Make Up Dates/Times

Hi Everyone!  Happy Friday!

What a great week - lots of wonderful learning and painting by new and experienced students, alike!    Mini lessons on color, value, temperature an edges are beginning to "sink in and pay off" so well!  I'm excited to see the gains everyone is making.  

A few folks were absent this week -  or will be due to celebrating Thanksgiving and Hanukkah -  and I wanted to assure you we'll try to find a way to work out a make up class convenient to you.  After all.......

MAKE UP  CLASS OPTIONS

Wednesday Evening Students: 
You are more than welcome to arrive each Wednesday, throughout the rest of Term 2, at 5:30 instead of 6:00. This arrangement will provide an extra hour and a half of make-up time for those who missed a class.  

Each week, at 5:30, I will have a set up prepared (presently, the sunflower still life) and provide assorted demos  (such as painting folds in fabric, completing a background, etc.).  If starting class at 5:30 is not possible for you, and you have missed a class, you may prefer to do a make up on a Friday morning during Term 2, from 9-12:00.

Friday AM and PM students:
You are more than welcome to stay late/come early for an extra half hour of class - from 12:00 - 12:30, on each of the remaining classes in Term 2. This arrangement will provide an extra hour and a half of make-up time for those who missed a class. 

During that half hour lunch break, I will have a set up prepared (presently, the sunflower still life) and provide assorted demos (such as painting folds in fabric, completing a background, etc.).  All I ask is AM people clean up by noon - and PM people wait to set up till 12:30 - if you are watching the demos.

Please check out the next blog entry for a wonderful new tool that makes creating color charts a SNAP!  (Hint: No taping off of little squares necessary!  Really!)

I'm up loading that entry in just a few minutes!

Take care,
Diane

Alla Prima and Alla Prima II

As a painting instructor, I'm often asked by my students about the artists I follow, those who I truly admire, and which I've trained with in the past. 

Therefore, this blog entry will address some of my favorite contemporary artists, specifically:

Daniel Gerhartz (brushwork and use of color and light)
Rose Frantzen (incredible accuracy and depth of feeling)
Casey Baugh (remarkable draftsmanship and value control)
Susan Lyon (delicacy of portraits and color - and portrait drawings)
Scott Burdick (bold, thick brushwork and rich color)
Daniel Keys (use of direct light and simplified direct painting of complex subjects),

 These artists share a common thread.

Each one of these artists was significantly influenced and/or mentored by Richard Schmid, a phenomenal artist in his own right, and a dedicated teacher to many.  He used to paint at the Palette and Chisel in Chicago, where many students benefited simply by watching him paint.  Richard Schmid is responsible for influencing, to one degree or another, the development of all six of these renowned contemporary artists! (Ironically, I was drawn to each of these artists long before I realized Schmid was their common mentor!)

 

When I studied with Rose Frantzen, Daniel Gerhartz and Susan Lyon - I realized they each consistently quoted what Schmid has taught them, passing on his lessons to us!   Likewise, Scott Burdick, Casey Baugh and Daniel Keys reference (via their DVD lessons) what they learned from Richard Schimd.  

 

Indeed, Schmid's uncanny ability to capture the scene or subject before him will floor you.  He's a master artist with skills to emulate as you develop your own style, whether you focus on portrait, figure, still life or outdoor scenes.  He is a masterful painter and generous teacher!  He and his wife, Nancy Guzik (a very gifted artist in her own right) regularly host the Putney Painters at their home in Vermont.

 

Here is a well deserved description of Richard Schmid:

 

"Throughout his distinguished career as a painter and author, Richard Schimd has been a candid spokesman for what is known as the Grand Manner, a certain mingling of virtuosity and unrestrained joy in Art.  Since 1958 he has had more than fifty one-man shows and received every major art award in the United States."

  West Wind Fine Art, American Art Review, February 1999

 

Schmid's books and DVDS are valuable in content as well as for their illustrations of his works.  His most recent books are mainstay sof most art schools that offer studies in realism or representational art:

 

Alla Prima - Everything I Know About Painting

Alla Prima II - Everything I Know About Painting and More (Expanded Edition) 
 

Here is the link to his website:  http://www.richardschmid.com/Books.idc

Hope you enjoy viewing his work and encourage you to read his book!

 

 

 

(*NOTE: I'll take a look at two great books

by Daniel Gerhartz and Rose Frantzen

in a future blog entry.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Color is White?

White light is actually all the various colors of light united together as one - every single color of the rainbow combined gives us the miracle and beauty of light!  Remember, as a kid, looking through a prism?  Remember how the prism would separate white light into a "rainbow"?  Gorgeous, right?  Well, that multitude of color found in white light is what I try to capture in  the white objects I paint.

 

Take a close look at this photo of the small white pitcher, to the right.  Notice the myriad colors included in the white of the pitcher? See violets, golds, blues, greens, and even fuchsia? In shadow areas those colors were layered, producing "colorful grays," as well!  Notice on the bottom of the pitcher the rich golden reflection of the tabletop? (*You can click on the photo to enlarge it.)

 

Where on the pitcher can you find "true white"?  Surprisingly, nowhere! Even the "lightest light" is not true white; though it's a bit warmer than the white paint from the tube, it's been warmed up with a bit of yellow.

 

In fact, the other areas of the pitcher are significantly darker and more colorful than the "lightest light" on the pitcher, yet the eye sees them as "white" because those darker areas are within the value range that our brain registers as "the value of a shadow on a white object."

 

Also, notice how the richest color occurs where the shadow meets the light - there, we see gorgeous lavenders and pinks.  (Note:  See the reflection on the right of the pitcher?  It was light reflected by the lemon laying on the table, next to the pitcher, but not yet painted.)

 

Now look , below, at the pitcher with the blue design added to its surface.  Doesn't the reflection on the right of the pitcher make even more sense, once you see the placement of the lemons?  (***You can click on any of these images to view them larger.)

Scroll down further, if you'd like to see the finished painting.

 

Here is the completed painting, The Fragrance of Summer, showing additional objects that are also "white"! (Note: The black borders on the right and left of the image are not part of the painting - they were recently used to create a "square format" for publication purposes.)

 

 

The Fragrance of Summer by Diane Reeves

 

 

Hope this little Mini Lesson helps the next time you paint a white object!!

See you soon!!

 

 

 

A Few Exciting Announcements

Just wanted to share a few announcements regarding art-related events that have occurred in 2013.  I'm so grateful and excited about the following wonderful blessings!  (Please Note: You can click on any image to see it larger.)

1. I'm delighted to announce my painting, Study for In Her Arms, was selected for the Scottsdale Artists' School's BEST & BRIGHTEST Annual Competition and Exhibition, in Scottsdale Arizona. 
The show runs from January 10, 2014 through March 31, 2014.



Study for In Her Arms by Diane Reeves 16 x 20

2. Beautiful Harmony was selected for the NOAPS (National Oil & Acrylic Painters Open Online Exhibition.  You can view it at this link and then view the other works selected by NOAPS.
http://www.noaps.org/ON-LINE2013/109.gif

 

 

 Beautiful Harmony by Diane Reeves 24 x 36       

3. Six artists belonging to The Artists' Guild, affiliated with the Boca Raton Museum of Art, were selected for a feature article in the Palm Beach County Edition of Travel Host and Clubhouse Living Magazine, a publication subscribed to by hotels and resorts around the world.  Five of my paintings were featured on  page 35, in the Spring 2013 issue.


4. Last but not least, Tea and Roses, was among those works featured in Southwest Art Magazine Special Section, "ART OF THE SOUTHEAST" - and my work is featured on page 102. 
I also had an ad on page 106 that featured two other paintings, Gathering Peaches and Exquisite.

Tea and Roses by Diane Reeves  36 x 24

Gathering Peaches by Diane Reeves 10 x 20

Exquisite by Diane Reeves  16 x 20

 

 

That's the latest news!  See you soon!

 

Three Ideas for Adding Interest to Still Life Paintings - Beautiful Harmony

Beautiful Harmony (36 x 24)

Three Ideas for Adding Interest to Still Life Paintings

1. Consider including assorted textures to add interest.  In this still life, I included an old wooden cabinet, a shiny wood tabletop, a silk scarf, an ivory statue, a woven basket with a metal base, a velvet throw, a smooth porcelain bowl and delicate flowers. 

2. The play of light across the scene adds drama and interest, as well.  I chose to place the brightest light on the rose, with warm, ambient light hitting the ivory statue. The shadows in the cabinet and on the basket add balance for the lights in the painting.

3. You can try to keep objects "moving" with your composition.  Here the branch of leaves crosses the plane of the cabinet door, leading the eye to the statue - which "looks" at the rose, which causes us to notice the blue flowers, which lead us to the tiger lilies, which lead us to the branch and back around again. The corner of the cabinet and the tiger lily resting on the table both prevent us from going off the left side of the painting, as does the shadow on the far right.

Drawing Magazine - Bonus Issue Offer

Quick note:
For those students (or anyone else) interested in honing their drawing skills, I just learned of a great offer from Drawing Magazine. Basically, if you pay for a year's subscription (four issues) now, you will receive five issues for the same price.

The newsstand price is steep, running $8 or $9/issue, but the subscription rate is only $6/issue, and with this offer, you save even more - by receiving an bonus issue.  (*This offer only applies if you pay with a credit card - it is not offered if you are paying by mail.)

I have found this to be an informative magazine - with many basic/advanced methods clearly taught, and with many inspiring articles and artwork in each issue.

Here is a cut/paste of the link:
https://w1.buysub.com/pubs/S7/DRW/NewSub_2395_ALL.jsp?cds_page_id=133756&cds_mag_code=DRW&id=1383604722853&lsid=33081636417032750&vid=2&cds_response_key=V3HUBQ&rid=236524047&et_mid=643082

Step-by-Step: Painting a Teacup in Strong Overhead Light

*CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO VIEW THE FULL SERIES OF STEPS MUCH LARGER! 

 

First Pass:

Begin the Initial Lay in for the Teacup

 

The image above, as well as the photos that follow, will show a progression of steps that were followed as I painted a teacup - one of the many objects found in my larger painting called "Illuminated."  I hope these photos and captions help clarify my approach to painting an object like this in a still life. 

 

 

 

 

Second Pass:

Add "Lightest Light" on the Teacup and the Value and Temperature of the Shadow. Notice how the values in the shadow are unified in value, but vary greatly in temperature.

(*NOTE: The camera had difficulty balancing the strong white, 

so glare showed on the brass in the photos.) 

 

 

Third Pass:

Form Scalloped Rim, Add Gold Trim & Lots of Color in the Whites,

Add Base of Teacup  (The teacup is becoming "firmer" in form and more distinct from its surroundings.)

 

 

Fourth Pass:

Add Handle and Reflection on Right Side, Add Floral Designs, Finish Gold Highlight  (I begin to check for symmetry and realize the bottom left of the cup is   too narrow at this point.)

 

 

Fifth Pass:

Emphasize Glow Inside, Add Reflections Near Scalloped Edges,

Straighten and Broaden Left Edge of Cup to Create Symmetry at Base

 

 

This is the full "Before" Picture.

(*Colors are a bit off - see below for fuller, rich color.)

 

 

 *PLEASE CLICK ON THIS PHOTO TO VIEW IT MUCH LARGER

 

Last Pass:

Add Rich Wood Tabletop with Reflections of Shine, Darken Bowl, 

Finish Candlelight Glow and the Crystal Candlestick

 

Hope this series of photos/captions was helpful!  See you in class!