Joe “The Artist” Paints & Sketches

“Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.“[ii]

Often we might wonder: “How did the artist come up with that idea?”  This pondering is not limited to the “dark” arts, but also to some of the most famous paintings.  Camembert and its relative Brie are cheeses whose origin is in France.  It is known from Salvatore Dali’s autobiography “Secret Life” that he enjoyed Camembert cheese.

Dali also explained in “Secret life” that he had the idea of the soft watches that appear in the famous “Persistence of memory”, after having eaten a camembert cheese for dinner.  This painting was a modification of a landscape that he had not finished, nor enamored.   The modification was far better than the original.  So cheese is not always for smiles.  This link takes you directly to this copyrighted painting.

Many times while visiting museums throughout the country and in Europe, I would see artists set up with easel, paints and brushes, copying works.  They did this tirelessly throughout many years, and yet it was not to copy, but to practice and get an understanding of how the great masters solved the design problems as they sought to transform everything they saw into forms and lines.  It is no surprise that these masters thought like designers: most of them were such people; engineers, doctors, architects, builders.  In order to have a story, there must be dominance; for without dominance of something, then everything is commonplace and boring.  Hence, when we look at figures, we look for a dominant character of the pose: strength, empathy, sadness, kindness, and brutality - whatever.  Then we use color combinations which are often associated with those characteristics and perhaps some which are not.

Look at a painting as a visual journey; one that the artist tries to keep you on for as long as possible.  The designer first seeks out a focal point, then a way to “connect the dots” to lead you to that point; and then something to keep you there.  Along the journey should be resting points to allow the viewer a chance for a breather; and then a continued path; and hopefully, a path for you to continue around the painting again – enjoying a second, or even a third view.  With each additional view, the artist should show you something that you missed on the first or second trip.

In my studio, I work with a background of music, videos of art instruction, or anything else that helps me switch to the right brain.  I usually work from photos (generally ones that I have taken) in my studio.  Today’s work in progress is one that has been circulating in magazines for years.  Whoever is taking the picture always stands in exactly the same place – so it’s difficult to attribute the picture to one source or another.

I rarely use everything in a photo, because often a good photograph does not always translate one-for-one into a good painting:  the photograph is missing the artist’s license to translate a scene into the emotions and impressions that the painting will represent.

The painting below is really a value study, in acrylics.  (Helen Van Wyk really impressed me with this technique.)  Eventually, I will complete this in oils.  In the meantime, my wife suggested that I keep this one, frame it and place it in our art leagues show.  So I shall, and do another that I will complete in oils.

In starting a value study like this, I use three colors: black, white, and pthalo blue.  Mixing black and blue results in what is known as Payne’s gray, and this adds a little variety to the grays that you obtain.  I first prepare the canvas with the gray tone, and then proceed to block in the masses of black, grays and white.  I do not do any preparatory sketch, as I have already studied the picture and have the design, layout, and then simply put in the shapes, adjusting the white to gray for that part of the building in shadow, and those parts where the building goes from one direction to another, or the nooks and corners of the building.

Figure 1 – Value Study – (A street in Tryon, NC, USA)

Young children are best sketched or painted using photos.  However, if the painting is a commissioned work, then there is a lot more involved.  Introductions are in order, and the child must develop a trust in the artist.  Knowing something about the parents is important, as is learning about the child.

Helen Van Wyk (see previous article on this great portrait painter) would visit with the child, with the parents present to set the child at ease.  The visit would include discussions with the parents about the type of pose, the clothing the child would be wearing (colors, etc.,) where the child would be sitting (or standing) whether in their home or in Helen’s studio. 

One of the difficulties of doing a portrait of the child from only one photograph is that you have one moment of time, and one impression of the child, which is not enough to get the true measure of the child’s personality.  Hence, taking a number of photos letting the child shift back and forth as he/she wishes, engages the child in the process and the artist is much more likely to achieve a good result.  Having the parent read to the child a story that they like is helpful while doing the actual painting.  Short sittings are critical to good participation.

The sketch below is one done from a photo of the granddaughter of one our friends in Texas, on the occasion of her 4^th birthday.

Figure 1 - 4th Birthday

Variety in painting spices up the art work.  In composing a painting, the artist wants to tell you a story, (intentionally or otherwise) creating in your mind’s eye, the emotions and feelings that will make the painting a success.  To do this, the artist must provide you with a path to follow (either through the use of a path of darks or lights, or shapes,) while at the same time providing some resting spots (soft edges, less detail, and muted colors) to give you time to take in the view without tiring your eyes.

The artist’s first task is to divide up the paper in an interesting manner through the use of a dominant shape followed by a medium-sized shape, and finally a smaller shape.  We call this the shapes of the three bears; Papa, Momma and Baby.  Hence, if we are painting flowers, we want a large flower at the focal point, and two others arranged to “point to the larger flower.” 

The second task is to provide a dominant color.  This color and its shades will cover at least 60% (or more) of the paintings.  The accents of the complementary color are then used to provide a pathway for the viewer’s eye to make the journey into your painting, and preferably to stay there.

The third task is to provide a predominance of “light” or “dark.”  That’s the story of a good painting: it all about light against dark and dark against light.  Shadows (dark against light) can be used to bring the viewer into your picture, and draw the eye to its focal point.  If the painter has done this, then the picture should be a success.

Figure 1 is a picture that I did entirely with only 1 tool: the palette knife.  This painting is 16×20 inches and is in oils.  There is a lot of paint on this canvas.

Figure 1 - Sunflowers and Hummingbird

One of the problems artists encounter is how and where to photograph their works for publication on their websites, and how to present them to the viewers, keeping in mind that the objective is usually to sell said works.  Usually, this is not a problem with me, as I am an amateur photographer, as well as an amateur artist.

Normally, I will use the computer scanner which uses a neon bulb that is closer to daylight than the incandescent lamps, or I take the photo using my mid-price range digital camera using the familiar “North Light” so valued by artists in their studios.  Incandescent bulbs (still some around) give off a yellowish-red light which is a function of the material and the temperature at which it normally functions (enough of the physics.)

However, even the best laid plans ….  Such was the case, when I decided to photograph the pastel painting for which I sat on March 17^th 2009.  I had not noticed at the time that I had photographed the photograph in the house at night…bad move.    Figure 1 shows the results as I published that photo on this blog at that time. (I never use flash when photographing my larger works.)

Figure 1 - Old Photo

My wife picked up this omission as she was preparing the note cards that we were sending out to our relatives, and noticed that the background was very yellow, and the white shirt was not white.  Back to the camera, tripod, easel and some creative placing of the painting (glass included) to avoid reflections: no flash, and finally a workable photo, shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - New Photo

What is value to an artist?  Think of the magical number 3: the symbolic meaning is well known to anyone who has read history or any bedtime stories for children.[1]  Value in art, however, is a measure of light and dark.  For the beginning artist, three values are recommended.[2]  The human eye is amazing, when we look straight at an object, we see the colors of the object; if we look next to an object, we see the value (or how dark or light) of the object.

As with everything in life on this earth there are no absolutes; everything is a relative to something else:[3] Light only exists if dark also exists.  Hence, the artist must now make shapes and symbols that are created of variations of light and dark to get the message across.  It’s the same way in music, loud, soft, midtones; in writing, contrasts in the descriptions tell the story.[4]

The photos below (gray scale and color) show the contrasts in value, and why artists talk about a dark foreground with warm colors, a middle ground with warm (leading to cool) and lighter value, and finally the background with cooler and lightest values.[5]  For example, the tree in the foreground is very dark – we see its color by looking right at it; we see its value (dark) by looking next to it.  As we progress back to the middle ground,  the value here is lighter than the foreground but darker than the background.

 Fig. 1 Color Photo

Fig 2. Gray Scale

[3] If the reader takes issue with this on Theological Basis, then you are missing the nature of the universe.  I do not dispute the Theological claims; I just don’t argue it here.

[4] The opening line of “Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens is a perfect example of this contrast.

[5] Now, having said all of that, is it possible to reverse the order entirely? Not if you want to get atmospheric depth: the more levels of atmosphere between you and your subject, the lighter and lighter (and cooler colors) you must use.  Linear perspective is another topic.

When I sketch, I look at the photo (or the plein-air situation) and try to compose the picture (divide the paper into interesting shapes that tie together to give the emotions and feelings.)  This photo (non-digital and quite old - the clothes tell us that) I found among some folders in our Connestee Art Library.  It told a story that one does not see too often.

 Fig. 1 - The Photo

It’s a nice photo, but it’s too busy: too many competing happenings: while the man on the left (background) appears to be listening, the mother and daughter are not in the action.  The couple on the right are “just passing through” and contribute nothing to a good composition.  The bench is too busy with all those slats.  The shadows are good, but for the painting not the sketch.

 So, when in doubt, sketch each one separately, and then place them where you want them to be. Here they are individually, and then as I arranged them on the wall.  Also notice how few bricks I sketch - it says “brick wall” without each and every brick.

 Fig. 2a - Clarinet

 Fig 2b. Trumpet

Fig 2c. Banjo

Fig 3.  Composition

- put together quickly with Adobe PhotoShop Elements 2.0

==== end ====

The work shown below is an example of the truism in the title.  It has been in my studio for about a year as a value study in acrylics.  Because I am cleaning out my studio - really needed it - I came across some of these gems that have promise.   This 8×10 inch (20.3×25.4cm) canvas board hibiscus flower has a way to go, but I think most of it is done - just some final details: stamen, pistils, leaves muted around the base of the flower, and some light red in the upper right. 

The color scheme will be predominance of red, with highlights of yellow and neutrals in green (leaves.)  There should probably be some additional lights around the petals.

 ==========end========

Edgar A. Whitney[i] in his “Complete Guide To Watercolor Painting”[ii] demonstrated his humanness, in addition to the skills as a writer (albeit in the vernacular of the mid-20^th century America) and watercolorist. In just two pages he gave instructions peppered with opinions, without excuse, and yet he also demonstrated his ability to correct the impressions he did not intend in his first book.For example, in explaining the virtues of watercolors, he uses a very good analogy, and then out of the blue, something one would not expect:            “(2) Lovelier precipitations, the truth involved here . . . substances obeying their own laws do beautiful thing[iii] . . .  Look at a Rorschach ink blot. This is a truth to which Jackson Pollack[iv] added nothing.  He poured enamel or paint on the floor and framed the area that pleased him most. “  Obviously this stops the reader in his tracks.  Having been a young man in that era, I remember that school of thought in my trips to the Greenwich Village Outdoor Art Show (New York City) and my feelings about those “avant-garde” paintings.Now to contrast this with his apology just 2 paragraphs later:           “In the first edition of my book on a page in this chapter, expressing enthusiasm for aquarelle with my penchant for dramatics, I contrived a very stupid word sequence that read as an indictment of gouache, casein, and tempera. I did not mean it the way it read. I greatly admire the work of many men painting in these media … “  He then names men of his era and explains that he has two works from these men in his private collection.

How many people today in the public view would do this???

========= end ==============