“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.” -Pablo Picasso
For today’s color lesson, our assignment was to make a triadic painting using three colors from the wheel. Remember in an earlier lesson I made color wheels with the paints I have on hand so I used one of those. Triadic of course means choosing colors within a triangle. I chose yellow-orange, blue and blue-violet and you can use various strengths of your chosen colors. The above piece is 8×10 on birch panel.
We also studied tints and shades (whites and blacks), so I did a quick painting using just whites, buff and blacks.
“Artists who seek perfection in everything, achieve it in nothing.” -Eugene Delacroix
I’m so happy in my studio these days. I’ve established a regular rhythm of work. For me working means, ideas and ideas generate more ideas. In fact I like to work on more than one piece at a time. I find there’s a cross-pollination of ideas and inspiration when working on multiple pieces. It’s much easier for me to resolve my intention with what’s actually happening in the painting if I have more than one to stress about. Because even if my vision is clear when I start, each painting offers it’s own voice throughout my time with it. When one of us finally quits talking, I feel my painting is finished.
How do you like to work?
“In terms of art, the only real answer that I know of is to do it. If you don’t do it, you don’t know what might happen.” -Harry Callahan
Fits and starts, that’s me, I work without stopping and then I have a break where I take inventory, photos, list items or take them to galleries. All the while I am thinking about the next group of work. I do find that one piece leads me to another and so on. If I seem stuck, I just make something and that leads me to where I want to go.
Sounds like you have fun!
Love seeing your progress with this class. Working with three colors is a tremendous learning tool as well as the tonality lesson. There’s a Mark Rothko painting at the SF MOMA that’s done in reds that hums to me. Yes, hums. I can hear it.
Understanding tonality can give a painting a song to hum. I like how you say “When one of us finally quits talking, I feel my painting is finished.” I think that visual conversation/interaction translate onto the surface (canvas, clay,etc.) and is a vital part of the process. Listening is part of that interaction, too.
Now as to my work habits. They are shameful. I start clean and end up messy. For the most part, there is purpose or intent. I do work on several pieces at a time, but I find I have to keep this at a minimum. It gets noisy when there are too many pieces shouting for faces or a bit of glaze, please.
Hi Charlene – thank you. I absolutely understand when you say the painting ‘hums’ to you! It’s those moments when you open the kiln or in the middle of creating a piece and you want to hear those voices – their songs speaking to you. Yes – listening is a huge part of making art.
You make me laugh though – I had this great visual of your noisy studio – everyone clamoring for color and parts . . .
It is fun to see what you are up to in class. You chose wonderful colors.
. My process is adding and taking away and I do this until I either love it or plaster over it and start again.
I work daily even if I only have 30 minutes on a work day. I might take one day off. I also do more than one painting at a time, usually 3 are going at once. I love what you said about the painting telling you when it is finished. The same happens to me, once in a while I don’t listen
Glad you are having so much fun!
xoxo
Thank you Annie! I am having fun – but like you – I don’t always listen either and just gesso over many things! And I also work daily – even if I don’t think I’m in the right head space to work, once I get in my studio, my mood changes and I’m happy at work before I even realize it.
xxoo
I always have multiple pieces going. In fact, I’ve got a stack of background canvases ready for whenever the mood strikes.
But I always thought it was because I have a short attention span…
And maybe it is.
Seriously, I enjoy the opportunity to go down there and grab something and not have to start from scratch. A blank canvas needs to be lived in before it’s ready for my marks.
xo
Very wise of you to have so many canvasses ready – I sometimes spend too much time trying to work out what I want to do. I don’t know why I continue to do that because usually whatever I thought I wanted changes. I am continuously reacting to what I see as I paint. Exactly the way you described painting your horses in your blog post.
xxoo