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Friday, October 15, 2010

Advanced Skills workshop (cont')

Workshop demo - oil 6x6"

This was another demo from one of my recent Vancouver workshops. The goal of this was thick paint again, lots and lots of it! On this one it really clicked in why this is way of painting is so fun...when you paint really thickly it forces you to focus on shape, value and color. It's super easy to forget about the object your painting and just get into yummy, luscious oil paint and pushing it around. You really, really, should try it! Smaller the canvas and bigger the brush the better.

























"Kitchen Break" - oil on linen 8x6"
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This was another exercise working from a photo reference. The students turned their reference photo upside down and then painted only the large, flat, abstract shapes, trying to match color and value but with no attention given to creating form. The idea is to gain an understanding of how to create a strong foundational pattern of light and dark from your photo before begin to model form and add finishing highlights and accents. I recommend my students do a whole lot of these after the workshop to continue building this skill. It is one of the best things they can do to develop their design skills and their ability to see accurately.

10 comments:

  1. This is a very interesting method of teaching. I can see how it has its benefits. Its a good way to focus on the big picture rather than rendering too soon. Your primary palette just sings in the top photo. So much energy...

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  2. Beautiful light Liz. I'll have to try this. Keep sharing all your wonderful tips, I love it!

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  3. incredible use of paint on your top workshop demo. Love the description, too. The palette is warm and you just want to jump into the canvas and be part of it. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

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  4. Love it, love it! Sounds like another dynamite workshop, Liz!

    B.

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  5. This does look like fun and a very good exercise in nailing values!

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  6. I LOVE these two pieces Liz, the abstract quality inspires me!

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  7. Your massing of key color and value areas is fabulous, Liz. Also love the light in the bottom one. Both studies are beautiful.

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  8. Great paintings Liz. Love the bold thick brush strokes and simplified shapes.

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  9. Love these, right on w/the values - beautiful!

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