PICK ONE FROM EACH GROUP! I've been hearing this for several years now...and still haven't done it. When I am painting with Charles Reid, I luv watercolor. When I study with Les DeMille and Kippy, pastels are the greatest thing going. And it is Ann Templeton's fault that I started with oil. Not sure I am good enough at any of them to choose a favorite.
Charles gave us a tip on becoming better watercolorists...take a Sargent book to bed and read it before you go to sleep. So, I did. And I have to say I just don't 'get' the fuss about Sargent's watercolors. Bolts of lightning coming down on me! Horrors! Did she really say that...
SO, except for Charles' watercolors, which are fabulous, I can't 'see' the value in mine.
This is the painting Charles did Friday morning. Just happened to be the one I started on Thursday.
Here are my better efforts from the Charles class...my start on thursday, and my finish from last week.
My critique group said my mountains are not as subtle as his, and my indians look pasted on. Just trying to be different from Charles...and in the B&W photo, there was nothing in the background.
On Friday, everyone was pooped and I just didn't even think I could paint. Flopped in a chair and started a painting of HIS painting, the bouquet and his chair. His comment was that he might not have put the green behind the painting...it was a curtain. The green was staining. SO, I just made it more prominent which I felt pretty good about, since that made it more obvious that his painting was a piece of paper.
Oh well. The challenges of Watercolor! And then my pizza resistance (sp)...or best of the week, according to Charles and my world famous blunt critique group. And, again, I don't see it! A visiting college art professor even said my style is expressionism. I had to write that down and come home and look it up (didn't have that course in the school of business). And, it looks nothing like Naomi...and watercolor is the devil to photograph. The pose for the watercolor is first...
My critique group said my mountains are not as subtle as his, and my indians look pasted on. Just trying to be different from Charles...and in the B&W photo, there was nothing in the background.
On Friday, everyone was pooped and I just didn't even think I could paint. Flopped in a chair and started a painting of HIS painting, the bouquet and his chair. His comment was that he might not have put the green behind the painting...it was a curtain. The green was staining. SO, I just made it more prominent which I felt pretty good about, since that made it more obvious that his painting was a piece of paper.
At least I didn't try to paint the stack of chairs. And Randy and Charles kept moving his red/white chair on me. AND those are my excuses, and I'm stickin' to 'em.
Oh well. The challenges of Watercolor! And then my pizza resistance (sp)...or best of the week, according to Charles and my world famous blunt critique group. And, again, I don't see it! A visiting college art professor even said my style is expressionism. I had to write that down and come home and look it up (didn't have that course in the school of business). And, it looks nothing like Naomi...and watercolor is the devil to photograph. The pose for the watercolor is first...
Pastel, is much more forgiving. Even though my source photo was from the first day Naomi modeled, and she had on a green shirt the first day...AND the light was different from my live painting...I could change all those things in pastel, but not with watercolor. What you see is pretty much what you end up with.
Below is my painting of her after one hour...I didn't get much painting time, and when I was, as workshop organizer for both and not in 'student' or 'painting' mode. Just glad I had the right number of features in sorta the right place. I spent another hour or so on her painting when I was home, and was amazed to see how little work it took to 'pull it out'.
7 comments:
RED these piece ALL look better in person - monitors just don't compensate for the vibrance, texture and of course the impressive size of the piece before you. I know this post was for Kippy but I just wanted to say "Hey!" And to wave to Kippy *waving* Bonjour comment allez vous, êtes-vous bon? :)
Want a comment from the "teacher" in me? I think your pastels are stronger. Randy may have the handle on watercolors, from what I have seen.
I agree with Kippy, once you choose a medium, you can work towards mastery in it and not be splintered with everything.
Have really enjoyed your blog of the workshop. Sounds like you are also a very good co-ordinator too. Guess you have TOO many gifts, huh, Vick?
Nope. monitors don't do well...and I am so lazy about color correcting stuff for the blog.
Durinda...OF COURSE I welcome your 'teacher' comments...especially since you are a strong watercolorist. And I do agree with Kippy about choosing...I just had to try everything to be able to know I had not missed out! And I just got serious about art 3 years ago, had never touched a brush before 2002. You guys with the art education are light years ahead of me! I have a boring business degree...in marketing...and don't even market me all that well...teehee!
Your pastels are wonderful, Vicki! Your skills are evident....in art and marketing....after all I have seen you paint! Keep up the fabulous work!
Thanks, Miz T!
Started painting oils with Timothy Tyler (www.timothyctyler.com) last week, and have already finished THREE en plein air paintings. Am learning SO much from him...'bout like I did from you! So, since I can't have you...
I've always wondered why it is musicians are given a pass to choose the instrument of their choice and painters mostly are not. We expect Joshua Bell to be playing his violin and we don't expect him to play a flute or oboe.
I think our individual uniqueness feels more free with some materials more so than others. Some feel like we're at home; others feel like we're visiting. I, for one, don't feel at home with colored pencils, but by gosh, Barbara Benedetti Newton sure does.
It's a given that some musicians play multiple instruments and some painters do multiple media. But if a painter feels more at home with just one and reserves the others to play with, that's okay, too. Play, Vicki. Play.
thanks, dianne for giving my ram lings some wise words. as I told tim today, I am only a few years into this art experience...and have enjoyed all I have tried. Felt I couldn't choose until I had gotten to a certain level of proficiency. My silver bracelet made 'marks' on a nice book's pages...and I discovered silverpoint. Don't want to do it fulltime...but enjoy it on occasion.
Wonders of technology...we are on our way to Denver to see our new grand boy, Liam. Randy is about done driving for the night...the 3 hairy kids settled in the back seat and I'm sending email from my phone...and someday soon I will be as confident an artist as I am a techiefreak!
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