So you wanna be a pro? - Page 4

Cynthia Daniel · 03-19-2002, 08:50 AM

As most of you know, I'm not a painter. However, when I managed a portrait painter, there were many times when I had to make an aesthetic decisions. It might have been the color balance between different photos of a finished painting. Or, it could have been the choice between two or more photos for the basic reference material for a painting.

I found I often could make decisions to a point, but when I got down to the last two or three choices, it became more difficult. So, I used the following technique. I would prop the photos up somewhere in my work area and then decide to forget they were there and just go about my business. At some point, usually during that day, the view of the photos would catch me by surprise and I would get a spontaneous attraction to one or the other that would break the tie. It was the "being caught off guard" aspect and the immediate spontaneous impression that worked for me. In my case, if I had turned them over and not looked and then consciously turned them over and looked, I would have been using the same evaluation mechanism as before. Sometimes that would work, but when all else failed, the being caught by surprise technique always saved the day.

I do the same thing when choosing paint colors for my walls...I'll paint a few patches of different colors and then let myself be caught off guard by the colors over a period of days.

Though I realize evaluating a painting isn't a matter of viewing and choosing between two things side by side, but perhaps there's something worthwhile here for painters. What do you think?

Mary Sparrow · 03-19-2002, 08:59 AM

When painting from a photo and I just can't "see" what the problem is anymore, is to take a picture of the painting. I scan the original photo with the picture of the painting and make them the same size and place them side by side and print them out. It is amazing to me how suddenly, it is very clear what is off.

Nathaniel Miller · 03-19-2002, 10:50 AM

Wow, thanks a lot for posting that Steven. It's plenty to get started. I can see how it's supposed to work, and how you've got to be really careful and accurate with the measurments. I'll maybe have time to try it out later in the week.

Nathan

Karin Wells · 03-19-2002, 11:47 AM

Cynthia, I think that your idea is valid and does indeed apply to painting.

Mike McCarty · 03-19-2002, 12:03 PM

Quote:

When painting from a photo and I just can't "see" what the problem is anymore, is to take a picture of the painting

Mary, I do this a lot. I will usually take a photo of the painting when it is maybe 90% done. For some reason I will be able to see problems in a 4x6 photo that never seemed evident on the canvas.

Jesse C. Draper · 03-19-2002, 12:11 PM

Steven,

Thank you so much for your post. Yesterday I was trying to teach this principle to some of my students, but I don't think I was getting through to them. I feel it is one of the more difficult concepts to teach. Your last post gave me some very good ideas on how to explain the Sight Size method to them. I've heard of marking a model's position with tape, but never the artist. What a good little trick. Thank you so much for all your good advice.

Joan Breckwoldt · 03-22-2002, 10:39 PM

Karin,

Hi, earlier in this thread you mentioned purchasing posters of old masters to copy. That is just what I need! I thought the website was images.google.com but those aren't posters for sale. I remember your posting the address a few months ago (?) because I spent some time on that site looking at the posters. But I can't seem to find the site. Would you mind posting a site that sells posters?

Thank you,
Joan

Karin Wells · 03-22-2002, 11:12 PM

For starters, this is worth repeating....the most comprehensive image search tool on the web is: http://images.google.com

But for ordering prints of artworks, I suggest that you check out the following:

AllPosters.com

Printmaster Inc.

Barewalls.com

AllAboutArt.com

Art.com

PosterGallery.com

ArtPrintCollection.com

Web Gallery of Art

Art Renewal Center

Meanwhile, many Museums carry posters of the masterworks in their collections...so be sure to check out museum shops too.

Joan Breckwoldt · 03-22-2002, 11:57 PM

Karin,

That should keep me busy! I live in Houston and a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is a great idea.

Many thanks for your help, as always.

Joan

Karin Wells · 03-23-2002, 08:09 AM

Here's another thing I do when I want to copy a picture that I have seen in one of my books...I remove the page with a razor blade. (I don't tell many people THAT because it is a "no no" for a lot of bibliophiles.)

It is nearly impossible to work with a book next to your easel...and yes, you've messed up the book, but the lesson you'll learn by copying can be well worth it!

I check out used bookstores looking for books with good prints in them....and alas, accurate reproduction in printing is very hard to come by...

This is a wonderful resource for bargain Art Books - Edward Hamiton (and the shipping is inexpensive): http://www.edwardrhamilton.com/

Hamilton has a book listed right now "Van Dyck Drawings" with 370 illustrations (107 in color) for $54.95 (reg. price $95). It sounds like a pretty cheap bunch of "drawing lessons" to me....