This is a particularly helpful exercise to concentrate my mind on accuracy rather than my usual rapid draw style. It also gives me a reference point to think about how I use tones in my work.
I found it useful to play around with tints, shades and tones afterwards to visually test out what I had read. My understanding of tints was greatly enhanced by this. I also gained a better understanding of adding warm yellow to make a mixed colour warmer and observed what happens to the hue against different colours. This aspect became important in the next set of exercises. I observed that to create the complexity of colour in a red lamp, I needed to look at the source of the light being added( natural white light) or yellow artificial light as the component colour wavelengths affected what was seen by the eye. Also the toning was not just a case of gradually diluting a colour with white- dark shadows enhanced the brightness and hue of adjoining parts of the lamp and white light tints seemed often to appear as a Matt effect- fuller than the shines bright hue absorbing red wavelengths to ‘pop against ‘ the lighter tone area beside it.
Of course there are still many errors in the work: there is not enough definition of the budah figure and the surface is not accurate in its tone. However I feel it better represents the constitution of the natural light processes in this environment.
I was also happy that I took time to creat more layers of tint, tone and shade and that the construction of the colours was informed by the different natural and artificial light sources. I instinctively added a hint of warm or cool to reflect the environment too.
response to exercise questions:
As I have commented through out part two- I am learning to step back and enjoy the planning phase, realising that this does not need to kill spontaneous ideas. I will have my sketch ideas and have already begun to jot ideas and concepts onto a digital mood board. It is rewarding as I begin to realise that intuition was heading me in the direction of considering colour theory – however now having access to the knowledge allows me to use it in a more effective way.
I selected objects that had strong tonal values-a blue paint container, a red lamp. The small neutral coloured Budah gave contrast as a neutral colour to promote depth and allow negative painting between my two primary coloured objects and it was also something of interest. I placed the objects in front of a mirror with natural light from a window to the right and a secondary artificial light bulb coming from the left as I was interested in the comparison between the two types of light.
my scale was close up- I am aware that I am biased to this rather than wide angles – perhaps something to do with the way that I see the world as I am short sighted! My dilemma is whether it is good to stick to this as my own response or whether I would learn more by taking a different view from a distance. I at least need to try this theory out!
Looking from a distance at my group of objects takes away from the detail of objects like the Budah but may give me a better way of using negative spacing as the objects can be separated more allowing me to use the shadow space between them to greatest effect. This would indeed solve a problem that I know is in my painting: the Budah does appear indistinct and unrecognisable from a distance so negative shadow space would help me to define it more.
as I indicated in previous paragraphs I am pleased that I have the patience and seen the need to use multiple layers of paint in tints . I believe that this is a positive change to my paint handling technique.
Flower still life exercise:
I decided to make sketches of a modern vanitas set up in my work area- thinking about my observation that I “go in too close “ on my subjects. This helped me to select the best position to work from.
( see sketchbook2)
I made a paint quick drawing and began on the work. Unfortunately it was a problematic piece from the beginning. I have not yet grasped whether frustration brings a worse painting or the reverse is true. I ended up changing positions and colour tones of all grew subjects making them less effective. This is especially true of the skull. While I managed to keep paint layers thin and eventually reached a degree of tonal balance and perspective, this eluded next for the skull. Maybe it’s rich layers of very similar tones was too complex at this stage- it ended up being thick layers of undifferentiated colour without depth.
At this point I had my assessment I feedback ( postponed at my request).
main feedback points that I would like to incorporate into my next painting are:
- Pull back from being too ambitious on my subject- use a view finder.
- use thinner transparent layers to make the variety of tones and tints richer
Applying this to my picture:
too much thick paint in the shadow and skull
too little definition in the mug- it would help me to mix up a scale of reds before starting.
making the skull much less complex would be a good idea- put it at the back and concentrate on the areas which work better may help.
Further reading
Michael Raedecker-
Michael Raedecker Presents New and Enigmatic Works: Exhibition “cntrl” at GRIMM
This article shows two of his works: one a mixed media tree house made only from close tones of light blue. Definition is achieved through use of thread to form the tree house planks but it is in readable to believe how much depth and perspective Raedecker achieves from this close tonal work. It is beautiful
the other work in this article is a row of plastic chairs with cushions. Definition is achieved by tonal shading, this time in purple. Both works are extremely effective as realistic scenes but their light pastel colours give the scene a safe, calming atmosphere.
Charlotte Verity
at https://www.charlotteverity.co.uk/work-on-paper uses beautiful washes of simple colour as backgrounds. The flowers that she places in front seem strangely to fit in. The flowers themselves are often made up of long single strokes suggesting rambling movement. Often they seem suspended in space but somehow they work beautifully.
Peter Doig
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/the-mythical-stories-in-peter-doigs-paintings
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