Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Grey Day Installation

The art history we have been talking about is about colour and the colour key of the day.  the Grey day is more difficult to paint (close values and subtle colours) and it is more difficult to make the painting interesting.  Certainly as you improve your colour awareness or visual sensitivity you are better equipped.  Remember, your job is to make a painting out of it.

Here is what I saw on Saturday.  A snowy, blowy day with weather warnings to stay home.  The usual suspects were there.

Snow for the Palette

It's a Camera, more colours than first apparent

So I got out of the wind, arranged the french easel to keep the snow off the canvas and the palette, and chose a motif with a shallow picture box.  This keeps the grey away and helps you see the colours.

Shallow Picture Box

It is still snowing and blowing.  I made a thumbnail to do the composition and design.  The colours were noted - the greens under the trees the warm and cool violets.  The hints of warmth.  The snow mixed with the early stage thin paint.  But then as I progressed to thicker paint I got some traction.  The painting has to be finished in the studio.  Here the snow has dried off.

Something Else, 11x14, Oil on Canvas

Perhaps you can see some of the elements I installed in the painting.  These are the makings of interesting paintings.  There are compositional elements, distortions, edges, light, and colour, all installed.  More on Installation later.

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