Classroom Cups - Complementary Colors

This week at The School of Light and Color we painted the same small studies, but added color. We started with complementary colors, first red and green and finally with yellow and violet.

More Cups

Oil on Linen Panel    6x6"

Crazy about Cups

"Stacked"
Oil on Linen Panel - 8x8"

After working on our studies at the School of Light and Color the last couple of weeks I got hooked on painting these little cropped cups. The class is learning how to use value, color and temperature by painting first a monochromatic cropped piece (previous post) and now we are working on complementary colors only. I'll post the progress later.
For now, I can't stop painting these.....!

Colorful Washes

Last Tuesday in my intermediate painting class we started a larger piece from a live set up using oranges and grapes. This is an example of what the under paintings look like after washing in the transparent color. We are using pure color and a non-toxic varnish for this effect. 

This is another technique that will help us stay in the abstract stage longer in the hopes that we will not over-work the piece. I find it very challenging and also very exciting. 

Of course we all sketched our notans to establish the dark and light patterns and shapes before we began. We will need to rely on this plan of action to keep control of the values. Very important. 

This set up is mostly medium values so we designed our sketches with dominant use of medium values. A successful painting will have a dominant value, whether it is dark, medium or light. A secondary value is also important as well and a small portion of the third value. 

Next week we will come back and finish our works using more opaque paint with the goal of allowing some of the beautiful transparent wash to show through. Another goal is to use texture - impasto - while allowing the thinner washed in areas to be visible.
I'll post the results after Tuesdays class...

Classroom Studies

This week at the School of Light and Color we are starting a series of small cropped studies. I asked the students to use their view catcher and zoom in on the still life by cropping 2 sides of the composition.
This is always a fun way to see new patterns and shapes. This week we painted our studies using only burnt umber and white - starting with only 3 values. After we blocked in the 3 values by connecting the large shapes together, we mixed 2 more values, a mid-light and a mid-dark. Then and only then are you allowed to paint the reflections and highlights.
This is the way I paint just about everything. I try to start from the abstract design first, and move toward the description of the subject only so far as needed to say what I want to say - the concept or idea.
So simple huh?
Next week we will paint the same subject and design, using red and green and white only. Will be interesting so stay tuned.

"Pink is for Girls" by Randy Blasquez
Oil on Linen  9 x 12

Beauty in the Louvre  by Randy Blasquez
Oil on Linen   9x12"

I took this photo last summer in Paris at the Louvre. It's my friend Nancy who makes such a good model I snapped her photo several times. I wanted to express the mood of the place, the atmosphere inside and the light on the ornate architecture as she admires it through the window.

Remembering Market Day in Beaune, France

Remembering Market Day in Beaune, France
by Randy Blasquez
Oil on Linen  14x11"

This was a remarkable day from the trip to France last summer. We were caught by surprise when we walked outside our rooms at the local Abbey to see the streets full of vendors. We barely had time to shop because it was almost noon and they were getting ready to pack up. We had slept in while getting acclimated to the time change, took our time with breakfast and almost missed it. I did get a chance to take some photos though.
I feel a series coming on.....

Ray Roberts Demonstration

I went to Lodi today where Knowlton Gallery was hosting a CAC event with a demonstation by Ray Roberts. I have been a long time admirer of his (and Peggy's) work. It is always interesting to observe the working processes of other artists and Ray is one of the best.
He used several color studies from a southern California coastal scene along with a video and some photoshopped photos. That is a lot of reference material!
He paints the ocean quite often and has painted some stunning ones. He recently won the CAC gold metal award for a large coastal scene.
http://www.californiaartclub.org/101st-annual-gold-medal-juried-exhibition-and-sale/
This one is 20 x 24 inches. He was using a very heavy jute canvas with an acrylic gesso. I was surprised that he used a number 2 paint brush throuthout the whole demo.
He doesn't say a lot, but he was kind enouph to answer plenty of questions. I liked his palette also because it was large and he squeezed out a lot of paint.
He began by blocking in the darks after a quick sketch. He also pre-mixed a lot of beautiful grays on his palette.
I like that he talked about value a lot. One of my favorite topics. He said that if the dark values don't have good structure the painting will not succeed. No surprise that this comes from his studies with Dan McCaw and Dan brought this information from Sergei Bongart.

Floral Study 12 x 12
by Randy Blasquez

I set up this still life in my studio last week. Changed it up quite a bit and decided to do a study before I tackle a larger gallery piece.
I used the transparent wash technique. Love the colors in this set up. I may do a similar piece using peonies.....
Here is a pic of the start...

and a photo of the set up.

PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING.....

"Patterns in Light"

 by Randy Blasquez
Oil on Linen, 16 x 20"
Available $1200

Let's talk about preparation. Do you know what I'm talking about? Well, many things really. First I want to say that preparation is work, it's an investment of time and effort. Is there anything in life worth doing that doesn't take time and effort in preparing for a good result? Okay enough with the questions, let's get to the point.
I touched on this topic a few posts back when I shared some tips with you from the classroom. Now let's dig a little deeper.
I think this began to hit home with me last year when I went to Idaho to study for a week with Ovanes Berberian. I went with my dear friend Renee'. It was conversation outside the classroom that I was part of, well I was kinda listening in. But anyway I heard Ovanes tell Renee that it was important to make a date with your canvas. He was talking about the time he invested in setting up his still life that morning and that he was looking forward to coming back to it at another time to paint it.
He must have spent hours setting this up and he told us how much goes into something like that. Creating the still life set up is part of the creative process and it has to come from the artist within. This takes time. I know that because I learned it the hard way while painting live flowers for my gallery in Carmel. By the time I was content with what I set up I was exhausted! So anyway, Ovanes was telling us that he finished his set up (with about 30 objects!), and was looking forward with anticipation to beginning his painting. That is a date!
So what I'm saying is that we must take time before we begin. Let me tell you the ways.......

  

• Notan - The painting above was the first of two paintings I demonstrated last month at the Gallerie Amsterdam. The night before I picked what I was going to paint from a photograph. I didn't want to copy the photo, I wanted to paint my idea from the moment that I took the photo.  I then started with my notans. It took me three tries before I was happy with the abstract design and value pattern.  I have posted about notans in previous posts. It is simply a quick thumbnail value sketch. I am using these wonderful little brush pens from Faber Castell that work great and save time. They come in different values of gray. Or use a Prismacolor dark colored pencil. What is important is that it is a 3 or 4 value sketch in a simple design. I have talked before about the importance of design in a painting and this is the most important step in beginning a painting. A painting without a strong abstract design is most often unsuccessful. Take the time to design your painting before you ever pick up the brush. 

• Concept. The above illustration establishes the design and the value pattern. It also demonstrates the concept. Concept is the original idea that you want to express. It is usually what you like most about the scene, what attracted you to it and made you want to paint it. 

• Materials - This tip includes materials as well as a mindset when you walk into the classroom. I hear this one a lot from Ovanes Berberian. He can't stand it when you are not prepared. I don't really blame him. If you are going to spend the money and make the trip to take a class for learning purposes, doesn't it make sense to come prepared? What does preparation entail? For me it means investing in the best materials that I can afford. In my opinion paint brushes and oil paint are the two most important tools of an oil painter. After that, a sturdy easel. The surface you will be painting on is very important. When you have a supply list from a teacher, do yourself a favor and go out and buy as much as you can.

• Packing - Now, you have the materials. Pack them up in your car the night before class. This will save you having to try and remember everything when you are in a rush in the morning. Try to organize things so that you have a compact bag that will carry what you need. One of the first things I do when I get a new student in my class is to help them with their materials. As a beginner I think it can be very intimidating when you walk into an art supply store and see all those materials. Most people end up buying the wrong thing and wasting money. I've set up a basket on the ASW website for my students for this reason. It's in the Teachers Cart under Randy Blasquez School of Light and Color.

Concept, large value shapes, dark and light patterns - these are the things that matter. When you walk into a gallery or museum and see a painting from across the room that pulls you to it, this is why. You cannot paint that kind of painting without preparation. That is why it is everything!

Paint Out Today

Today was beautiful and a great day for plein air painting. I hooked up with a few artist friends and headed to Calistoga for the quarterly CAC San Francisco division paint out.
I got to see some friends that I haven't seen in a while. I should do this more often. Is there a better way to spend the day? I don't think so. Besides, I need the practice!
This is a little 9x12 study I didn in about 2 hours. I will not get better nailing those values unless I get out there. So, yes, I guess I need to do this way more often.

Value is Everything

"Fun With Shoes" Oil on Linen
20 x 20" by Randy BlasquezAvailable   $975

This week in both of my classes I set up a few new still lifes for the students to chose from. I chose my new shoes. I painted most of this in class while demonstrating my technique. It took me another couple of hours at home however, because it wasn't a simple painting and I needed some time to live with it and I took my time to add the finishing touches.
The big struggle with this painting was the value. In a painting, value is everything. You might think I am exaggerating but I am not. I always look for the value pattern, large shapes of value that are a simple design so that 4 or 5 shapes make the painting. Simplicity is another big one. I want a simple design that doesn't distract from the focal point.
These concepts in painting are the ones that every artist, seasoned or beginner, has to think about.
So, when I got home and looked at the painting the next day, it was a matter of adjusting the values until I was satisfied with them. Of course, if they had been spot on the first time around, I wouldn't need to adjust. But that rarely happens for me. Most often, I am struggling to the end with getting them right. When one large value shape changes in value (because you adjusted it), then everything else that is related to it might need an adjustment as well. It is a matter of comparing one to the other. Then, step back and look at the whole.
My studio is not so large that I can step back very far, so sometimes I will bring it downstairs and look at it. Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy I'll take a photo. Just looking at it through the photo will tell me if something is off. It really works.
Another thing we are working on in class is preparation. Preparation is so, so important. I will talk about preparation in my next post.

Practice Your Art by Keith Bond

Tulips in the Window by Randy Blasquez
Gallerie Amsterdam

Practice Your Art

by Keith Bond

Neither musicians nor athletes perform without a lot of practice. In most cases more time is spent practicing than performing. Yet, many visual artists think that once they reach the professional level, they no longer need practice. Many have the false idea that they can perform each time they enter their studio to create. [...]

Read the rest of this article at:
http://faso.com/fineartviews/48409/practice-your-art

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The Pitfalls of Painting from a Photograph

Studying the Impressionists, Louvre
Oil on Linen   16 x 20"
Gallerie Amsterdam

The Pitfalls of PAINTING FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
(and how to avoid them)

By Randy Blasquez

Recently in class we had a quick lesson on the differences between painting from life and using a photograph as a reference tool. This is something that you don't want to learn the hard way. And believe me if you don't use care, people can tell you painted from a photo. 

Read through the notes below and let me know your thoughts and perhaps your own experiences with using photographs to paint from. 

The Pitfalls -

Shadows are too dark

Lights are washed out

Photo is distorted

Everything is in focus because a camera does not see like the human eye

It’s very tempting to copy a photo and then your painting will look like a photo

A photo doesn’t see correct color and temperature (this is why we paint plein air studies)

How to make it work -

Sketch a personal design using a notan

Create a beautiful of dark and light pattern that is your own

Remember the reason you took the photo and what inspired you (why it’s best to paint from your own photos)

Try turning the photograph and paint it upside down

Crop your photo to correct the format

Bring light into those shadows, but remember to keep the shadows and light separate

Use color in your shadows

Take notes or use a sketchbook as an additional reference

Remember the rules of creating depth and distance (value, edges, temp, chroma) that the camera doesn’t see

Use care when using multiple photographs to create your composition

Exaggerate when necessary

Some savvy advice from Robert Genn

Manhattan Bistro
Oil on Linen  12x12" 

Another good blogpost from Robert. I can truly relate to this one as I have been taking more time to paint even small paintings. That's because I am layering with glazes. I do have to put my heart into it and I guess that's good. The challenge is like Robert says, to paint it slow and keep it fresh.....

http://www.robertgenn.com/

Slow down to speed up

August 3, 2012

Dear Randy,

It's warm and muggy beside this froggy pond. I'm the shiny guy wearing the Deep Forest Off. Nearby, an Oregon towhee rummages in the undergrowth. In the distance, a barred owl is being harassed by resident robins. With no immediate obligations and practically no guilt, I'm moving slower than a spotted slug.

After years of jumping directly into painting, these days I've been casually drawing things out with a soft pencil. Also, trying to please myself, I'm judiciously glazing work in progress with red oxide--a colour I've previously found unpleasant.

Funnily, Irene Feeney of Roscommon, Ireland, just wrote, "I'm one who struggles to be pleased. I'm also speedy; I complete a painting in a day where another person might take weeks. It may be that my attention to detail is not so accurate, but I like to work fast. I find it hard to work at one section; I look at the whole painting as I work. Maybe this is something I need to harness. Do you think this may be my downfall?"

Thanks, Irene. I'm not going to comment on your downfall, but I do have a few thoughts on fast and slow. The virtue of a painting may not be accuracy, but feeling. Further, taking your time to feel what you're painting is more important than speedy delivery. In both feeling and execution, some folks are naturally faster than others. That you have identified yourself as one of the speedy is just great.

Speedy painters tend to do fresher work than pokey ones. On the other hand, they are also responsible for a lot of the messy stuff you see out there. Just for the sake of change, you might try forcibly slowing down. It's the "extra time" concept. It has something to do with gently living in the present and focusing on the potential of the work at hand. It can be done at the edge of a froggy pond or in a studio sanctuary. One needs to become aware of the relative time between stroking and contemplating. "Look three times, think twice, paint once," is a time-honoured shibboleth. Here's the ploy: Make a work of art that looks like it was done freshly and quickly--but take a long time to do it. 

Best regards,

Robert

New Class Demonstration

"Yum for Breakfast"  Oil on Linen by Randy Blasquez
11 x 11"     Sold

A couple of weeks ago I brought breakfast to class along with my favorite mirrored tray. It was perfect for demonstrating reflections. In this set up, the light was everywhere. I had to be selective and hold off with the lights and when I got to the very end I threw them in. Yes, it takes patience, and that doesn't come naturally! Anyway, this was a fun piece to paint. My goal was to keep some of the transparency showing through the piece after the final stroke. This time it worked out okay. I'd love to do this again with  a different pastry.

Grandmother's China

This is a study/demonstration from yesterday's class using only Burnt Umber and White. The first thing you want to think about as an artist is value. I tell my students to think of value first, and then color.
Draw your thumbnail sketch this way. Design your painting at least 3 ways. Choose the best design from those three. Look for a beautiful value pattern in your design and you can't go wrong.