Oil Painting

Authenticity Driven by Curiosity

Kami Mendlik · Apr 18, 2016 · 1 Comment

It was one of those last minute events, one you had no idea was coming and no clue what you were about to experience. As I’ve found often throughout my life, one thing leads to another and many times to the unknown. I received an email on a Saturday evening from one of my students inviting me to join them the next morning to drive to Wausau, Wisconsin to see an American impressionists show. I hesitated since it is the dead of winter here and the three hour drive from Minnesota through Wisconsin seemed less than desirable this time of year, but decided I might as well go.
Doing no research on the show, I was not aware that the pieces I was about to see in person were from the exact lineage I’ve been studying the past twenty plus years, and now pass along to my students. The show was titled American Impressionism – The Lure of the Artists’ Colony and was mounted at the little known, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. The show consisted of 54 pieces from some of the most highly respected American Impressionist painters. The gang was all there! If it weren’t Chase, Henri, Hawthorne, Beaux, or Twachtman, they were their students. The significance of this collection to painters today including my students and to me personally, is monumental.
Moving through the museum from piece to piece and feeling the cohesive “awesomeness,” I turned the corner and straight ahead was a large vertical painting by Charles W. Hawthorne, A Study Of A Woman In White. Respectfully signed on the front left bottom corner, “To My Master, W.M. Chase, C.W. Hawthorne.” Hawthorne painted this in 1900. This was only the fifth time in my life that I was moved to tears by the power of being in the presence of a painting. The painting was radiant with the subject, the light, the paint, and the continuity of the legacy of his teacher, Chase. All of those elements, combined with curiosity of the artist made this piece “authentic for me.”
Moving through the museum from painting to painting, studying the strokes of color juxtaposed against each other and reading the artists’ stories and struggles, I came to a new level of understanding of artistic authenticity. All the paintings in the museum were here for a good reason. Each piece was authentic in its own right. The body of work was cohesive in its strength and no two painters were alike. Each artist was honest in their own brush strokes, their own struggles, and their own curiosity; not attempting to paint like another. It was clear to me, there were no tricks or shortcuts in this room and in these great works of art. The painters were clearly knowledgeable about craft and technique and had studied the artists that went before and were firmly grounded in the fundamentals of painting, and so displayed, by their knowledge, the legacy of those who preceded them.
It seems through this lifelong process of painting, there are constant new epiphanies and deeper levels of learning and understanding that occur at different phases in our journey. This day in the museum, I experienced a new found clarity standing amongst this display of works: they were connected to all the bits and pieces I’ve been collecting throughout the years of struggles and triumphs as a student, painter, and teacher. I often hear from my students that they want to paint a certain way, or they want me to show them “how to paint a tree or a branch.” I tell them, there are no secrets or shortcuts to this. If they are curious enough, they will go study a tree branch and try it over and over again until they have found their own way to say it with paint. That’s how the stroke becomes authentic and yours. I was never taught how to paint a tree branch, I was taught the fundamental elements and to practice them daily. It is the endless curiosity that has taught me how to paint a tree branch.
For the student painters out there, be curious and let yourself explore. Paint what you love and are interested in painting. Don’t be so concerned with the finished product; it so often gets in the way of growth and progress. Set aside the fear of not being good enough, as it truly take a lifetime. And that’s a good thing! If we were as good as we were going to be today, why paint tomorrow?! There’s always something so wonderful to look forward to. The painting is not a product, but possibly a record of the process, and isn’t the process truly the Art? If you do the hard work and allow yourself to be present in the process of painting, your authenticity will surface on the canvas through your paint. Look at the display of our contemporaries and the great ones who painted before us. Study and try to figure out what the differences are between the ordinary and the extraordinary. We have such easy access today to both originals and online images.

After leaving the museum and going home, there was one painting I couldn’t get off my mind. It was a piece by John F. Carlson titled Snowy Waters. I couldn’t stop thinking about his control and use of color and the glow he achieved. Knowing that the show was only going to be there another two weeks, I called the museum and set up a time with the curator to go back to the museum with my paints and paint box and do a color study of the painting. Most museums are very accommodating to artists to study paintings as long as you call ahead and arrange a time. They only required I stand on a drop cloth. Understandable, but I was more concerned with tripping on the fabric beneath my feet than I was with spilling on the floor.What I learned from this study was priceless and my respect for his work just grew even deeper.

I always thought his book was a little dry for the reading but had good technical information. Goes to show, we are only ready for what we are ready for at the time. I’ve since reread his book and think he’s brilliant. When you stand right in front of an old Master’s painting and study his/her work, you feel as though you’re working with them in person, their voice and language is right there in paint – teaching you. My focus was on the tight value and color range he achieved, not his brushwork, although interesting. His brushwork is his and would be a waste of my time trying to copy. His manipulation of color relativity and control of range was genius! My burning curiosity to learn from this painting lead me back to the museum to study from this great painter, the same curiosity that continues to lead me through this journey called painting.

It Was My Understanding There Would Be No Math…

Anne Brown · Apr 11, 2016 · 3 Comments

When I was in high school, I excelled at certain subjects except anything pertaining to math or numbers. To me, algebra class was a time for inner reflection (staring out the window for the duration of the class was very helpful in this respect).
Cut to 2010 where I find myself in the art gallery of the aforementioned high school standing among 25 of my own paintings for a solo show. I run into my former algebra teacher. She looks around the gallery at my paintings, and I see a revelatory look on her face. I think she finally figured out that for some of us, math class was just a holding pattern until lunch.
The big irony is that I have chosen a career in the arts, but I still cannot avoid math. I have begrudgingly accepted that the foundation of painting is very much about numbers, ratios, and grids. There are also charts and graphs, etc., but let’s just take things one day at a time…
During my period of art/math-resistance, I figured if I just applied some really pretty colors to canvas with some really fancy brushwork, I was golden. Not so much. Without a balanced foundation on which to place these pretty colors and fancy brushstrokes, the painting does not hold together. A successful painting relies heavily not only on correct values (dark, light, and mid- tones), but also on correct proportional distribution of the “weight” of those values within the composition. That weight distribution can more easily be identified by isolating the basic shapes of the scene. Hereʼs where the numbers, ratios, and grids come in.
You professional painters probably know all this stuff, and I bet it has become quite intuitive. You are “unconsciously competent” in certain basic concepts, i.e. you can employ them without having to think about it. It was that way for me, too. It wasnʼt until I started teaching that I put 2 and 2 together (dang, thereʼs that math again!) and actually had to start explaining how I construct my compositions. I realized that even though I consider myself an expressive, from- the-hip painter, I had become quite the mathematician! These are the 3 basic concepts swirling in my head as I plan and execute my initial designs:

1. Notan- 2 Values

Applying this concept is the best way to see the underlying energy, or “bones”, of the design from the start. To do this you must assign the mid-tones to dark or light. A balanced painting will typically fall into a 2/3 dark and 1/3 light ratio or the reverse. *Handy Tip: there is an image setting in Photoshop under “Adjustments” called “Threshold” which gives you the black and white ratio of an image. You can get a handle on the Notan of your photo reference this way, or it is also handy to proof images of your paintings to make sure you have your ratios correct. In the field, I use Artwork Essentials ValueComp to see the Notan.

“Cottage Kitchen”, 16x16 oil on linen — “Cottage Kitchen”, 16×16 oil on linen

2. 4 Values/4 Shapes

It is helpful to keep your basic design initially to 4 shapes and 4 values. This creates an uncluttered foundation on which to build. This is not as easy as it sounds, especially when looking at a scene with lots of detail. *Handy Tip: An oldie but a goodie- squint! Squinting our eyes helps us see only shapes and values. You may eventually need Botox, but your paintings will be stronger!

3. Rule of Thirds

The canvas is divided in 3 horizontal and 3 vertical spaces with 4 convergent points. Using these 4 points as resting places for either a focal point or a directional lead is pleasing to the eye. This is a useful guide to keep from dividing the canvas in half or placing the center of interest in the middle. Easy, right? Well, if you are like me, every now and then there is a naughty little tree that somehow places itself right in the center of your beautiful landscape… *Handy Tip: My favorite view-finder is the 6″ x 8″ viewfinder with marker pen & eraser from Artwork Essentials.

*note the upper right convergent point (flowers) as well as a diagonal line visually created through bottom left to top right.

These numbers, ratios, and grids may sound creatively restrictive, but they are actually very liberating. They keep me checked and balanced from the start. By thinking academically in the first stages of the painting I set myself up for success. Then the rest, in my opinion, is playtime!
As Sergei Bongart said, “It is entirely possible, and often advisable, to spend 90% of your time merely adjusting the big, simple shapes before ever moving to the rendering.”

Drawing Anatomy in the Old Master Tradition

Charles Miano · Apr 4, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper, 17x22 — Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper

For many years I have been inspired by the dynamic and masterful draughtsmanship of the Old Masters. Artists such as Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael have influenced the techniques of many artists, as their drawings have touched a very deep sense of what it means to be human. An intense study of the science of human anatomy combined with imaginative creative prowess enabled many Italian masters to communicate not only naturalness but also an intense expression of the inner human condition.

Inspired by these artistic greats, my own approach to anatomy drawing is based not only on a clinical dissection or memorization of the anatomical parts, but on a holistic interpretation of the human figure, which emphasizes the oneness or unity of forms, life, energy, and movement. While a thorough knowledge of the structures of the figure is absolutely necessary, it is only the beginning for developing works of art that can be a vehicle for expressing profound ideas and intrinsic universal concepts. Working from life is an absolute necessity for expanding one’s understanding of anatomical concepts as one can see the action of the figure and pick up on the nuances of how forms interact with each other. It also is endlessly fascinating and can alleviate the boredom that one could feel from book memorization.

Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper

In this drawing you can see one main line of action which represents abstractly the large movement of the figure. It is a C- curve which starts at the heel of the left foot and travels up through the line of symmetry or centerline of the torso and through the back of the head. This was the first line of the sketch. I recommend that when working on any figure drawing, be sure to sense the main line of action for your pose. If it isn’t sufficient to express the gesture than you may consider changing the pose in order to make the idea stronger. In this way you can avoid wasting time on a figure that will ultimately lack emotional impact.This is an example of how my process usually starts with the largest line of movement or representation of life. Just like a flower or tree grows outward from the internal energy, so does a drawing. I then proceed to smaller rhythms of the figure to organize my structures. These larger structures will intern organize the system of anatomy including bones, muscles and tendons.
With the life and energy captured through rhythm, I then build solid structures or volumes. I recommend keeping it very simple at first. Usually only using modified cylinders, spheres, cones and boxes. You can see an example of this in the unfinished head, which has a gesture but also a simple structure. Only after understanding the fundamental structure do I proceed to modeling the more specific anatomical forms.There is great importance in emphasizing the bone structures of the figure. Know them well as this grounds the rhythms and also provides a strong foundation for the muscles.
Rendering the smaller anatomical forms of the torso, including the inter-digitation of the serratus anterior with the bundles of the external oblique and lower portion of the aponeurosis of the external oblique or inguinal ligament, became a focal point of this drawing as they fell along the main line. It is also important not to over exaggerate the symmetry of the organic nature of the muscles as can be seen in the treatment of the semilunar line or furrow between the external oblique and the rectus abdominus. Knowing the muscles intimately, including origins and insertions will give your work believability and authority. Be very careful not to treat them as bumps and bubbles, as this diminishes the natural organic quality of muscle fiber as well as the specific character of each form. In other words, don’t end up with a bag of walnuts!

Sevasti, charcoal on paper

Sevasti is one of my favorite models at Southern Atelier. A mature women in great physical condition provides an excellent opportunity for character study and to impart feeling to ones knowledge of anatomy. Though we all have the same parts, our anatomy grows with us overtime and becomes a testament to our experiences. Sevasti grew up as a trapeze artist and her body shows the years of practice and endurance she has gone through.
Notice how the entire body reflects the emotion caught in the intensity of her gaze. All of the S – rhythms of the pose seem to be leading the viewer to it. In this classic contrapposto you can see the pinch and stretch of the torso. I purposely exaggerated the fold on the left side, where the thoracic portion of the external oblique closely adheres to the form of the rib cage and the flank portion is pressed upward by the anterior superior iliac spine.
The strength of the right shoulder, including the anterior and acromial portion of the deltoid along with the acromium process also becomes very important in telling the story of the emotive impact of the figure. Its important to maintain a theme to ones figures and reinforce that idea each step of the way. This can lead to a powerful image.

Man Reaching, charcoal on paper

I learned a lot from this sketch. It was a fascinating study of a wonderfully lean model at Southern Atelier. This was the 2nd of two studies from the same angle. In the first, the arm was relaxed. Through this sketch I was learning how the anatomy of the back changes as the arm is raised. It is important to understand how one action on the figure creates reactions that reverberate throughout the body. Particularly intriguing and challenging was organizing the muscles around each scapula. Despite the complexity of the back muscles, one can still get a sense of the bones underneath.

Be sure to understand the direction of both the posterior spine of the scapula and the medial border which turns laterally when the arm is raised. Look carefully for the evidence of these landmarks. Knowledge of the purpose or action of each muscle helps in understanding what may seem as overwhelming complexity. For instance, knowing that the Acromial portion of the deltoid abducts the arm gives a reason for the volume of that form in this position. Knowing that the posterior deltoid is responsible for pulling the horizontal arm backward tells us that the muscle is somewhat flattened. Understanding the origins and insertions of the muscles is also essential for credible work. In this case, It is fascinating how one can follow the posterior deltoid as it thins to its origin on the spine of the scapula. As the arm is raised the infraspinatus can be seen.
These few examples constitute, for me personally, an exploration in the variations of anatomy; how it can create riveting art that never fails to fascinate in the process. Time and again, this search proves to be the joy of figure drawing. Many artists use a shorthand to draw the figure, which oftentimes can lead to monotony in their art. Drawing inspiration from the Old Master tradition, one can still be a modern explorer- and discover new pathways in the variation and abundance of the personification of the natural world, the human figure.

The Value Of Value

Richard Nelson OPA · Mar 21, 2016 · 2 Comments

When teaching, the first thing I like to point out is that PAINTING IS HARD! So after 20 years or so it was interesting to try to break painting down into its essential parts in order to be a better instructor. Of course, there is nothing new here other than the way my brain has distilled my ongoing education. See if anything below resonates with you.
After much thinking and analyzing I realized that my seven steps are inspiration, composition, drawing, value, color, paint application (includes edges), and calling it done. It also seems that there is usually an element of contrast or balance to most steps; something dominant and supportive in the composition (not 50/50), some stuff drawn out or rendered out and some less so, some dark and some light, strong color and muted color, sharp edges and soft edges, thick paint in the light and thin darks… and usually not half and half or 100% or 0% in any of these aspects.
Truly one can spend the rest of one’s life in any of these steps or areas, and yet as artists we generally wield them simultaneously! This is why PAINTING IS HARD. I make the analogy to juggling or spinning plates. And just to make it more complicated, sometimes if we get too involved in process we somehow defeat the spark which inspired us to make art. To use a musical analogy, we don’t enjoy listening to musicians practicing scales. We want to hear creative melodies and stories. In painting this is ‘picture making’.
In terms of subjects, still life is a great way to hone the process. You don’t have to contend with changing weather and light as you do when painting landscape, and you don’t need the artistic anatomy understanding of the figurative or portrait artist. You can have your setup available for as long as you need, and you can even begin to introduce narrative or other kinds of inspiration; color, drawing; whatever is motivating you. Once you have a handle on your process and materials you can venture into other subjects with some confidence.
It became apparent after teaching a few workshops that folks were missing value, which is simply the range from light to dark with which we render form through light and shadow. It is a foundation for representational painting, and yet it seems that often we are seduced by color, and miss value. This can really create problems and frustration! So, I began starting still life classes with an exercise where everyone paints a simple object monochromatically, and then in color; the same size on the same canvas, side by side.

It’s quite a revelation. I will wager that nearly any painting that you love will look good in black and white. The values are like a great skeleton on which the painting hangs. And sadly the inverse is also true; when a painting isn’t rocking your world you’ll often find that it doesn’t hold up well in grayscale either.

So, try leaning into value a bit and you might make some quick progress! Just spend a little extra time trying to capture the accurate range of light and shadow before getting lost in color.
And don’t forget the secret eighth step: REPEAT OFTEN!

A Painter's Desiderata

Thomas Kitts · Mar 7, 2016 · 1 Comment

The blank canvas is there as a challenge, not to terrorize you • Paint like a locomotive • Don’t try to frost the cake before it is baked • A painter’s life is not for the faint of heart • You will learn more from one hundred starts than you will one hundred finishes • Begin with red, yellow, and blue and expand upon that • Nothing becomes more obvious in a painting than boredom • Don’t eat the paint • Inspiration is for amateurs • Beware of the workshop teacher who quotes too many maxims (ha!) • Painting is a verb, not a noun • Put enough paint down to be able to push it around • Painting isn’t hard: you just have to put the right color in the right place, in the right shape, at the right time • Art is a crazy way to make a living, so just deal with it • Acknowledge your inner child and encourage creative play, but ignore the tantrums • Painting is not like having an affair, it is more like being married with children • And speaking of children – your paintings are not your babies – Be willing to drown, strangle, or expose them to the elements should it become necessary • Mimesis is fancy art-speak for “Hey, it looks like a photograph” • Draw, draw, draw – then go draw some more • Ask yourself as you paint “Is it art yet?” If so, put the brush down • Be bold, be proud, be polite • It ain’t the paint, it ain’t the brushes, and it ain’t the canvas. It’s you • Look first, paint second • Check out an artist’s work before you let him go on too long about it • Don’t keep reworking the fun passages as they are certain to go downhill • When you attend another artist’s opening leave your business cards and portfolio at home • Paint is unpredictable so remain open to being surprised • Painting is not a race unless you are working under the sun or against the tide • The best way to preserve a brush is to never let it dry out • All art is abstract • Be a poet, not a reporter • For goodness sake, simplify! • The fewer the touches, the better the brushwork • A signature is not enough to justify a painting • Paint for the ages but don’t overlook the now • There is no “Secret Sauce of ye Olde Masters” guaranteed to transform your work • Search for the beauty in the ugly for it is often unpainted territory • When you are painting try to forget you are painting • Yes, you may be an artist but it is better to let others introduce you as such • Disconnect all ego from your work or life will become painful • The term ‘tortured artist’ is oxymoronic because painting should be a joy • Selling a painting does not mean it was good, and conversely, not selling a painting does not mean it was bad • Be sure to have fun while you paint because if that is all you get then at least you got that • Color can be irksome and idiosyncratic. Need proof? Mixing yellow and black does not make darker yellow, it makes green • Stop assaulting your viewers with too much detail • If you think you have ‘arrived’ as a painter then you haven’t • Every artist is emerging, no matter the age • Don’t paint just the cupcakes in life, paint the turds too • If you don’t know how to paint, but want to learn how, marry someone who can • Don’t overprice yourself because your work does nobody good stored in your closet • Be on the lookout for the crazy nut-bars in this business, and be polite when you run into them because some of them have money • If somebody insists upon telling you how great an artist your are, don’t argue • ‘Kontent is King’ so choose your subjects carefully as you may end up painting them over and over again • The key to success is remembering what you want and following through • If someone absolutely insists upon telling you what Art is supposed to be, begin nodding your head gently, take a slow step back, and then politely excuse yourself • Beautiful brushwork is like a fine cup of tea – something best served up fresh and consumed with appreciation • Leave the histrionics out as they seldom add much • A cynic is a failed romantic • Let me elaborate on that further: a cynic is a failed romantic and irony is a literary device with no place in a painting • Watching a video or reading a how-to-paint book is like watching or reading about sex – both can be instructive, but never a satisfying substitute • When critiquing your own work learn how to form your own conclusions – after all, the only opinion that counts is yours…

For more general craziness, and perhaps a few actual helpful painting tips, visit Thomas’s informative blog at www.thomaskitts.com.