detail
detail"Two Red Pears"
5"x 7" oil on board
Click to purchase on ebay. $99.00
Art is all about decisions and one that I am constantly considering is whether to paint loosely or not loosely and to what degree of looseness.
When I began my goal was to learn "loose". My work was really tight and detailed and I was so inspired by other artists I’d seen who practiced the philosophy of "less is more". I began studying ( gazing at ) other’s work that I liked and bought a few books. Kevin MacPherson’s "Oil Paintings with Light and Color" was one of them. I tried to achieve that direct and simplified style but it just would not come.
I started selling detailed and tighter art on ebay and became sidetracked from the really "loose" goal. Lately I have wanted to get back to that first goal and have been looking at several artists for inspiration and to focus on my goal. I’ve been reading Richard Schmid’s Book "Alla Prima" and rereading Kevin’s book. Other artists I’ve been reviewing are Scott Burdick and Qiang Huang.
When I painted the pears I tried to keep all these recent examples in mind and I kept my time to an hour. As a result and by my definition, this is the first painting of mine that I can say is genuinely loose and simplified and works( it's taken a year and a half! ). I used thick paint and no under painting, just a yellow ochre paint sketch on white gessoed board. I then blocked in the major shapes, the dark ones first, middle tones and lighter ones last. I simplified the shapes to flat local color. Then I went back and made smaller shapes within the larger to add the variations of the color found within.
This constant struggle for me on how to paint today is kind of like a pendulum which swings in a wide arc at first from one extreme to the other back and forth. As time passes the pendulum begins to swing less and with time it starts to find the center. I think that is a large part of the artist’s journey. It just takes time and consistent work for things to naturally fall in place. There are times when it seems a difficult journey.
en sillier. It is All this last week I just couldn’t make myself get to the easel. I did everything "art" but paint! I was just "afraid" to tackle the pears because I wanted to paint them the way I could see them –– in the direct and loose and simplified style that I haven’t yet achieved. In the end, I know that the time away from the easel to study and feed my vision was beneficial but the hesitancy to paint is just silly. It is not like I had an assignment. I just didn’t want to let myself down which is even sillier. Just paint!eBut I’m thrilled with the result . . .
When I began my goal was to learn "loose". My work was really tight and detailed and I was so inspired by other artists I’d seen who practiced the philosophy of "less is more". I began studying ( gazing at ) other’s work that I liked and bought a few books. Kevin MacPherson’s "Oil Paintings with Light and Color" was one of them. I tried to achieve that direct and simplified style but it just would not come.
I started selling detailed and tighter art on ebay and became sidetracked from the really "loose" goal. Lately I have wanted to get back to that first goal and have been looking at several artists for inspiration and to focus on my goal. I’ve been reading Richard Schmid’s Book "Alla Prima" and rereading Kevin’s book. Other artists I’ve been reviewing are Scott Burdick and Qiang Huang.
When I painted the pears I tried to keep all these recent examples in mind and I kept my time to an hour. As a result and by my definition, this is the first painting of mine that I can say is genuinely loose and simplified and works( it's taken a year and a half! ). I used thick paint and no under painting, just a yellow ochre paint sketch on white gessoed board. I then blocked in the major shapes, the dark ones first, middle tones and lighter ones last. I simplified the shapes to flat local color. Then I went back and made smaller shapes within the larger to add the variations of the color found within.
This constant struggle for me on how to paint today is kind of like a pendulum which swings in a wide arc at first from one extreme to the other back and forth. As time passes the pendulum begins to swing less and with time it starts to find the center. I think that is a large part of the artist’s journey. It just takes time and consistent work for things to naturally fall in place. There are times when it seems a difficult journey.
en sillier. It is All this last week I just couldn’t make myself get to the easel. I did everything "art" but paint! I was just "afraid" to tackle the pears because I wanted to paint them the way I could see them –– in the direct and loose and simplified style that I haven’t yet achieved. In the end, I know that the time away from the easel to study and feed my vision was beneficial but the hesitancy to paint is just silly. It is not like I had an assignment. I just didn’t want to let myself down which is even sillier. Just paint!eBut I’m thrilled with the result . . .
7 comments:
Marilyn, these pears are luscious... beautiful brushstrokes, great color...well done!
Marilyn, You did an amazing job on these pears! They are painted loosely but with alot of thought. Isn't it a great feeling when you finally make yourself sit down and paint, and then you accomplish something you've been waiting for!!!! I can't wait to see what you do next!
Thanks so much Dana, I appreciate your complimentary words.
Thank you, Debbie, too. I feel a rush of enthusiasm. I'll use that feeling to carry me on the the next DSFDF challenge and paint sushi!
Great blog post Marilyn. I think the feelings about poliarity that you've articulated are all too common. Sometimes it seems silly and sometimes it does feel like a real hinderence. And sometimes it's because you have to let things germinate. I'd say in your case it was the latter. Lovely loose little pears!
Sorry, somehow my post was anonymous. That was me!
Jennifer, as I was reading I thought that sounded like you - the art/writer extraodinaire ( I had to look up the spelling on that one ).
Your nice words about my blog post meant more than the comment on the painting! Writing is like pulling teeth to me. I have a lot to say but always struggle to articulate ( I only thought to use that word because you did -LOL ) it.
I just tagged you! Hope you don’t mind.
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