Dan's Studio
Day One:
Once we checked in; brought in all our easels, supplies, etc, We
gathered around Dan to hear him open the workshop. It was important for
Dan to know what we each of us needed to get out of the workshop. What
is my current struggle? He also took some pressure off us by saying
that "no one paints their best in a workshop setting". What he hoped
for us is that simple principles would emerge and continue when we get
home and work.
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| Dan Teaches |
Dan's goal to convey to us was to:
1). See the subject's absolute essence 2). Organize values 3). How
to organize, to pull out the essential... what is important to the big
picture. He warned us that he will say the same thing over and over.
What was reassuring is the things he would repeat are the very same
things that he tells himself, every day. Values, edges, temperature,
good drawing.
He
also strongly encouraged us to work from Life. It does make a
difference in your paintings and is worth the extra effort. He prayed
for the workshop. :)
Dan's Color Study
Dan's Value/Color Study:
Simply
beautiful isn't it? He recommended that we first do an 8x10 study
where we set up a simple light and shade pattern. Put what is essential
on there... The biggest thing, is to SQUINT! He wanted us to create a
hierarchy of values to prioritize. Certainly drawing and proportion
is important; but he was more focused on the hierarchy of values,
edges, and temperature. For values first we are to squint to find the
lightest light and darkest dark. Put those in right from the
beginning to compare all the other values to. Then to squint again to
simplify the form into 2 basic values by deciding what belongs to
the light shape and what belongs to the dark shape. Next squint to
look for a variety of hard and soft edges. Where is the sharpest
edge? Put that in. Where are the softest edges? Where are they like
vapors, disappearing into the form
My Color Study
My color study:
So
how did I do? OK, I guess, but not as well as I hoped. When Dan
paints and teaches he makes it look so obvious and easy. As you watch,
you are sure you can paint better than ever. But this is not bad for a
1/2 hour study on the first day of a workshop. I will improve. Also, the
important thing about a study like this is that I get the important
notes that I will need to do a larger piece; the simple light and shade
patterns, the sharpest and softest edges and temperatures of the light.
Additionally, this was like a quick practice and made the next full size piece go quicker and easier.
My Day One Full Size Portrait
My Day One Full Size Portrait:
How did I do? Pretty good as well. It really helped me to do the color
study first to practice the drawing as well as to organize my values,
edges and temperatures in the cool north light. (The image looks
warmer than the actual painting) Doing the small study first also took
some pressure off of being nervous on the first day of the workshop. At
home I spent a few minutes to do a few things to improve it. Warmed
and darkened the hair in a few places and softened an edge on her
right check.
Dan's finished full size portrait.
Dan's Finished Painting:
Wow! So beautiful, poetic, so full of emotion and feeling.
To start he tones the canvas and finds shape the best with vine charcoal. It wipes off very easy for making corrections.
Start
with the big picture: You don't want the head to be too big. Use the
simplest straight angles and lines to get the basic shape of the head.
Then a center line and breakdown further to locate the features.
He
said "the Biggest Thing is edge variety and simplicity of value". What
does that mean? Well, you don't want all of your edges to be equally
soft or equally sharp. You want a spectrum of edge variation. As far as
the values you want that simple separation between light and dark.
Then you turn the form with warmer or cooler color. "If the values are
not in range it will kill the effect of light."
Notice
there are not lights that jump out of the shadow on her face or neck.
Also note: the top left portion of the painting has glare on it,
showing up to be blue. It is not in the original painting.
Stay tuned for more...
A friend sent a message to my website saying that she had seen my painting Tory's Smile
on Fine Art Views. (I have since changed the name to Quiet Hope.) I am thinking what? My painting that I just posted
is on Fine Art Views. I checked and there it was with a nice article
written by Carrie Turner and a comment by Brian Sherwin:
