September 8- Three Square Inches of Inspiration

a 3" part of Dreama Tolle Perry's painting 'Wanted'

Have you ever copied another person's painting to try to figure out how they did it? I have and it can be really helpful! For instance, I'm  inspired by the painting above. (Please be sure to go fall in love with Dreama's work!)

However, copying can have its drawbacks. I often find that I'm less than satisfied with the end result. It's a bit of a losing situation, after all. I can't really do what the artist did, yet I'm constrained from making it too much my own by the premise. So, why copy the whole thing? I mean, you learn things from different parts of the painting, so maybe just looking at those parts would be helpful.

That's how the idea for this class was born. I want you to be inspired. Look for work that you want to emulate. Any subject, and kind, any time... Analyze what it is you like about this work, and locate the areas that just jazz you. Choose 3” square portions to replicate. This gives you the opportunity to examine the colors, strokes, layering, and details the artist chose to use, as well as giving you a look at the underlying abstraction in each small section. It’s fascinating to see how just a small section of a painting can be a work of art in itself.

It's far more helpful if the painting is in the same (or an applicable) medium, and about the same scale as it was originally painted. If you find a reproduction that was originally a 24" x 36" painting and is reduced to 6" x 8" in size, when you print it you'll be trying to copy strokes the size of cat hairs! Instead, consider using  the work by other artists that you have on your walls at home, or search the internet to find a painting that's one-to-one in size (not easy to find--and you may need permission to print it), or come to class and use one of my pastels...which I hope will be inspiring. (I'll bring my portfolio with me.) You might find smaller paintings reproduced in books or magazines that approximate the scale of the original.

We'll do three different little paintings 3" in size in class, all of which may be derived from the same painting, or different ones. That's up to you. It's very helpful to make a 3" square viewfinder out of stiff paper or mat board to use for finding that area that inspires you, and to put in place over the painting as you work. Yes, you may take a photo, crop and print it, and paint from that, if you prefer, but make sure it's printed the same size as the original, and that the color and quality are excellent. Painting from the real thing is best--but we can be flexible and still learn things! Do what appeals most to you. 

You're welcome to bring three small pieces of paper, or mask out three areas on one sheet--it doesn't really matter. You might find it so much fun you want to do more of them, so take that possibility into consideration. They aren't laborious and don't take very long to do. Feel free to bring other paintings you're working on to continue in class, as well.

I bet you’ll start to look at everyone’s paintings differently after this class! It’s quite inspiring. 

See you Thursday!

Deborah

Emulation Class results

It was so nice to get back to the classroom again! I think the class really jazzed up a few of the students, judging from the paintings I saw in progress.

We began by going over the elements of art and examining each one. It's challenging to take a close look at your work and see what's missing, so I find it helpful to look at these elements one at a time. Here's the list for you to examine:

Basic Art Elements

• Line
• The mark made by a pastel or brush, or the edge created when two shapes meets. Often this is an outline, contour or silhouette. Line can add emphasis, but can detract if overused.
• Color
• Ask yourself if the color is too flat, wimpy,and weak, or too bright and overpowering. Do you have a pleasing unity or contrasting variety of color? Are colors missing from your palette?
• Contrast
• Many elements may contrast in a painting; size, colors, values, etc. The area of highest contrast draws the eye first. Is there too much contrast, making things spotty? Or is there too little, making the painting dull?
• Value
• The lightness or darkness of a color. Do you have an excellent range of values to express the place, person or thing you’re painting?
• Space
• Is there an overall flatness to your paintings, no matter what the subject? There are devices you can use to create a feeling of space: overlap, hierarchy, value shift, etc.
• Form
• Form has height, width, depth, defined by light and dark. There are two types of form, geometric (man-made) and natural (organic form). Often in painting a still life or a portrait you might lack form.
• Texture
• Physical strokes on the paper make texture, as does the look of a surface quality you create in portraying it. Varied textures makes interest. Lack of texture is flat and boring.
• Detail
• Those smaller bits that describe how something looks draw the eye. Does the detail overwhelm your work, or is there too little of it?
• Strokes
• Do you use the same size stroke, in the same scale and with the same touch all the time? How can you vary that?
• Edges
• Hard and soft edges help to sculpt space in a painting. Consider the edges in your paintings to see if you use a good variety to describe your subject.
• Harmony
• Harmony is achieved in a body of work by using similar elements throughout. It gives an uncomplicated look to your work. 
• Unity
• Unity comes when all the parts create a whole, not appearing disjointed or confusing.
• Gradation
• Gradation can add interest and movement. Gradating of elements in size makes linear perspective, and in color and value makes aerial perspective. It creates form, and moves the eye around a form.
• Repetition
• Repeated elements make interesting variety. Monotony results when there is little variation.
• Balance
• Balance is created by repeating same shapes or giving equal weight to all quadrants or parts of a composition, or may result from a harmonious use of the elements.
• Dominance
• One to three dominant elements are interesting and may harmonize a composition, adding needed emphasis.
• Movement 
• The overall direction of the eye through the painting, giving action to the piece.
• Rhythm 
• Syncopated movement that starts and slows the eye’s path through the painting.
• Proportion
• Creates a sense of correct scale so that all the objects appear to be related properly in space.
• Style
• Do you have six paintings that look like they were painted by six different artists? Which appeals most and why?

I also suggest that you look at some of my favorite artists for examples of various uses of these elements

Line:    

Derek Jones 

Derek does gorgeous line work, but he never forsakes tone.

Color:  

Michael McKee 

Casey Klahn 

Two very different painters, both strong colorists.

Contrast:
Nathan Fowkes

One of my personal favorites, and the guy knows his way around contrasting values.

Value:  

Sally Strand 

Sally's color is surpassed by none, but explore it from a value standpoint!

Space: 

Ron Guthrie

He creates a lovely sense of distance whether in an intimate or vast scene.

Form:  

Qiang-Huang 

Look at his flower paintings, especially!

Texture:  

van Gogh 

What can I say? None better!

Detail:  

Edward Wesson
 Don Tiller 

Again, very different painters approaching detail in very different ways, equally valid.

Strokes:  

Tony Allain 

Brad Faegre

Both of them use bold strokes, but very different.

Edges:  

Bill Hosner

Bill manipulates space beautifully with edges.

Harmony: 

Thomas Paquette

I find his little, tiny pieces done in gouache are incredibly harmonious.

Unity:  

Glenna Hartmann

Great unity of all elements in this work.

Gradation:  

Bill Cone

Look at the boulders and rock faces in particular.

Repetition:

Liz Haywood-Sullivan

Liz knows how to use this element particularly well.


This isn't an exhaustive list, just ideas to launch you on your search. Take the element you find missing from your own work and study the work of another artist, perhaps copying a painting, or choosing parts of the painting to emulate.

Kris copied a piece she admired, to learn loooooooser strokes. 

Carol used two paintings to inspire her own composition.

I hope that's helpful. Have some fun.

Keep on painting, gang!
Deborah