S.I.P #29 Saturday October 15th - Painting with an expectation

"SWIMMING   IN

 PAINT"

 Gold &Oil Paint

10:00 am to 2:30pm  (Lunch break at 12:15)

team LIMITED TO 10

The team will meet in CLASSROOM 1

 Contact Crossroads Art Center for details 804.278.8950 

"Swimming in Paint" is always about following the light, painting shapes with colour and energy!

 SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM YOUR PAINTING COACH

Last week we painted Koi & Gold leaf with limited success.  The team wasn't in sync because of "subject choice". And, we also had some team members finishing up previous canvases.......this week we'll fix that by narrowing focus and "choice".

"Subject choice" was an effort to find team members preferences so we could expand on a subject they naturally gravitated to. Assuming they would select a single idea and run with it. However it soon led to juggling multiple references to form different ideas - complicating their situation by adding more problems to solve and less time to paint!

As your coach I set the bar too high and owe the team an apology. From my own experience, it actually takes real experience to "juggle" successfully. Using multiple references always presents a real danger of being trapped in painters quicksand, This happened when "Juggling" took hold!

Most, if not all. "Swimming-in-Paint" subjects painted this year were a challenge, and will continue to be so. Some members get through better with one subject over another......understandably. Their success more often than not revolved around "keeping it simple". Choosing a single image, a single clear idea to work with....perhaps a second one for a particular detail but not merging different concepts.  

We naturally paint what we see - much like plein air painting or from life, as in a model or still life setup. In my opinion not a great deal of difference over using a photo reference as we do. That being said, finding a "perfect photo reference" is illusive, which sets up the "juggling photo references" scenario.

GOING FORWARD 

Saturday, the team will be painting with Gold Leaf as they did last Saturday. Our subject will be Koi.....very adaptable creatures. We'll have clear choice of a wonderful water reflection partially camouflaging a golden Koi and a few others.  Or, a sunny fall day with oak leaves and (2) stunning light washed Koi.......not completely giving up "Choice"....:=)

I'm using these paintings and original references again because they work. They have good composition, colour and light and some challenging aspects. My best advice is basically follow the colour shapes......paint what you see, not a literal duplication of the photo.

Easier, if you move with the rhythm seen in the light and shadows with loaded paint brushes. I continually show how I approach paint from palette to canvas and how important continually stepping back to see what you're doing is. We all know how amazing that is as an overall painting process.

Team, What I expect going forward is similar paintings, good or bad, completed and signed at days end. I don't expect copies of these two paintings, but acceptable - they are to show a visual path to victory. 

REFERENCE ONE

DEMO COMPLETED IN STUDIO

Koi & Gold Oak Leaves 24x24 oil on linen (10-11-16 canvas 1092)

REFERENCE TWO

UNFINISHED DEMO

Unfinished 30x30 oil on linen (started 10-8-16 canvas 1093)

Painting will always have a certain amount of "problem solving" attached to it. Learning curves that lead to a series of "good paintings and perhaps a seriously good one......in my experience, the time to stop, take a break and think about the next move. It's a repetitive process, learning and execution.  Each time it gets a bit better and occasionally rewarded with an earned major jump. We naturally move with our interests; why some do better with one subject over another. It also doesn't happen overnight. Although "self-driven" focus, good work habits, and organizational skills can make it happen quicker.....basically having a PLAN or at least knowing what you realistically can expect from making art.

Do you have professional aspirations, as paying the bills or pleasure painting, perhaps with friends - each have different requirements and expectations. One demands and requires quality SIGNATURE work. Work with commercial value also requires professional presentation and representation able to SELL. If your up to it, it can also happen with any age group.....and I mean at any age!

The ultimate goal of "Swimming-in-Paint" is to discover that "Signature Look"  in a team member!

While we could end up with a masterpiece, this exercise is not about making a masterpiece. If it doesn't work, wipe it off, jump in again - always with energy!

For those who can't make the class or live in distant lands, download the references and try this at home. Email me at Chuck@Larivey.com with your results - I would love to see them:=)

BASIC PROJECT INFORMATION 

5X7 References will be available

Brown bag or order lunch from Gretchen's before class. The lunch table is a wonderful time to chat and study our progress.

Canvas, preferably Centurion double primed oil linen. An ample supply of smooth stretched oil primed linen canvas in various sizes will always be available.

24x24 - $20.00 each
30x30 - $25.00 each

There will also be a supply of Royal soft grip brushes (SG4500 Series) available at $2.50 each.

I do encourage using a glass palette - old picture frame glass works with a white sheet of paper and a cardboard backing or foam core with blue taped edges to hold it all together. 

Please try to have (1) Flexible palette knife. Preferably similar to the two on the left.

(16x20 shown)

SUPPLY LIST

(1) 24x24, 30x30 or larger canvas - Centurion oil primed linen or equal

(1) #10 Royal soft grip SG4520 Filbert (rounded flat)

(1) #12 or #10 Royal soft grip SG4510 Bright (flat)

A few palette knives (flexible)
Glass palette with a small paint scraper
3 or 4 sheets of paper towels (folded into quarters)

Neo Megilp oil painting medium

Clean cotton rags - (cut up old cotton Tee shirts and white socks work well)

Small amount of odorless mineral spirits - at least 8 oz.

Basic palette: I added a few of the specialty colours I often use - either way I always share those colours.

Titanium White or a fast drying Griffin alkyd by Winsor & Newton

Naples yellow

Lemon yellow

Cadmium Yellow medium
Alizarin Orange (Williamsburg)
Permanent green light

Sap green
Chromium Oxide or green oxide

Cerulean Blue
Sevres Blue (Williamsburg)

French Ultramarine Blue
Ultramarine Blue French (Williamsburg)

Dioxazine Purple
Provence Violet Bluish (Williamsburg)

Alizarin Crimson
Permanent Rose
Persian Rose (Williamsburg)

Cadmium Vermilion (Williamsburg)

NOTE: PAINTING SURFACE

Jerry's has Centurion oil linen well priced already stretched by the box (6)......check it out.

  ALWAYS WAIT FOR A SALE

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/canvas-surfaces/stretched-canvas/centurion

Royal SG4500 series long handle soft grip brushes (LINK)
or
Direct link to brushes - scroll down to the SG4500 series