More on Monet's Tree

Here's the tree from yesterday, colored to a point. I've darkened the darkest darks. I am really happy with the grisaille. I definitely will do that again.

I think I may stop here on this one, it is only an exercise. My drawing wasn't really strong enough to warrant further work on this. But, as for trying the grisaille, it was a success. As for learning how Monet did trees (at least in the early years), it was a partial success.

I learned:
* Monet is more subtle and thoughtful than I initially gave him credit for.
* He was, even at this early stage, entranced by light and it's effects.
* I still don't know how to execute a successful tree!

Off to a busy day, have a good weekend everyone!

Grab Your Shovel: My Front Garden

So I had to try the front garden again. Yesterday I showed you the CP version. Today I show you the acrylic version. Again, I worked from a black and white image.

This certainly isn't a land-breaking piece. But, I do think it shows improvement. I think the improvement comes from focusing on values, rather than colors. I'm encouraged by this. Thoughts, ideas, what to do next all seemed to flow when I wasn't worrying about getting the colors "right". I was just trying to build up and nuance the values.

Acrylics might end up being fun after all!

Web-Wise Wednesday 8/22/2007

Blogging Link of the Week: Good Blog Writing Style
This article is good for a quick scan - to see if you are aiming for the right things in blogging. Of course, each blog is a personal thing and is written in the author's own way, but there is something to be said for understanding your audience.

Art Link of the Week: Wendy Prior on Values
I've been struggling with seeing the values of a color for a while now. Everyone writes that it is obvious, but for lesser minds like mine, well, it just isn't. Wendy has written a great post about teaching yourself to see the value of a color. I've been really excited to try her method out since I first read the post.

Above you see part of my front garden, which I did using Wendy's method. You can see that Wendy helped me to get a good mix of correct and interesting colors. The actual application of the CPs leaves quite a bit to be desired, but getting the colors right is a step in the right direction. Now if I can just stop coloring my drawing and actually draw with color, then we'd be on the right track!

I'm really excited about trying to work this way...I've been focusing on colors for awhile, with little improvement. But, I think if I change my focus to values, I'll be able to to put more form into the things I'm drawing. There is a danger that I will go all wonky with the colors, but sometimes we just have to throw caution to the wind. :-)

As this is my front garden, it's part of the "Gardens in Art" series. Sadly, I'm not getting much research done this month, but today is my first day of working with my son at home, so time on the computer is taking a back seat.

Grab Your Shovel: The Morey Mansion

Sketch for 'Gardens in Art' series
approx 4inx6in in moleskine
The Morey Mansion, Redlands, CA

Doing the Huntington last week made me think of my own roots in California. I grew up in a small, picturesque town called Redlands. Redlands is filled with beautiful buildings, the Morey Mansion is one of the nicest. I grew up down the orange-grove-lined street from the Morey. We were friendly with the owners when it was a private residence - so I've been to a barbeque there. (However, I hasten to add, it was painted white and in need of some repairs then.) Now, it is a gorgeous B&B, I hope the owners can make it work.

Anyway, I am tempted to refine this a bit more and make it my project for the Gardens In Art series. As it's midway through the month, I ought to have a little review.

Here's what I'm learning:

• Gardens rather scare me as a subject. Macro flowers seem easier somehow, less to capture - I suppose. Although, it didn't feel easy when we were doing flowers!
  
• A few garden elements with a bit of fancy architecture in the background rather excites me a subject. (It also reminds me that I must get my nose in that perspective book I bought recently!)
  
• The excitement mentioned above derives from me loosening up and just going for a Sargent sketchiness. To be relieved of achieving a likeness or fear of doing something grotesque to the human figure is very freeing.
• I'm not doing as much art history research this month - direct consequence of things heating up around the home. More on that tomorrow.
  

Grab Your Shovel: Huntington Conservatory

For the continuing gardens in art series, here's a sketch from the Huntington Conservatory. The Huntington is an amazing place: it's a library, an art museum, and it has beautiful gardens. If you are ever in Southern CA, you ought to check it out. Just a warning, there's more to see in each of the areas than you can really see in a day - but it is good fun.

The sketch above is taken from the website, which sadly doesn't have a great set of photos its fourteen different gardens - although there are some nice macro flower photos in each of it's garden sites. It is also worth a poke around the art collection, lots to see there. The library section has photos of its treasured pieces.

Grab Your Shovel: Cezanne (Gardens #2)

Last night I was looking around for something to sketch just to wind down. I found Cezanne's "View Through the Trees, L'Estaque" in one of my Cezanne books. Here is an oil reproduction of Cezanne's work (sorry, couldn't find a picture of his painting online.)

I don't suppose this is traditionally in the garden category, more of the landscape category. However, I can imagine this being the view from a garden on the coastline on California. Not that I've ever been in one of those multi-million dollar mansions to know, but I suspect it's close. The colors Cezanne uses here are tremendous. He's got oranges, blues, purples, and greens. Even though the oranges are just below center (the buildings), the effect of the picture is cool. I almost hear the cool wind blowing through the trees. I think there are two reasons for that. One, the darkest darks are up in the overhanging green trees, they have a weighty presence - almost as if whatever is seen through them is inconsequential, he was focussed on painting the trees. Two, he uses a consistent angle for his brush strokes in the trees and they are choppy strokes, giving the effect that the leaves are rustling.

Grab Your Shovel!

It's a new month and we've got a new topic! The Fineline Artists are still on their summer break, but the "masters series" goes on. Katherine Tyrrell has chosen to do a series entitled Gardens in Art. Normally, I just focus on one person for this series, but Katherine is such a researcher and so generous with her information, that I'd really like to have more time to spend on her posts! So, I'm jumping in and will look at gardens done by masters.

I started with a Sargent garden, Palace and Gardens, Spain,1912. I fell in love with his work in January, and well, it just seemed a good place to start as I expect a steep learning curve this month. I really like this watercolor of his. To me, it really portrays my experience in places like that (although I've never been to Spain.) I am usually so overwhelmed with formal gardens and ornate architecture, that it all becomes a blur to me - I can see tiny pieces of detail, but I have a hard time getting a full image in my mind.

Having to translate from watercolor to pen and ink, I had a good chance to spend time focusing on values, where he placed the darks and lights, and opportunity to try and convey different textures. He handled this garden and building in a similar manner to other works of his.