Charcoal Demonstration

Video Copper Pot Study

This study is for the studio painting, Copper Pot.
I like to work out the preliminary drawing in line and value before the commitment to the painting. Searching out the composition and subtle relationships between forms, for me is the real key to any successful work. Even if that sketch is not a full finished image just simply a contour drawing, it is the ground work on which I like to work. In this image, the copper, shell and gourd tones and palette are so delicate that I decide to work out a full charcoal value study for this painting.
Charcoal is a wonderful medium, very painterly in its feel. It can produce very fine lines as well as tone, it produces a wide range of values very quickly, achieves very dark blacks, corrects easily when understood, can be very loose and spontaneous to detailed and controlled.

My drawing process is a very traditional approach, with small variations that are convenient to me. The materials I used are very basic and for the majority of the drawing they are, a sandpaper sharpening board, (used to shape the vine charcoal to a fine point), soft vine charcoal, blending stumps and tortillions, kneaded eraser, tissue or a small chamois cloth. Also, charcoal pencils 4B and 6B mainly for the block out and contour and Strathmore 300 series charcoal paper.

Plotting the drawing and blocking out.

To scale the drawing you need a measuring device, something you can move your thumb up and down and make visual measurements from quickly, for comparison. You can use a piece of charcoal or a brush handle works. I like chop sticks as they have a uniform thickness up to the point. In the rest of this demonstration I will be referring to this device as your “scale”.

After setting up the still life and establishing a viewing point (the spot you will use to make all your observation from), establish a vertical axis through the composition. Use a plump line or scale edge held at arms length. I placed mine at the edge of the bell shape of the teapot lid as reference. Along that line, plot the high points and low points of objects. Moving the thumb up and down its length to get the distance I want and make a tick mark with charcoal on the paper. Next establish some basic widths with the scale at arms length and mark the distance between points. Compare measure and develop a set of points you can use as constant reference, establishing one measurement that you compare the next measurement to and so on, growing a set of ratios. As you develop the drawing you will check your dimensions often. After plotting all your reference points block out the basic shapes with simple straight lines. Keeping it as uncomplicated as possible, keeping them simple makes it easier to rearrange them until you have their placement correct.

The Contour

With the image plotted and block out you have already established a rough contour of the composition. Refine the drawing by looking for the variations in and character of each line. Working each contour from simple to complex and rechecking their positions with your plotted points and landmarks. Continue refining and measuring against your scale. Continue checking vertical relationships, horizontal relationships, direction and angles using the ratios you have already establish. At this stage I have a very accurate line drawing based on relationships, actually drawing what I see, not what I think I see. For some this may seem some what mechanical, but as you work through a drawing this way it does become more conceptual and automatic.

I would say it took me more time to explain these steps in text than to actually do them.

Massing in – light and shade

 To begin building values or modeling stage I tone the entire paper with charcoal. One can either use the side of a piece of soft charcoal or powder charcoal and level out the value with a chamois or tissue. Avoid using your fingertips, they can transfer oil to the paper and as you layer the charcoal cause areas that will not take more charcoal. Use a stump if you feel you need the control. As far as charcoal powder you can purchase it, however you will sharpen the charcoal sticks and pencils with the sanding board and create powder. I do my sharpening over a small tray made out of card stock and tape; dump the unused portion into a small jar and save it for the next piece.

In toning the paper I want a single value, about mid way on the value scale.
Every shape will be questioned by my scale (chopstick measurement) and its position related to the value scale. Ten being the lightest and zero the darkest.

Next I state the light pattern by lifting out with a kneaded eraser and suggest the shadow pattern with more charcoal. At this stage all of the drawing is covered with some value on which I can start analyzing values and comparing masses.

Develop the drawing thinking shape and value not line. Blend and soften the gradations of value. The kneaded eraser is great for this, roll it to a point and stipple and lift. Add more charcoal and blend with a stump. At this point all the passages become a add and subtract, back and forth approach of making minor adjustments.
Next model the halftones, those values related to the light family (those values where a form is in line with the source of light).
In a broad way you have already stated or massed these in but need to refine them.

We must take a long look at these values for they are often the most descriptive and most subtle. How fast or slow (long or short) they progress will depend on the object. Again return to our scale and judge these. I made a handful of passages over the drawing at this point working over the surface and adjusting the halftones in small veils of charcoal.

Next I made any contrast adjustments by looking at the dark family (those values where a form is not in line with the source of light). Again in a broad way you have already massed these in but just need to tweak them a bit. You might realize that at this phase almost all the information one needs to produce an image is in the simple analysis of form, objectively looking at masses and relating them to one another and that very little detail is really required to create form and dimension.

The final stage of the drawing is looking at the subtleties of our contour, those areas that are lost and found edges (hard or soft) being certain that they help describe the form. I look at the highlights which is the white of the paper and adjust it. I look at all the reflective lights and when I think they help describe the form I call the study complete.

You could certainly push this work further, continue refining and adjusting. But as far as a study for a work on canvas, I have a great resource and a better understanding to go foreword with. This process is a lot easier to complete than read about; I hope I’ve been able to describe it well enough. I produced a video of the process that for some maybe more instructive. Sorry about the poor audio quality on the video, visit The Avett Brothers site and click listen now to hear the great music by these artists.

Hope this has been of some interest, anyway, on to the painting.

Explore - Question - Learn - Enjoy, Jim

Red and Green Pear

Red and Green Pear / Bartlett pear

8x10

Oil on panel

Pears tend to be a theme repeated by me and, well many artists. Not sure what actually attracts artists to them; maybe it’s the organic shapes or variety of colors.

I have done several paintings of pears and have never been completely happy with any of them. Of the efforts, I am most pleased with this one. But I think it’s the background that really makes this painting, it gives a good sense of depth against the slight blush of the pear.

Thanks for looking.

Explore - Question - Learn - Enjoy,  Jim

Red Apple

Big Red

8x10

Oil on panel

A small study focusing on the contrast of color complements. We describe form by the lightness or darkness of an object. When painting we use a colors complement to shade or shadow the form, to give it dimension. The complement green in this case must be seen in the red apple shadow and vise versa for the cloth. The lightest tones on an object are the highlights and even they have a slight influence of the objects complement color. Pumping a little green into the highlight gives it a real spark.

Using items that are opposite in color actually helps to see this feature of light. If a colors complement is not used in conjunction with it, the color looks flat or unnatural.


Explore - Question - Learn - Enjoy, Jim

Teapot and Tea Ball

Teapot and tea ball

Oil on canvas

9x12 

Misty Creek Video

You can find more information on this painting here.

Catwalk

Catwalk 20x30 Oil on canvas

This subject interested me because of all the obvious patterns in the wood structure and secondary patterns of the cast shadows. Also the crazy looking braces, supports, the weathered look of the wood and the large antiquated graphics. I composed the image to zoom in on those elements and hopefully give the painting a sense of scale.

As you travel the highways you can not help but notice the old wooden billboards especially in the southeastern part of the states. Most of these old wood structures have been replaced by giant single pole metal structures that loom over the interstate like some enormous metal Colossus.  Many in fact, are pretty tacky and for better or worse have become a common part of the American landscape.

 For the artist I believe that the even most ordinary things are worth examining, and there is always something unique to be seen. If one keeps that maxim, you’ll never be Bill Bored.

( ok ,..ok… I know, really bad pun. )

Enjoy Jim

CHEERS and PEACE

Charcoal on paper, 9"x12"

I just want to say,.. thank you... to all of you,.. readers, followers, friends, and family that have been patrons of this blog and made it such a great experience.

Happy Holidays !

Enjoy Jim.

Venus and Aphrodites

Graphite and red conte' on paper.

It has been some time since I posted any drawings here. I think this is a good one to add to the site for it does follow some of the classical approaches I have been working through.
It is funny how certain images repeat themselves in our work.

The images of Venus and Aphrodite have popped up several times in my work over the years.
Commonly known as the Goddess of Love, she is also referred to as the goddess of beauty and nature. Which I feel fits with an artists sensibilities. What is most interesting is how often through out human history you find her persona. Many cultures and civilizations had their version of her myth under a variety of names.

On a recent trip to the Speed Museum we ran across another small early Roman Aphrodite figurine. Which once again got me to thinking about her image and once again putting her in my work.

Enjoy Jim

Underpainting Techniques, Demonstration Three, Wood Poppy

The “wipe-out-method”, ( Bistre Method.) with the layered approach.


First Image: Click above image for larger view.

I start the image by covering the white canvas with an overall thinned mix of brown made from umbers, almost a sepia tone. I lift out areas to build lights, and add more brown for the darker tones. The lightest lights are the white of the canvas instead of white pigment. I begin simply stating the pattern of light and dark, and editing them by wiping out and adding pigment back in as I refine my underpainting. Once I have my basic structure and design stated, I can proceed with a number of methods. You can have underdrawings that range from summary sketches to highly finished compositions. I could continue refining the underpainting with more browns, or move to more opaque paints of white and grey (Grisaille) developing a full monochrome underpainting for later glazes. Or work directly on top of this with full color.
My intent is to incorporate a little of all these indirect painting methods in this image. But the majority of this image will be done in a layer method.


Second Image:

When working in the layered method, a great deal of alterations (color modification and redrawing) can be done throughout the painting, and uniquely, one can easily incorporate different effects with transparent, semi transparent (glazing and scumbling) as well as opaque paints.

I refine the background with more opaque paint, keeping the edges soft and atmospheric.
I will want to merge the bottle neck with the cast shadow on the wall, but need to state the areas around it, to give myself good references
I begin to thinly model the darkest areas of the bottle to help better judge the lighter translucent parts of the bottle. I restate the petals with flake white. I want them read as a solid surface and later to have some texture.


Third Image:

I concentrate on bringing as much finish to an area as I can, relating one area to another, working the image as a whole, looking for more accuracy in shapes and color notes.
In each layer I bring the image a little more into focus, reexamining and correcting problems as I zero in on the finish I want.
That may sound contradictory, but the goal is to accomplish as much as one can at each sitting and paint layer, yet bring the image together as a whole.
The Wood Poppy, I work-up with color and some thicker impasto strokes, the stem and leaves get a glaze of greens with some opaque highlights.

Finished Image: Wood Poppy - 8”x10” - Oil on panel.



I continue working the image with layers by bringing areas into fuller focus.
Keeping in mind lost and found edges, where do I want things to be a bit softer (blurred), and harder (sharper). The pedals get some heavy sculpted brush strokes, and the bottle receives some glazes to unify areas and soften others. I build up paint in the highlights with some impasto strokes.
I’m pretty happy with the piece at this point and I think I’ve answered most of the visual problems set before me and will probably consider it finish.
However I really like to set a work aside for several days and look at it with a fresh eye before it gets the finishing signature.

For a visual explanation of this process click the video below.




A couple of notes:

The layered method really requires the painting to dry between layers and sittings. So a fast dry medium works best, I used Maroger Painting Medium in this work. But there are many other medium choices, 1to-1to-5 of linseed, dammar and turps will work just fine. Just work thin to thick, lean to fat and when using mediums, less is more.

In all of these underpainting exercises I chose to use flowers in a small format. Keep in mind, if using perishable items such as these you will need a good drawing reference or a resource to replace the flower, lucky for me Linda’s passion for gardening is a endless resource. Also I am not attempting to produce floral for a botanist field guide, and I am just attempting color, shade and shape in the hopes of an illusion of reality with a spark of color.


Closing Thoughts, ... yes there is more … on technique, Titian and artist's today.


My original intent was to explore the technique of the Master Titian, his method of underpainting and building a painting. I have come to the realization that no single approach truly reflects this master, and that all the methods I have been exploring including this demonstration were employed and exploited to achieve his unique versatility. Titian certainly used the underpainting methods of the Flemish and Venetian schools, but also had approaches similar to that of the French Academic tradition.

He would work directly from life on the canvas, often described as attacking it with a brush. In his underpainting he would use tonal painting in warm earth tones, and use a scale of cool grays for flesh tones. Some areas such as the figure would be highly model into a grisaille, and others simply stated in umber. Painting on to it with a semi transparent paint “velatura” in a layered method, making revisions, with new layers and glazes, building textures and surface with “frottage”, sort of a dry brush of pigment over dried layers and finishing with high impasto for his highlights. Certainly very innovative in his painting approach, but keep in mind, Titian would live a long and productive life. Living to be nearly 90 years old, in some pretty inhospitable times, his life would span and compete with some of the greatest artists in world history. It must be comparable to being there when the first human invented the wheel. He was very inventive and fearless in his approach, seeming to have very little restrictions in his method, pulling from his tool box that which fit best to the problem and imagery at hand.

The artist Jose Parramon referred to Titian as the “founder of modern painting”. A statement I must agree with, for Titian certainly was testing the limits of his medium and thinking outside the box in some very revolutionary ways.
His mastery of techniques and procedures is definitely worth study, centuries of paintings and knowledge for us to copy and enjoy, the Master’s obvious gift to the world.
But it is not just the technical virtuosity we should emulate.
These artists were on a quest of discovery, to describe the mysteries and beauty of nature.
Through that inquisitive thinking, they made great contributions to our artistic vocabulary. They were not just practicing technical gymnastics, but deeply concentrating on the act of painting and the artistic dialogue with the principles of nature.
An Old Master such as Titian painted with intellect, curiosity, and passion.
.

This is what artists today need and must be imitating.

Explore – question – learn – enjoy
Jim

A quote by Titian, said while in his 70’s…………

“I think I am beginning to learn something about painting.” …. Titian

The Last Sunflower

I have been so involved lately with some of the underpainting techniques that I needed a break to just fling some paint around and work direct.

Beside these Sunflowers were not going to last for long.

Sunflowers, 11x14, Oil on canvas.

The Last Sunflower, 8x10, Oil on panel

Both done directly from life, alla prima.

Painted wet-into wet in one sitting start to finish.

Enjoy Jim