Eakins

All this sculler stuff oddly reminded me of the Sculler paintings by Eakins., totally forgotten until a few days ago. As a kid, I admired Eakins sculler paintings or better said, his more famous paintings in my art books at school. Those were the only ones I had access to. So with my renewed interest in scullers, I spent a few hours on line, looking at images and reading some of his history. Growing up, I actually knew little to nothing about a particular artist or their lives....only their work. In my case it's a very recent interest finding out more about them. LOL I gathered they were all starving and wasn't going  there! I did like (2) of his paintings and still do! Perhaps the only ones in my worn art history book. Thanks to Google I know a bit more now. My impressions were made different doing it though......the written word can be cruel!

Aside from the written word, how cool is this mans work! The downside of posting this, is it will make mine look loose and inept; regardless, here it is.

 

The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull), 1871
Thomas Eakins (American, 1844–1916)
Oil on canvas

32 1/4 x 46 1/4 in. (81.9 x 117.5 cm)
Purchase, The Alfred N. Punnett Endowment Fund and George D. Pratt Gift, 1934 (34.92)

Shortly after his return from studies in Europe in July 1870, Eakins began to paint rowing pictures. This work is among the most celebrated of those painted between 1870 and 1874. It depicts Eakins' boyhood friend Max Schmitt (1843–1900), a champion oarsman, in a scull on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Eakins depicted himself in the distant boat, rowing away from Schmitt. The bridges behind the rowers can be identified as the Girard Avenue Bridge and the Connecting Railroad Bridge, respectively. It is believed that this work commemorates Max Schmitt's victory in a single-scull competition on October 5, 1870. A number of drawings for various parts of this composition exist.

Well said, by someone who obviously appreciates his work. For me there is a certain attraction to how Eakins presented a subject, especially his formal, sometimes gritty but always dignified approach. The essence comes through loud and clear......a true realist or how I would interpret the meaning of the word "realist" regardless of how refined or abstract it's portrayed. As a youngster I only studied the images! Art classifications still leave me scratching my head in wonderment....I have a tendency to simplify it to single descriptive words or look at the pictures and move on! In truth, unless I know the artist, I'm less interested in the artist and more the results as in Eakins. However, as I've come to find out, the man was more than that!

I came across another interesting site while looking for this image of The Swimming Hole. The other painting I'm sure was in my book. I'm also sure it first got my attention because kids weren't allowed to see naked bodies....we did in art books tho:=) However, thinking about it - we did skinny dip in the summer (no girls allowed). We did swim naked in the school pool; we did, because in those days suits were not permitted. So perhaps this painting has a normal relevance for a certain age group, but not today or how it's generally interpreted, apparently by some of our learned scholars and critics. I wouldn't have associated it with sexual content until after reading this by Louis Torres , basically comments about many of Eakins works over a long period of time and more specifically defending this painting and Eakins fascination with the male nude. I don't understand the taboo of painting a male figure - it's like having salt without pepper.....it's narrow thinking and censorship, but that's our world.

One of the things I found much more fascinating than the speculative maligning of Eakins, was Eakins use of photography, photo projection, and his role in moving pictures. But, perhaps even more than that, how it negatively impacted his legacy, even today! Including this same painting below, in some learned circles viewed as "non art" because of its use. Obviously I don't agree  - I for one, am not giving up my camera, Photoshop, salt and pepper or sugar and cream! Oh Yes! That also includes butter.......some of gods little pleasure are worth the price!

The Swimming Hole - Thomas Eakins 1884-5

It's apparent to me Eakins had some lasting influence on my original interests and early development albeit only from a few paintings, apparently the right ones! LOL....I never got to see bad ones or even make a judgment beyond yes or no......perhaps my own, but I never thought they were bad....still don't! Nice thing about adolescence, not knowing better, I just dove in! Sometimes it pays not to read the very fine art print but simply enjoy the images....

Later......

From a suspected roll to a learning curve, painting Scullers

Back in 2009 I fostered a real interest in scullers , played with it, even made a few finished paintings, then moved on. At the time I thought a great addition to a river subject. Can't say I've come across it much by other American painters than perhaps a painting by Eakins years ago. I know rowing is a big sport, here and abroad.  My daughter was on the UCLA rowing team and totally committed during her (4) year stay.

 SESSION I

914-1  Progress 30x30 oil on linen (7-24-14)

The morning sun is intersecting the shell's bow causing bounce back light so it's a good painting challenge  - so far, fun to mess with.

SESSION 2

914 Shadows 30x30 oil on linen (7-25-14)

My last day was spent on the sculler details, more and more! A bit problematic because paint quality was hard to maintain in a small work area. All-in-all it reads well at a distance, not a bad result for my first go at it......more practice!

 Detail of most challenging section.

GROUP PHOTO (last 3 paintings)

 Sometimes studying a group of paintings like this helps keeps the momentum going in the right direction

Top (914), bottom left (912) and bottom right (913)

The sculler has me thinking more seriously of another painting I'd like to do along the same lines, but not yet. Looking here, with the rest, my little 914 sculler painting is telling me I need more practice. Looks like my tiny roll is shifting into a learning curve so I suspect a few more are on the way:=)

My evening break will be researching Eakins.  I know nothing about him other than a few paintings in my art history books - typical school boy, pictures were more interesting than print....although still true of the old guy, I will read the print if it looks interesting.

Later......

So far the ball seems to be rolling along in my favor

I think it's official. I'm on a good old proverbial roll! Just finished #913, the 3rd in a row I liked, a painting that reached my goal, done without hesitation at any point. For me that's the key to any roll. This roll started out with the culmination of Koi painting 911 that I liked so much it's my AAC ad for September. Also, no point trying to top it for awhile so I moved on to sun and atmosphere....again using high contrast as the driving force for this series of less-is-more paintings. Another requirement, it helps to be in the mood, the mood to paint fast and furious!

SESSION 1 (Alla prima)

913 Merging Sunlight 36x36 oil on linen (7-22-14)

Detail

These dark ones are hard to get good photos of , so these are my best so far. Distant shots sometimes get a truer feeling of a painting.

I think a sculler would make a good addition to this setting - only on a fresh canvas. I wouldn't dare mess with this one!

Later.... 

Was my last painting the beginning of a roll?

Perhaps! Perhaps not! My typical roll is a series of paintings one after another without any breaks between, lasting until all the steam is used. I haven't experienced one in sometime. I expect because  my current learning curve is a moving target. In any event, one of the things that came out of the last few months was cropping images down to simpler compositions as in "more is less". I have to admit it didn't always work well but it did get me moving towards more simpler compositions with strong focal points, like # 904, 905, 910 and #912, the Alla prima 36x36 painting  below. Happy with my short time at the easel, I signed it and stretched another 36x36 canvas for the next morning.
BUT! Sometimes a tiny second session can make a huge difference, especially when it comes to light and depth of field.....

SESSION 1 (Alla prima)

SESSION 2

  912 Fog and Sunlight Effect on the Delaware River 36x36 oil on linen (7-22-14)

I had to wait several days for this one to dry, but think it was worth the wait because now I have (2) in a row I like, my last one 911 and this one...:=)

Later....

No painting is a waste of time!

I found few, if any, paintings are a waste of time. Like canvas #910, small at 44x40, potentially a nice work, suffered multiple interruptions and eventually lost its way.  I have step-photos to prove it! We gotta take the bad with the good so here it is. I promise, the good is here, somewhere!

SESSION 1

910-1 44x40
Using gold leaf as a decorative detail

SESSION 2

910-2 Progress

SESSION 3

910-3 Progress

Detail of gold leaf
SESSION 4
(3) STAGES OF DESATURATION

I was curious if repeated colour washes in pale pinks and blue would accomplish less saturation without losing any depth of field. In the end I'm not sure it added anything. It probably did kill some of the depth.   

910 Koi & Twig 44x40 oil on linen 7-16-14 

The design idea, using a life size top view of a Koi - basically filling the canvas as I did here was on target, but my execution failed miserably. The painting is much too decorative, dull and boring for my taste as a painter of light!

 I just need a fresh start and here it is....:=)

# 911 FRESH START

 911 Koi & Sunlight 44x40 oil on linen (7-18-14)

Later...

Fresh start - Series 11

One especially large 72x96 canvas, 899 from series 1, still had my attention..... not the result, but the idea of pond reflections behind it. I thought it would make a good baseline for the next one!

BASELINE

899 original 72x96
SECESSION 1

899-1 Reworked 72X96

The first session was about unification and decluttering. Using a vertical stripe pattern, I ran a transparent 3-colour prism effect representing how light breaks down into colour. I stayed with my original composition. The hot spots represent sunlight hitting a water surface. And yes, it will have a single Koi fish...perhaps over a gold leaf base. If nothing else comes out of this painting, I like the 3-colour stripe effect! As it stands now this painting has potential!

SESSION 2

899-2 Progress

This area needs some attention

Over all better

Detail of change

Koi not quite there yet

 Better

I did add some gold leaf under my golden Koi - however in the end most of it was covered - so I'm not sure what value it adds.

SESSION 3 - LAST DAY 

 899-2 Pond Reflections 72x96 oil on linen (7-7-14)
 The only question I have banging around in my head, did I need that Koi fish or not?

Koi removed via Photoshop

Now that's an interesting development! One I might move on after a few more paintings. 

Regardless, all-in-all I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm not sure whats next other than start a new one along the same lines and see what develops.

Later.....

New Wave Series 1 - recap

The last month or so was about exploring and pushing boundaries, looking for fresh possibilities with some of the subjects I like painting. Not reinventing the wheel or extreme as in the Jeff Koons factory produce "Fun stuff" I call theme park art, but something acceptable in the mainstream art world I follow via Artnet - News
 
Progress is not always easy to see as we move along. I always start out with good intentions but typically end up somewhere else, so it's logical to do a self-critique every once in a while. Then, armed with that information make a new run at it.

That's where I am today, at the end of a wave or series. I completed (11) canvases, mostly large, starting with #899 and ending with #909, all posted below. I also included the painting that forced my course change #898 

LAST 12 PAINTINGS (Series 1) IN PAINT ORDER

898 I'm bored silly - Time to move on 48x44

 899 Super large - more abstraction 72x96

 900 Going nowhere 56x45

 901 What was I thinking! 72x66

902 Fresh start - Paring down colour 56x46

903 Pushing colour - Fun project but...56x46

 904 Simplification on a larger scale 48x44

905 Larger and clean 66x60
BRAINY IDEA - GOLD LEAF

906 Gold leaf experiment (1) 14x11

907 Gold leaf experiment (2) 20x20

908 Koi painting using gold leaf as a subtle detail 46x54

909 Large Koi painting with gold leaf as a major detail 66x72

Not a bad run, I'm not there yet, not even close but I have moved off the starting line! I pared down and simplified paintings 904 and 905 which worked well. These led me to using a new gold metal leaf material (samples) 906, 907 and (2) finished paintings 908 and 909. The rest showed me what I didn't want going forward!

Later.......

My new toy, Metal Leaf as in gold and silver

MY NEXT PAINTING REFERENCE MATERIALS

 1 - Maymont 2010 - Untouched photo

FIRST A LITTLE FUN IN PHOTOSHOP

2 - Increased saturation

3 - Desaturated to black & white

4 - Subtle colour but too much surface noise (debris)

5 - Reduced surface debris

6 - Detail

The white debris on this marbleized water surface detail is what has my attention. I want it to be gold leaf perhaps over a heavy palette knife texture or in the moment and added like paint with my brush as in #907

SESSION ONE #908

All the references had potential. The black and white one, #3, was especially tasty but I'm not ready for that yet so I'm going to run with #5 and detail #6.  Since this is about R&D (research and development) I'll use a smaller 46x54 canvas.

  908-1 Progress 46x54 oil on linen (6-25-14)

Red-line

"Looking contrived" will be the major pitfall and avoiding it will be a challenge using conventional tools.....with that in mind my first session moved very quickly.

I used my whole tool box on this thing.... brushes, palette knife (a lot), all my mediums including mineral spirits to break it down even more, then working that with a palette knife. I also had some gold powder, so a dip here and there....mostly at the bottom center.

At the end of the day I had one area (circled in red) that still needed attention; plus at this point I didn't add any gold leaf details, only a bit of gold powder when I ran out of steam....

SECOND SESSION

I started my second session fresh and started with the red-line area - since the painting was dry I had to re-wet certain spots before adding the gold in the best way I could.

BEFORE - Red line detail

AFTER- Red line modifications + gold leaf detail

COMPLETED PAINTING

908 Winter Koi 46x54 Oil on linen (6-26-14)

SOME DETAILS

Love this new alkyd white;  impasto dries overnight, easy to build on and looks good. The gold works surprisingly well with all my materials....not so sure about the gold powder tho. I'm pretty happy with the overall results......Next time more gold - no holding back!

Later...