the Boston School. An excellent education. I'd recommend this to anyone.
This week I will be doing a Demonstration for the Newton Art Association. I have done so many throughout the years. I am hoping it is an interested crowd with lots of feedback. I will do either still life or landscape in oil. A quick study. Contact them if you would like to attend. It is on a Thursday evening.
So many of my students have issues with understanding how to design a landscape and here I have listed some suggestions to help the understanding.
1. Make sure you have good resources: multiple images of the sight in varied colors and exposures in black and white.
2. Do you homework and pick a photo image of a place you are familiar with. Have some sketches and notes.
3. Do the thumb nail sketches. Be sure to pay attention to the division of thirds in the picture plane and don't put anything in the middle, it is challenging enough.
4. Pay close attention to the mid ground. This is were most peoples weakness lands. Draw as if you are drawing a diagram...it will make your understanding clearer.
5. Get a painter, who you can reference. Examine their pallet, design elements to help to develop your own.
6. Keep the design simple. Add as you go.
7. Keep the pallet limited.
Just a few ideas. And at some point I will put up examples for you all to see to help your process.
Draw Draw Draw.... This is the basis of setting up a painting.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Working in a Series
Students,
Welcome to the semester at the Ryan Estate. I am so excited about working with you all this semester. Go to past blogs if the blog you need does not come up. My student was so kind to give us a name of a blog that can be so useful for lots of different things, ie. process, composition, marketing etc. http://www.finearttips.com/art/ Take a look.
Last Wed. we talked about process and putting together a series of work. We can keep adding to this list. The second paragraph is about a group show. Check it out and see you this next Wed.
Series:
1. Pick a subject
2. decide on color pallet, format, scale and how many paintings
3. is there an artist in mind that you find will help guide you?
More discussions in class.
Putting together an Exhibition
Students:
This semester at the Ryan Estate we are going to be organizing a group show for the future. It will be an exciting experience and new to some of you. All of you will have jobs to help organize. Any of you can start to gather information to help this process along. Here is a to do list. I am sure there will be more to add to it as we go. But this is a start. Please give feedback as the semester goes on. We will revisit this in a few weeks and review information. And perhaps decide who is going to do what.
1. Get names and places of alternative exhibition spaces. Scope out the space, organize dates and requirements for applications and gather information. Get the actual application forms. Weston Public Library, Groton Public Library: etc.
2. Decide what the show is about: theme, specific or more general. Do we want to paint for this show or use work that is already completed.
3. Schedule: what date would we ideally like the exhibition to be scheduled.
4. Gathering information for the application: high quality of photos of artwork, name, title, size, medium - list of artwork, bios or artist statements
5. Someone to do PR: press release, art cards, mailing lists.
6. Hanging: crew to hang the show or do we hire someone to do this?
7. Signage: someone to make labels and any other signage that is needed.
8. Gallery sitting. Some spaces require this. Not the library venue.
This semester at the Ryan Estate we are going to be organizing a group show for the future. It will be an exciting experience and new to some of you. All of you will have jobs to help organize. Any of you can start to gather information to help this process along. Here is a to do list. I am sure there will be more to add to it as we go. But this is a start. Please give feedback as the semester goes on. We will revisit this in a few weeks and review information. And perhaps decide who is going to do what.
1. Get names and places of alternative exhibition spaces. Scope out the space, organize dates and requirements for applications and gather information. Get the actual application forms. Weston Public Library, Groton Public Library: etc.
2. Decide what the show is about: theme, specific or more general. Do we want to paint for this show or use work that is already completed.
3. Schedule: what date would we ideally like the exhibition to be scheduled.
4. Gathering information for the application: high quality of photos of artwork, name, title, size, medium - list of artwork, bios or artist statements
5. Someone to do PR: press release, art cards, mailing lists.
6. Hanging: crew to hang the show or do we hire someone to do this?
7. Signage: someone to make labels and any other signage that is needed.
8. Gallery sitting. Some spaces require this. Not the library venue.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Landscape Painting The Summer of 2015
It is always amazing to me how hard it is to get going and get organized to go outside to paint. This was my third day out and finally I feel like something good is starting to happen. I am hooked. I went to Bolton, to a horse farm with an incredible vista to paint this afternoon. The light was so clear and the sky was filled with pinks and yellows with the intensity of the heat and the rich summer light. What an excellent day to be out.
New and old things to remember: I bought a landscape umbrella cuz it is hard to see your colors in full light and the surface of the canvas. I fought against this for many years. Why, who knows..probably just another expense but what a help! Guest colors. I always like to experiment with new colors on location. It gives the painting a surprise and makes me work harder for the results. Oil primed canvas. Very slippery when wet but you can really see the wonderful brush stokes and just making me put on more paint. White surface. Not so good. Going back to toning them.
Ah more to come. This is a painting week. Hope to get up early and get outside tomorrow.
New and old things to remember: I bought a landscape umbrella cuz it is hard to see your colors in full light and the surface of the canvas. I fought against this for many years. Why, who knows..probably just another expense but what a help! Guest colors. I always like to experiment with new colors on location. It gives the painting a surprise and makes me work harder for the results. Oil primed canvas. Very slippery when wet but you can really see the wonderful brush stokes and just making me put on more paint. White surface. Not so good. Going back to toning them.
Ah more to come. This is a painting week. Hope to get up early and get outside tomorrow.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Supporting the Creative Process
I was asked by a student to create a list of ideas that encourage the creative process. I can only speak on what helps me focus and get into my own artwork. As I have said many times, being creative, doing a piece of artwork that is worth while is all about process. If the process is effective the end result will be good. You can't make a good painting/drawing. It has to come through experience, focus, intension and hard work. Here is my list in two parts:
Starting a painting:
Still Life: First of all, I've been collecting objects for years, whatever seems to have something interesting to offer. Color, scale, wear and tear...something that conveys a personality. Through my collection and start to group objects.
These groups become, situations which in turn become compositions. I place these objects together to tell a story. This includes what the objects are doing and where they are. What kind of light source and what time of day are important factors as well.
Once I get them going, usually two of three set ups, I start to draw and also design with thumb nails. This will help to determine the size of canvas. My set ups might take a week before I know what I want or a month. When it congeals then I will then start a painting. The objects still shift and move and so does the background throughout the painting.
When I get stuck int he painting I always return to the drawing, either in color or black and white.
Artists Block:
I usually have anywhere from 2 to four paintings happening at the same time. Sometimes I loose steam or interest or just plain distracted. What do I do to get back my MOJO: I usually start collaging. I can work small, loose and fast and go for many different effects. It gets me seeing without the need of an absolute subject matter. This is predetermined by what collage materials I use. Another thing I will do is give myself a project. Do a study of one of the objects I am having a terrible time solving. Draw it and then paint it in a limited pallet. Still not getting motivated? Go through old failed paintings. Try to resolve their issues but drawing into them and moving ideas around. Perhaps even cut them up to see what the solution would be. If worse comes to worse, do studio prep, like cleaning brushes, priming canvas, getting supplies ready for when I am cooking.
Eventually through all of this, I find my way back and once again I am painting away, excited about my choices.
Total Artist Block with no Idea where to go next:
Do a project that will help skills in drawing, painting, technique or problem solve.
1. 50 self portraits in any medium, just do one per day. Put them away and don't look at them until you finish 50.
2. Start a series, keep the work small. 6 paintings of pears done in different pallets. Studies of glass with different backgrounds. Paint only in black and white and yellow ochre.
3. Do one hour paintings of any subject. Put away and do 10 of them without judgement.
4. Do a series of paintings using card board scraps as your painting tools.
5.With acrylics, use different painting mediums and see how many different effects you can get out of the paint. Again, a series.
6. Paint the same subject matter in a square, circle, rectangle and keyhole. See how the composition works.
Always carry your sketch pad around with you collecting ideas from life, then you will never get artist block and you will always have something that you will want to paint.
Starting a painting:
Still Life: First of all, I've been collecting objects for years, whatever seems to have something interesting to offer. Color, scale, wear and tear...something that conveys a personality. Through my collection and start to group objects.
These groups become, situations which in turn become compositions. I place these objects together to tell a story. This includes what the objects are doing and where they are. What kind of light source and what time of day are important factors as well.
Once I get them going, usually two of three set ups, I start to draw and also design with thumb nails. This will help to determine the size of canvas. My set ups might take a week before I know what I want or a month. When it congeals then I will then start a painting. The objects still shift and move and so does the background throughout the painting.
When I get stuck int he painting I always return to the drawing, either in color or black and white.
Artists Block:
I usually have anywhere from 2 to four paintings happening at the same time. Sometimes I loose steam or interest or just plain distracted. What do I do to get back my MOJO: I usually start collaging. I can work small, loose and fast and go for many different effects. It gets me seeing without the need of an absolute subject matter. This is predetermined by what collage materials I use. Another thing I will do is give myself a project. Do a study of one of the objects I am having a terrible time solving. Draw it and then paint it in a limited pallet. Still not getting motivated? Go through old failed paintings. Try to resolve their issues but drawing into them and moving ideas around. Perhaps even cut them up to see what the solution would be. If worse comes to worse, do studio prep, like cleaning brushes, priming canvas, getting supplies ready for when I am cooking.
Eventually through all of this, I find my way back and once again I am painting away, excited about my choices.
Total Artist Block with no Idea where to go next:
Do a project that will help skills in drawing, painting, technique or problem solve.
1. 50 self portraits in any medium, just do one per day. Put them away and don't look at them until you finish 50.
2. Start a series, keep the work small. 6 paintings of pears done in different pallets. Studies of glass with different backgrounds. Paint only in black and white and yellow ochre.
3. Do one hour paintings of any subject. Put away and do 10 of them without judgement.
4. Do a series of paintings using card board scraps as your painting tools.
5.With acrylics, use different painting mediums and see how many different effects you can get out of the paint. Again, a series.
6. Paint the same subject matter in a square, circle, rectangle and keyhole. See how the composition works.
Always carry your sketch pad around with you collecting ideas from life, then you will never get artist block and you will always have something that you will want to paint.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Orr's Island Workshop coming up in June
Email me for more informations. Exciting opportunity for some plein air painting in Maine.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Transparent verses opaque
Here is you into to find this out for Walnut oil paints:
http://mgraham.com/products/oil-paints/blue-oil-paints/
http://mgraham.com/products/oil-paints/blue-oil-paints/
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Sunflowers
Building the surface first with Modeling paste and then painting thick on top. Creating an impasto effect/look.
Painting Thin
This is for my students at the Danforth Museum, intermediate painting class. This is a painting where I am building layers of paint to get a luminescent effect. The first one I am drawing into the painting to reorganize my ideas.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Almost Finished
Another 12 hours on this painting. I think folks who are not artists do not understand how long it takes to make a painting work really well. I am still pondering on changing some things. I don't ever want an ok painting. I want a huge success. I feel like I've hit the point maybe twice in my life. It is always worth working towards. The values still need a little adjusting and I am not sure about losing some of the stripes. I am trying to redirect the eye to make sure there is a flow in the painting. It is so busy, that I have to let go of some of the elements. I will see it for the next three days, since I won't be touching it but teaching and walking in and out of my studio.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Another 9 hours on my painting.
Getting into all the nuances of the small reflected areas. I have to delete quite a bit, so that it does not become over busy and hard to look at...but exciting at the same time.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Rules in creating an effective still life painting or drawing
Here is a list of things that I think about when planning out my still life.
1. Always use odd numbers of objects.
2. It is not about the objects, it is about where they are located and where the light is coming from.
3. Pick three different size objects.
4. Design the background like you are putting on a play with a stage.
5. Horizontal lines stagnate the design, keep with diagonals.
6. Pick object that are harmonious with each other. Either similar or complimentary, as if you were going to were them tonight to the ball.
7. Do not use dull object with one brightly colored object, particularly if that object is really big, it will take over the painting.
8. Do three sided crops if you are going to crop at all.
9. Do not crop thing in halves, awkward.
10. When designing, draw the flow of the objects..not the objects themselves. How do you want the eye to move around the space. This is achieved by sharp edges, bright color notations, descriptiveness, etc. Tell me what you want me to look at first, second third..etc.
11. Do not put objects in the middle unless that is what you want.
12. Do not put object equal distant, grouped in the middle.
13. Pick objects that are your own and unique. Bottles, fruit and other subject has been done over and over. If you choose them, pick something unique about it. Unique Eye level, cut them up, break them into pieces something to make it your own.
14. Get personal with the objects. See them as figures in a room. See how they relate or don't, play with that idea.
15. Do you thumb nails to figure out how to package your composition with strength right from the beginning. You won't get it to work well later.
16. Change the set up around as you work to make it better...subtle changes.
17. Don't paint the object in. Get the drawing issues out of the way and start using the paint to represent areas or color, value, texture, idea. Don't save outline, it won't help the painting.
I hope this helps all my students with their visual thinking. Look at others, how they set up their still lives and figure out what they are doing...so much to learn.
Happy Painting.
1. Always use odd numbers of objects.
2. It is not about the objects, it is about where they are located and where the light is coming from.
3. Pick three different size objects.
4. Design the background like you are putting on a play with a stage.
5. Horizontal lines stagnate the design, keep with diagonals.
6. Pick object that are harmonious with each other. Either similar or complimentary, as if you were going to were them tonight to the ball.
7. Do not use dull object with one brightly colored object, particularly if that object is really big, it will take over the painting.
8. Do three sided crops if you are going to crop at all.
9. Do not crop thing in halves, awkward.
10. When designing, draw the flow of the objects..not the objects themselves. How do you want the eye to move around the space. This is achieved by sharp edges, bright color notations, descriptiveness, etc. Tell me what you want me to look at first, second third..etc.
11. Do not put objects in the middle unless that is what you want.
12. Do not put object equal distant, grouped in the middle.
13. Pick objects that are your own and unique. Bottles, fruit and other subject has been done over and over. If you choose them, pick something unique about it. Unique Eye level, cut them up, break them into pieces something to make it your own.
14. Get personal with the objects. See them as figures in a room. See how they relate or don't, play with that idea.
15. Do you thumb nails to figure out how to package your composition with strength right from the beginning. You won't get it to work well later.
16. Change the set up around as you work to make it better...subtle changes.
17. Don't paint the object in. Get the drawing issues out of the way and start using the paint to represent areas or color, value, texture, idea. Don't save outline, it won't help the painting.
I hope this helps all my students with their visual thinking. Look at others, how they set up their still lives and figure out what they are doing...so much to learn.
Happy Painting.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Starting In
I am starting to work oils over my acrylic washes. Deciding what information is the most important. Keeping in mind to move around the picture plane to create balance in color, mark and value. Worked for 5 hours today.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Large Scale Painting
Here is the beginning of posts. But the start of the painting will end up being last...so please scroll through. I start by spending about a week working on the still life itself...sketching...trying to figure out what I want. I am working on a 36X24 which isn't that oversize.. but it will give me something to demo with. Here is the picture which usually gets printed out in black and white and then I work entirely from life and the sketches. Then I begin with my underpainting. Once I sketch, I throw the pictures away and work entirely from life. I like drawing it upside down... Keeps the brain out of the way. I also like to put down really hot colors to start....
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