This Wednesday I gave a private acrylic painting lesson at my studio. My student's name was Heather, a twenty something with a very good drawing ability. We sat side by side at our easels and painted. Heather brought a photo of a lighthouse
that she pulled off the web. Pretty boring image and at first blush, and I didn't want to use it as our painting reference. But I thought better of it, because as we all know, a photo reference is but a stepping stone to a good painting. We practiced a lot of color mixing and paint application. We used traditional Golden brand acrylics (not their new and wonderful Golden Open) with a limited palette of Cad. yellow light and med., cad. red light and med., pythalo (spelling?) blue, cobalt blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and a touch of bone black. We got about half way through at the end of our two hr. session. We painted somewhat close to the colors in the photo, because I wanted Heather to get the experience of mixing and duplicating the colors that she was seeing. Heather did a great job mixing and applying paint to canvas and is now off on her journey to mastering the medium. I spent time today, completely changing the atmosphere of this scene and bringing the painting to a completion. Am I happy with the result? I think so. I"ll look at it again in a few weeks.
The USA men's and women's Olympic relay teams laid two fat eggs in the Bird's Nest tonight!
10:30PM Pacific Standard time on Friday: Heather just emailed me her finish (top painting)...not bad!
This Wednesday I gave a private acrylic painting lesson at my studio. My student's name was Heather, a twenty something with a very good drawing ability. We sat side by side at our easels and painted. Heather brought a photo of a lighthouse
that she pulled off the web. Pretty boring image and at first blush, and I didn't want to use it as our painting reference. But I thought better of it, because as we all know, a photo reference is but a stepping stone to a good painting. We practiced a lot of color mixing and paint application. We used traditional Golden brand acrylics (not their new and wonderful Golden Open) with a limited palette of Cad. yellow light and med., cad. red light and med., pythalo (spelling?) blue, cobalt blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and a touch of bone black. We got about half way through at the end of our two hr. session. We painted somewhat close to the colors in the photo, because I wanted Heather to get the experience of mixing and duplicating the colors that she was seeing. Heather did a great job mixing and applying paint to canvas and is now off on her journey to mastering the medium. I spent time today, completely changing the atmosphere of this scene and bringing the painting to a completion. Am I happy with the result? I think so. I"ll look at it again in a few weeks.
The USA men's and women's Olympic relay teams laid two fat eggs in the Bird's Nest tonight!
10:30PM Pacific Standard time on Friday: Heather just emailed me her finish (top painting)...not bad!
22 comments:
great job with this painting. I love how you changed the mood of the painting as a pleasant day, to a wet and foggy day! Great artistic license
This is where the selective eye of the artist makes conscious decisions to not be literal in the interpretation of what the subject is.
I really like that you didn't recreate the very blueness of sea and sky and made it much moodier.
It's a beaut.
Heather is very lucky to have had two hours.
I hope you've got some left in you when I collect my prize.
Try a web search for "Lime Kiln Lighthouse" it is in Washington
Garry
Wherever it is, I want to be there!!
e.Floyd: Thanks for visiting. The great thing about fast drying acrylics is that I can change moods on a dime!
Bonnie: We artists must take lemons and turn them in to lemonade. Not too original here, but I'm a painter, not a writer. The prize is waiting.
Garry: Lime Kiln Lighthouse in Wash.! Thanks. Yes, I'll scope it out.
Jennifer: Lets book a plein air trip to the Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the coast of Washington. I can smell the pines and ocean now!
What a great light effect you did on that painting . Wonderful as always!
I like the misty mood of your painting - and a very nice touch with the bright value in the window.
And yes, Heather did a nice job!
Thank you so much, Helene!
Thanks Nava. Gladya like that window!
I meant "nice touch with the bright BLUE in the window".
Stupid spell-checkers!
bright value? that's just crazy!!
What window, Nava? Only kidding !
Love the lighthouse!! Is it Heceta Head lighthouse in Oregon? It looks a lot like it. Your piece is painterly with great atmosphere. Congrats to Heather on a great painting and her good fortune to have you as an instructor!
That bottom piece is an excellent interpretation of the photo. I like it.
I think you gave your student and important lesson - you don't have to copy the photo exactly.
Thanks Theresa! I've been told it's Lime Kiln Lighthouse. I haven't had time to check it out what with the Olympics and sleep deprivation.
Thanks Onpainting. You are online today which means you have probably posted another painting and hallerious story to go with it. I'm refraining myself from reading it this morning, because I have a lot to do, but I will be baaaack!
F--k!! I can't spell the goddamn word "hallerious"! I have a master's degree for god's sake!! I can spell "halcyon"," halibut", and even "halleyluya" but not 'hallarious!!! As of this writing, I can't even find it in the d i c t i o n a r y!!!
It's "hilarious".
Ha! English spelling lesson from a nom-English speaker - now, that's something!
(Oh, and seems like you had troubles spelling F--k as well... is your keyboard missing some keys? ;-)
I can't name the lighthouse, but you did a wonderful job painting it! WOW!
I say Heather is off to a strong start with her drawing ability and your guidance.
I was lucky to have lessons starting at 11 years old from a guy who gave oil painting classes on Saturday Mornings in the back of his little frame and art supply shop. We gridded and copied postcards. I recently looked at the first painting I did there (my mother, of course, still has it) and could see what I didn't know about color. She's lucky to have lessons from yourself.
I love the mood and color harmony of your piece. Beauty!
Nava: That is something. English is a bastardized language and tough on the spelling front for sure! Thanks for the correction as my spelling ability sucks big time!
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