Values in Plein Air Painting
January 27, 2010
The Warrior by Robert J. Simone
This is a pencil sketch of a tug I’d like to paint. Although her scars are not evident in the sketch she is aptly named The Warrior and is docked at Bayboro Harbor in St. Petersburg, Fl. I post it because I received a question about values in the comments section of the previous post. Values, of course, refers to how light or dark masses are relative to a gray scale. Specifically the question was, “How does Scott Christensen determine values when he paints outside?”. Because I wrote a blog about my experiences studying with Scott in Idaho (the article appears on his workshop site) I have become somewhat of an unofficial spokesperson for him; periodically answering questions emailed to me about is process. If I screw this up hopefully Scott will chime in to clarify.
Like most, if not all, artists who work from life Scott judges values by observation. The proper way for an artist to judge values is by squinting at his/her subject. Squinting reduces detail and subtle variation. This helps us “see” an average value for each large masses. The general value of any one major mass exists relative to the other major masses. It is our job to determine how they relate. For instance, in the sketch, I had to determine if the reflection of the hull near the bow (that’s the pointy end) was lighter or darker than the hull itself. I also had to determine by how much. I estimated it to be lighter by about a half step and was aided by noting that not only was the reflection lighter than the hull it was darker than the cabin. This recognition gave me a slot to fit it into. Remember the old greater than or less than equations from elementary school (A<B<C)? That’s how it works.
Practically speaking one of the best ways to accomplish this on your canvas is by placing the darkest dark first, then the second darkest and so on, working towards the lightest. This is the way I saw Scott approach things time and again. The artist can also start by putting the darkest dark and lightest light first. This way he/she begins with both extremes between which all other values must fit. According to convention the landscape has four basic value planes. John F. Carlson wrote about this in his Guide to Landscape Painting. Here is my blog on that topic.
The artist who has gained confidence and facility painting value masses can change the “key” of his/her painting. Changing “key” is when the artist arbitrarily decides to paint all of the value masses a step or more lighter (or darker) than he or she observes them to be . The darkest dark is painted lighter than it is seen and so is the second darkest and so on. For example: If I adjust the grayscale in my sketch to make the hull of the tug lighter I will also make it’s reflection lighter. When I make the reflection lighter I will also make the cabin lighter. The drawing still holds together but has a lighter overall “key” and a different feel.
High Key Sketch
Center of Interest in Landscape Paintings
January 20, 2010
Old Florida Marina - Wekiva River by Robert J. Simone - 10 x 12
Especially true for landscape artists is the idea that one must have the ability to centralize interest. By creating a center of interest the artist brings his viewers’ attention to bear on a particular area or point of union within the picture. That center of interest should have the power to engage a viewer’s attention for a time, release it temporarily, then draw it back for a second look. This means that an artist who wants to create paintings of artistic value will need to do more than copy what is in front of him. The process will involve observation, thought and decision making. There are no definite rules to give for centralizing interest in a landscape painting, only a few common sense suggestions.
Before offering up some of those suggestions I’d like to spend a few words on why I write this blog. It’s not to set myself up as an authority on representational oil painting. I write because I am not. Creating pictures requires thorough understanding of the problems painters face. Understanding what and why is prerequisite to how. Study, observation and practice are essential. The blog requires that I find ways to articulate concepts in my own words. Understanding grows as focus is trained on the sound principles articulated by captains of the past. My intent is that while making the effort to transmit such principles to others I will foster their evidence in my own work. Motivation is fueled by equal passions for painting and writing. Thank you for checking in when you do.
Here are a those suggestions for creating a center of interest:
- keep your most interesting shapes near the center of your design.
- keep your greatest value contrast near the center of your design.
- keep your most vital and saturated color harmonies near the center of your design.
- keep your sharpest edges near the center of your design.
Please not that by “center of your design” I do not mean the literal center of your canvas. I mean the central idea of your picture which should be somewhere away from the edges of the canvas but not in the exact middle.
Astute readers of past blogs will also note that the four suggestions just happen to involve shapes, values, colors and edges. Those are the raw materials with which we build our pictures. They come up often. You’ll find other posts mentioning them here and here and probably elsewhere.
In the next few posts we will break down those four suggestions using the above painting as a visual aid.
Those interested in April’s Italy workshop will be happy to know we are offering a $100 US discount for those who register by January 30, 2010. This applies to both painting participants and their non participating guests. Which reminds me there are activities for your guests which could include cooking classes, tours, etc. Sign up now. This is a good deal.
Composition in Fine Painting
January 13, 2010
Composition, in fine painting, is the coordination of shapes, values, colors and edges into a harmonious whole. The point of composition is to pull the viewer in and lead him/her to the central idea of the picture. According to John F. Carlson, ” The central idea is surrounded by auxiliaries which always assist the eye in returning to it refreshed.” He called this the main line.
So the function of composition is to lead the eye through a progression of parts arranged according to their importance with respect to the whole. Subject matter is a secondary issue and not at all what the painting is about. In this regard the subject is similar to a theatrical prop or stage. It is the scenery over which the drama of composition plays out. To compose well, the artist must posses two fundamental skills:
- An awareness of where the eye travels when looking at paintings including his/her own.
- The ability to centralize interest.
The first of these two skills is the gateway to learning composition and perhaps painting itself. Think about it. If we become aware of how our eye travels through a painting we can then deduce why. Once we figure out why we can then learn to manipulate the process. It is a breakthrough in art appreciation when one first realizes that accomplished artists lead viewers intentionally. This is what elevates painting from mere picture making to fine art.
As I have said, this skill is mostly an awareness. It is a matter of paying attention to where our eye travels while looking at paintings. We must look at paintings to develop an acute sensitivity to the experience. As we absorb and digest the experience it will become a strength which serves our own creativity. It will help those of us who are painters detect weaknesses in our own work. It will help those of us who teach detect problems in student work. It will help those of us who collect choose wisely.
Consider the following field study:
Mangrove Study - Robert J. Simone
How does your eye travel through painting? The diagram below illustrates how I designed it to flow. For the most part it works. My eye enters through the grass on the bottom left assisted by the tire tracks on the right. It follows the shadow up the side of the bush on the right and is thrown over to the left by that dominant branch. Then it enters a counterclockwise loop returning on each revolution back to the large bush eventually picking up the distant purple land mass.
There are no specific or definite rules to give the beginner but next week we will look at some suggestions as we discuss the second skill on our list:
- The ability to centralize interest.
Understanding Composition!
January 3, 2010
Christmas lights and Holiday decorations are being repealed in neighborhoods everywhere, while news anchors and ESPN analysts wax nostalgic about the end of a decade which really doesn’t end until December 31, 2010. Bellies plump from holiday indulgences seem ripe for the resolutions of a New Year. The obvious thing for an art blogger to do would be to write about setting goals with fresh resolve. But I am not going to do that. I’m going to hit the ground running with a post designed to help artists and collectors understand more about the making of great art.
painting by James McNeil Whistler
Here’s a famous painting by James McNeil Whistler. No doubt you’ve seen it before. Quick question, what’s it called? If you said Whistler’s Mother you would NOT be correct. Whistler called it Arrangement in Grey and Black. Here’s my point. Great, even good, art is not about the subject matter. It’s about the orchestration of shapes, values, colors and edges into a harmonious whole. The appeal of great art transcends the obvious. It is the communication of abstract visual relationships, also known as composition. Whistler himself said, “As music is the poetry of sound so is painting the poetry of sight. Subject matter has nothing to do with harmony of sound or color.”
This painting depicts Whistler’s mother but according to the artist himself, she is not what it’s about. Painter Ian Roberts in his instructional video Mastering Composition, quotes French poet Paul Valery who said, “To see is to forget the name of the thing one sees.” It is not Whistler’s mother we respond to in this painting as much as it is an abstract irregular shape (her dress) superimposed over a geometric “L” (formed by the curtain and floor along with the wall). On a primal level we are moved by the stark contrast of dark (the dress) and light (the head and picture on the wall) floating in a sea of grey. We feel that this provincial woman bears the burdens of a puritan lifetime. It is a beautiful painting which does what all beautiful things do. It silences us. It holds us with whispers resonating deep within.
Whether we are artists, collectors or critics our judgment should be formed by the knowledge that good art is not subject driven. It is composition driven. Here is another painting which further illustrates this point.
Grecian Flower Market by John William Waterhouse
The subject of this painting by John William Waterhouse is a flower market in Greece; but clearly it is not the selling of flowers to which we respond. Rather, it is the stark contrast of light and shadow. Super-imposed on the subject is an abstract “C” formed by the awning and the shadow it casts. The figures, all within the shadow, are silhouetted by the bright background. It would be tough to argue that this painting is subject driven. Furthermore, it was surely “composed” rather than “found”. I doubt that Waterhouse was out wandering the streets looking for something to paint when he came upon this scene just as it is. The concept of “composing” a painting was easier for artists and patrons of that day to understand. We live in the time of camera phones. The convenience of photography, exacerbated by the digital age, has fostered a snapshot mentality which must be overcome if we are to fully appreciate the art of composition. Learning about abstract design armatures, such as the “C”, is vital to understanding how great, even good, paintings are created. We will study more of these “conventions” next week and begin to look at how artists can make practical use of them.
TIME FOR A COMMERCIAL! There is space available in my workshops at Indian Rocks Beach, Fl (March 19-21, 2010), Boca Grande, Fl (March 29-31, 2010) and Cortona, Italy (April 10-17, 2010). For more info click on the location. Also there is room for a couple more in my Monday afternoon oil class at Suntan on St. Pete Beach. Email me at robertjsimone@gmail.com
