Oil
Class
During
our first class we discussed our supplies and care for them
and how to wash off your canvas to remove unwanted paint. The method
I use is fast simple and very clean and removes all the paint right
down to the canvas, how to care for your brushes, then we went on
to colours: values, contrast, complements, analogous colours and
the properties of the various paints, pigments, transparency etc..
We practiced our brushstrokes, brush holding techniques and learned
how to quickly prepare a monochromatic design by blocking in the
4 values. Brushstroke direction, brush handling and pressure were
all discussed. Concept of fat over lean was touched. We did not
discuss thumbnails.
As discussed in the second class, careful preparation will greatly
reduce the painting time and the efforts required to make changes
or corrections. We will be exploring a few different styles of painting.
These steps are universal to all styles. Reminder: read your notes
over once before beginning each painting session as a way to remind
yourself of all the good practices you should be employing until
you remember most of them.
Selecting
your image: The best is of course, plein air painting where
you are painting from life on the spot. Second best is from your
own photographs or slides. Select the format of your painting and
the proportions that best suit the design you have in mind.
Use the proportional view finder as demoed in class. (You will be
making your own later). Look for elements in your selection that
lend itself to good design and that will expresss the mood you are
trying to convey. Eliminate anything that does not directly contribute
to your end. Be ruthless. Remember just because "it's in the
picture" is not a good excuse to use it! Nor do we use a passage
in the image "just because you like it"...it MUST contribute
to the final image.
Preparing
your image: Make several thumbnail sketches with a very
soft pencil using 3-4 values at most. Each thumbnail should be about
2"x 3" at the most and take about 1-2 minutes each to
produce. Remember...no erasers, large graphic shapes to begin, no
details. refer to your notes. Each thumbnail will have slight changes
in shapes, placement etc until the entire image has been optimized.
Be sure to double sheck for anomolies, for instance you wouldn't
want a fish head shape in your floral arrangement nor a frog in
the face of your portrait.
Transferring
your image: There are several to transfer your image onto
your canvas.
1) Sketching lightly with a pastel pencil (not a regular graphite
pencil). Best choice, most expressive.
2) Trace image projected by an opaque projector. Worst choice, stiff
and mechanical.
3) Use a grid method to transefer image square by square each portion
hand drawn. OK choice, very orderly and control sort of image.
To
ground or not to ground Refer to your notes. Grounding
provides an easy way to express mood. Select the hue for the ground.
Remember that the entire canvas does not have to be ground equally,
everywhere. You can do a (griseille) value underpainting in a monochromatic
fast drying acrylic paint (to avoid having to use turps) or you
can paint directly onto the canvas without the griseille for a brighter
coloured painting.
Starting to paint: Unlike most school of thoughts
that dictate starting to paint at the sky we shall begin by painting
the darkest darks first, then go to a mid tone then to a light tone.
Only after all the relative values have been "set" do
we allow ourselves to paint the sky! Remember that the most important
thing next to design is the values! Colours are not half as important!
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I
have a quick start at a griseille. This on is still incomplete.
I used acrylic burnt sienna. |
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STUDENTS
PLEASE BRING NEW REFERENCES AND ANOTHER CANVAS WE WILL PROBABLY
FINISH THIS ONE!
Students
worked on their own projects for this class, so demos were stricted
to helping students with their individual problems. |
