Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Subtle Hue/Value Variation...or...Playing with Color and Darks and Lights until the Cows come Home




Damn! I'm outta time! To be continued.
Next day...now I'm continuing...if I've said it once, I've said it a billion times, acrylic allows me to play, play, play within a very short time span as compared to oil. The top painting was done several months ago and allowed to sit and gather dust in my studio. The second painting down is the same painting but painted over in areas and was completed yesterday. I wanted the scene to have more of a winter haze/early dawn, Sacramento Valley look. The top painting looks more like a crisp, clean sunset anywhere in the world. The second painting got closer to what I wanted but is too rosy in hue. Today, I painted over it again (third painting on the bottom). It has less rose and a little more yellow and has that hazy, looking- into -the- glare-of- the - winter sun, Sacramento Valley look. If I don't like what I've done, I can come back tomorrow or whenever and keep working it until the cows come home or the paint finally gets a little to thick, whatever comes first.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the progression of feelings in the work and your explanations of each. These look as much like oils as anything I've seen.

When you apply your paint, do you do any color mixing right on the canvas using a wet on wet?
Some areas have that appearance.

Always an inspiration for me

David Lobenberg said...

Bonnie: Good question. In this case I do a little of two techniques. Mostly, I simply paint on thin layers with a flat brush. The paint is pretty much opaque although some of the previous layer may show so that there is a mixing in the eye. This just depends on whether you want that mixing or a whole new color hue on to the previous layer. Not too much h2o on my brush, just enough to move the paint around. Sometimes I really put a lot of pressure on the brush as I'm layering...so much for brush longevity. Yes, I will also add a layer of paint onto a previous layer that has not dried . This, however, is somewhat rare what with the quick drying time of acrylic paint.

Anonymous said...

I like all the paintings wit the different hues. Wow!

Paz

Mike said...

Dude! You are one bizzzzy cowboy!! Am really enjoying what you are doing in these last several posts! Keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the generous explanation.
My palette is always full of dried splotches of colors that I've used and liked - it's easy for me to re-match and tweak it warm or cool, darker, lighter.

I know what you mean about pressure on the brush- how to turn a flat into a filbert in two easy canvases!

I'm back at it and just letting loose a bit. I'll put the newest one up when it's ready.

Appreciate the reply.

Clive said...

The cows came home. Both paintings look super, but the later one excels; fantastic atmosphere.

David Lobenberg said...

Paz:Thank you my fellow pigeon lover.

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks Mike and certainly visaversa!

David Lobenberg said...

Bonnie: I'll be looking forward to seeing some more of your work. Any questions you have, I'll try to answer if I can.

David Lobenberg said...

Hello up there Clive. Thanks to a person who knows a thing or two about atmosphere himself!

Holly Van Hart said...

Hi David, i recently discovered your site and admire your work. it's interesting to see your progression on this painting. i thought the top version was great and then looked down at the other two. i think you nailed the atmosphere in the bottom (3rd) version. wonderful!

David Lobenberg said...

Thank you Holly and I appreciate you visiting my humble blog again.

william wray said...

I like all of them.

David Lobenberg said...

It always tickles me pink when I get kudos from such a talented painter. Thank you William!