Posts Tagged ‘abstract oil paintings’
How to Critique Yourself – for the Plein Air Painter (2)
My first essay about critique for the plein air painter was last week. Robert Genn continued, saying he felt that a checklist is valuable and that you need to write and follow your own list. His list includes a series of varying questions: Meaningful subject? Strong patterns? Middle tones? Interlocking gradations? Echoing shapes? Flowing design? Alluring counterpoint? Lost and found? Focal point? Big and small? Overall simplicity? Complex shapes? Visual depth? Interesting shapes? Aerial perspective? Sophisticated color? Natural believability? What could be?
His readers questioned him about a few of the above and he continued. “Alluring counterpoint” is where there is a small amount of jumpy detail or “grace notes” that give a secondary area of interest without destroying the power of the whole. I often try for at least one area of AC. “Interlocking gradations” are smaller gradations or blends laid side by side or juxtaposed. They give added, often abstract, interest and mystery to otherwise ordinary subjects. General gradations are gradations or blends in a large area such as sky, water or the general base of an abstract, etc. Interposed with “flats” these general gradations go a long way toward strengthening compositions (also helping areas to “sit up” or “lie down”) and holding the eye. “Interesting surfaces” means texture, shine (final varnish) and evidence of the human hand at work. In my case I like an even, “handmade” look, not too artificially rough, not too slickly smooth. Inconsequential though these concerns might seem, they all contribute to a work’s visual “stickyness.” In the pursuit of making your own work unique, I should emphasize that while your list may have parts of other artists’ lists, your list needs to be your own list.
If you want to see what other readers mentioned as their lists, go to http://clicks.robertgenn.com/critique-self.php
Analyzing the Plein Air Composition
If a potential scene offers the necessary spatial cues and presents its major shapes and values in a relatively organized way, then just making choices about how to position the picture window can lead to a good composition. However, there are times when a few adjustments would lead to a better composition. Here are a few types of alterations that are reasonable for the plein air painting. What makes them acceptable is the small degree of alteration.
Moving an element over to reveal what is behind it or removing a minor element that interferes with the overall composition would be acceptable. Other alterations would include: slightly increasing or decreasing the size of an element, adding small accents to the foreground to give it better perspective, or reshaping clouds so they suggest more perspective. Often what is needed is not so much an actual change, but an emphasis or deemphasis of what is already there, an adjustment of the relative strengths of the elements.
The Marinatown Show
Marinatown in North Fort Myers is an area consisting of a large parking lot surrounded by 4 restaurants with dining by the water and many boats docked within an easy walk. Thelma and I learned about this show about a week ago. It was put together somewhat at the last minute and we were lucky to be able to be a part of it.
There were 14 vendors in our group, selling everything from chocolates to Tupperware, jewelry and skin lotion. We were the only ones with colorful abstract art which a few people did enjoy. The day turned out to be lovely, sunny and warm after a crisp beginning, so we had a good time, even though we didn’t sell a thing. The group will do this again the 3rd Sundays of March and April, so we have time to try again!
Abstract Painting #1
A week or so ago, I posted a photo of my first abstract painting. At the end-of-class critique, Teacher suggested I put some letters on it because it has bright colors, reminding one of elementary school. After overcoming a few problems, the final edition is today’s photo.
This afternoon, I began painting the background for a tree sketch I did some time ago and never completed. In last week’s class, another student did something like this on a background of orange-red and her painting was stunning! Mine won’t be stunning because my tree is not graceful like hers, but it will be interesting. At least, I hope so.
Abstract Class – Day 2
Our class began with a critique of the abstract paintings we finished at home. The class liked my painting and the teacher liked the fact that I had a variety of sizes and fonts for the letters and numbers. I was unhappy with the way the yellow did not cover, but it was because I had a low quality of paint. Rather than buy more expensive acrylic paint, I plan to repaint it in oils so that I can repair the errors and then I’ll post it.
In today’s class the teacher illustrated and talked about Elements of Design – Seven Aspects of Painting: 1) Shape (curved, angular, rectangular), 2) Size (big, small, similar), 3) Line (straight, curved), 4) Texture (soft, rough, smooth), 5) Direction (horizontal, vertical, oblique), 6) Color, and 7) Value (lightness or darkness of colors (using a gray tone scale)). We made small paintings (6” x 6”) illustrating each aspect and after choosing one aspect to emphasize for our next painting, we planned and started. Another short critique at the end of class provided further insight into developing our painting.
My Mentor
Today was my regularly scheduled visit via telephone with Rick Romano, owner of Easy Place to Shop and my mentor for getting my web site up and running and helping me to get noticed by Google. I’m very pleased that he likes my abstract paintings and wants me in his mall.
Every web site has a site map that Google reads, and every time I add or subtract from my web site, I have to change the site map accordingly. For some reason, when I changed the site map the last time and saved it, my computer put it in a different area than previously so when I went to retrieve it, the computer couldn’t find it. Neither could I! Rick found it and straightened me out. He also addressed some other problems I was having. He also leads the way, as my assignment is to set up an account with eZine and read some of their information. I am so lucky to have him as a mentor!
The Art League of Ocean City
The Art League of Ocean city is sponsoring a tour of homes tomorrow, called the Sandcastle Tour. Ten couples are willing to open their homes to the public. The cost is $25 per person and the visitors have 2 days in which to see all the homes.
Each home has a coordinator who is in charge of 9 docents for morning duty and 9 more for afternoon duty. The docents are stationed around the home in strategic places and point out interesting information about that area as well as keep an eagle eye out to protect the homeowners’ possessions.
The purpose of the annual tour is to raise money so that some day the Art League will have a new home. Then there will be plenty of room to hang all the oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics and mixed media that the members can paint!
Studio Time
It’s amazing to me how much I can accumulate when I’m gone. For the 3 days I was in Chincoteague, I had a car full of things to return to their usual places, a big bag of laundry to do, mail to read, newspapers to scan, a blog to write, and more emails than I ever wanted to deal with!
Tomorrow is studio day. I have several abstract oil paintings to finish, and paint the edges. If the day turns out to be anything like today, it will be a good day to do whatever anyone wants to do!
Painting in a Photographic Age
In the latter half of the 19th century, photography was just becoming a viable art form and painting appeared to be taking a backseat to this up-and-coming medium. Proponents of photographic art argued that snapshots offered the ultimate expression of realism – they captured things exactly the way they were. In response, European painters began exploring impressionist art.
Impressionism took a look at real images and landscapes from a whole new vantage point – that of the artist. Suddenly the straightforward paintings of old were jazzed up with an emotional impact. Colors were more vibrant and lines less distinctive. It was as if artists were painting from memory, embellishing certain elements of the work even as others receded into the background. In short, the impressionists proved that oil painting was still among the most relevant of mediums.