Circle of Love
Oil on Canvas   8 x 8"
Inquire about this piece...

It's already Oscar time! This year started out well and is only getting better but wow is going fast.

The workshop that I'll be teaching in Southern France is coming together well and I am blessed to have an amazing group coming along. The tour guides that I've been working with are pretty wonderful and taking care of all the details at Montfaucon Tours. The flight tickets have been purchased and the hotel reservations in Paris are done. I have to say that the planning before the trip is just as fun as the trip itself! Well, almost.

I've been busy with some commission work and today I bought fresh flowers for the floral that I'm starting tomorrow. Gotta get some paintings done for my gallery in Carmel, Gallerie Amsterdam. 

Yesterday I finished this little piece that I started as a demo in one of my classes.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/randy-blasquez/circle-of-love/124399

Foundations of Design

FOUNDATIONS OF DESIGN 

By Randy Blasquez

The design will determine whether or not your painting will succeed.  This is why I believe that design in the most important element in any painting. We will look at how to design using thumbnail sketches and by identifying big patterns.

There are two main elements to consider. One is the focal point and the other is the dark and light pattern within your painting.

FOCAL POINT

The main focus in a painting is usually found at the focal point. This is the “anchor” in your composition. This is where the viewers eye goes, and in a well designed painting, will return to again and again.

What makes a focal point work? You don’t want another area in your painting to distract from the focal point. Therefore, as the designer you will need to take steps to insure that your central focal point will be more eye catching than anything else in your painting.

You will want to momentarily lure the viewer’s eye to other areas of the painting, but you must always lead them back to the focal point. I loved the way C.W. Mundy said it when I was in his workshop a couple of years ago. “You are the leader of the band, and you get to decide who plays the lead”.

WAYS TO THE FOCAL POINT

Value

Use your lightest light directly next to your darkest dark to bring the eye to the focal area.

Color

By using contrasting color, bright chromatic and dull color, or color temperature vibrations you may bring the eye to the central focus.

Edges

By using sharper edges at the focal point is another way to bring the eye directly to your focal point.

*It is always a good idea to place your focal point in the golden area.

 DARK/LIGHT PATTERN

Another important aspect of composition is the dark and light contrast that will be the foundation of your design.

The dark and light pattern in a design is an arrangement that will create a lyrical quality of beauty in your painting. This is something that the student will learn to see and appreciate over time, but it is well worth the effort to learn.

This concept started to become clear to me while studying the idea of using a notan sketch to design a painting using a thumbnail drawing.  I think I first heard the word notan while reading through some Barry John Raybould material through the Virtual Art Academy.  The only other artist that I know to use this word to describe dark/light pattern is Peggy Kroll Roberts.

Barry John Raybould puts it this way, “Notan is the harmonious arrangement of the dark and light masses in a picture”.

THE ONE RULE OF COMPOSITION

When I took a workshop with Carol Marine many years ago she mentioned a book that I was already familiar with. “The Simple Secret to Better Painting” How to immediately Improve Your Work with the One Rule of Composition”, by Greg Albert.

What artist could resist that title? It was very good, and I took away from it the following:

Never make any two intervals the same in your painting. So when I design a painting I always look for differences of space. This will make your painting feel more dynamic.

Space must be divided un-equally.

Shapes must be different in size and dimension.

No two areas in your painting should be equal in distance or length.

Create variety by looking for the big differences in the size of your subjects within your painting.

Vary the amount of value to make sure one of them is dominant. Carol Marine says to make three values unevenly divided by using the dominant value, the secondary value and the “smidge”. Your eye will tend to go toward the smidge.

Use a variety of brush strokes and texture. Some areas should be transparent, others opaque, some thin and others thick. You get the idea.

Vary your use of color temperature. Put warm and cool together in such a way as to create vibration and intensity.

Use color compliments and split compliments in the same manner as the values of a lot, a little, and a smidge.

Some reading material to help you understand more about Compositon:

Composition

Understanding Line, Notan and Color by Arthur Wesley Dow

Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne

Carlson Guide to Landscape Painting by John E. Carlson

Peggy Kroll Roberts Limited Brush Stroke Exercise

Learning to create surface quality with Paint!

Peggy Kroll Roberts teaches a wonderful little exercise to help you learn to use your brush and use it well!

I shared this with my classes last week and we had some really fun eye opening experiences. I encourage you to try it.

*How to get more paint on the canvas….

*How to keep from overworking the canvas….

LIMITED STROKE – COUNT YOUR STROKES

1.       Premix the colors and values that you will be using.

2.       Use large brushes, #8

3.       Tone your canvas.

4.       Sketch a simple composition with line, loosely.

5.       Count strokes by marking it on the side of your canvas. Limit to 30 or 40 max.

6.       Turn your brush without lifting from the canvas to get more paint from the brush.

7.       Remember you are painting each shape with a color and value that relates to the next shape.

Thank you Peggy!

Pretty in Pink

Pretty in Pink
Oil on Linen  12 x 9"
$825  framed

I have to admit after the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge I had a little catching up to do. Not to mention I was feeling somewhat stressed and overwhelmed because I had put some commission pieces that needed to get done on hold. I  was planning on working on them, but time got away. So, this past week I have begun to paint the large pieces that will be going to our local UC Davis Medical Center in the Spring.

I had to paint some small color studies to find my designs for the pieces and then I started with the first big one last weekend. 

Meanwhile I'm taking some new pieces to the Patris Studio and Gallery to kick off Second Saturday this weekend. One of the pieces is "Pretty in Pink". Follow the link to her blog to see all the happenings there!

Day Thirty - Last Day!

Late Day on the Water
Oil on Cradle Board   12 x 6"

I wanted to paint something different for my last of "all things French". I took this from a photo from the Southern Coast of France. Next June we will spend a couple of days in a little fishing village called Coullioure. We will paint there one day and spend the next day touring the village. I can't wait to paint the fishing boats.

Day Twenty Nine - Class Figure Study

Figure Study - Julie
Oil on Linen

Today I taught class in the morning and took class with Terry Miura in the afternoon. He is an amazing artist and teacher and we both teach at the School of Light and Color. He teaches figure drawing, figure painting and plein air through the school. It's nice for me because I stay in the same classroom and take his class after my class ends.

I am a beginner at the figure. It is something that I have waited to do, and I do love it. I have to say that I don't study as hard as I'd like to but I'll just keep at it. Today we used a very limited palette of black, red oxide and white.

As we wind down with the 30 paintings challenge I decided to post a "non-French" painting today. One more to go! I'm looking forward to Leslie Saeta's podcast in the morning...

Day Twenty Eight - Provencial Lavender Study

Provincial Lavender Study
Oil on Linen Canvas

In today's class we worked with a limited palette using only the primaries plus mixed grays. I am training the students to learn to rely on mixing color using gray. I always have a pile or three on my palette so today we mixed our grays using white and black (or Burnt Umber). Today wanted to try it with Burnt Umber. I love the warm quality of the Umber.

I find that we don't get into as much trouble with greens when we mix yellow, blue and red. Also I like the violet better this way than using it from the tube. While in Provence a few years back we painted the lavender fields everyday for two weeks. I came home with a lot of purple paintings! This one is not overly garish as those were....

I advise my students to mix at least two grays and have them on the palette at all times. There are other ways to do it, but this is just a little pre-mixing and that is a good thing. You can use black and white, or get more subtle color by using complements or just use leftover paint. I will help you achieve the effect of atmosphere, and give you a pop of color when you want to play up the center of interest by using a pure color. It will also assist you in establishing a strong value pattern..
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you, we weren't allowed to use any pure white or black in this study...we mixed up a range of five values of gray and then we put our black and white away!

Day Twenty Seven - First Poppies

First Poppies
Oil on Linen Panel   8 x 6"

Last year while at the Chateau during the workshop with Ovanes Berberian, we arrived in the early part of May and the weather was still a little chilly. We were hoping to see some poppies before we left for home. Near the end of the workshop we found some just outside and down the street. I bent down and snapped a photo capturing the meadow beyond. I have always wanted to paint from this photo. I added just a few extra poppies to make the composition work in the painting. We didn't see many, but this year we will be there in June so I'm planning on it!

Day Twenty Six - French Women

Elegant Lady Shopper
oil on linen panel   8 x 6"

I found myself noticing the beautiful women in Paris and everywhere that I have traveled in France. Always well put together and rather elegant the French women seem to take extra care with themselves and their skin. I think it might have to do with the pace of living, they enjoy life a little bit more and take the time to take care of their health too. This lady was very beautiful and was dressed for a day of shopping and seemed to be taking her time as she went about. I had to sneak a photo after she went by.

Day Twenty Four - manger à l'extérieur

manger à l'extérieur      Oil on Linen Panel   8 x 10"

I loved walking in the villages where everybody was dining outside or "manger a l'exterieur". One of my favorite things about "All Things French".

Day Twenty Three - Very French!

That's "Very French"
Oil on Linen Panel   8 x 6"

As I was walking with my camera in Paris, looking like a "tourist", I snapped this photo of the waiter because I loved the backlight with the waiter opening a bottle of wine. I didn't stop to take the photo because I felt too self conscious about it and the concierge was standing at the door. I was lucky enough to get a good picture of what prompted me while snapping the camera as I walked by. 

I've painted this before and the painting sold right away. It is one of those worth painting again I think.

Day Twenty Two - Jardin du Luxembourg

Near the Jardin du Luxembourg

Oil on Panel  6 x 6"

My first day in Paris I set out for the Luxembourg Gardens. Just near the Palace is this beautiful view. I will have to go back to the gardens upon my return to Paris next June and find out the name of this statue.

It was just one lovely view, but everywhere you turn there is more to admire....

Day Twenty One - Dessert Sampler

Dessert Sampler
Oil on Panel   6 x 6"

After walking the streets of Paris all day my feet were hurting so I stopped for a break and decided to order the Dessert Sampler. Of course I had an espresso too! Creme Brule' and Chocolate Moose? Yum.....

Day Twenty - Over the Seine

Over the Seine
Oil on Panel   6 x 6"

I liked the simplicity of this view from one bridge over the Seine in Paris, with the light and shadow under the next bridge, and another beyond....

Day Ninteen - The Water Garden

The Water Garden, Giverny
Oil on Panel  6 x 6"

From my first trip to Paris. I spent five days just having the time of my life, wondering around Paris, taking pictures. I booked a day tour to Giverny. I think I painted waterlilies for two years! It has been a while but still a favorite subject of mine.

Day Eighteen

Socrat
Oil on Linen Panel  8 x 6"

I'm hoping someone from my trip who stayed with me at the Chateau will remember the name of this dog. Please let me know....
Thank you Alison for reminding me of his name. Socrat is short for "Socrates".

He doesn't really look like the old dog that lives there, he ended up looking more like a puppy. Oh well, at least I'm getting a lot of practice with new subject matter by participating in this challenge. I do love to paint interior scenes and I have had some fun with those and learned a lot in the process......

This is the third piece from the same area of the Chateau. I walked in from the back toward the dining room near the kitchen and I looked up the stairs from me to see Socrates, just sitting there bathed in the light from the window. He stayed long enough for me to snap a photo. I think he was just comfortable and didn't want to move, or he likes to have his photo taken...?

Day Seventeen - Morning Light at the Chateau

Morning Light at the Chateau
Oil on Linen Panel  10 x 10"

Well, the day was busy and my painting time was broken into several sessions. At one point I wanted to toss this one. I started out too light and struggled with getting the dark pattern back into it.  I really wanted to capture the light from that beautiful morning.....

Day Sixteen - Paris Cathedral

The Church of St-Germain-des-Pres
Oil on Linen Panel  8 x 6"

The oldest Church in Paris, but most of it has been rebuilt many times, is the Church of St-Germain-des-Pres. This was a difficult exercise for me but something I've been wanting to paint since my first trip to Paris. Hopefully it will get easier because there are many more beautiful Cathedral's on my list.