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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Nancy Crookston Workshop























8x10" workshop study
















Learning from the master - Nancy giving a helping hand


Just spent 3 days at a Nancy Crookston workshop in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is a fabulous painter and a total sweetheart! She studied with Sergei Bongart (a Russian master who you should really check out if you haven't seen his work) over a 4 year period when she was learning to paint, and the classical rules of painting he taught her have stayed with her as some of the most valuable lessons of her career.

The main thrust of her teaching was color, and the importance of seeing it correctly in relationship to it's surroundings. How the same 'red' becomes warmer/cooler - lighter/darker depending on what it is next to.  That, and that the key to a strong painting is to determine the correct colour, value and temperature, block these in in large abstract masses, begin modeling and further refining these 3 things, and then finish with the "calligraphy of light and dark accents".

Of course there was lots more, but this was the big important stuff, and she LOVES to lose edges so we got to see a lot of that in action which was awesome.

Also got in 3 days of plein air work pre-workshop and got to check out the Oil Painters of America National show which was outstanding. All in all a great trip, and am now leaving this hot, sunny desert to fly into Calgary where there is a severe winter storm warning in effect. Hmmmm...

15 comments:

  1. This workshop sound fantastic. Your painting is beautiful! I love the feeling you captured.

    Hope you dodged the storm...

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  2. This is just lovely. Gorgeous colors... reflective colors in the shadows...

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  3. Liz, this painting rocks. I love the rich flesh tones and those beautiful blues...especially in the hat. Sounds like you had a very productive and fun time at the workshop. Can't wait to talk to you.

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  4. Incredible painting. Love everything about it! So much character. Thanks for sharing highlights of what you learned.

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  5. Wow! Lovely painting - those blues and beautiful skin tones are awesome! The composition is great, too. Sounds like a wonderful workshop. I'll have to check her out.

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  6. Wow, this painting is gorgeous! Sounds like a wonderful workshop. Can you say more about what you learned as you apply it to landscapes? And I am really looking forward to May 1 when you start posting your 100 landscape series.

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  7. this is a beautiful portrait, looks like a really good workshop! I have been enjoying visiting your blog!

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  8. Thanks for sharing your experience...I love this portrait!

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  9. The portrait has such a vulnerable, innocent feel Liz!
    The workshop sounds very informative too.

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  10. Thanks for your kind comments everyone, Nancy had a hand in this piece so she gets a lot of the credit for it as well. Yes Bobbi, I will continue to share what I learned as I post the upcoming plein air pieces. I LOVE going to workshops, always leave them so charged up and eager to practice new tools!

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  11. Wow, sounds like you had some great workshops. I'm envious!

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  12. Fantastic workshop, and great synopsis you provided here, Liz.

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  13. This has all the makings of a great Portrait! Love the skin tones, the pose, the looseness, the incredible light...just lovely!

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  14. So incredible painting dear
    i admire you for doing such a beautiful painting....

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