Thursday, January 15, 2015

Winter Studies

  Last winter and this year until spring I've been painting instead of drawing. First in acrylics and now in oils. Thanks Ken for your excellent coaching and support. http://www.kendewaard.com So far I am playing with the basics of value, shape and learning to think clearly about what the painting's focus is. Sounds easy but isn't. But it is great fun! I love working hard on something and the feeling of learning, of incorporating something useful or interesting that wasn't in my brain before the effort. I also love the colors so try to find a different color scheme for each study. One week it's reds, the next blues, then black and white and each has it's own characteristics but the same basic rules work for them all. Each week I also try to set up a more simple still life to practice on but it quickly becomes clear that they are not, any of them, that simple. At least not for me, yet.  Beginning with glass fishing floats-how much simpler can it be than a round shape of one color? then retreating to a vase, a book, a shoe, a bottle, none much easier than the glass ball but each time I get a little more understanding of what's going on and comfort with the tools and techniques of getting the paint to stick in the right place.



No comments:

Post a Comment

Desert Sketchbook

  A handmade accordion book using paper from a Chinese supermarket and Bristol drawing paper. Starting in Kansas, I sketched roadside finds....