It’s just practice…the Farmer’s Market paintings

A watercolor painting created as a study in composition, color, and activity.

I practice often.

Saturday Market, Kapiolani #3

By this, I mean that to improve, I need to work on my skills. It doesn’t matter what the thing is…many aspects of being an artist require that skills get “under your skin”…become subconscious and natural. 

Have you ever thought of art as a discipline?  It’s wise to give it a try.

Following Good Examples

From a young age I made progress when making an effort to emulate something that had moved me. In my ongoing search (and I sincerely hope you’ll have your own), I’d find heroes… and then ask myself what do they have that I don’t?

In time I saw that I want my drawing to be fluent…with color both representative and inspired. And I need a design that makes the most of everything that the subject offers. These are examples of the sort of things we all need to identify about our own taste. And each of us will need to discover what moves us inwardly enough to take the risk of hard pursuit.

Arthur Melville (1855-1904) Scottish artist

My hungry eye has led me to discover artist’s I never would have dreamed existed. This beautiful watercolor by Arthur Melville contains much of what I respond to.  It’s an example of casual appearance which disguises his powerful ability to compose, draw, and then execute something that, we might guess, was only a brief impression on the artists’ mind. I’m grateful to have discovered his work, because he possesses the vitality and skill that I desire to obtain. From this example, and the work of many others, I get insights…. and then look for ways to practice what I’ve learned.

 I look at using exemplars, like Arthur Melville, as hints to what I could do using my own living environment. In his painting above, I see a well drawn solitary figure, surrounded with plenty of suggested activity. There are subtle echoes of shape and color, and an excellent dark/light pattern.

Where can I find something that would have those elements now, in our world?

Putting Inspiration to Work

During the period of the COVID restrictions, I decided to visit our local green market on Saturdays. This was one of the few places where people could gather communally (albeit very supervised) and go about the business of life. I would take my traveling watercolor kit over with 1/8th sheets (7.5″x 10″) watercolor paper and then search to find a shady spot to paint from. This meant being wedged into areas between parked commercial vehicles, behind the scenes. Privacy was never guaranteed, but I’m used to onlookers and questions.  From these cramped little shade-puddles I tried to compose and paint.

It’s Just Practice

I viewed these works as practice opportunities.  Arranging elements, capturing fleeting effects, and convincingly drawn figures who were often there for moments at a time. It’s juggling and there’s never a dull moment.

Even as I write this now, I’m reminded of John Sargent’s quip that watercolor is “making the most of an emergency”.

Each painting is 7.5″ x 10″, and usually represents a single visit of a couple hours duration. I hope this energizes you to have a look at your personal world and see what’s possible.


                            



Small Figures in Oil

When the opportunity arises, I’ve been working out some small figures in oil.  Done in two to three hours, my goal in these small paintings is to see how much value, color and shape alone can form the image.

Any thoughtful observer of artists sees that as an artist’s abilities increase, they discard or reorganize much of the visual information present in their subject.  Beginners, by contrast, are troubled by seeing everything. They possess little ability to edit what nature visually presents them, or perhaps understand the value of it.

 

VJ

 

SO

 

As I chip away at these small oils, my goal is to see how much I can suggest with each touch of the brush…creating a mosaic of tones and colors that my viewer assembles.

I find it a very refreshing and intriguing approach to the visual world. I will be pursuing this more.

 

 

A New Pastel Figure en Plein Air

Our “Painting the Museums en Plein Air” class had our final get together for 2014 on Wednesday morning at Spalding House on Oahu.

Michelle 2

Our model, Michelle, took a reclining pose…and we took advantage of superb weather and luscious surroundings to put in a couple hours with her before having our traditional Artist’s Holiday Bohemian Bacchanalia (Christmas Party).  We had a great time, and I’m happy to have been able to work with this fine group.

A straightforward approach to painting a pastel figure outdoors

As an informal demonstration, I decided that a small pastel piece that dealt directly with the subject in terms of color, shape, and value alone would be interesting. The piece was done without a preliminary drawing, but just as a seeing project.  Simple, mostly squarish strokes ( I refer to them as “tiles”)  of the appropriate color and value placed selectively and as simply as I could.  Very clean color can be had this way.

Michelle sleeping

I fussed with it a bit after, but essentially it’s a direct-from-nature piece, 7 1/2 x 10 inches on some pale yellow Ersta paper I have.  I have plans to frame this one rather soon for a small show, so the frame, mat, and glass are waiting.

If you are interested in finding out more or joining us, you are welcome to check the schedule for our upcoming class here. 

A Small Watercolor Figure

A small watercolor nude
Victoria
Victoria, 12 x 9″, watercolor

I love doing these small watercolor nudes from life. I find that when they work, they’re evocative, accessible, and an appropriate flowering  of life drawing practice.

One big lesson from these paintings, and one that I’m taking to heart,  is that too much information kills mood.  The amount of information (details)  brought into the painting needs to serve the painting and not become the point of the painting. So in this instance the viewer’s imagination gets to fill in the shorthand manner of the painting,  which is always a good thing

Color and Shapes

These small paintings are shape and color arrangements, and those need to observably exist in nature, on and around the model, for me to get what I’m after.  I’ve done some paintings from drawings after-the-fact, and they are sometimes successful.  But from life always is preferable because of the immediate interaction. I suppose the mild tension of in-the-moment work with the model before me contributes something special.

Either way, I’ll be doing more.

 

Pinterest Piques My Interest

In the last few months, I’ve really discovered the value of Pinterest as a very helpful teaching tool. Considering my mild-to-moderate  aversion to technology as the answer to everything, this is a concession that I happily make.

Students in my Plein Air, Life Drawing and Portraiture classes are constantly encouraged to look at really good examples of the work of accomplished artists.  The difficulty is that they often don’t find the time, recall the names,  or know the best ways to investigate the artist’s I’ve suggested.  So up to this point, it’s  been up to me to bring in examples from books from my personal library or reference files I’ve accumulated. Lot’s of lugging around  (and plenty of wear and tear) on out-of-print art books and catalogs that are pretty precious to me.

Then along comes Pinterest.

Using it as a resource, I’ve created boards for each group I teach. Students are reminded, often, to check the Pinterest boards I have up on my page, especially when I’m involved in a one-to-one critique and see a problem that would benefit from an illustration.

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For example, ” Composition” is  helpful for every student, but especially the Plein Air and Portrait folks.  They are usually fully occupied with making things look like what they’re seeing, and of course need to consider the design of the elements as an important factor.  With the examples I’ve collected on Pinterest they can see some really interesting uses of pattern and placement that might spark their interest and encourage spending more time on design.

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For Life Drawing, there are many beautiful and compelling images of fine drawings available. Beautiful touches, line variety, pieces that reveal construction (The Carravaggio is full of lessons) all to show the tremendous possibilities. Ingres’ drawing of his house cat reminds that there are worthy  subjects everywhere, even to the most sophisticated talent.

The “Portrait” group is equally filled with great things, featuring artist’s that are both famous as well as those often overlooked today.  And finally,  “Technique” is a broadly based collection of interesting and masterful uses of various mediums.

If you are interested in seeing the boards I’ve assembled,  just follow the link.

Norseth on Pinterest

And if I may encourage you, please feel free to grab whatever you like and start your own boards. Great fun and very valuable.

A Fresh Portrait Drawing in Charcoal

From last evening’s Portrait class…I managed to turn out this fairly quick charcoal drawing of Noil, a very good model we’ve had the pleasure of working with.

Vine charcoal is about the simplest drawing media one could dream up, but really deserves a great deal of respect for it’s amazing qualities.  It has a value range from a whisper to a roar,  yet can be made to disappear with the sweep of a rag.

buscaglia

                      Noil B. Vine charcoal on Canson MeiTeintes,  about 11 x 14″

Pastel Portrait…a moment revisited

autumn pastel Autumn, pastel on paper , 18 x 24″

I received word that this painting, which has been in my flat files for perhaps six years now, is going to be purchased. Pulling it out and re-viewing it brought back a lot of memories.

A Moment Revisited

The subject, A. T., was in college in NYC as an art major but here in Hawai’i on a visit home.  Now, she’s happily married and with two children, something that certainly wasn’t on her immediate horizon then.  I was doing mostly the ocean pieces that many viewers are used to seeing, and wanted to exercise (or revive) the portrait side of myself.  So I engaged her for a few drawings and paintings during afternoons. I thought it was a good fit. We talked about life a lot while she was posing.  I was a Sunday School teacher at the time, and  my thoughts tended toward the philosophical and spiritual, which is still true I suppose.  Posing is tedious work and she did very well. Things change, people change, and life passes quickly.   I should do more of these. They don’t stop any of the change, certainly, but they contain it somehow and there’s a solid satisfaction in providing that for other people’s lives. Autumn cropped