Finally an oil painting. This is from some reference taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is the life of a dedicated artist sitting on the hard chairs trying to block out the loud tourists and get a competent depiction of the sculptures.
The colors shifts were really subtle and a little tricky mainly because I was trying to push the loose brush work on this one. It also makes it looks kind of rough as a digital image. Seems to work okay as a piece of art though.
Another problem I keep running into is how to get a good idea of the real colors when the paint dries and turns from the wet vivid colors to the low contrast mat variety. Some colors are more mat then others(black) and I haven't figured out how to avoid that problem.
I'll have to keep thinking on it. I usually paint a piece then it will sit propped against a wall for a few months in my peripheral vision so I can decide if it'll work out. Often it is useful to have it sitting on it's side or even upside down to get a feel for how the shapes and colors work.
For mat areas, see "oiling out" (scroll to the bottom):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.winsornewton.com/resource-centre/hints-tips-and-techniques/oil-colour/mediums/
I either oil out or use retouch varnish. Both work, but if you oil out you should get the reproduction while the oil is wet, because it will dry back to mat some. Also be careful in thinly painted areas, the oil tends to make the paint somewhat mobile again and you can pull the paint off if you apply the oil too vigorously.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, I do use walnut oil to regain the wet feel and look but like you said its tricky not to pull up paint and sometimes I don't want to take take the time to add it and let it dry plus it complicates my fat over lean process.
ReplyDeleteThis is really nice . . . great composition and really interesting color!
ReplyDeleteGreat work!!chomast
ReplyDeleteYour work is so gorgeous, I love it!
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I dig the sketch of the Mrs..
ReplyDeleteme encanta tus retratos, my expresivos!
ReplyDeletei like!
;)
Awesome work!
ReplyDeleteHi David,
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem about uneven matte/glossy oils on canvas, until I used Sureguard Matte Special spray in thin layers over one painting, and it solved the issue. It is a photographic semi matte cover, used to do photoretouch, and it works fine on dry oils, because it mattes out what is glossy, and glosses out the mattes, in a mid term semi matte finish.
I used WN Oleopasto (alkyd medium) during the painting process, as a quick drier, and sprayed after some 3 or 4 days, making sure it was bone dry.
Take a shot at it, I'm sure you will like it.
By the way, I'm an admirer of your artwork, and about that teaching classes, I really don't know why you waste your nerves on a jerk teacher. If you don't have fun on your classes, maybe you'd be much better off teaching than listening to that kind of negative criticism.
Looking at your artwork, I'd dare to say you have so much more to teach than what you have to learn.
You mastered the techniques so completely, that it is hard for me to figure what you expect to learn with someone I doubt to have better skills than what you already have.
Anyway... I wish you all the best in the incoming year, to you and to the ones you love.
Cheers from Brazil!
Montalvo
Thanks David, another portrait coming soon. This is great!! Love the composition and lighting.
ReplyDelete