Portrait Society of
America Conference 2014
America Conference 2014
Reston, VA
Day 1
Demo with Jeff Hein and Quang Ho
Demo with Jeff Hein and Quang Ho
Jeff: tones his panel
Quang:
leaves his untoned with theory that color is to explore, color is irrelevant
(he notes Anders Zorn and his four color palette saying that he is surprised
that Zorn never explored more color). (Jeff notes Sorolla and his use of lots
of color).
leaves his untoned with theory that color is to explore, color is irrelevant
(he notes Anders Zorn and his four color palette saying that he is surprised
that Zorn never explored more color). (Jeff notes Sorolla and his use of lots
of color).
Likeness: Jeff tries to achieve a likeness early on
while Quang relies more on color (warm and cool) and doesn’t think about the
likeness in the beginning. Quang says that color is all relative to what it is
near. If you make a decision, don’t second-guess yourself.
while Quang relies more on color (warm and cool) and doesn’t think about the
likeness in the beginning. Quang says that color is all relative to what it is
near. If you make a decision, don’t second-guess yourself.
Jeff uses
the end of the brush to get the highlight of the eye.
the end of the brush to get the highlight of the eye.
Use of
medium:
medium:
Quang: uses
thinner in the beginning and only uses medium when paint is dry. He begins with the verdaccio method (black,
white and greenish umber)
thinner in the beginning and only uses medium when paint is dry. He begins with the verdaccio method (black,
white and greenish umber)
Jeff: uses medium occasionally
Sharon Sprung Flesh of the Matter
Flesh blue, yellow, red
Value Explained in greys
Chroma Intensity
Sharon
references the Munsell Color Theory regarding warm and cool. She takes the
audience through exercises of choosing cool colors and visualizing that next to
each other they are different.
references the Munsell Color Theory regarding warm and cool. She takes the
audience through exercises of choosing cool colors and visualizing that next to
each other they are different.
The most
chromatic a color can be is straight out of the tube.
chromatic a color can be is straight out of the tube.
Sharon shows
us a journal she is keeping from her travels:
it consists of chips from buildings in places she has visited. She
explains how we are influenced by the colors around us.
us a journal she is keeping from her travels:
it consists of chips from buildings in places she has visited. She
explains how we are influenced by the colors around us.
“Narcissism
of small differences”
of small differences”
Sharon says
to get everything stated at first.
to get everything stated at first.
Her palette (uses
Vasari paint):
Vasari paint):
Payne’s gray, titanium
white, yellow ochre, raw sienna, ruby red, perm. Bright red, alizarin crimson,
cobalt blue, Prussian blue, red umber, vermilion, scarlet sienna, burnt sienna,
raw umber, burnt umber, ivory black, brilliant yellow light, phthalo green,
phthalo turquoise.
white, yellow ochre, raw sienna, ruby red, perm. Bright red, alizarin crimson,
cobalt blue, Prussian blue, red umber, vermilion, scarlet sienna, burnt sienna,
raw umber, burnt umber, ivory black, brilliant yellow light, phthalo green,
phthalo turquoise.
Part of her
presentation is to invite members of the audience on stage so that she can
‘match’ their skin tone directly on their arm.
presentation is to invite members of the audience on stage so that she can
‘match’ their skin tone directly on their arm.
Mixing skin tones”
Starts with yellows.
She then mixes scarlet sienna into the yellow mix, adds white then cobalt blue.
Sharon says that cobalt blue ‘plays well with others’.
She then mixes scarlet sienna into the yellow mix, adds white then cobalt blue.
Sharon says that cobalt blue ‘plays well with others’.
She uses flake white
(warmer, more transparent, very ‘shy’ in lightening and keeps flesh from
getting chalky). Titanium zinc is cooler.
(warmer, more transparent, very ‘shy’ in lightening and keeps flesh from
getting chalky). Titanium zinc is cooler.
Raw sienna, scarlet
red, cobalt blue and flake white will give you most skin tones,
red, cobalt blue and flake white will give you most skin tones,
Violet skin tones: ruby red, cobalt blue
Green skin tones: Prussian blue and Indian yellow
Black skin: Red umber, raw sienna, and small amount of Payne’s
grey
grey
Theories of Lighting:
Using a lit egg, the following are
seen: highlight, light, halftone,
average shadow, cast shadow (on the object it is sitting on)
seen: highlight, light, halftone,
average shadow, cast shadow (on the object it is sitting on)
The highlight tells us
the light source.
the light source.
The halftone is the
most difficult reflected light.
most difficult reflected light.
Temperature tells you
about shadow and light. Tells you about the form.
about shadow and light. Tells you about the form.
Day 2 Critique with Everett Raymond Kinstler
Don’t be
specialists! ~~~~ Become an artist
first!
specialists! ~~~~ Become an artist
first!
Sargent: Look to his watercolors as well as those of
Zorn and Sorolla.
Zorn and Sorolla.
Paint the
things you care about.
things you care about.
Feeling is
important.
important.
Criteria for
a good painting:
a good painting:
1. Imagination
2. Compassion/feeling
3. Communication
Ray never
takes his eyes off the past.
takes his eyes off the past.
His
sketchbooks are his Bibles.
sketchbooks are his Bibles.
Move with
the culture.
the culture.
Sensing
personalities: Seize upon the weakness,
support the strengths
personalities: Seize upon the weakness,
support the strengths
Value and
beauty of personality
beauty of personality
Client
Feedback:
Feedback:
“Every
portrait should have the elements of a caricature”. ~ Sargent
portrait should have the elements of a caricature”. ~ Sargent
Think from
the inside!
the inside!
There is
value in field sketches of landscape.
value in field sketches of landscape.
Stay awake for EVERY
experience!
experience!
What you cannot get from a
teacher: getting the ‘feeling’ of your
subject
teacher: getting the ‘feeling’ of your
subject
Never take
awards or rejections seriously! Keep submitting!
awards or rejections seriously! Keep submitting!
Ray doesn’t
care for clever backgrounds. Be careful with cleverness.
care for clever backgrounds. Be careful with cleverness.
With
everything in focus you lose the focus.
everything in focus you lose the focus.
There are no
shortcuts.
shortcuts.
Reflected
lights are seductive and dangerous.
lights are seductive and dangerous.
Benjamin
West (1782) Essential character rather
than accidental
West (1782) Essential character rather
than accidental
Ask yourself
how much you can eliminate? How much can you strengthen?
how much you can eliminate? How much can you strengthen?
Accept, be
alert! Experience! Keep a sketch book!
alert! Experience! Keep a sketch book!
Mary Whyte Demo with Model Teisha
Mary began
by explaining the ‘history’ of her affiliation and ensuing deep friendships
with the Gullah women of John’s Island, SC. These particular people had
heritage dating back to slavery. Their language is a creole blend created by
the slaves so that they could communicate amongst themselves.
by explaining the ‘history’ of her affiliation and ensuing deep friendships
with the Gullah women of John’s Island, SC. These particular people had
heritage dating back to slavery. Their language is a creole blend created by
the slaves so that they could communicate amongst themselves.
Mary also
suffered a life threatening illness and this served to make her more certain of
what she wanted to do. It was after this that she and her husband Smitty, moved
to South Carolina and opened a gallery.
suffered a life threatening illness and this served to make her more certain of
what she wanted to do. It was after this that she and her husband Smitty, moved
to South Carolina and opened a gallery.
Watercolor
is about timing and controlling edges.
is about timing and controlling edges.
Her subjects
are usually doing everyday things. Mary documents those ‘in between’ moments
that most likely wouldn’t ever get noticed or done that way again.
are usually doing everyday things. Mary documents those ‘in between’ moments
that most likely wouldn’t ever get noticed or done that way again.
As Mary
paints she talks technique as well as answers some questions from the audience.
She is also one of the best when it comes to explaining what she is doing while
she is painting.
paints she talks technique as well as answers some questions from the audience.
She is also one of the best when it comes to explaining what she is doing while
she is painting.
She begins
with a quick drawing of Tesha, contour lines, making the shapes of the
highlights. This creates a road map for herself as she paints.
with a quick drawing of Tesha, contour lines, making the shapes of the
highlights. This creates a road map for herself as she paints.
Big shapes
first, little shapes last
first, little shapes last
Steam is
painted ‘wet into wet’ and you have one shot!
painted ‘wet into wet’ and you have one shot!
Your
lightest value has more water, your darkest value more pigment
lightest value has more water, your darkest value more pigment
Mary uses
her photographs as information, not direction.
her photographs as information, not direction.
Difference
in textures direct the viewer’s eye.
in textures direct the viewer’s eye.
Mary stated
that it is important to do plein air paintings, studies from life. It helps you
make a series of decisions quickly.
that it is important to do plein air paintings, studies from life. It helps you
make a series of decisions quickly.
When Mary is
done with her demo, she introduces Tesha to the audience and allows us to ask
both she and Tesha questions about their friendship, work through the years
etc.
done with her demo, she introduces Tesha to the audience and allows us to ask
both she and Tesha questions about their friendship, work through the years
etc.
Tesha’s
favorite painting of herself done by Mary is one with the horse.
favorite painting of herself done by Mary is one with the horse.
Others of Tesha are:
More to
follow…….
follow…….
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