Oil Painting

Painting 1: Value Study
In this first painting we used only different shades of gray to practice looking at only the shadows. The still life objects were all painted white so that we are not distracted by their actual colors.

Before doing this first painting, we were told to do a charcoal drawing. I had not done any charcoal drawing since pretty much last summer, so it felt like starting over again. But after a couple of sketches, I felt more confident.

When painting, I realized that the charcoal drawing class had really helped. Everything that was taught to us about ignoring the lines or the outlines of objects and really looking at the shadows helped with this painting. I also felt confident with putting paint down because I knew that I can always put more paint down to cover up any mistakes!



Painting 2-1: Cools and Warms
In our second painting, we are working with a limited pallet of only cool and warm tones of gray. This may not look like shades of gray to you, but let me assure you that it is supposed to be. First, creating the pallet took one whole 3 hour class. We started by mixing a "natural" gray. Then we added yellow ocher to create warmer and warmer shades of the gray. On the other side, we added ultramarine blue to create cooler shades. Then working from top of the pallet to the bottom, we added more and more whites to lighten up the shades.

This picture is after one 3-hour session of painting. I began by putting down a thin layer of paint to get an idea as to where all the objects are. After the first painting, I realized that I was still working too hard on creating the edges. I still faltered to drawing lines and filling in with color. This time, I tried to build up contrast areas. Like looking at the dark areas compared to the light areas, and working from the inside of an object outwards. The objects are fuzzy right now, but that's ok because it is an underlayer.


Painting 2-2.
This isn't quite finished yet, but it is close. This one is from Day 3 of this particular painting. I did not take a photo of Day 2, but imagine this one with less paint. During the critique, my teacher, Helen, said that it was a good start, but I needed to lay on more paint. I had been too cautious in applying thin layers of paint. That made the objects look flat and lifeless. It seems that adding more paint makes the objects look more solid. Also, working on the shadowy parts and light parts seem to make the objects look more solid.


In my earlier version I had a hard time with the fabric. I had a hard time painting the creases. In day 3, what I did was use my brush to blot on darker areas where there are creases. Rather than trying to use a thin brush to draw out the creases, I just looked at the fabric intensely and blotted on the dark parts. Then I added the lighter surroundings and blended the colors on the canvas. This helped. What I noticed is that when trying to draw the creases, or draw what creases are supposed to look like, the image starts to look flat.

Another interesting thing I learned is applying color on the flat box areas and the sheet. When looking at an object it may seem that there is one large area of one color. It is tempting to just lay on a big flat area of one color of paint. But that would make it look flat. So I tried to really look at where the light is glaring off of the box or the sheet, and I start to notice that the color changes in different parts of the object. Capturing different colors on one surface of the object seems to create a more realistic look.

The other thing is the edge. Instead of drawing a line to create the edge of the box or the table, I tried to make the shadows meet. For instance, the edge of the table seems to be brighter because the light glares off of it more. That creates what appears to be a light line along the edge of the table. The edge seems to come from one mass of color in contrast with another mass of color, or one shade in contrast to another shade.

A major problem area are the bottles. I have a hard time making them stand up straight! I think my hand is not stable enough and both bottles seem to lean to the left and look a round a wiggly, not like solid glass.

This has been an exciting experience. I love watching my painting take shape. I also love the way oil goes on. So far, I'm liking oil painting much better than acrylic.

Starting to Paint

Once again, it's summer, and it's starting to seem that this is the time I pursue my true passions. Is it too late for a fine arts degree or is that my fickle Gemini self talking?

Painting is intimidating, at least when trying to do it for the first time. I suppose like figure drawing, entering a room full of artists, to attack something new in what seems to be a professional atmosphere is intimidating. There are tools...all kinds of tools. And entering an art supply store as an amateur, looking at the aisles upon aisles of paints and brushes and pallet knives with just a printed list of supplies...that's intimidating! There is the constant fear of being found out as nothing more than a wannabe, a fake, pretend artist, who has no right to be here. If entering a painting and drawing class is intimidating for me, someone who has at least spent most of my growing up drawing and doodling on notebooks, I can't even imagine how intimidating it must feel for someone who has never drawn. It can be so simple, yet feel so unattainable.

Painting, even for a drawer, feels like diving into the abyss. All you need is a pencil and paper to draw, and you can always have the joy of erasing. But putting paint down on white paper...wow, it's not too different from using charcoal the first time. That damn black stuff just won't come off, and you're doomed with whatever monstrosity you put down.

But diving into the abyss is thrilling!

I took an acrylic painting class a few months ago. It helped that it was just a fun evening class with other professionals who are just taking the class to relax and are not trying to make a career out of it. The teacher got us started right away with using the full range of colors and told us how to mix different colors right away without having us use too much time experimenting. We painted mostly from pictures of simple landscapes. The other students felt as foolish as I did, and it felt more like a support group, or maybe art therapy with paints! The point is, it got me started laying paint to canvas. And while I ended up with more than a few awful paintings, I learned to use a brush and apply paint. I discovered how different brush strokes might look and how colors can blend on the canvas. It made me brave.

Now here I am in an oil painting class that is for art majors during regular school, but open to everyone during summer. Putting the fear behind me, I remind myself that this is just for fun, for practice, and that no one will judge me, nothing is riding on my success, that I just have to put paint onto canvas, and be free.