DAY 2 OF WORKSHOP WITH 45 MINUTE DEMO!

The day flies by when I am teaching. It is so much fun to share with others and have them appreciate and be excited about the new ideas and techniques I have developed. We will be taking the rest of the week off, and pick back up on Monday. Everyone will have time to work over the next five days. I saw some excellent starts. I can't wait till Monday to see the results.

I did this demo on Tyvek in about 45 minutes from sketching it on with an Oiler Boiler from Cheap Joe's filled with diluted Thalo Blue to the final brush stroke. It needs some additional work but it is a good start. Those that recognize my husband's face will attest to the likeness. I think I need to shorten his beard...made the face a touch long...but there is an advantage to working with a familiar face!

It is energizing to work this fast and loose. I think it also gives permission to others to relax a little and just have at it. "It's only a piece of paper" is the mantra. I work fast and I often do a painting many times, therefore, I am not all stressed out about ruining it. Doing a painting again, rather than reworking something to death, keeps it fresher and more spontaneous. Which brings me to one of my favorite quotes to close out the evening: "When the horse dies, get off."

THE DEFINITIVE WORD ON COLOR VS. VALUE!

Mike Bailey (http://www.mebaileyart.com) has sent me his considered explanation of the difference between a "color painter" and a "value painter" It is beautifully explained by one of the best teachers around. I have his permission to share his thoughts with you. Mike has a current discussion on his blog regarding design which you should definitely check out as well!


"Topher brought this up under the following context: That the only way painters can delineate *volume* or *form* is by manipulating values. That is to use values as light and shadow would behave. Alex Powers is a Value painter. He establishes form using little color and a lot of value changes. He augments his work with some textural qualities, but the image is value based. Value painters (the most common among us) us extremes of value (dark vs light) to hold the eye in an interest center or focal point.

On the other hand, colorists, are not always interested in the idea of form or volume. Instead they are more interested in showing off color differences, (hue, temperature or intensity), WITHOUT showing value shifts . . . . .that is holding the values constant . . .no indication of light and shadow . . .just flat space with color, not value, shifts.

What Powers and Schink are saying is that in a "value painting" the value differences distract the eye from the more subtle color shifts, such as a slight temperature change in red, for example. If a significantly darker space was near that temperature shift, it would not appear as obvious because of the distraction of the value contrast.

This goes to the "order of seeing." Where we see value differences first, pattern or texture second and THEN color differences. Physiologically, our eyes are made that way. We don't have a choice in the matter.

So, color painters, or colorists, rely on subtle or no value changes in order to show of color variance in temperature or intensity or hue. Luminosity, where the appearance of light coming FROM an object or surface (versus illumination . . .where light is shining ON a surface) is painted by keeping values very close, no darks, no whites . . . .using pure color tints in the luminating area and surrounding that area with near neutrals. This is an intensity change, not a value change.

Skip Lawrence a few years back was on a chase to paint "color as value" where he would use the natural value of colors as they came from the tube to show value changes and ignored the actual hue. for example, in a light and shadow situation, he might use a peach tint for light and a deep purple in shadow. The value difference was the key in his paintings. Where there were subtle color shifts in his paintings such as a change from cool red to warm red, it could not hold the eye . . .and was often missed by the viewer because of the value difference between the peach and purple.

Can painters do what Myrna did in her portrait? Absolutely. She used color as value in her peice and shows off big differences in warm hue versus cool hue . . .but the value structure is still intact. So, Alex Powers would (probably) say that hers was a value painting with colored textural elements exciting the surface.

The key in what Topher was talking about was to decide between flat versus form."

Finally, a clear definition of "Value vs. Color" that finally gets it through my brain! Thank you, Mike. I have taken Mike's class "Watercolor Beyond the Obvious" 3 times (see "series" on my website) and I remember this discussion, but I don't think I truly understood it until now. I think color may be the most complex subject in art. So great to realize that learning never stops and there is so much more to explore! I guess I am a colorful value painter. Very few of my paintings are truly "flattened". I have posted one of my exceptions. At the time I thought I was doing "color as value" and working with pure hues but now I see that although the color has value, the value is not used to define the form in a 3 dimensional way so it is a color painting with pattern as texture. My previous post of Preston Metcalf was more of a true example of color as value.

SCVWS DEMO BY "TOPHER" SCHINK

Sunday, the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society had a wonderful demonstration by Christopher Schink. Everyone calls him Topher, so I shall use that name as well. He is the co-author of the "Palette" magazine, along with Skip Lawrence. With names like Topher and Skip, how can you go wrong. These guys have to be loads of fun! I keep meaning to order the magazine. I let my subscription lapse. Every page is valuable, without advertising or editorial. There are those annoying cards in some of the art magazines that are stuck between the pages and often fall out. One of them is an order form to subscribe to this publication. You can also order it from Cheap Joe's. Those are the only two ways to come by it.

I took lots of photos of his demo painting. Fortunately, I have finally solved the problem of not being able to post photographs. That kept me off the blog for 3 days while I was tearing my hair out and screaming curses. Now, if I can just get the printer to print, I will be back in business.

The first photo posted here is his palette. He uses fresh paint each time. You can see he is very generous in loading up the thing. He has some unusual colors that he must use on a regular basis. He paints with very saturated color using a "Skipper" Brush which has stiff bristles. Not your wimpy watercolor approach, to say the least. Here is the final result along with some of his words of wisdom.

"A photograph shows us everything a painting isn't"...Picasso

The "what"of the painting is not as important as they "why" you are painting it.

There are no born geniuses in art. You have to work your way up to "Genius".

and lastly: Everyone is influenced by others. Borrow then make it your own!

SELF PORTRAIT IN 7 STEPS

I have been fighting with my printer all day trying to get some images printed to start a new painting. I was lectured by my son that I don't have enough memory left on my laptop because of all the photos. so I have been transferring many of them onto an auxiliary hard drive trying to get 10% of the memory freed up. I can't believe how many photos that is!! In the meantime I thought I would try the printer again but it is printing only half the photo. What's up with that???????

While I was messing with the two hard drives and all the photos, I came across one of my self portraits done with a random watercolor wash background, then a brush pen drawing and pastel on top. I did this painting looking in a mirror without a photo reference. It is distorted but I really had fun doing it and I like it a lot. Most people don't like it because they think it is too unflattering. I don't really care about flattering myself in my work. It is so freeing not to take yourself so seriously.

I sometimes take the time to stop and photograph along the way. Here are the steps to the finished painting. I started with wet into wet on watercolor cold press paper. When dry I used a Japanese brush pen which holds an ink cartridge. I love drawing with this tool. Unfortunately I don't know the manufacturer but it is quality hair in the brush and was around $60.00 Then I started applying hard pastel and finally some soft pastel in the end.

Quote for the day: "PASSION: There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue these" Michael Nolan

A BIG THANK YOU TO NAVA WHO CREATED THE HTML FOR THE PHOTOS SO I COULD POST THEM! I have spent 3 days trying to upload the images to no avail. It pays to have great friends who share their genius with you.

2 MORE DRAWINGS OF WILLIE NELSON!

I don't usually obsess over famous people. In fact, I usually avoid drawing them. There is something about this face that is fascinating plus he has been photographed by so many outstanding creative photographers. The variety and clarity of the images are toooooo tempting for me. It keeps my skills up, too. I usually don't try for an accurate likeness but have been doing so with these drawings. It is amazing how a hair's breath difference changes the likeness. I still haven't really "nailed" it but am getting close. I have not been measuring and comparing the way I teach portraiture, just eye-balling it. I would probably come closer to a perfect likeness if I took the time to measure but I wasn't feeling the need. I think I will now move to simplifying and maybe doing some "wire sculpture" type drawings.

I really wanted to start on another painting today using my "expression" photos. I took these myself, so a better use of my time. My printer is acting up again and I couldn't print them out so I just left my desk in disgust and went to draw Willie in another room. I guess I will draw directly from the computer screen tomorrow and get moving on the new painting. I bought the laptop so I could work directly from the computer but I still prefer to have the print. It's hard to totally embrace the new technology at this stage of life, but I am working hard to stay on top of things.

I found a couple of wonderful tiny little books for a recent Grad and will share some of the inspirational quotes.

The first book is called "Do What you Love"

PURPOSE: "There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them"...Charles D. Gill

THE VALUE OF DRAWING

I did this fast little drawing (5 x 7) in my sketch book and decided to paint it. I spent a few more minutes creating little value plans and thumbnails for composition. This guy's face is so entertaining, I think I will do all the variations in composition sooner or later but I need to decide on one for the workshop. I spent the rest of the day installing the new Photoshop Elements 6 for the Mac. It looks exciting with some cool new tools but now I have to learn the darn thing all over again. I hate that they put all the instruction on the internet instead of in a book. I like to have the book open as I go. I guess a trip to the bookstore is in order. I have been working with Elements 2 so it was time to upgrade.


I can't remember whether I have posted the following comments by artist Sue Archer. It was on the CCP Blog awhile back and I saved it for my teaching. It was so perfectly worded and expressed my sentiments on the subject perfectly. If I have posted this before, I think it is worth repeating:

"The drawing process is the heart of art, the foundation of painting. Drawing involves learning how to "see" as an artist. It is during this process that you learn about your "subject", the lines, the shapes, the relationships. This is your "homework", your prep work for painting. It is during this process the artist is designing and composing.

Projecting can be a useful tool to assist the drawing process but it should never used as a crutch. Many accomplished artists project at some time during the drawing process, including the contemporary painter, Joseph Raffael. However they can draw.

They use the camera viewfinder as a cropping and designing tool, documenting a slice of time that will be transformed by the painting process. But this process involves the knowledge of drawing. Raffael's work often is up to 100 inches. Projection of his image helps him with scale and placement of shapes. The painting grows from this image and the artist transforms this into his or her vision.

During this transformation, you should do what artists do when they draw: add & subtract, pick & choose, emphasize & minimize, enhance & reduce. Often there are shapes, colors and values in your image that won't work in your painting. Use what you like and change what doesn't work.

The camera is a great tool for artists but it lies and has its limitations. Different lenses can cause distortions to reality. These need to be addressed. They distort perspective and the artist needs to be able to see this and correct for it. Values can be exaggerated and don't read well if copied verbatim.

So for those of you who feel they come up short on their drawing skills, take a class, carry a sketch book wherever you go, and just draw. You can learn to draw! As Lynn said, drawing is essential to art; it is very satisfying and fun too."

Sue Archer AWS NWS TWSA

INSPIRED BY THE PAINTINGS OF JOSEPH RAFFAEL!

On the morning of the last day in New York, we went to the Hoffman Gallery to see a watercolor painting by Joseph Raffael. It was magnificent and what a treat to be able to stand so close and really study how he created it. Monumental in size and sparkling with drops of color, I was captivated. I have a book on him, so upon my return, I took out the book and reread it as I didn't remember the details of his technique. I also visited his website where there are a number of short videos showing him painting. I decided I wanted to try to achieve something of his look in a portrait. I toyed with the idea of projecting the photo to trace all the small shapes but I just couldn't make myself do it. Drawing is fundamental to my work and my ethic. I decided I could draw the image on by hand and then just paint the drops of color without having to create the shapes on the page first. Besides, I wanted the idea of his but not a carbon copy of his work.

I decided to use the new photos I had taken of one of the housepainters who worked on our house last week. Bill Cook was spattered with paint and a very colorful character. He told my husband that outside of his mother, I was the only other woman who liked his face! I think his face is a treasure. I will be using his image for my demo in the Texas Workshop next week, so I wanted to get started. First I drew in my sketch book to get familiar with this new face. Next I drew with my Cheap Joe's Oiler Boiler with Walnut Ink onto Tyvek and using the Hydrus Liquid Watercolors, I was able to complete the painting in about 4 hours. I was struggling at first with everything running together but I managed to get things under control. Overall, I think I achieved the look I was after. Next I will try it on hot press paper and see what happens.

Below is an excerpt from a speech given by Zelda Fichandler. She is the chair of graduate acting and a master teacher at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

" Numberless demands are made on us even before we're old enough to internalize them. Clean your plate or you can't go out to play. You have seven minutes to finish the test. Big boys don't cry…. It takes time to dissolve the restrictions of an educational system where answers are either right or wrong and where uniqueness can be perceived as disruptive. Be patient as you discover the ways in which you are not replaceable by anyone else. " quote from Zelda Fichandler,

AFTER THE WORKSHOP

Today was filled with last minute preparations before we leave early tomorrow morning, so there was no time to paint or draw but I did receive a wonderful e-mail from Kate Cissell who attended the Littleton, CO. workshop. Here's what she wrote:

"Myrna, Hurrah! I finally finished my painting of Bill a couple weeks ago. Here're shots of it at the end of the June workshop in Littleton and the finished version. I love how it turned out. You got me to step out of my comfort zone with great results. Thank you!"

Great Job, Kate!

This is the last post until next Sunday. Here are the final words of wisdom from Bruce Mau to inspire you through the week. You will notice breaks in the sequencing of numbers. That's because I have edited the material to be relevant to us.


11. Harvest ideas. Ideas need a dynamic, fluid, generous environment to sustain life.
12. Keep moving. Allow failure and migration to be part of your practice.

15. Ask stupid questions. Growth is fueled by desire and innocence. Assess the answer, not the question. Imagine learning throughout your life at the rate of an infant.


17. ____________________. Intentionally left blank. Allow space for the ideas you haven’t had yet, and for the ideas of others.


20. Be careful to take risks. Time is genetic. Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow. The work you produce today will create your future.


21. Repeat yourself. If you like it, do it again. If you don’t like it, do it again.


22. Make your own tools. Hybridize your tools in order to build unique things. Even simple tools that are your own can yield entirely new avenues of exploration. Remember, tools amplify our capacities, so even a small tool can make a big difference.

27. Read only left-hand pages. Marshall McLuhan did this. By decreasing the amount of information, we leave room for what he called our "noodle."


28. Make new words. Expand the lexicon. The new conditions demand a new way of thinking. The thinking demands new forms of expression. The expression generates new conditions.


29. Think with your mind. Forget technology. Creativity is not device-dependent.
33. Take field trips. The bandwidth of the world is greater than that of your TV set, or the Internet, or even a totally immersive, interactive, dynamically rendered, object-oriented, real-time, computer graphic–simulated environment.

34. Make mistakes faster. This isn’t my idea -- I borrowed it. I think it belongs to Andy Grove.

35. Imitate. Don’t be shy about it. Try to get as close as you can. You'll never get all the way, and the separation might be truly remarkable. We have only to look to Richard Hamilton and his version of Marcel Duchamp’s large glass to see how rich, discredited, and underused imitation is as a technique.

LATEST DRAWING MARATHON RESULTS

Today was another drawing marathon. I had to miss the morning session but made it to the afternoon one. Too bad! The models for the morning were two of my favorites. In all the years I have done life drawing, I don't think I fully appreciated a good model until this afternoon. It's too bad it takes a negative experience to contrast with a good or great one to wake me up to the extraordinary talent it takes to be a good model. I didn't realize what creativity it takes to invent lots of interesting and varied poses not to mention strength and focus. None of that was in evidence this afternoon. The model yawned through the entire afternoon and her lack of energy infected the room. The gentleman was much more accomplished but tended to just do variations on the same pose. Anyway, it was good to be drawing from life. It's a very different experience than working from photo references and I might try going to the Tuesday night weekly session more often.

I kept switching materials for drawing today, trying to get excited about what I was doing. I tried a new combination on Tyvek which I think has some possibilities. I worked some nupastels into the wet wash and they worked very well. Above are the best of today's session.

MORE WISDOM:

7. Study. A studio is a place of study. Use the necessity of production as an excuse to study. Everyone will benefit.



8. Drift. Allow yourself to wander aimlessly. Explore adjacencies. Lack judgment. Postpone criticism.



9. Begin anywhere. John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere.

GRAPHITE SKETCH plus MORE WORDS OF WISDOM

This is a sketch I did in my new sketchbook. It took me several tries to get the posture right. A simple mechanical pencil is one of my favorite drawing tools. I love never having to sharpen the lead.

I spent a little time today preparing more watercolor paper covering up unsuccessful paintings with textured gesso. I hope to be able to do a little more painting before I leave on Tuesday for New York. I have spent quite a bit of time planning my itinerary. There are so many fantastic museums so I have to decide which ones to visit this time. I have been to the Guggenheim (which I think is such a marvel of architecture) so this time I plan to go to the Neue Museum to see the Klimt painting of Adele Bloch Bauer, The Whitney Museum ( I believe the Biennial is there now) and the Museum of Modern Art. The Metropolitan is too huge to tackle this time. Ellis Island was closed when last we were in New York but luckily we were able to climb up into the Crown of the Statue of Liberty. Now you can only go as far as the base. They may never open up the staircase inside again. We have 3 days to see the sights of the city. It was 45 years ago we spent a year living in Manhattan. I couldn't wait to leave. Now, I can't wait to go back!...but a few days is plenty.

More words of wisdom from Bruce Mau:

3. Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we've already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we’re going, but we will know we want to be there. 



4. Love your experiments (as you would an ugly child). Joy is the engine of growth. Exploit the liberty in casting your work as beautiful experiments, iterations, attempts, trials, and errors. Take the long view and allow yourself the fun of failure every day.


WORDS OF WISDOM, ONE DAY AT A TIME!

I spent some time today working on this painting. I wanted to finish it and move on. The surface is so liftable that it is easy to lose something you like while trying to correct something you don't. I had to really analyze each area I was contemplating changing and decide it it was important enough to risk the change. I hate when paintings become "precious" because you lose the fearless attitude of "go for it". It still bothers me that the face seems slightly skewed but I don't want to go any farther with this one. I learned a lot in the process and want to continue exploring painting on this surface. I have posted the original version and then the corrected version. It's truly amazing that one can make this much change in a watercolor.

There are people who express themselves with words that say what I feel and think so much better than I ever could. In my wanderings around the internet, I find some of these great bits of wisdom and save them in a file. I would like to share the "Incomplete Manifesto" by Bruce Mau. Who is Bruce Mau? I have no idea, but I like what he has to say. The Manifesto is quite long, so I shall post a little each day.

"1. Allow events to change you. You have to be willing to grow. Growth is different from something that happens to you. You produce it. You live it. The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them."