Friday, October 27, 2006

Notes From Private Lesson

I need to write down everything before I forget what I learned today.

After a 2 1/2 hour session with my very gifted teacher, I have much to remember.

:: I don't like small canvases - that is okay ---- my style is big and bold and a small canvas with tiny details is not to suit me - no need to drive myself crazy over the lady in the window canvas because I can't get her dress and window cloths and draperies - it is OKAY - I learned a great deal from that canvas and not all will be suitable for framing. I will never, ever paint another detailed scene on a small canvas.

:: There are many book suggestions that my teacher gave me that I intend to purchase through amazon or ebay - she is full of reference knowledge and encourages my studies.
copied from her email notes about references I should purchase:
Good article on composition:http://painting.about.com/od/paintingtipscomposition/a/10TipsCompositn.htm Great book on colorStern,Aurthur, How to See Color and Paint ItComposition:Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne Also, the North Light Book Club has a ton of good books!
"Good article on composition: Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne
Also, the North Light Book Club has a ton of good books!"

:: My teacher cried when she saw my reflections in my apples and the tablecloth - she was so proud of me and said that I had broken through a painting stage - I told her that I felt that my apples were more scientific - bit by bit - and although i liked the outcome, I enjoyed my first painting more. She showed me pictures of her microscopic detail paintings versus her free paintings - it is okay to do all of the above. Just because I was heavy with my first big painting (heretofore known as my masterpiece) and light with the apples, that is normal.

11aaaapple

:: Painting is like sex. When interrupted, one becomes annoyed and irritated. Painting and creativity comes from the shakra that is associated with the womb - creativity - creation. It is good that I get lost in my art.

:: My masterpiece only needed clear liquin gloss all over and it is done. I have yet to sign it! I probably should have signed it prior to the final glaze.

11aamasterpiece

:: I will probably not work anymore on the girl in the window and that is okay. I learned a lot and to spend my valuable time on her is useless.

:; My sugar dish needed more deep purple in the background and more indian yellow glaze on the bottom of the dish. I also needed to add more white highlights and it is normal to do highlights, glaze - touch up highlights........re-do some glaze ...........touch up highlights etc.....on and on and on.............that is fine. I should not expect the first pass to stick.

aaasugardish

:; As long as the oils are dry and I am glazing, the clear liquin will act as an eraser for any bits that got smeared while glazing with color.......clean brush - dip in liquin - wipe away or push up or push away the unwanted mistake - it is a great eraser and makes glazing freeing.

:: I need to get a deep purple color for my collection of colours. My teacher uses purple a ton! She showed examples of purple in her paintings and it was surprising how much of that colour she uses.

:: My apples needed to be cleaned up. I should let unwanted focal areas disappear or become vague. I added RED to my background dark gray and that bumped it up a huge notch. ONE MAJOR LESSON: WHEN WORKING BACKGROUND HIGHLIGHTS, SUBCONSCIOUSLY PUT ARROWS POINTING TO THE POINT OF FOCUS IN THE PAINTING - SMEAR OR BLOT - DON'T MAKE IT OBVIOUS - BUT ARROWS POINTED TO FOCAL POINTS MAKE THE BACKGROUND MUCH MORE INTERESTING

:; Indian yellow highlights are wonderful but also remember to add white highlights as needed. Indian yellow glaze is not the end!

:: When working fine edges, it is good to use a huge brush instead of a signature brush - also, you will work edges many times in a painting..........the background goes into the subject........the subject goes into the background.............always finish with the subjects edge - ALWAYS!!!!!

:: Use pencil and NOT charcoal. Pencil will show through during the initial oil layer - that is okay - the paint will erase and cover the lead from the pencil.

RIMG2127

:: Cover the charcoal sketch with the initial thin wash layer (almost like watercolour) and don't worry about charcoal showing through right now - it will be covered up by the end of the painting. Good to see details and markings. Each petal will be treated as a jewel, it will take much time and effort - so many colours in each petal and there are HUNDREDS of petals - it will beautiful in the end and I am capable and patient. I MUST cover the canvas before I go out of town for 3 weeks so it will be dry when I get back and the real painting can begin.

:: So many styles - free and detailed/scientific -------- experiment and have fun.

Remember, painting is like good sex.

2 Comments:

Blogger Cricket said...

Hey,
Where are you these days? Hope you're still painting. I've been doing plein air work, averaging about one each week. Catch me up, sweet thing.

9:29 PM  
Blogger Cricket said...

Did the apple/vase one go to your sister?

2:00 PM  

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