This week has been one of reflection, musing upon the lessons learned about recession and chroma. The last post showed a little improvement in this regard. On the advice of Wet Canvas regular, Michael McGuire, I decided to look at the work of Susan Sarback, a teacher in the tradition of Henry Hensche and Charles Hawthorne. The main messages that I have got so far relate to full colour seeing and using a staged process to build the painting. It makes so much sense to me that I am about to follow some of the exercises, particularly the block exercises advocated in the book, 'Capturing Radiant Light and Colour'. In the meantime I used the four stage process in making this still life image.
Steps are: 1) Establish the masses;
2) Refine the masses;
3) Establish variation in the masses;
4) Add more variation in the masses.
Whilst I have a way to go to assimilate the process into my regular practice, I found it a good way to channel the thinking process during painting. My aim is to build sufficient confidence to use the process during my plein air sessions and this next week will see me get the opportunity to do that. I am off to the Norfolk Painting School to spend a couple of days doing a plein air workshop with Martin Kinnear. With any luck I'll have some improving work to show when I next post.
Still Life - Oil on canvas board 10" x 8"
Still Life - Oil on canvas board 10" x 8"
2 comments:
Hi Mick. I've read very little about the process Hensche and Sarback use, although it does sound interesting.
Have fun at your workshop. I'm jealous. I really like Kinnear's work.
Bill,
I can recommend the Sarback book, it gives lots of food for thought and offers something to painters of all abilitiy levels. I'm really looking forward to the next week.
Post a Comment