tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391983038480667042024-02-18T23:59:14.281-05:00The Artful Ranta new york artist rants about realism in contemporary artThomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-30968511007327150212017-08-06T13:34:00.040-04:002021-08-14T13:04:08.102-04:00Basic Painting Supplies<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is my list of favorite basic painting supplies, suitable for painting from life. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-836d8c70-b89b-506a-e5a8-68f2300f2b75" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></span><b>Canvas Panels</b><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.trekell.com/collections/quadruple-oil-primed-linen/products/quadruple-oil-primed-linen-panel-traditional-profile-1 " target="_blank">Trekell Quadruple-Primed Linen Panels</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0252/2021/8973/products/LININ_20Raw_20wood_20panels_20B_20lead_e2bf529d-e101-4ec9-82b0-ede24fc0eeba_900x.jpg?v=1568066330" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="800" height="178" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0252/2021/8973/products/LININ_20Raw_20wood_20panels_20B_20lead_e2bf529d-e101-4ec9-82b0-ede24fc0eeba_900x.jpg?v=1568066330" width="211" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0252/2021/8973/products/LININ_20Raw_20wood_20panels_20B_20lead_e2bf529d-e101-4ec9-82b0-ede24fc0eeba_900x.jpg?v=1568066330" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><br /></a></div><div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div>New Traditions Art Panels Inc.</div><div><div>Oil Primed Belgian Linen Fine weave</div><div>L600 - 1/8 inch Birch</div></div><div><a href="http://www.newtraditionsartpanels.com/" target="_blank">http://www.newtraditionsartpanels.com/ </a></div></div><div><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paint Thinner: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="00456-1032-1-3ww-l.jpg" height="162" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4OVpyFjuDdEsaO-fQzYLUHZjYdn_ecDVtlW15HtIkM2UmNxohsqVC6qTsnZ4LRhqrsiuGSObcfc2w0GVuYK5Q0hkBCENcHc82IKxhpAwCAy73PZqkp0iW4PWcZzmisHB4dhq1uEc" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="162" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medium:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gamblin refined linseed oil </span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="00456-1604-3ww-l.jpg" height="159" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mCumwhn4PyYrwfmjkwMWYFg339FCFaoXbiUiXTlsdCFgJrthg-su2RccuaHZJ6o4aHY1sFuaFgPCP6Qe9Ok_I_zJsXbu8OIKavzQW2SARlFg7pZ8J7KBC7KOUtA4CUrPcr9T-eV2" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="66" /></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Canvas Panels: Oil Primed Belgian Linen Fine weave</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Or, wood board (birch) primed with Gamblin Oil Ground</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">L600 - 1/8 inch Birch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Traditions Art Panels Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3006 South Scott Lane #101</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">West Haven, UT 84401</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">801-732-0208</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.newtraditionsartpanels.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.newtraditionsartpanels.com</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easel:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jack Richeson 694051 Italian Field Easel, Steel, Black</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="418UqJT05gL._SL1008_.jpg" height="383" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ygf3SNqttQOBaNtsaK0tKH2TIp_rIhyfC-Vy_rrEU8j-MtkaAkEB5Q3ikLyLGJ4WbgO8sJ3CHh_l53xX0GipzT7bqsh8-5CoFxd3KLw5vIgBl_99m-s_vMK6b4M_T6uBR2W6cDdy" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="229" /></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SoHo Grey Toned Disposable Paper Palettes</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="087510000000-st-01-soho-disposable-grey-palette-with-hole.1485855366.jpg" height="123" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/TpIzFvuBIhFn5zPpDLhH0JIS6UNRPj-voBbJmCajgXtIMpA12fRY0bRGv2MlgoggSEOJW60IZOkpJhTuN4p_a8ho-oXI7WHu_-gpz5H9neL_kfPvG_u3KofwoO-2MfNppmINMtVa" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="123" /></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brush washer</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="download-1.jpg" height="170" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/VOzkALsDa-Z6h2xMBVd03FpehblJvkxzqWLwy--Qvg7mTDUdOSWgxz6u6_2JM1c5jq1qWFIMcY2sFaH4u4XPSKUtrQVef8gw9gHDt77SDT92OvMoJEpxHttVC9dQmDXXzv15mXj2" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="170" /></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Palette knife (Diamond shaped, steel)</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0056202000000-sw-painters-edge.1485858962.jpg" height="128" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Egm7CAbvtHn5Omtwsg65d4l94RxwyKn0BGUgGEIF4xw-KtKephhA3M7bHH6Da1TNzl-Yh8SDFhMCQC0cvnyHNfIYFOEylLmAaDxl0DQfU3BD17aoil4jQO2S605EhTvZWWKV44vt" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="128" /></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">VIVA paper towels</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="ef7e37d52ca708c24497dab5831da94b.jpg" height="147" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ESAl6HLgPImytBy3cWlFcruCL9Btg_Ou5VuI3640zp9xf5RQB4KKm2QSPFYFWUh5lReg1ivySKkjLyTJNvBxIJyPF6E35bOgDgKEN4-bY7a8jf3jwBzYX6ubJh6-9dw_fsUbM2Xk" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="147" /></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brush soap</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="download.jpg" height="162" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/2kqRWYwrHB6djIgnd_ClMh-9ii77-z_QgNyXHFC2aAG5E7aK69WBJbf8ATTlVa8G9nSe9Qiu6xnWbsO298RcbQbS3iCAJma9ClH4dW6OA11hO6B9J0NdIgtcj00XI-zfF4_8lNzk" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="162" /><span> <span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Oil Paints</b></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My basic palette includes 13 tubes:</span></div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One warm / opaque and one cool / transparent version of each primary color (Red, Yellow, Blue). </span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of each secondary color (orange, green, violet). </span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two earth umbers (opaque and transparent). </span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One warm white and one cool white. </span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lead White: Thomas Harding Lead Stack White</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.italianartstore.com/store/index.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.italianartstore.com/store/index.html</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warm, velvety, lustrous white great for flesh painting.</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="v1555400000-sw-01-michael-harding-oc-stack-lead-white-cn.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kEmqZHN5Rk3QeSlW647sRz6dsF6YFky2ITGii-WHmvIb0DemEORqcX97Mf7UHZ9QIzsZ_qcUm3WLQPKUZcWBmwuwhK0Xh5dS2QbASlXtuCT1GQydm7GAZNefA6FZSPjCXLnOxFWV" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Titanium White: Gamblin</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0v03633000000-sw-gamblin-fastmatte-titanium-white.1485850486.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0nFs0D5wLQzuJu7eihFsqy-bCmPTQga3VEMzk18bDAgdWSOJkFym6OflvITpCkU5h5SlwzZGgCiUqqOTHYEtLlkb-GqvdetA26a77Em3STUqHmSKncDWzCoIAZHiguCxDflZHRgc" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Burnt Umber: Old Holland</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beautiful flesh shadows when mixed with cadmium orange or ultramarine.</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040544000000-sw-old-holland.1485850924.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/yTAO077FoC3FA8vpS7-NTI8JeEcGBMQ6FeM3kN3DSxENLhJikyaDWKUgMH4tEBlzc7ArQoto2livHwo9nTOVq3xvVjkvrVS1PwcW-ttiMMNudtxfutTCe78Jxt5BxbVdIBUxs2Yw" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raw Umber: Old Holland</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transparent with cool green undertones perfect for underpainting, block-ins, grisaille and wipe-outs</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040653000000-sw-old-holland.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/AB1bjh2nWgaUOhBsrv3Z-nrbTJJrnsrNsQXWWoKwkprxV1KS4YtPBdGrB5cIDXE8R853EZ0u5UG_ca816rHQFkcAv6Ov1EFfzwaXYJcmugIRW5tPbiKHWBTgUkAzY7zzkhCsyGl9" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Permanent Alizarin Crimson: Gamblin </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transparent cool red perfect for flesh tones, makes a rich black with Sap Green + Ultramarine</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="055312000000--sw-1-gamblin-aoc-alizarin-permanent.1485850755.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/yuYOBQfHuhy_RtvczKXTc8svrkGDtdaeuUOdevFojtV_4w3QbKk3gLSsx14VinKlpfqrs6vSRhUSuHzvz6DPfvFVzg6zloW3GPc6nF3YkJhBpwgr4GEDRMmpiVhmjx07cg8SpZIA" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cadmium Red Light: Old Holland</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040549000000-sw-old-holland.1485850925.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Tqty6LubLv0SGbng0q16mDnBHQ9E-GL3RYQO4EhbFq3cU6grll-3uqpY4G3Q5hTxANaYeMSFtqsYOV2rqNOw8urcaLgasGO8ZzJqVVY73kMMcE0qE1UWj6vcKIhdx-VWsBtHNEHf" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cadmium Orange: Old Holland</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mix with Cerulean Blue to make a rich grey</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040547000000-sw-old-holland.1485850925.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/J_FbYUi6Pp8FKQrhMEmGnlz12Yt3aarDpTjEMV-1lons1-Sks61FA4Zf_qAxwiRCCr3239QRGlagK8Gu16iHIAf_Ptfzzdn0cjPIgdctFxEN0la7sULUQQC1qyqeCLameIrAAcsK" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lemon Ochre: Williamsburg Paint</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superior yellow ochre without heavy green undertones</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0060260000000-SW-Williamsburg.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UjrNCEXnt6KC4Kqtt0NrAVasf7sp2mPw8-p-Y8nidBgnsWiNCCOoWfRsb6NqRCzbrndjagqdEc9fSaY9Isl-ZxTSIWBF5wZahKcBP3NGtX6OlETJ25JIRQCXqm20pyS4YieeJmNT" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cadmium Yellow Light: Old Holland</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040556000000-sw-old-holland.1485850926.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lF6Cw29gIhxLR1Au9IRppd441pY0Svttuj8jauySsFVFwbYQMKeKmgMmsZ61kM-HuEvQ-aQZwGi8PkdP4T8uxmjrE3mTTp4udAeeJwTLMLq0biyvT1pu5s9VcL0tNKv2xcHq2lU7" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sap Green: Williamsburg Paints</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transparent, cool and rich, great for flesh painting and landscapes.</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0060234000000-SW-Williamsburg.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YZ-TgR2jJLiLevy0ci97loGhBs04R2KX1ezAxMc4tt7Mr0acUn1IGpGBNoEsBxe5ZUQkaFEWNPMowivxga1QvxY_I5Cqx6qgPK-1WeG-7kFMl6DBcayWUbu8j6RPLg61tdU5rDyx" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cerulean Blue: Old Holland</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Versatile warm blue for landscapes, makes a rich gray with Old Holland cadmium orange.</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040562000000-sw-old-holland.1485850926.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/k5_vU3B3wNxujrKG7WahYT779zAKVEAwapXAG30rsnrOa1Ma5fHUvlP8NvhPi_nPkgiokdaurJGdWOuqBi5bAuelNsuSwb4noKZzPsfEOhErWfRioMS3lrm44XiVy6turs4gx0xJ" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cobalt Blue: Old Holland</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="0040568000000-sw-old-holland.1485850927-1.jpg" height="75" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fi2yuUy7GHH0ulRDq1m9ppHqOY_NhbQrOi5c84TpjNutI4E1w78jsvICOZAaSXnie9hvOfgVN1JK4wSATDvSKhmXhrDqvMR9Eri81lZAdMUDDJJ6XdUfFHI6BTwXjnz2Q4IEMy0" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultramarine Blue: Old Holland</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transparent with green overtones, great for under-paintings and transparent shadows, mixes with Sap Green + Alizarin to make a rich black.</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="75" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/koSGdL_vs51HA_R1YXCJqAgwm_0vTz-a89xJ9XMYOun2SScAdLbjEknJ4Rl8h0NvLWzwY4HvCPA4lYuPWb5H8nHJl2RJ4jn2yGHw9BTd-PqNsORkCV2u4oT8g62d45SXYPcf1Hfc" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manganese Violet Reddish: Old Holland</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="75" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zXQSUT-dFX5Iw-FfJZZ7dITgOcXOwzUkzxT9ntY1oM4vqEOIIplP_PiloQhUYkd__zUMIE8LhR56LUDhz2mI-T4rS8Ju4RZg29Ky1O_C_6MG1idXNDGNRKLdWO15qKFsgXUZLSMB" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black: </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mix Sap Green + Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Ultramarine Blue for a rich transparent black.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mix Burnt Umber + Ultramarine Blue for a rich opaque black. </span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left: solid #ffffff 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-style: solid; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; border-width: 1pt; padding: 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="75" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_e7Z5CxQmzooBFkW-kVsATdfDH2Y5SUJkuMdfxQGZgC_6-Yel6tMzJe3Ce1GvqmzBqgHnsC-8LZ28MKZu1qNyLB2xI79IqNvlLkWF9sXBAjnQ8ofQdcoakzA1Zmec3WX1MLT3PRK" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="75" /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-50148746065592490312017-08-06T12:15:00.000-04:002017-08-07T00:16:44.560-04:00Optical Versus Intellectual Modes of Painting<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the course of studying with artists at the <a href="https://nyaa.edu/" target="_blank">New York Academy of Art</a> and <a href="http://grandcentralatelier.org/" target="_blank">Grand Central Atelier</a> over the years I have come across several very different modes of observation when painting from life. At the highest level of generalization these modes of visual thinking fall into two approaches: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Optical or “Paint what you see” (reacting to observed color)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Intellectual or “Paint what you know” (modeling the form with value based on the direction of the light source.) </span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Optical Mode</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first style of visual thinking, the optical mode, tends to generate paintings that are highly chromatic with a stimulating range of hues. Form is created primarily through temperature changes (contrasting warms and cools). The virtues of this style are graphic impact, energy, movement and emotional effect. The vices of this approach are a patchy, crude or "posterized" look. In my opinion, this approach is exemplified by artists like <a href="http://www.benfenske.com/" target="_blank">Ben Fenske</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Intellectual Mode</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The second style of visual thinking, the intellectual mode, tends to generate paintings that are tonal, with a subtle variations in values and a limited palette of hues and subdued chroma. The virtues of this style are a subtle, poetic, and intellectually sophisticated look. The vices of this approach are a stylized mannequin-like polished feeling and a static lack of energy. In my opinion, this approach is exemplified by artists like <a href="http://www.scottwaddellfinearts.com/" target="_blank">Scott Waddell</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, in practice great painters combine both approaches fluidly, alternating between the two modes at different stages of the painting. This level improvisation requires a a high degree of skill, experience and confidence which few of us can readily achieve. Fortunately in painting, “The Process is the Product” and those of is who are mere mortals can bake the benefits of both approaches into our process. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Process is the Product</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I recently tried intentionally alternating these approaches during a six-hour portrait study session at <a href="http://grandcentralatelier.org/" target="_blank">Grand Central Atelier</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stage 1: Block-In</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIUDOzUwcOngtx0Bnl_NFQ2452JlWP-nLv242UHtNlP3GFY2zBzVF1UggLN9ldbUOZSfDww1bnIJfantGR_5OJ2YXsv14piQi7XN_mtYdC0Hgps58YB10i14F0qPNLb2YuuCw2p4M-lM/s1600/Blog+Post+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIUDOzUwcOngtx0Bnl_NFQ2452JlWP-nLv242UHtNlP3GFY2zBzVF1UggLN9ldbUOZSfDww1bnIJfantGR_5OJ2YXsv14piQi7XN_mtYdC0Hgps58YB10i14F0qPNLb2YuuCw2p4M-lM/s400/Blog+Post+1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stage 2: Optical Impressions</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This stage is focused on reacting visually to color and identifying regions of color that can be grouped together. This stage involves keeping each region of color generally flat and relying on brush application and edges for the transitions rather than “modeling” transitions with blended gradations of value. Form is turned towards or away from the light with relative temperature changes (warmer or cooler). The values are intentionally compressed into the middle ranges. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6qZPH91NFj-kF3lRFxANvKDpXOCdMv9CoEeW6aebJd5Ix_sfs0D_qScZnMBr4wjPXQ1w68tIdaOKTST87w9-XYCfTwaZPMj1th2mK3oL-0m-lZaIqJYYwsiF9ekcfhc85L8QA4H3g58/s1600/Blog+Post+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6qZPH91NFj-kF3lRFxANvKDpXOCdMv9CoEeW6aebJd5Ix_sfs0D_qScZnMBr4wjPXQ1w68tIdaOKTST87w9-XYCfTwaZPMj1th2mK3oL-0m-lZaIqJYYwsiF9ekcfhc85L8QA4H3g58/s400/Blog+Post+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stage 3: Intellectual Modeling</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This stage is focused on “modeling form” by conceptually understanding of the surface planes as they turn towards or away from the light sources. Starting in the shadows, gradations of value are applied that gradually working out from the shadows and into the lights. The value range of the painting is expanded by working from the darkest darks to the highlights. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5bmbmxXljB4_XHI-Np9x9WW_O-0gsxKaiqyyrMovhl1lk_jE9Bqq1EeUp298DCagcQj_eN-hDKtrT-eDqnlAShAOS9bElWiVGrct3jaIsDvmqPXKj1mlA90bfz0WwOw48EICYg1fQJ4/s1600/Blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5bmbmxXljB4_XHI-Np9x9WW_O-0gsxKaiqyyrMovhl1lk_jE9Bqq1EeUp298DCagcQj_eN-hDKtrT-eDqnlAShAOS9bElWiVGrct3jaIsDvmqPXKj1mlA90bfz0WwOw48EICYg1fQJ4/s400/Blog3.jpg" title="August Portrait Sketch, 2017 by Thomas Shelford" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The combination of these two modes of visual thinking, each at a separate stage of the process, seems to yield a more nuanced and balanced result than favoring one approach at the exclusion of the other. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-85800199401339719662014-01-25T03:13:00.000-05:002017-08-07T00:10:19.462-04:00Five Hour Portrait SketchIn this post I'd like to walk through an <i>alla prima </i>portrait sketch approach. Here is the final result: <br />
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<b>Preparation</b></div>
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The canvas is prepared with an oil-based ground of Gamblin Oil Painting Ground thinned to the consistency of milk. This "sizes" (water seals) the canvas and makes the surface less absorbent so that the paint will flow and the strokes will hold up their shape without sinking into the canvas weave. A warm semi-transparent tone is then applied to the canvas using a mix of raw umber (50%), yellow ochre (30%), ultramarine blue (10%) and alizarin crimson (10%), thinned with mineral spirits. </div>
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For a convenient self-portrait the canvas can be placed directly on a long mirror so that you have the option of painting in "sight-size" where the reflected image in the mirror is exactly equal in height and width to the drawing. </div>
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<b>Stage 1: Block-In</b></div>
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The purpose of this stage is to lay in a rough drawing, capturing the major simplified shapes and their relative proportions using a warm, dark transparent wash that approximates the main shadow color. It's best to use large bristle brushes and create the initial drawing using straight lines and simplified shapes which will make it easier to evaluate the relative proportions. </div>
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<b>Stage 2: Open Grisaille</b></div>
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Once the major proportions of the shadow shapes have been defined, bristle brushes are used with plenty of thinner to scrape away the under-tone and indicate the light areas by allowing the white of the ground to show through. This is called an "open" grisaille because white paint is not used. <br />
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<b>Stage 3: Posterizing</b></div>
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The "average mid-tone" colors for the 3 or 4 largest shapes are mixed and laid in side by side so that their relationship can be compared on the basis of temperature (warmer / cooler) and value (darker / lighter). Typically this is the background, shadow shape, light fleshtone and clothing. These colors are laid in as flat "poster" shapes for easy comparison. Once they are all adjusted to work harmoniously they form the basis of the value structure of the painting. In mixing the "average" it is best to err on the side of darker middle values and low saturation. It's also important to keep a bit of clean thinner in the brush so that this layer will dry quickly. Pay attention to edges and "service the big shapes" by resisting the temptation to paint in smaller details. Maintain the simplest, biggest shapes possible. </div>
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<b>Stage 4: Mid-Tone Mass-In</b></div>
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At this stage the brush is loaded with medium (50% stand oil, 50% thinner). The major shapes are broken down to the next level and the large mid-tone colors are massed in with large brushes starting with the shadow shapes and working into the mid-tones. The values are kept in the middle range for now. </div>
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At this stage the drawing needs refinement, and a more precise exploration of the anatomical shapes. I find it helpful to do a quick exploratory study of the major planes and shadow shapes, in keeping with the anatomical shapes identified by John Henry Vanderpoel in his classic "The Human Figure".</div>
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Using the drawing as a guide yields further refinement. The "architectural integrity" of the major planes is maintained, with well-defined edges that blend into each other without losing their borders. This way the sense of form and the structure of the head does not become "mushy" or "wobbly":</div>
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<b>Stage 5: Modeling</b></div>
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At this stage more sensitive modeling is painted using a wider value range, crawling across the form from the shadows to the lights, but using "temperature" changes rather than exaggerated value changes to articulate the turning of the form.</div>
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<b>Stage 6: Finish</b></div>
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Now working all around the painting rather than "crawling" across the form, the highlights, dark accents and saturated "broken color" passages are used to make important features like the nose extend out into space and draw attention to important moments such as the red of the lips, the high points of the chin, and center of interest in the model's right eye. </div>
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Here is a detail of these finishing passages. Note the "broken color" on the chin, and the transition from the "hot" pink of the right cheek to the "cooler" pink of the same value as the cheek turns:<br />
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Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-24120474976515418032012-06-15T00:00:00.000-04:002017-08-07T00:11:12.251-04:00Painterly Printing<br />
I was introduced to the monotype printing method at the <a href="http://www.salmagundi.org/" target="_blank">Salmagundi Club's</a> recurring <a href="http://salmagundi.org/content.cfm/salmagundi/Monotype-Party-2012/id/96" target="_blank">Monotype Parties</a> which are hosted by Master Printmaker <a href="http://rwpillsburyart.com/" target="_blank">Robert Pillsbury</a>. The monotype (or "monoprint") technique creates a single, unique print and allows a very painterly approach to printmaking. Ink is rolled onto a metal plate and then wiped away by using the "subtractive" method that is identical to creating an "open grisaille" or "wipeout" underpainting. In the subtractive method, the plate (usually copper but can be plexiglass for tracing a drawing) is covered with ink and the lights are "rubbed out" with a variety of brushes, styluses and other mark-making tools.<br />
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When the print is pulled on wet paper, the result is Tonalism at its best: smoky, atmospheric, and moody with loose, expressive edges. This style was exemplified in the 19th century by painters like Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, George Inness, and James Abbott McNeill Whistler.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_HsbgpMI4jiYO50IjIcXyt9Gn495Wixxtc0NUY38ICwq0b8b76-_DoitKhdCyjgmmD1z_-eHVD4pdKHpOJFM0_xT9U5-C4J_ufxn-S6Q0LMgj8IPMtDYQRmsTcNzTX6SP1ykZnk_5Ps/s1600/dr_35_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_HsbgpMI4jiYO50IjIcXyt9Gn495Wixxtc0NUY38ICwq0b8b76-_DoitKhdCyjgmmD1z_-eHVD4pdKHpOJFM0_xT9U5-C4J_ufxn-S6Q0LMgj8IPMtDYQRmsTcNzTX6SP1ykZnk_5Ps/s400/dr_35_lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"East Hampton Beach Path No. 1", 2012. <br />Monotype Print, 6x9 inches, by Thomas Shelford</i> </td></tr>
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Monotype printmaking tips:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Create a medium-value "ground by covering the plate with a "mid-tone" using a soft rag. Soften the ground tone into a cloudy, smoky haze by brushing it with a soft makeup brush such as the type that is used to apply blush.</li>
<li>Work into the ground tone both additively (by adding ink) and subtractively (by scraping away ink). </li>
<li>Work soft-to-hard by beginning the drawing with a broad, soft, hazy application, (for example, by using Q-Tips to loosely "draw" the light areas) and then gradually hardening selected edges at the center of interest as the drawing progresses. </li>
<li>Use two types of ink, sepia and cold black, and mix them together to create a rich color with a unique warm-cool balance that is to your liking. </li>
<li>Use a very diverse combination of drawing tools to obtain a wide variety of surface effects and a "layered" feeling. Makeup Q-Tips, makeup brushes of all types, bristle brushes, wooden chopsticks and toothpicks leave unique marks. </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0yv-3fAdgq45IAJ0mPvLVq8_yp1loSmGQzch2JnLdOANsGlHLqkdgjRwokLcgyn78T1mO4aVePH5qttMfk8G3pc1AMDSSJYpylyradNUJ7jHI95Pp17P2TI7YB4-ESPS5uqa2gB03KU/s1600/monotype_printer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0yv-3fAdgq45IAJ0mPvLVq8_yp1loSmGQzch2JnLdOANsGlHLqkdgjRwokLcgyn78T1mO4aVePH5qttMfk8G3pc1AMDSSJYpylyradNUJ7jHI95Pp17P2TI7YB4-ESPS5uqa2gB03KU/s320/monotype_printer.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Charles Brand Printing Press</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKUwfBdWr545_8wYR0P69Rfr9CvvGeBtEPBnVeWaJ1aPqM9y7G_lwZRT_g1dCA9cL0CGTX6c6HzCQmu1iizdbMf0TJAP-Jk-m0Ebwba8pcBvkvATVDcVPxnk3SPPRozs2H8Zpm7cbcBQ/s1600/monoype_kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKUwfBdWr545_8wYR0P69Rfr9CvvGeBtEPBnVeWaJ1aPqM9y7G_lwZRT_g1dCA9cL0CGTX6c6HzCQmu1iizdbMf0TJAP-Jk-m0Ebwba8pcBvkvATVDcVPxnk3SPPRozs2H8Zpm7cbcBQ/s320/monoype_kit.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tools of the Trade</i></td></tr>
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A great place to learn and practice monotype printmaking is <a href="http://www.printshop.org/web/" target="_blank">The Lower East Side Print Shop</a> which offers residencies to working artists, providing 24x7 access to their facilities which include a Charles Brand press. I recently completed a residency at LESPS and exhibited the results, a series of monotype landscapes, with <a href="http://www.grenninggallery.com/" target="_blank">Grenning Gallery</a> in Sag Harbor.<br />
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Lastly, here is a recommended book for learning about the history of monotype printmaking:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0870992236/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00" target="_blank">The Painterly Print: Monotypes from the Seventeenth to the Twentieth Century</a>, by Sue Welsh Reed.<br />
<br />Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-7870416402438114132011-05-14T05:23:00.002-04:002011-05-14T09:55:41.042-04:00"It's Been Done"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was listening to stories from the landscape painter <a href="http://www.americanmastersart.com/artist_Albert_Handell.html">Albert Handell</a> at the Salmagundi Club's "<a href="http://www.americanmastersart.com/">American Masters</a>" exhibition. In the 1950s Albert was considered to be a very odd walking anachronism indeed for painting realistic landscapes, in spite of his ability to capture the volume and movement of water with broad expressive brush strokes that would put his contemporary Mr. Pollock to shame. Albert often heard the following rebuke when he mentioned that he was a realist:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<blockquote><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Realism is a waste of time, it's already been done by the Old Masters. Why bother with a stale format? Do something original!"</span></i></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUyteOvdQYOqvovHZckCWO2lCsOS1fB5D70ORqqxlWZ-n2h3MTG2Ce1kCQ9OqxBb0YL2lQIK_DtqNw5elKteqXpkpBnjrggdCDbnEa69e8WQZZRcsf5X2njb0-GIhU65Bx_vqU7L9ozg/s1600/Handell_RockyMountainStream-Oil-24x40-18500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUyteOvdQYOqvovHZckCWO2lCsOS1fB5D70ORqqxlWZ-n2h3MTG2Ce1kCQ9OqxBb0YL2lQIK_DtqNw5elKteqXpkpBnjrggdCDbnEa69e8WQZZRcsf5X2njb0-GIhU65Bx_vqU7L9ozg/s400/Handell_RockyMountainStream-Oil-24x40-18500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><i>"Rocky Mountain Stream", 24 x 40 in. by Albert Handell</i></span></td></tr>
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Fifty years later, and it's still difficult to have a discussion about this topic in the current culture, where novelty is given the place of honor, and the definition of Art is so broad that it is almost impossible to engage in a meaningful dialogue. Instead, I give up on "ArtSpeak" and look for insight by re-casting the argument in a musical context in order to see how it holds up. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For example, take a mature artistic genre in the musical space, such as guitar-based Rock N' Roll. I can imagine a conversation with Bono in the year 1982, as U2 was about to release the War album. In this thought experiment, some fictional critic might have asked him:</span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Hey Bono, why are you bothering with this Rock N' Roll format? Your primary instrument of expression, the guitar, dates from the 1600s! The Rock N' Roll genre itself is 40+ years old already, and it's already been done by Chuck Berry and Elvis! It's now 1982, do you actually think you're going to have a more unique sound than the Beatles, using that same old arrangement of lead guitar, bass, drums and vocals? Do you really expect your silly U2 experiment to be more original in an artistic sense than the Velvet Underground, or David Bowie? Forget it, Bono! Rock N' Roll is a dead horse, as done as Latin! </span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Not to mention, in terms of the limitations of the medium, there are only 12 major chords on the guitar. Furthermore, there is the issue of subject matter and relevance. In popular Rock N' Roll music, isn't it always about romantic heartbreak or about rebellion against authority? So limiting! And you Mr. Bono want to extend the genre by singing about politics for heaven's sake? Bob Dylan already did that 20 years ago! You're going to be better at it than the poet radical? Do something original!"</span></blockquote>And so on...<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously, no-one would make such a ridiculous argument in a musical context, even concerning a </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">well-worn genre such as popular guitar-based Rock N Roll music, with its standardized AABA format and song structure of introduction-verse-build-chorus-bridge-solo-finale. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yet in spite of the fact that the guitar originated in the 1600s, has only 6 strings and 60 standard </span>chords, it's been one of the primary sources of original modern popular music since Django Reinhardt in the 1930s.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">By contrast let's get back to the subject of painting, and limit the sub-genre to naturalistic, representational oil painting on canvas.</span><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The subject matter: All of visible nature. In contemporary figurative realism alone the range of expression varies from the floating outer space bodies of <a href="http://www.nerdruminstitute.com/">Odd Nerdrum</a> to the hyper-realistic psychological intimacy of <a href="http://www.davidkassan.com/">David Kassan</a> to the lyrical poetry of <a href="http://www.lipking.com/">Jeremy Lipking</a>.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The mode of expression: Millions of color combinations. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsell_color_system">Munsell Color System</a> corrals the oil paint color gamut into quantifiable chunks at regular intervals of hue, value and saturation and still ends up with 1500 pleasing visual chords. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The medium: Oil paint, with its infinitely variable optical properties of transparency and texture is applied in thousands of brush strokes, each carrying a unique signature. A painting is a layered physical object, a cast or mold preserving the thousands of movements of the painter's body over many hours.</span></li>
</ul><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rSoSGp-aOXT6Exv11NXu9L_HmR6-zzfgEmeZHqRKN7KUm2NWrBCYw_ShL4X5__oF-hA4lQPn7Nbt8afarxhM4AEE2tB4OXhyphenhyphenYll2X7yoHkAoABso19hvA3ysyiKc3ps424KqqhLhSEU/s1600/kassan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rSoSGp-aOXT6Exv11NXu9L_HmR6-zzfgEmeZHqRKN7KUm2NWrBCYw_ShL4X5__oF-hA4lQPn7Nbt8afarxhM4AEE2tB4OXhyphenhyphenYll2X7yoHkAoABso19hvA3ysyiKc3ps424KqqhLhSEU/s320/kassan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Detail of a head study painting by David Kassan</span></i></td></tr>
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The capacity of realistic oil painting for diversity and originality of expression is astonishing, and each generation points this infinitely versatile medium at its contemporary subject matter. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As the undaunted Mr. Handell said to me at the end of our conversation, </span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"So, it's been done, eh?</b></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Well, it hasn't been done yet by ME!" </b></span></blockquote>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-61116164095685775872010-05-27T00:36:00.067-04:002010-06-01T21:38:57.098-04:00The Nude Bares(sic) RepeatingA favorite topic amid the celebratory buzz of <a href="http://www.thegreatnude.tv/invitational/index.html">The Great Nude Invitational</a> was that the resurgence of figurative painting has finally reached a critical mass. News of the resurgence has even leaked to the far corners of the Hamptons, which hosted the young turks of Abstract Expressionism and Color Field Painting in the 1940s and 50s. The region has long had a love affair (hangover?) with abstraction ever since those fondly recalled days. Interior designers keep the flame of abstract minimalism alive, since large flat decorative swaths of thinned cerulean work well over the sofas of the East End's white-walled beach mansions built by junk bond moguls in the 1980s.<br /><br />But the <em>zeitgeist</em> is shifting. My viewpoint on the changing climate was referenced in <a href="http://www.27east.com/story_detail.cfm?id=278451">an article by arts journalist Pat Rogers</a> about the return of the figure, along with that of photographer / video artist Jane Martin who beautifully dissolves the nude behind screens of mist and water.<br /><br />So the figure is back and she is being led by the hand into the spotlight by young artists like <a href="http://www.adammillerart.com/">Adam Miller</a>. It's happening. But what is driving it? If we want to encourage the trend it would help to know.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.adammillerart.com/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477934726129739778" border="0" alt="Painting by Adam Miller" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ksJgtnjJZx4jTafjABETirbnYY0iMjRxoExR28Vsmo4GuhveiA87BC6YeM6iiP2frougK44_6bsxaLangs7Hc9HVxsJIvQPh6p0zPsPhmD6M0jW6KL-J47ubXTAk_LS7kvYvtXlzPpM/s400/adam_miller_Dreaming.jpg" /></a><em><span style="font-size:78%;color:#666666;">"Seaside" by Adam Miller</span></em></div><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Business As Usual for 35,000 Years</span><br /><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/science/14venus.html"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477951025175701666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FFIHqDrjRm0AmBHAC58U5lJeMv4PfYfQP7gRbC3fFRxiKS3GqcxtAcRBzJJcBjpywBUoCULQ3MxZ1meWcNU9-tL1Q4hDQ8XuZ7ADUhW0DpaZyq-mTOyd8c-mFP6eLdejqwPmYq05Gno/s200/14venus1_395.jpg" /></a><br />An easy answer to the question "why now?" would be that humans are simply back to the "business as usual" which started our 35,000 years ago with the Hohle Fels <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/science/14venus.html">Venus statuettes</a> (Photo by H. Jensen, Universität Tübingen). According to this mode of thinking, modernism will turn out to be a brief 80 year interruption caused by the ironic joke of Duchamp, whose pranks were a necessary breath of fresh air at the time but were taken a little too far for a little too long. After all, why should today's painters pay much heed to a fellow who didn't think very highly of "ocular" art in the first place, and would rather be playing chess?<br /></div><p><strong></strong></p><p></p><div align="left"><strong>Abstraction vs. Realism? <em>Really?</em></strong><br /><br />Another easy answer is that there is no art historical conflict here worth discussing, because the distinction between abstraction and representation is an artificial one that has disappeared for all practical purposes. Realist painters have internalized and co-opted the critical language, processes, narrative and concepts of modernism since Eric Fischl and Vince Desiderio made their intellectual forays in the 1980s against the "painting is dead" crowd. I don't know very many realists who claim that their job is to be a visual journalist by faithfully coping nature, yet I often hear painters talk about interpreting their authentic visual experience through the language of abstract shapes and imposing a conceptual understanding of the subject matter, whether that concept entails psychological presence, narrative, or form itself.<br /><br />Both of these attitudes have a case to make, but I suspect there is a deeper cultural shift at work. Young artists are experiencing global interconnectedness via the environmental movement and issues like global climate change. They are hyper-connected in their informational nakedness on the internet, and after 8 hours a day on Facebook and in the studio craving the desire for real human connection.<br />The economic climate may have been the point of inflection. Since the 2008 crisis, disenchantment with market-driven value systems has positioned realism as the "blue chip value stock" of art. Skillful execution invests an object with uniqueness, irreplacability, and therefore intrinsic value that is independent of market fluctuations. </div><div align="left"><br />To the ears of this young 21st century audience, Picasso's statements below have a different ring to them: </div><div align="left" style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">"Obviously, nature exists so we may rape it"</span><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">"I too believe that everything is unknown, that everything is an enemy!"</span><br /></div><div align="right" style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">-- Arianna S. Huffington, "Picasso, Creator and Destroyer."<br />New York: First Avon Books Printing, October 1989.</span></div><div align="left"><br />It's an adolescent and meatheaded ring, to be specific. Yet not so long ago, such sentiments were seen as the testosterone-spiked fuel of a great creative engine. Our information age has exposed utterly forgotten 19th century sensations like Meissonier, the most commercially successful artist of a half-century now ignored and unmentioned in the textbooks, so we can plausibly imagine a time 50 years from now when Picasso becomes the Meissonier (or even the Bouguereau) of the 20th century. </div><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"></div><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"><strong></strong></div><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"></div><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"><strong></strong></div><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"><strong></strong></div><div style="FONT-SIZE: 85%" align="left"></div><br /><div align="left"><strong>Beauty is Back?</strong> </div><br /><div align="left">Another driver of the resurgence of the figure is the unashamed return to Beauty.<br /><br />Our sense of beauty is what makes us human, even more so than our logical reasoning which is so easily twisted to evil ends, or recruited into the service of our emotions, or used to justify our egotistical desires.<br /><br />The project of aesthetics has failed to define universal criteria for beauty, and so thinking about Beauty is now considered to be a a dead-end endeavor. Even Tolstoy threw up his hands and criticized the notion of beauty reduces to "that which I find pleasing."<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 220px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477947629052431202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuS0w-QmXnzVPHMeo9RgHzERsjnQij_4EzXq84w7wRNVt5ckPWYr2hYPTV28dKzj7G-hJD5gkgsyXohNkezTffyAjWDYfP8TFFCTqzPUYSSSehO6r4NBYShK9HlwsI6CAGzGRzKb2Zgoo/s320/220px-Golden_Rectangle_Construction_svg.png" /></a><br />But Beauty is not merely a subjective feeling; it is intricately linked to the basic fabric of the universe, as any mathematician or physicist knows. In mathematics for example we are confronted with mysterious idea of "elegance", that the most aesthetically beautiful mathematical solution is almost always the correct one. Throughout the history mathematics, the beautiful solution which displayed characteristics of simplicity, harmony and proportion yet seemed to have no practical application has proven crucial in Physics 50 or 100 years later. Mathematical ideas like the Golden Ratio (left, image by Joel Holdsworth) demonstrate how our intuitive sense of beauty has a deep kinship with the fundamental laws of nature.<br /><br />A beautiful object acts as a pointer to an underlying truth that expresses a harmony with the fundamental nature of reality. Beauty defies objective categorization because it is a material object pointing to the immaterial truth. The tangible acts as a compass needle pointing to the intangible. Rather than despair over the fact that Beauty defies definition in concrete terms, it is this fluid quality of Beauty that liberates the artist. It is the role of the artist to propose a definition of Beauty in the visual language of her particular life experience.<br /><br />Post-modernism has left us at a dead end: if anything can be art, then art it is nothing. This vacuum has taken the notion of the <em>avant garde</em> down with it as well. Today's artists are presented with a blank slate, armed with a treasure trove of digital imagery from all of history, and freed from the conformist pressure of a self-appointed <em>avant garde</em>.<br /><br />In this liberated art historical vacuum , the current <em>zeitgeist</em> of connectedness has brought us right back to business as usual for humans. Here we are, still looking at each other naked, compelled to do the least necessary yet most essential activity: making Art, the inspired exercise of a craft for the purpose of intentionally transmitting, through external indications, the thoughts and emotions which the artist has experienced. </div>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-22478626987780494512010-01-10T18:56:00.006-05:002010-01-10T19:04:22.813-05:00"Hipsters and Hassids" Series by Elke Reva Sudin<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; ">In a departure from the previous generations' preoccupation with irony and alienation, young artists of the Facebook generation such as Elke Reva Sudin, with her "Hipsters and Hassids" series, are forging a new zeitgeist with a global outlook and a powerful sense of community that is also informed by an unabashed spirituality. Armed with graphic line quality and sensitive observation, the members of the young Brooklyn vanguard are building their art out of the intersection of the old and the new, influenced by such sources as comic book illustration and street graffiti.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia, serif;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuVARlqDDJdQAu8XB9zY2QxDpnuyVGkopvEC_9GKPwPanafge-f0ajREzPJ6oZYJqJzpIVKW8GX4dIP1IrFpY5PnWhrzrn2TGHytanbHSVh5ZVWsrxpSg7WrQV3-G9Ic0Nx1fWslh6SE/s400/broadwaysmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425265096112646914" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">"Broadway" by Elke Reva Sudin</span></i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Mrs. Sudin, walking in the footsteps of her senior colleagues featured in "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Upset-Young-Contemporary-Art/dp/3899552210?tag=thojshefinart-20">The Upset</a>", seems to reject as futile the notion that the artist must re-invent the wheel using only her internal monologue as raw material. As an active member of Brooklyn's vibrant Jewish orthodox community, Sudin is outwardly focused, embracing realism as a universal vocabulary that can be used to integrate unlikely cultural forces and forge connections with the viewer without relying upon conceptual jargon or marketing schemes to make the work coherent. Her work is solidly grounded in classical illustration training, yet avoids a formulaic approach by employing an arsenal of mixed media styles and empathy for the idiosyncrasies of each lovingly observed subject.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Specifically, Sudin's work provides a visual roadmap displaying the connections between modern urban multiculturalism and the eternal human need for community and spiritual connection. Her "Hipsters and Hassids" series is relevant to broader cultural trends, while remaining specific to the beloved eccentricities of Brooklyn itself. Exhibiting a compelling sense of place, Sudin's vantage point is not that of the snarky voyeur striking an ironic pose, but rather her insights are gained from a close intimacy with, and affection for, her subject matter. This is even evident in her pen & ink architectural sketches, in which an overlooked pile of bricks oozes personality. Her work represents a visual manifestation of a phenomenon witnessed in the Brooklyn music scene with performers like Matisyahu and Eprhyme, and provides us with a compass pointing to the emerging characteristics of 21st century art. </span></p>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-67443906687097784182009-12-06T18:12:00.008-05:002009-12-07T20:16:37.436-05:00Damien Hirst Trades Formaldehyde for Linseed Oil<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The resurgence of figurative realism as an emerging trend may have reached its tipping point with Damien Hirst's recent decision to re-invent himself as a representational oil painter and exhibit the "No Love Lost" show at the Wallace Collection:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wallacecollection.org/collections/exhibition/77">http://www.wallacecollection.org/collections/exhibition/77</a><br /><br />Although the paintings are closer to the illicit chalk-on-blackboard doodles of a girlfriend-less teenage heavy metal fan being held in after-school detention than to the Titian masterpieces in the adjacent room, Hirst's conversion to painting is enthusiastic and unequivocal. In his own words:<br /><br /><i>"Conceptual or minimal art seems a bit dead."</i><br /><div style="text-align: right;">- Damien Hirst, <a href="http://www.timeout.com/london/art/article/457/damien-hirst">Time Out</a>, 10/13/2009</div><br />Seismic tremors and rumblings indicating that realism could be the "value stock" in an uncertain market have even reached Op-Ed pages of the New York Times, which asks "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/opinion/16dutton.html?_r=1">Has Conceptual Art Jumped the Shark Tank?</a>"</span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><b>The Gauntlet is Tossed</b><br /><br />At Art Basel Miami I debated Hirst's legacy as a conceptual artist with a curator, making the case that his previous work was entertaining gimmickry. By "gimmickry" I mean that the artistic merit of the piece is a function of the production budget, which fuels the marketing buzz in a self-reinforcing loop. I claimed that any clever gent could easily come up with a brilliant concept if given a $20 million budget for its execution (this figure was the cost of Hirst's diamond-encrusted skull). </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I was challenged to step up to the plate by producing just such an idea, assuming I had the budget, with the stipulation that I had to come up with it over the next round of cocktails in order to support my claim that it was "easy." So here goes. I hope Damien is listening and ready to write me a check, because this one is a winner.<br /><br /><b>Swinging for the Fences with $20 Million</b><br /><br />My concept is entitled "Canned Almanac 2010." My budget: $20 million. The work will hold a mirror up to the face of the current global economic and cultural order.<br /><br />A beef cow will be selected from a random midwestern American slaughterhouse. The bovine carcass will be launched into near-earth orbit on a commercial rocket. The capsule will circle the earth three times where it will be visible in the night sky to the world's population. The heat of re-entry cooks the carcass leaving a charred cinder. After dramatically impacting the earth, the cow's remains will be packaged into ordinary unlabeled aluminum soup cans. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">All of the of the cans except one will be made available to members of the general public through an online lottery. The lottery winner's identities will be kept anonymous. The lottery entry web site will be publicized after the capsule landing by random distribution over internet social networking sites. The remaining can of meat will be retained by the artist and sold at an amount exactly equal the cost of the project.<br /><br />I hereby submit the "importance" and "relevance" of this piece:<br /><br /><ul><li>The work is historically important, as it sits at the intersection of Pop and Post-Modern conceptual art, seamlessly referencing Damien Hirst's animal carcasses, Warhol's soup cans, Piero Manzoni's cans of feces, and Christo's oil barrels.</li><li>The work is relevant because it informs the current ecological crisis debate by using a staggering quantity of fossil fuels to generate a nutritionally worthless food item that is distributed to an anonymous public via internet marketing channels. In this way it exposes the absurdity of the post-industrial global consumer product system.</li><li>The work deconstructs notions of the value of cultural productions, as it simultaneously rejects and embraces the art market's valuation process by giving away cultural production to random recipients who may be art world outsiders, while at the same time exploiting an insider art transaction and netting out at zero "profit". </li><li>The work explores the relationship between physical mortality and cultural permanence, as the dead cow is resurrected as a permanent art icon which invests the meat with cultural value while maintaining its essential meaninglessness.</li><li>The work redefines the commoditization of art by turning the pop art notion of commodity art on its head. Rather than re-contextualizing a cheap mass-produced product, it creates an undifferentiated and useless end product at a massive expense and then cheapens it by giving it away to anonymous "owners". </li><li>By using an internet lottery to distribute the artworks irrespective of insider status, the work subverts the structure of institutionally sanctioned access channels to cultural information. </li><li>The work subverts the art market's cultural product distribution norms, because the distribution of the artworks are a function of random digital interconnectivity over social networks.</li><li>The work challenges bourgeois notions of provenance and ownership in that the initial owners will be anonymous, and the cans of meat will be indistinguishable from a normal supermarket product.</li></ul>I welcome feedback on the validity of this piece from conceptual artists. Does it meet up to the standards of a Hirst? I would ask him to finance this project, but I expect he will be busy in his garden shed painting another floral still life. </span></div></div></div>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-59808062533234269372009-06-25T00:53:00.017-04:002009-06-26T11:28:39.687-04:00The Arrière-Garde?<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A new generation gap is emerging in the art world. In an interview with Charlie Rose on February 9, 2008, Julian Schnabel states:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">"Most older artists are going to give you advice, and you can't listen to them because what they don't understand is that the basis of your work is to destroy the standards that they set out in the first place." </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/8931"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/8931</span></span></a></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial; min-height: 15.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The current generation of young painters seems to be taking this to heart in an unexpected way, by questioning the painting standards of elder artists like Julian Schnabel himself, starting with these:</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Preference for concept over execution</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crude execution passed off as expressiveness</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Self-referentiality as a primary source of inspiration</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Incoherence presented as intellectual sophistication</span></span></li></ul><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">An even more fundamental rejection of Schnabel's artistic generation would be to re-think its destructive notion of the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">avant-garde</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> itself. Artists are choosing to advance the development of painting constructively, by "standing on the shoulders of giants". This approach attempts to build on the accumulated knowledge of the past rather than obliterating it. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">This is exactly what today's young figurative realists members of "The Upset" and "Classical Realist" movements are doing. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Hopefully Schnabel will pass the baton to this emerging generation and stick to filmmaking where his talents seem to be better suited.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In this "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">arrière</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">-garde</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">" action of standing on the shoulders of giants, let's not discriminate too much: in this recent painting I'm hoping to stand on the shoulders of a troublesome Modernist as well as my 17th century heroes:</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia, -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iHZE-QA1yOMaNLxPBKw_m-hOfHQr-_BZpo5J0_ZZHtTudrKLyi2ePqVSkf8a5DanY6lxk_r6bNyghlf9FG_Ulk8qyAU8RKlOvC-231NDZbHXj5yHJvzU1ocrTk8FYYfof4_JC6iamPY/s1600-h/pa_38_lg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iHZE-QA1yOMaNLxPBKw_m-hOfHQr-_BZpo5J0_ZZHtTudrKLyi2ePqVSkf8a5DanY6lxk_r6bNyghlf9FG_Ulk8qyAU8RKlOvC-231NDZbHXj5yHJvzU1ocrTk8FYYfof4_JC6iamPY/s400/pa_38_lg.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351125129536195298" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Green Palimpsest", 2009. Oil on board by Thomas Shelford.</span></span></div></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-70434844239071187832009-02-17T14:54:00.013-05:002009-02-22T01:17:57.281-05:00A Flight to Quality, and a Flight from NYC<span style="font-size:85%;">Recommended reading: a very timely article by the New York Times about the boom-bust cycle in the art market and the impact of the recent correction:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/arts/design/15cott.html?_r=1&emc=eta1">"The Boom Is Over. Long Live the Art!"</a><br /><br />I share the author's relief that the over-hyped art market is experiencing a correction, and that this is resulting in a "flight to quality," defined as <span style="font-weight: bold;">skill-based figurative art</span>. However, I don't share the author's view that the resurgence in realistic painting is due to the fact that paintings are easy to sell: the New York Times is betraying its conceptual bias here. The resurgence of painting in the past 15 years was driven by underground reactionaries who were bucking dominant tastes, and the movement to re-connect with traditional painting practices was discouraged by both critics (with cries of "kitsch") and galleries that prefer to sell "factory" conceptual art which is easier to produce quickly in large format. It is far more cost effective for a gallery to exhibit a "found art" plastic bag installation stapled to the wall alongside a pretentious essay (I'm not making this up, by the way) than it is to invest 150 hours over 2 months on the "slow art" process of making an 18x24 inch oil painting.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">NYC Studios: Casualties of the Downturn</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvKESM-7j0c2SY6kMfwzbPw8c2JYDd4v9qItpjSO8ebI0tLgs7xpeBAJWkxlkD-yRs-jXRK9GW-U3qDMhwv6VPhgmF7SP6dhtFPNdwv36SU0B9_UWnn4k1zE0cteEb_xMvJtJFhJNzek/s1600-h/postcard_model.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304254760141337122" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 200px; height: 188px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvKESM-7j0c2SY6kMfwzbPw8c2JYDd4v9qItpjSO8ebI0tLgs7xpeBAJWkxlkD-yRs-jXRK9GW-U3qDMhwv6VPhgmF7SP6dhtFPNdwv36SU0B9_UWnn4k1zE0cteEb_xMvJtJFhJNzek/s200/postcard_model.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM6VJG5rkACiZkE0O2p3wpaO1syCJ1_bICLhA0egCWPPixD1Asq-yRsFZxBksphyphenhyphenLuRO3eGKSn2eF95FEEOdT0v48u3LGcuV81WAc9q5egiaiHhTH_jz4YNR12RcuNCTO8HMorMcByQM/s1600-h/postcard_model_sm.jpg"></a><br />That being said, artists are really suffering right now and leaving the city in droves as studio rents and maintenance costs have remained high while art sales vaporize. The anecdotal evidence is accelerating: next Saturday I'm invited to attend the going-away party for a hyper-talented New York Academy of Art Postgraduate Fellow who is moving to Maryland on a permanent "sabbatical." </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">For those who care about the grass roots of NYC's cultural ecosystem, it's time to think globally and <span style="font-weight: bold;">act locally</span>: I'm organizing a regular salon event with the legendary celebrity fine art photographer <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gilles Larrain</span> to raise consciousness about this issue and engage people in the studio community. Here's the press release and web site, spread the word!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.artsalonparty.org/pressrelease.php">http://www.artsalonparty.org/pressrelease.php</a></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-40667728081863900092009-02-14T21:45:00.008-05:002009-02-16T02:45:55.508-05:00The Upset: Young Contemporary Art<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thojshefinart-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=3899552210&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=FF6000&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" align="right"></iframe><span style="font-size:85%;">Gestalten has just published a survey of the resurgence of figurative realism that is now overturning the art world, spotlighting the torrent of young contemporary artists who view late 20th century Modernism as a dead-end movement that has reached its logical conclusion and exhausted itself. This new avant-garde is pulling off a come-from-behind "upset" as they turn their backs on the conceptual conceits of the art establishment by adopting the skillful execution last seen in 17th and 19th century painting. <br /><br />In the late 1990s, Classical Realist ateliers perfected their archaeological recovery effort, and now young artists are reaping the rewards by pointing their bazooka-sized skill sets at contemporary subject matter inspired by science fiction, comic book illustration, street art, and other sources. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Upset</span> offers a who's-who of this broad movement with interviews, biographies and beautifully photographed artwork.<br /><br />Taking the art world by storm, artists of The Upset like David Kassan and Mark Ryden (who draws inspiration from post-modernism's whipping boys Bruegel, Ingres and Bouguereau) are running circles around the current generation of institutional elites who took great pleasure in declaring the death of painting in the 1960s and '70s. <br /><br />It seems that the dustbin of history has been flipped over unexpectedly, and if the trends documented in <span style="font-style:italic;">The Upset</span> continue on their current trajectory, in twenty years we may find ourselves looking back on late Modernism as an odd interruption in the continuing two-thousand-year historical narrative of Western painting.<br /></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-89845490973695916732009-01-29T22:59:00.020-05:002009-02-21T09:17:38.489-05:00Still Life Painting Process<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dmTdSvHvoScoH1Dfcn5c3s07eoGBNKCKNHapXtk8_Dw17r1WTjRyD_u3hyphenhyphenvmdYCAA11ARgxAI3FWNSv7mv0TDWUa4lQITNrtxY1Ea1kBdNZH5-mTB5OxYaAbtoV9HZ_i4fSRS1pnEf8/s1600-h/pa_37_lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dmTdSvHvoScoH1Dfcn5c3s07eoGBNKCKNHapXtk8_Dw17r1WTjRyD_u3hyphenhyphenvmdYCAA11ARgxAI3FWNSv7mv0TDWUa4lQITNrtxY1Ea1kBdNZH5-mTB5OxYaAbtoV9HZ_i4fSRS1pnEf8/s320/pa_37_lg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305253944537667506" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:60;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">"Purple Palimpsest", 2009, 11 x 18 inches, oil on board, by Thomas Shelford</span></span></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="font-size:85%;">In this post I'll walk through the making of a still life painting called "Purple Palimpsest". Click on the photos below to see larger close-ups. This still life process is a combination of 17th / 19th century techniques and is inspired by contemporary painters such as Jacob Collins and Kate Lehman. The use of a multi-step "indirect" painting process allows the artist to focus attention on executing one aspect of the painting at a time, isolating rather than juggling the many complicated variables such as drawing, composition, application, hue, value and chroma.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >The Concept</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5y4jZnPBAMwzi0HeQHxECWeMbFZiqkl0WwVDIbiV_Ya7-9DUR2ML0g8gpwGYpHnUZo0Mf6wSHnGBjRXJ75jB6mgLJa6bIZWREQEuA68NVB3Vud5yJVhY9YLO9xtXOZfjoLuvHFOgEfKs/s1600-h/setup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5y4jZnPBAMwzi0HeQHxECWeMbFZiqkl0WwVDIbiV_Ya7-9DUR2ML0g8gpwGYpHnUZo0Mf6wSHnGBjRXJ75jB6mgLJa6bIZWREQEuA68NVB3Vud5yJVhY9YLO9xtXOZfjoLuvHFOgEfKs/s200/setup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297639858864302258" border="0" /></a><br />In this still life painting I'm arranging pears, books and a postcard of a favorite Mark Rothko painting in a geometric configuration, with the postcard setting the overall color scheme. The center of interest occurs at the intersection of the fully lit postcard and the principal pear. The concept behind this piece is to create a visual vocabulary that will hopefully communicate the following things:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">On a narrative level, make an art historical statement that tries to integrate the legacy of modernism with the recent resurgence in 19th century-style realism.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">On a visual level, explore the relationship between abstraction and representation by "re-contextualizing" an image of an abstract painting through the device of executing the image in a traditional format.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">On a symbolic and philosophical level, explore the relationship between the intellect (represented by the sparse geometry of the Rothko postcard and the books) and the sensual world (represented by the anthropomorphic pears and the driftwood board), and examine how the two can be integrated in a harmonious, balanced, and beautiful way.</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0413yYg5Iphh43y_gepWMq2urr3mEybZYPh5DPOL7MTOOTRI5w54XoB1d9fMcv0j2KQaslNmZoF82wiZGn-I_DzOP2mAWv-2xRLN_nqoCMkbwGZhKUBzOsnLQSf_HUDaRMdOg7qAyck0/s1600-h/charcoal_study.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0413yYg5Iphh43y_gepWMq2urr3mEybZYPh5DPOL7MTOOTRI5w54XoB1d9fMcv0j2KQaslNmZoF82wiZGn-I_DzOP2mAWv-2xRLN_nqoCMkbwGZhKUBzOsnLQSf_HUDaRMdOg7qAyck0/s200/charcoal_study.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297638615178873026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >The Setup</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Various configurations of the still life objects are tried, with small charcoal sketches made in order to test out the composition. After several iterations, a final setup is selected based on the charcoal compositional sketches. The setup is done under a natural north light skylight with black felt creating a "box" around the objects to control lighting and obtain a <span style="font-style: italic;">chiaroscuro</span> effect of forms emerging out of the dark, after the example of a 17th century Caravaggio or Zurbaran painting.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><br />The Poster Study</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />In order to arrive at a final color scheme, small studies are made in oil, massing in the average hue/ value/ chroma of each large shape in a "posterized" version of the painting. The sketch is made working from dark to light, painting each shape side by side rather than jumping around, so that comparisons can be made and each brushstroke can be judged for temperature ("is it too warm or too cool?") and value ("is to too dark or too light?"). Successful color combinations are saved as swatches on a piece of canvas and labeled for reference with the colors that were used. This swatch sheet becomes the basic reference palette of the painting and is used to mix the major strings when the final painting begins.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4q1kv7p07AjccXqXee9YYTBJNqU-b5WuvN9tDbCpaT1kGEBt6MgVNNYwXU3TdDAZ40TKXTWEAGN17Xh3n72WIHoDEe4uDXb0wo4EswBAb3Et_TM5-WDXi6KrTZTFRMTAY1K82Rb5ftI/s1600-h/study.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4q1kv7p07AjccXqXee9YYTBJNqU-b5WuvN9tDbCpaT1kGEBt6MgVNNYwXU3TdDAZ40TKXTWEAGN17Xh3n72WIHoDEe4uDXb0wo4EswBAb3Et_TM5-WDXi6KrTZTFRMTAY1K82Rb5ftI/s400/study.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296932813142874226" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> ("Poster Study", 4x6 inches)</span></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0blkJIJgHA5ySS17tn_GLu-CoOLKIfuS060UPp0Qm9Rek9lWEZSqCMZdOxoenGnCBfVbdMOpQ8r_vgONYQNK0tLptWkbxsIrQpcQwWRftZ1_Wu_VgKtzcBW-AJArwli5cD5syKtQLFVY/s1600-h/swatches.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0blkJIJgHA5ySS17tn_GLu-CoOLKIfuS060UPp0Qm9Rek9lWEZSqCMZdOxoenGnCBfVbdMOpQ8r_vgONYQNK0tLptWkbxsIrQpcQwWRftZ1_Wu_VgKtzcBW-AJArwli5cD5syKtQLFVY/s320/swatches.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297297908572346178" border="0" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">(Color swatches from poster study)</span><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Drawing:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />A graphite line drawing is done from life in order to ensure simple, organic, harmonious relationships between the large shapes and sweeping lines of action. Proportions are established through comparative measurement and viewing the drawing in sight-size to identify proportional errors and speed up the drawing process. Photography is not used because it can result in a flat, "cut-out" looking drawing and is subject to the "fish-eye" distortions of lens curvature. The drawing consists of an "envelope" or "block-in" of the objects with the separation between light and shadow (the "terminator" line) indicated. No modeling is done in the drawing, and only the broad sweeping line movements are indicated. The drawing is kept at a simple "blocky" stage so that there will not be a temptation to "tighten up" during the painting process in order to avoid losing small drawing details.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtsiHzDL2N7e7Prk616JaoQAhiHyH1DxhDkbaB8OAAFExiSB4QnqsM7GGTrJSFsGJ7Sq7B17MELzJjcosnszMmRa6K3nu5J-NRVakx04Jp6sYYnMEoGGryk559LnugBPbVQRvEuxtDWI/s1600-h/drawing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtsiHzDL2N7e7Prk616JaoQAhiHyH1DxhDkbaB8OAAFExiSB4QnqsM7GGTrJSFsGJ7Sq7B17MELzJjcosnszMmRa6K3nu5J-NRVakx04Jp6sYYnMEoGGryk559LnugBPbVQRvEuxtDWI/s320/drawing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297301679479391074" border="0" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">(Block-in graphite drawing)</span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SwmI-S4IlMte5oemFiws3Wo6ivb_nvXDxDz8rN6wU4DVBeYjSZKow6uRvPIaAC61cQ3xebV8Hwac85EYOrefODGF1TMu4ZRR7NjEVfEVXgxK19z7pXkaEYD8cO-tDhmEkBdRzxurhxw/s1600-h/transfer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SwmI-S4IlMte5oemFiws3Wo6ivb_nvXDxDz8rN6wU4DVBeYjSZKow6uRvPIaAC61cQ3xebV8Hwac85EYOrefODGF1TMu4ZRR7NjEVfEVXgxK19z7pXkaEYD8cO-tDhmEkBdRzxurhxw/s200/transfer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296933788629224978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transfer</span><br /><br />The drawing is then transferred to a sanded birch board that has been primed with Gambiln's white oil ground in a succession of thin coats, and then covered with an <span style="font-style: italic;">imprimatura</span> ground layer of raw umber that has been thinned with odorless mineral spirits. The transfer is done by tracing the drawing onto tracing paper, covering the back of the tracing paper with raw umber oil paint, placing the tracing paper face-up on the painting surface and going over the lines with a ball point pen to make an impression through to the painted side of the paper.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Open <span style="font-style: italic;">Grisaille</span></span><br /><br />Once transferred, an "open <span style="font-style: italic;">grisaille</span>", (also called a "wipe out" or "imprimatura") is painted using raw umber for the darks and the white of the board for the lights. (This as opposed to a "closed" <span style="font-style: italic;">grisaille</span> which uses white paint for the lights). The advantage of the "open" <span style="font-style: italic;">grisaille</span> is that the reflective surface of the board shows through, and creates an effect of glazed luminosity when light is shown on the painting and it reflects back to the viewer through all of the paint layers.<br /><br />The open <span style="font-style: italic;">grisaille</span> establishes a crude value structure, locks in the drawing using paint, and leaves loose edges if large bristle brushes are used. The transparent raw umber creates atmospheric effect which will show through in the dark areas of the final painting. The raw umber is applied with large bristle brushes and the light areas are created by scraping away the paint to reveal the white board surface. Thinner is used as needed to cut through the paint and expose the white ground of the board. It is very helpful to use bristle brushes that have been cut down to create a scraping tool that will etch through the paint.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNO2K7Ls1uRgyTKISYffqwVRB29iEPHWqLR_bNcl4OQLW6tpW9SN2GkaD_5WX3P5DqLXP5FOwDw7yBarf9gRuQ0tsLy7dZSfe1cIl0ifCVy_jE492QlR_kV45FAklheKBiscaIUxrzQ0Q/s1600-h/grisaille.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNO2K7Ls1uRgyTKISYffqwVRB29iEPHWqLR_bNcl4OQLW6tpW9SN2GkaD_5WX3P5DqLXP5FOwDw7yBarf9gRuQ0tsLy7dZSfe1cIl0ifCVy_jE492QlR_kV45FAklheKBiscaIUxrzQ0Q/s320/grisaille.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296934153073549410" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> ("Open Grisaille" in raw umber)</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Ébauche</b> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >or First Pass:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihT-_BGPsptC7cRlnpRtGirikPNBgUHcssxbeX1gRfErHZ0zWecmBS_5bUBAhkMTXgLe1iUAMgBH568tSoTQNiWLjBrSzd3ifATmCIYBOGDuFWjBwINLntgzGfY-QUOdGFCq7YB4_jUow/s1600-h/ebauche.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihT-_BGPsptC7cRlnpRtGirikPNBgUHcssxbeX1gRfErHZ0zWecmBS_5bUBAhkMTXgLe1iUAMgBH568tSoTQNiWLjBrSzd3ifATmCIYBOGDuFWjBwINLntgzGfY-QUOdGFCq7YB4_jUow/s200/ebauche.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297640272074024818" border="0" /></a><br />The first pass consists of a thinned layer of paint which is mixed to a slightly darker, less chromatic "average" color for each major plane visible in the objects. This creates a baseline "context" of color against which subsequent brushstrokes can be judged. By mixing a lower contrast, dull or "dead" palette, there is plenty of room or "range" left to add chroma and value in later stages of the painting.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Strings of paint (ranging in value from the darkest to the lightest visible) are mixed based on the poster study swatches. Each form is simplified into its major planes, as if they are the facets on a disco ball. Paint is applied by "crawling" out across the form, from the shadows towards the light-facing planes. At this stage, the major plane boundaries are delineated in a "choppy" geometric look, not blended together. This will make it easier to identify and correct drawing and value problems at this early stage.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Modeling:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />After the first pass has dried, the subsequent passes can be made with the brushes dipped into a "fatter" medium of 2/3 stand oil, 1/3 thinner so that they will sit on top of earlier passes and leave them intact. Once again, paint is applied by crawling out across the form, from the shadows towards the light-facing planes, frequently stepping back from the canvas and squinting to compare the large temperature and value qualities of the painting with life. This is where the bulk of the real painting happens.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_CIuQprYKQFth-IDxOSPZop8bx45BhPG077Ero2V3Naos0PcuxhyBNCZNRO_EUHnw9T5Mz8mSAfRCVfpwMEDZlYaf7aXWiiT3T8N21Ysq1VzR-tKY59Nj_cUhbZclo1d-R-q4fZiI0M/s1600-h/modeling.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_CIuQprYKQFth-IDxOSPZop8bx45BhPG077Ero2V3Naos0PcuxhyBNCZNRO_EUHnw9T5Mz8mSAfRCVfpwMEDZlYaf7aXWiiT3T8N21Ysq1VzR-tKY59Nj_cUhbZclo1d-R-q4fZiI0M/s200/modeling.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302924571540139138" border="0" /></a><br />The setup is used as a reference for the movement of form and is not necessarily "copied", as artistic decisions are made, consistent with the desire to create a "convincing" illusion of form and space which will create a more arresting dialogue with the viewer. The setup at this point is being used as a "reference", since the <span style="font-style: italic;">ebauche</span> phase has already established overall value and temperature relationships that are analogous to the relationships that exist in nature.<br /><br />In order to avoid an "overworked" feeling, each brushtroke is placed deliberately and corrected with a subsequent color rather than by smearing or blending in an attempt to turn form with an airbrushy effect. The shape and placement of each brushstroke should further correct and refine the drawing, and create the desired edges as one stroke is dragged over the next in an overlapping "tile" effect. The temptation to touch the surface more than once with each loaded brushstroke to massage or smear the paint is avoided, as this results in muddy color and murky atmosphere. If each stroke is left intact and corrected with subsequent strokes, the paint application will retain "freshness."<br /><br />While progressing around the forms, the puddles of paint are adjusted warmer or cooler to make them recede or come forward in space. High contrast and high chroma is used selectively to make forms advance in space and create a center of interest. Edges are adjusted to make objects recede using softer edges, or come forward using harder edges and more contrast.<br /><br />Usually 2 or 3 complete modeling passes are required and the centers of interest are resolved and developed further than the other areas of the painting. Before each subsequent pass, the painting is "oiled out" by rubbing in the medium gently with a fan brush to bring out the luster and true color.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Finishing:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />The highlights are built up with thicker, more chromatic paint. The temptation to use white is avoided as this results in a "chalky" or washed-out look. The center of interest is resolved with additional detail while less important areas are left undeveloped and may remain untouched since the <span style="font-style: italic;">ebauche</span> phase. Paint fattened with medium may be applied as a glaze to simulate surface effects, create translucency or to modify the temperature of a previous layer. Finally, the painting will be oiled out to unify the finish and may be varnished after drying for a year. A frame is selected to compliment the aesthetic of the painting rather than the environment in which the painting will temporarily be displayed.</span></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-19968957235550208092009-01-27T09:28:00.000-05:002009-01-27T15:45:49.495-05:00Splitting (Fine) Hairs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyH_A3buAf5TGt4kndt-uwPQbAz_i9jRshaHZAJW0kDkcy8p4tFkJ38uLyE6Qv7nW3XfLJW5Kw-GRpSebTP8peaynyXntxthxTXpiTUlPldiNGfllxF7lWieqxGo7B2U1DV_acC23VPo/s1600-h/liepke.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295987888662478226" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyH_A3buAf5TGt4kndt-uwPQbAz_i9jRshaHZAJW0kDkcy8p4tFkJ38uLyE6Qv7nW3XfLJW5Kw-GRpSebTP8peaynyXntxthxTXpiTUlPldiNGfllxF7lWieqxGo7B2U1DV_acC23VPo/s200/liepke.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">The difference between fine art and illustration is an irresistible hair-splitting exercise for figurative realist painters. The term "illustrated" is used by art critics as an epithet to dismiss realistic artwork, just as "decorative" is the pejorative deployed against abstract artists. "Illustrated" seems to have replaced "kitsch" now that realism has made a comeback and powerhouse painters like Odd Nerdrum have successfully pushed back against the k-word, re-defining it in terms of their own agendas. </span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></div></span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><em></em></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><em>(Above right: Malcom Liepke's figures have an "illustrated" look.)</em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I have overheard fine artist and former illustrator Rick Piloco dispatch the question by framing it in terms of intentionality: "illustration is just painting what an art director wants me to paint, instead of what I want to paint." Piloco has a gift for no-nonsense incisiveness, but I propose that there are certain stylistic hallmarks that mark the difference.</span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">The purpose of illustration is to communicate a specific narrative idea, usually contained in the accompanying story or magazine article. Illustrators develop a symbolic shorthand to express narrative ideas with clarity. This is even more evident with cartoonists, who develop a visual vocabulary based on a range of simple shapes that are limited in scope but extremely flexible and able to miraculously convey the full range of human emotion with a few dashed lines. When this symbolic vocabulary surfaces in figurative fine art, the work starts to acquire an illustrative quality or "shtick."</span></div><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">What does a "shtick" look like in practice? Just like the difference between pornography versus an Ingres odalisque, I know it when I see it, and what I'm seeing is the use of symbolic visual shorthand instead of an authentic visual experience. Malcom Liepke's work presents a good case study since it is formidable and not a "straw man" that is easy to knock over as "illustrated." Liepke is considered to be a leading figurative realist, so his work is a valid target for scrutiny. Looking at Malcom Liepke's older restaurant scenes from around 2003, all the figures look the same. The noses on the faces are the clones of the same bulbous shape and exaggerated plummy red. Does Liepke only hang out with people who have colds? More likely, he verifies its orientation and placement among the larger shapes of the face, and drops in his standard nose in an artful copy and paste. </span><br /><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295981696884589714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 245px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRCgfs05kBZUizRpHjMBXViM93iyGLt0s6nI26D9EntchT9YoPWH85AAFE76xeOsnscNU6MbCJVI5yH4RPOUDWifU5Sv_tJikFOR9VijrzkmOGYQ4FtDP7-v8frB1zH9S5RRngf_8L_A/s320/liepke_2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="left"></span></p><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;">(Above: a delightful scene by Malcom Liepke, with an "illustrated" feel.)</span></em><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't get me wrong, Liepke's narrative figure scenes are delightfully cinematic, playful, with inventive color schemes of complimentary reds and greens. The paint quality is luscious and fresh. But, alas, in my view his work is the essence of "illustrated" fine art. Of course, greenish backgrounds, scarlet lips and puffy roascea is his stylistic "signature" which makes his work recognizable, but to Liepke's well publicized dismay, his visual shorthand is readily copyable. Indeed, a host of second-hand Liepkes have been popping up everywhere (especially in the pages of <em>American Art Collector</em>), each imitator hoping to siphon off his commercial success. Unfortunately for Liepke the copies look an awful lot like the real thing.</span></p><div><span style="font-size:85%;">This ease of imitation points to the main shortcoming of "illustrative" work: <strong>it is formulaic</strong>. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">A similar problem affects the artwork of many fine art anatomy instructors, who can't resist drawing what they "know" is there rather than interpreting their authentic visual experience. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></div></span><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Contrast Liepke with Jacob Collins. Both are at a similar stage in their careers. Collins paints nude figures in the same lighting, using a limited repertoire of classical poses, under similar studio conditions, yet through diligent attention to his authentic optical experience is able to imbue each figure with an entirely unique psychological presence. The figures have a life force that fills up the room. This careful mindfulness in working exclusively from life allows Collins to be <em>informed</em> by his knowledge of anatomy and conceptual understanding, without falling into the trap of what Ted Seth Jacobs calls "symbolic thinking".</span> </div><br /><div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295986299801065074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 394px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qaszSQwB0kNF2aj04xI44Nh9JNhmhy2Pi_UMx3CO28ruAvGJ8bBjccZ_bm9gtQF0DRdl2xAvcpnjiXA48U_QhPG0DnNctSQi2B36Xrv4X242HH_fqw_E6q4esLSuYENEXJNAgDuxL3g/s400/lehman.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#666666;"><em>(Self Portrait by Kate Lehman, 2003. A stunning fine art counter-example to an "illustrated" approach.)</em></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p align="left">This optical naivete, informed, but not overruled, by intellectual understanding is also evident in the quiet emotional power and of portraits by Travis Schlaht and Kate Lehman. The border between illustration and fine art is a hazy one, but the edges of the split hair span a vast chasm between Sargent's subtle anatomical shorthand and the formulaic recipes of many commercially successful contemporary realists.</span></p>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-73687146103135606802009-01-24T19:44:00.000-05:002009-01-24T20:12:23.382-05:00Jim Napierala. Nice Modernist.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7F35mBd_ATbYgD2N7IdRWIJr9uZ4NqV_2xSCG3ZLMYJ_gJXPOD-HuokVvYUQC_R7BnD-wA0oAzro06e3ucW7oAbo0-X8C9S0PNV3Wh48NibcMIomHAGPnBU5NJ9FmsOO3PsfYw2grso/s1600-h/artwork_images_424477200_420237_jim-napierala.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7F35mBd_ATbYgD2N7IdRWIJr9uZ4NqV_2xSCG3ZLMYJ_gJXPOD-HuokVvYUQC_R7BnD-wA0oAzro06e3ucW7oAbo0-X8C9S0PNV3Wh48NibcMIomHAGPnBU5NJ9FmsOO3PsfYw2grso/s200/artwork_images_424477200_420237_jim-napierala.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295031291951762594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I must come clean about the fact that most abstract art leaves me about as satisfied as a nice hot bowl of water soup. The flatness is visually uninteresting, the lack of emotional content leaves me cold, the lack of narrative content is a snore, and I'm out the door muttering the "d" word: decorative. Chalk up another yawn on Clement Greenberg's tab.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" >(Above right: "Fornax Chemica", 2008, by Jim Napierala.)</span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Yet every so often when I'm expecting a water soup I am served up a spicy gumbo by some nice modernist. Such was the visual fare at Sylvester & Co. in Amagansett which exhibited the abstract paintings of Jim Napierala. Jim is a jovial, engaging gent who has invested a significant amount of craft in developing a series of paintings that combine the visual richness of layered materials with undulating geometric patterns. Paint of varying applications (thin, glazed and impasto) jumps to the fore alongside glinting aluminum leaf to create swirling meditative shapes, which Jim carves into the sandwiched surfaces of his pieces.</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The surfaces shimmer and undulate, and the eye is lost in a meditative visual space as it follows intertwining linear pathways. The geometric flux reads to me as a visual metaphor for thought itself, as pleasing spiral patterns emerge, referencing each other, flowing back into themselves, and resonate together to create a macro-rhythm. In some of the pieces an illusionistic depth of field hints at opening up, drawing the viewer into Napierala's meditative realm. Nice modernist!</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />More about Jim's process:<br /><a href="http://www.biddingtons.com/content/creativenapierala.html">http://www.biddingtons.com/content/creativenapierala.html</a></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-59070477725705353042009-01-15T11:06:00.000-05:002009-01-15T11:20:49.232-05:00This Is How We Do It<a href="http://davidkassan.com/demo/demo.wmv"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291555892011289202" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bh3uRTTifDU1hIQBXVy5YIoQok18Iee9Zuq08tXxKibf_QU6fJrYRsGRMSs26xt7aUWEojNAa-t5cX2kGpP86wiou4tnSqt7WQP9JkQx0ULg6MmpXWlCUTj7tbbf6_L11jeF8RhJuTw/s200/kassan_demo.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Here is a video of an amazing drawing demo by David Kassan at the Salmagundi Club in New York City, which illustrates the virtues of working from life, particularly with respect to the harmonious, organic relationships between large and small shapes. This portrait was done in under three hours, in charcoal and white chalk on toned paper. Bravo!! </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><a href="http://davidkassan.com/demo/demo.wmv"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://davidkassan.com/demo/demo.wmv</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-69814329479957850962009-01-15T09:59:00.001-05:002009-01-15T22:46:26.219-05:00Chelsea Gets Back to the Future<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01r9BGNjM8ppqACrRu_GkHacF56fOBbTf_fO6GZBcYKV2iA0gAYp_WW27ePK7Jf_LN4dsYUdLMizuLAe3XGIHO2TzYYOAiM_P7L9jZnfytpZ5p4d84sYC86nkyUXBAIGF2v0RXN_oDe0/s1600-h/kassan_large.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291535414444128066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01r9BGNjM8ppqACrRu_GkHacF56fOBbTf_fO6GZBcYKV2iA0gAYp_WW27ePK7Jf_LN4dsYUdLMizuLAe3XGIHO2TzYYOAiM_P7L9jZnfytpZ5p4d84sYC86nkyUXBAIGF2v0RXN_oDe0/s200/kassan_large.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The resurgence of figurative realism which has marked the past decade seems to have kicked into high gear with exhibits by artists such as David Jon Kassan who recently showed at Gallery Henoch in New york City's Chelsea art district. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">This is a really encouraging development: my memories of a Chelsea art crawl two years ago featured plastic garbage bags tacked to a gallery wall along with a pile of smashed up ping-pong balls on the floor. As is the custom in these parts, the garbage bags were accompanied by the obligatory essay. The arranger of crushed plastic had been hard at work re-contextualizing the viewer's perception of what art is, finding found objects and leaving the job of making the stuff that actually <em>is</em> art (or might be art if properly "contextualized") to less "discursive" folk. <br /><br />A big relief it was then, in September of 2008, to see the likes of David Kassan's solid figures posed against graffiti- scarred concrete walls. Kassan's chunky, visceral build-up of paint in the lights points in the direction of Rembrandt's emotional heaviness. An obsessive attention to the topography of flesh lends gravitas to the subjects. The gritty urban backdrops echo the grooved textures of flesh and neatly marry abstraction and realism. The result is a figurative oeuvre that is contemporary to its bones, but stands confidently on the shoulders of past giants.<br /><br />David Jon Kassan Web Site:<br /><a href="http://davidkassan.com/">http://davidkassan.com/</a><br /><br />Gallery Henoch:<br /><a href="http://www.galleryhenoch.com/">http://www.galleryhenoch.com/</a></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-47455701203153069362009-01-14T09:59:00.000-05:002009-01-24T20:16:25.111-05:00An Empire of Flatness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyOH31FBjLOxilBX_JpxeDSRAaXZ6MPz4aabVclLmdGrwiwzlMTm1W3p0c6mSYung-bJf7qGACY0bnYcHBy7LXHM1Karcl1c269A0HL1ZxU1qIDAZUa73_o-9NfcY2yTqU2v4Q87Md6Q/s1600-h/dr_15_lg.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291171594047611666" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 144px; height: 200px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyOH31FBjLOxilBX_JpxeDSRAaXZ6MPz4aabVclLmdGrwiwzlMTm1W3p0c6mSYung-bJf7qGACY0bnYcHBy7LXHM1Karcl1c269A0HL1ZxU1qIDAZUa73_o-9NfcY2yTqU2v4Q87Md6Q/s200/dr_15_lg.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >A question often posed to artists who paint the human figure from life:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"<em>Why don't you just take a photograph?"</em></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >The relationship between photography and painting has become a complicated and interesting one as Hyperrealists execute impressive technical feats through software-assisted "human laser-printer" activities worthy of an android. Digital imaging technology provides an unlimited range of settings for the figure, liberating artists from the confines of what is possible in studio setups. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Yet, in spite of all the technology that money can buy for art star Photorealists like Damien Loeb, figure painting based on photography often reads as emotionally shallow, lacking the organic harmony and psychological center of interest necessary for that elusive feeling of "life energy" in an image. Photo-based figure painting is often executed in a manner that is airbrushy, uniformly resolved, undifferentiated, flat. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Contemporary Photorealists employ a process somewhere in between photography, digital graphic design and painting. The totality of the visual experience has been converted into an abstraction by the machine which the artist then re-interprets and enhances, working in a place several steps removed from the orginal visual experience. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >The prevalence of photo-based figurative painting has created a new Empire of Flatness in the contemporary art world. "Exploring the flatness of the picture plane" was a mantra of mid-20th century modernists, but this recent plague of flatness seems to be an unintentional by-product of a painting process that is derivative of the two-dimensional low-resolution digital image. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Most accomplished figurative artists who work from life develop the uncanny ability to immediately identify a figurative image that was based on a photograph, even when looking at an image of the artwork in a catalog or brochure. The figure often has the feeling of a "paper cut-out" which has been pasted onto the background. Digital images exaggerate reflected lights, and flatten form against the background. Gallerist Laura Grenning, for example, has elevated this ability into a virtual mind-reading parlor trick, which I've seen her deploy to expose the working methods of aspiring figurative realists with nary a 10-second glance at their portfolios. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >So, then, what exactly is the "secret sauce" of life drawing that gives it the organic and emotional energy lacking in photo-based figure painting?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Life drawing entails the gradual creation of an image slowly over time, through the accumulation of thousands of marks which are related to each other through a process of intentional artistic decisions. The gradual accumulation of marks over time, creating a cast or mold of thousands of movements of the artist's body, results in an image with these features: </span><br /><ul><br /><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">Psychological Focus. We see with the mind, and our attention focuses on visual elements that convey emotion. In life drawing this center of interest will naturally emerge as some areas of the painting are resolved while other areas remain loosely indicated. The camera, however, does not differentiate between an expressive mouth and an earlobe. Everything within its focus is resolved and given equal attention. There is no psychologically-driven hierarchy of interest.</span> </span></li><br /><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">Organic Harmony. With each mark, the artist builds the image by establishing relationships between the parts and the whole. In classical figure drawing, this happens through a deductive process, as relationships between large shapes are established before the smaller component shapes are drawn. Connections are found between gestural lines that run "though" the form. This process is destroyed by tracing an image that has been projected onto a canvas and then traced.</span> </span></li><br /><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">Gesture. A sense of motion is conveyed in life drawing through the accumulated selection of thousands of tiny moments that are layered together, as the artist patiently waits for the model to settle into a particular position or for the light to catch a form in a certain way. Line and edge quality leaves indeterminate borders between the form and the space around it, creating a sense of energetic movement. </span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And now for an exception. Many artists who have been extensively trained in life drawing methods are able to overcome the limitations of the photo-derived image and imbue their subject with the life force that the camera normally sucks out. A contemporary example would be Alyssa Monks who uses color temperature and a Venetian glazing process (along the lines of a red imprimatura -- terra verte grisaille -- dead palette first pass -- modeling with glazes and heavy scumbling) to turn form and compensate for the flattening cut-out effect of photography. In her other paintings, Monks has used screens and veils (water, shower curtains) to break up the image and scatter edges into blurred geometries, avoiding the pitfalls of stiff photo-based drawing by virtue of her choice of subject matter. </span></span><br /></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiy5x0kdLaTysrxnhDi4EX2fCJoOWMqYFYFp_pZD-aP8DO1ilHgRElVohX6IjQSyfQBTeUDMcAnbvYZhaJShwaRsWtWeTb0oSJaupx3qHVfpmEwVzZ86HDd-WrnROMHU0yXpJr93ARe4/s1600-h/penance_06_54x72.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291166810078322402" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px; height: 297px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiy5x0kdLaTysrxnhDi4EX2fCJoOWMqYFYFp_pZD-aP8DO1ilHgRElVohX6IjQSyfQBTeUDMcAnbvYZhaJShwaRsWtWeTb0oSJaupx3qHVfpmEwVzZ86HDd-WrnROMHU0yXpJr93ARe4/s400/penance_06_54x72.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><em><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" >"Penance", 2006, by Alyssa Monks, oil on canvas, 54 x 72</span></em><br /><em><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span></em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Digital photography liberates the figurative artist in terms of subject matter, but paintings based on the digital image consistently fall short of expressing the undeniable life force that is visible in this painting by Jacob Collins. His work "Anna," painted from life, powerfully illustrates the advantages of working from an authentic, original visual experience: </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZAfmQodTPob8J9K8pkye0G3FFZYSfqt9U5E-4CHYf4c9VsxWNn_AVX_VZWu0RCPVbgt2TtIth0xwXiHRDa0KPVXU6jLv2b7vsCd0fmdET8p_pmLE32tBxqGh_NgRBTVwTFv9dYf4klA/s1600-h/anna01_04_36x48.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291166233134990050" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px; height: 302px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZAfmQodTPob8J9K8pkye0G3FFZYSfqt9U5E-4CHYf4c9VsxWNn_AVX_VZWu0RCPVbgt2TtIth0xwXiHRDa0KPVXU6jLv2b7vsCd0fmdET8p_pmLE32tBxqGh_NgRBTVwTFv9dYf4klA/s400/anna01_04_36x48.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><em><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" >"Anna", 2004, by Jacob Collins, 36 x48 inches oil on canvas</span></em><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-72590634134858864832009-01-13T11:24:00.000-05:002009-01-14T12:53:20.910-05:00Even more than a pipe, a beard makes a fellow look wise.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW24OQRxuzsd9GQzQTmtTyNzvW4z8MRaaJLaDLJv4sf_cYDXWbb8ZurGfk2X0q6Ypr64gzeDPz6zyBORP_xLYY5TyM8Y_GW8ClVQcll0HVNVWvfe1TuLRSYPPKH42UgyPQCnNwnqCkVk8/s1600-h/tolstoy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290820016417673394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 142px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW24OQRxuzsd9GQzQTmtTyNzvW4z8MRaaJLaDLJv4sf_cYDXWbb8ZurGfk2X0q6Ypr64gzeDPz6zyBORP_xLYY5TyM8Y_GW8ClVQcll0HVNVWvfe1TuLRSYPPKH42UgyPQCnNwnqCkVk8/s200/tolstoy.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">This is one reason why I keep coming back to Tolstoy's ideas, like this (paraphrased) definition of art:<br /><br /><em>Art is the inspired exercise of a craft for the purpose of intentionally conveying to others, through external indications, sentiments which the artist has experienced.</em><br /><br />Intrinsic to human communication, art transmits the feelings the artist has experienced to the rest of humanity across time, and in that sense it is as important as writing, which communicates intellectual ideas across time. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIqgk1guESOwrDxx0DyPWnv7o5-uyXpbv-A59vOQfSGlJe9qBmAyxaEn7I-enifyf4-Dpe-UsKc0JR4QKiYvlaBmpNpD_l-_OilsRFYeBiXf-BncmY3QxvTas9PSD9_eNFhP0dk14lKg/s1600-h/lehman.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></a><br /><br />Whereas our contemporary art scene equates incoherence with sophistication, in Tolstoy's view, great art always communicates with simplicity and clarity. Today, the more confused and inaccessible and muddled the work the more intellectually sophisticated and "discursive" it is supposed to be.<br /><br />Tolstoy loved the simplicity and honesty of Jean-Francois Millet's paintings.<br /><br />Simplicty does not mean simplistic. This idea seems to have been lost on modernism's minimalist painters. </span><br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtNmtveqFssedmEczBtGKjCZjYdkZRkuQmWVd3bh0NjFAIthJDUwTSMzNpoDLE4J83vnamoVNodDssArvF28wHIhNyfauaLRwBA5u6XsnncRhHPNTKYZAuVKonmilzxFLxcWWpoHBNqw/s1600-h/lehman.jpg"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I love paintings in which simplicity of composition is married with complex execution. As in this painting below by <strong>Kate Lehman</strong>, clarity and complexity can happily co-exist.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></div></span><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Simple composition, complex execution. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#666666;"><em></em></span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2lm3OWOmNmJnpedtw6ZmWhyphenhyphenPI6hPFXbG3EE1Lq2Qo9i5dKYAQnCizOtgx_xdd1zI4moOgxz2003lwNHXMItsJiYKfU-Vpz4chyphenhyphenFxpR4FO3a9H3kIHf8qUyjY11E6W7lJMF0utHcURGA/s1600-h/lehman.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290820157704066786" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 399px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2lm3OWOmNmJnpedtw6ZmWhyphenhyphenPI6hPFXbG3EE1Lq2Qo9i5dKYAQnCizOtgx_xdd1zI4moOgxz2003lwNHXMItsJiYKfU-Vpz4chyphenhyphenFxpR4FO3a9H3kIHf8qUyjY11E6W7lJMF0utHcURGA/s400/lehman.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;color:#666666;">"Blue", Oil on Linen, 24 x 24 inches, 2006, by Kate Lehman</span></div>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-35554363018831682652009-01-13T10:21:00.000-05:002009-01-14T12:54:05.220-05:00A Violinist on the Subway<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu9m-XXj0WaFtRV2tInDCAVpq23IqjbadsMSW838KM-2gywWOwiRxIXI7pRbJUDmeM2AayRYTajPHl1kQaGl5JIFZ8GsBAa5m-8UvNsHL9NMCVvjk8nMucTaJeIHYoVofm0f7vdaeWi0/s1600-h/joshuabell2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290804921975957330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu9m-XXj0WaFtRV2tInDCAVpq23IqjbadsMSW838KM-2gywWOwiRxIXI7pRbJUDmeM2AayRYTajPHl1kQaGl5JIFZ8GsBAa5m-8UvNsHL9NMCVvjk8nMucTaJeIHYoVofm0f7vdaeWi0/s200/joshuabell2.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world, played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">What's unusual about this is not what he played but where he played it: </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>in the DC Metro during rush hour</strong>. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Only a few people stopped to notice, with the exception of children.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I think this experiment illustrates why marketing is so important, to keep quality art alive for humanity over the long term and prevent knowledge from being lost as it was in painting in the 20th century. Sometimes folks just need to be told that the art is art. People who care about art need to make the case for it to the public. An important task of the artist is to teach and educate; to act as a custodian for the accumulated knowledge that has been handed down from previous generations of artists, and to pass it on.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Modern people live hectic busy lives isolated from art and nature and alienated from a regular experience of beauty. They don't see it if left to their own devices without someone to point the way, even if they literally walk past it on the metro. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">It is interesting to note however that children did naturally respond, which for me backs up Tolstoy's idea that simplicity and clarity are key attributes of all great art, as opposed to the obfuscation and intentional incoherence we see so often today.</span>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-58360104377898320742009-01-13T10:14:00.000-05:002009-01-14T12:54:34.466-05:00Links Related to Classical Realism<p><span style="font-size:85%;">About Classical Realism - A Living Artistic Tradition, by Stephen Gjertson: </span><a href="http://www.shelfordart.com/classical_realism.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.shelfordart.com/classical_realism.html</span></a></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Wikipedia Entry for Classical Realism: </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Realism"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Realism</span></a></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"Slow Painting" A Deliberate Renaissance: </span><a href="http://www.shelfordart.com/documents/SlowPaintingManifesto.pdf"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.shelfordart.com/documents/SlowPaintingManifesto.pdf</span></a></p><p></p><p></p>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-80935652405541554042009-01-13T10:08:00.000-05:002009-01-13T10:13:29.176-05:00A Quote from Gustave Courbet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuPGUHwuonHD_2NQNjilDbrZZjgrXgUUJoGdp4eEh4MnNlzHJLWtWR3rzq36CZZnalKaj_5JOYK-YDWV54noDLp4U0jTMIXVO68L3TlG6bfIniiB_wfSPZbpvyQBvbggYhjPwVfxyQtc/s1600-h/Courbet.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290796532073368450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuPGUHwuonHD_2NQNjilDbrZZjgrXgUUJoGdp4eEh4MnNlzHJLWtWR3rzq36CZZnalKaj_5JOYK-YDWV54noDLp4U0jTMIXVO68L3TlG6bfIniiB_wfSPZbpvyQBvbggYhjPwVfxyQtc/s200/Courbet.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">"<span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>I simply wanted to draw forth, from a complete acquaintance with tradition, the reasoned and independent consciousness of my own individuality. To know in order to do, that was my idea. To be in a position to translate the customs, the ideas, the appearance of my time, according to my own estimation; to be not only a painter, but a man as well; in short, to create living art - this is my goal."</em></span></span><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">-- Gustav Courbet's comments on Realism, 1855</span></div>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539198303848066704.post-59025178889238667092009-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:002009-01-13T10:08:43.136-05:00For starters...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAnyZjgKi8Ut4ltzsX04JVsJakLdgfcNnRX0rYmfQOhZbav2HdSYj-wxFrwVwZjbZpZqeLNxwkSwKeL6q0tdBhhfWiFbofIlVStMqqNJeu3vQpRO4Jou0nTMTQe3mQCgZdK0s2QG376U/s1600-h/pa_2_lg.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290795150664028402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAnyZjgKi8Ut4ltzsX04JVsJakLdgfcNnRX0rYmfQOhZbav2HdSYj-wxFrwVwZjbZpZqeLNxwkSwKeL6q0tdBhhfWiFbofIlVStMqqNJeu3vQpRO4Jou0nTMTQe3mQCgZdK0s2QG376U/s200/pa_2_lg.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A few very personal ideas about art and oil painting.</span> <div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">In this era of commoditized images, oil painting provides a medium for authentic individual self-expression that also fulfills core human needs for transcendence and relatedness.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Realistic paintings based on skillful observation of the human figure and the rest of the natural world allow the artist to employ a visual language that is implicit in the human mind, inspiring the viewer by accessing the same collective unconscious syntax that is found in music and mathematics.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">The idea of Beauty is a most challenging, complex and rewarding area of artistic exploration. Encompassing philosophy, psychology, religion and history, classical notions of Beauty can imbue artwork with intrinsic value for its viewers independent of the marketing labels, critical discourse or political agenda associated with it. Traditional painting practices from the 17th and 19th centuries provide a rich heritage that can be applied to contemporary subject matter.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Many important ideas about the human condition contain paradoxes which do not lend themselves to abstract reduction without a loss in the richness of their meanings. These paradoxes, which permeate the spiritual and literary heritage of all cultures, naturally lend themselves to emblematic visual expression. In my opinion, it is the task of the artist to give form to these ideas by combining inspiration with thoughtful craftsmanship. This skillful pursuit of Beauty, inspired by careful observation, is central to humanity's collective drive to define a meaningful existence.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div></div>Thomas J. Shelfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847999759517007451noreply@blogger.com0