Saturday, November 28, 2009

A Road in St-Remy

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     The paint on this isn't even dry yet.  But I thought I would play around with a slide show presentation.  I saw this painting in a small art book, "The Life and Works of Vincent Van Gogh" by Janice Anderson.  Van Gogh painted this in 1889.  Not a good year for him.  It was after his mental breakdown.  Like many of his work in this period, his brushstrokes are heavy, abrupt and almost angry.  Poor fella, if only he had meds of our time.
     In the original, it is difficult to see the houses in the distance.  The colors are so busy.  More difficult to see is the lady with her shopping basket making her way down the stone steps, maybe on her daily trek to the market.  I tried my best to follow the details.  I did, however, added something.  I gave the lady a hat.  I just thought she was missing something.  Maybe Van Gogh forgot.  He had more things to worry about living in an asylum.
     Lessons Learned and Hindsight - Know when to stop.  The last picture in the slideshow is labeled "I think I am done".  That's because I said exactly that to myself.  I can go on and on, add a stroke here and there.  You can get carried away with a scene such as this one.   I sign, date, and label on the back of the canvas once I am done and that's it.  All brushes down.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Paint Brushes

The paintings are taking a well deserved Thanksgiving break.  So I am going to write about my paint brushes instead. 

Paint brushes?!!!  Who cares about paint brushes!  Oh contraire - I do.  Like the carpenter with his favorite tools or the chef with her own set of knives, painting with just any brushes won't do.  Won't do for many reasons.  You would not get the correct effect of the brushstrokes.  The wrong brushes would fatigue your hand.  And some brushes leave lots of annoying bristles or hair on the painting for you to pick up after.  To me, painting is like spreading warm butter on the canvas.  With the wrong brushes, it is just not as much fun.  My favorite are my Isabey mongoose and Kolinsky sable brushes.

Once, I Googled what type of paint brush did Van Gogh use for his signature brushstroke - the thick, dash-like strokes often seen in his skies and ground.  I did not find a definitive answer.  Experimenting on my own, I think it is the "round."  I was able to mimic the swirls and dashes a lot better with the round brushes.  I wonder, why did he lay on the paint so thickly?  Paint was expensive back then.  And he was broke.  Maybe for the effect?  Well, I digress.

I clean my brushes every time after use.  Because I paint with water mixable oil paint, the clean up is easy.  Taking care of the brushes is a discipline.  I use the Mona Lisa's Pink Soap Brush Cleaner and Preserver and The Master's Hand Soap.

  Lessons Learned and Hindsight - If I were to copy any artists' work, I try to remember to pay attention to the brushes used.  How to know - experiment before hand.  Also, I remind myself to change brushes.  It is easy to just keep painting with the same brush already in your hand. 
Just last week, my husband and I were at the art supply store for me to pick out a brush.  I couldn't decide between the two.  He gripped both and said, "If I were painting, I would pick this one.  This feels good in my hand."   He is not a painter, but he knows his tools.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

My Introduction to Van Gogh - "Cafe Terrace"


     If you ask me what is my favorite painting so far, I think I am supposed to say I haven't painted it yet.  But if I really look around the paintings I kept, meaning the ones I haven't given away to my friends, it would be "Cafe Terrace, Place du Forum, Arles at Night." 
     The idea of painting a Van Gogh came from my girlfriend Jackie who now lives in Texas.  Back in 2002, I asked her for a painting suggestion and she simply said, "paint a Van Gogh."  I got a book on Van Gogh and picked this very colorful night scene.  The thought was that if it came out half way decent, I was going to give it to her.  Somehow, after it was completed, I found it hard to part with.  I never told her which Van Gogh I picked to paint, so I painted another Van Gogh for her.  She loved her painting and it was framed and displayed in her home in New York and later, traveled to Texas with her.  I get to keep this one.  : )
Lessons Learned and Hindsight - At the time I painted my version of Cafe Terrace, I did not know much about Van Gogh's troubled life nor how much I would learn to love his work.  My sense is that in 1888 when he painted this, he must have had an optimistic period to paint with those wonderful bright colors.  I read that he was enthused by the idea of night painting.  It must had been a crisp clear evening to be able to see all those stars!  Just like the town's folks, you can't help but get drawn into the painting toward the open cafe for a drink and conversation.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Painting #10 - "Jackie"


One day it dawned on me that Jacqueline Kennedy was most beautiful and interesting. So, I had to paint her. I bought a black and white photo calendar of hers and picked out the image I wanted to paint.

I really didn't have any experience with portrait. But I was inspired by her face. What I did noticed most were her eyes. I knew they were deep set and wide-spread. If I were to capture her in a painting, I have to get her eyes right. Then I noticed her thick lips and the arch of her strong eye brows. Then I noticed the 1960's hairstyle. She had a thick head of hair. Almost helmet like. Out of her whole face, her nose was the least noticeable.

I think I did ok. At least when people see the painting, they recognize it to be Jackie. (from the White House era) I recently heard that the reason Jackie wore those large sunglasses she made famous was because her eyes were so far apart and that regular sunglasses would not fit her. Interesting.

Lessons Learned and Hindsight - What makes a face unique? I remind myself when I paint a portrait - always look and "see the parts" of the face. What stands out the most? What stands out next and so on. Try to capture them all.

"Jackie" was painted in October of 2002. Since then, I have finished another portrait - that of my husband, Jonathan and penciled a self-portrait which remains unfinished. Hummm, I wonder why???

My First Picture - "Orange Chair"


As they say, the first is always special. May it be a baby, a car or a kiss. Well, my first painting is special too.

Years ago, I was single, divorced, and looking for something new to do. I had a week off from work and said to myself, "I am going to try oil painting." I bought some brushes, a small oil paint kit, and a small canvas from Michael's. I figured I need a space to paint. I turned a closet into "my studio". I had a white table and I put it in that space. Hung some shelves and sat down to paint. As I stared at my blank canvas, I looked around the rest of the room. A few weeks ago, I had picked up an old arm chair which I attempted to reupholster. It was finished to the best of my abilities and was sitting in the room. That became my inspiration because I thought the fabric I chose was so cheerful and I was proud of my "rescue". I imagined it in a much grander room with French doors. Always wanted French doors! Then one of my cats, Smokie came into the room and laid near the chair. So I put her in the painting too.

Lessons Learned and Hindsight - The little picture didn't mean much to me then. But looking at it now, I took my first step into challenging myself at something totally unknown to me. Smokie looks flat like a pancake laying on the painted rug! I haven't learned to paint with perspective!! But I am glad she came into the room and that I added her to the painting. Smokie has since passed away and it was sweet to have her as my first model. And those French doors - if you want something bad enough, you will have them. There are French doors in our small home now. (Our because I am remarried now.) The room isn't grander - just prettier.

I numbered the painting #1 and named it "Orange Chair in My Room". For those starting to paint, sign your work and date it. Also, number your work and give it a title. It makes it more interesting to look back. Also, anything can be an inspiration to you. Just look around!