Saturday, January 30, 2010

underpainting and grisailles

I am experimenting with two different ways of glazing. One begins with a grisaille (either tight or loose) and the other with simply color bands. Each method has it's strengths and weaknesses. For me, I think the bands of color method resonates much more closely with my pastel methods. Still I experiment with both simply to see what I can learn.
Two interesting notes:
I remember reading somewhere that Maxfield Parrish glazed each color separately and varnished it before placing another color on top. That's how he creating his luminosity.
Sanford Gifford stained his white canvas with burnt sienna, drew in white chalk and then glazed more rapidly. He would paint non-stop from sunrise to sunset when he began the color part of his painting. He had already worked out his color idea in his oil sketches. Gifford kept working and blending his glazed layers while they were wet. 
Don't you find it interesting to read about others methods? I sure do. Anyone want to share an interesting tidbit?

8 comments:

Double "D" said...

Good Morning B!

I do find it interesting. There are tried and true methods for each medium. All are effective and allow great results. I guess for me, that presents a challenge .... I don't want to paint like everyone else.
I think that each medium can be used and pushed in directions that wander far off the path of tried and true techniques. No offense intended to those of you who are very successful painters with unique styles.

Oh sure you say, look at you a traditional painter using watercolor. Maybe, but underneath that exterior of traditional watercolor is a being inside me screaming for something different, more exciting.

Is that so wrong? Not for me.

Loriann, for me you show those same yearnings for experimentation. Always digging deeper, finding more and pushing the thought process. Every time I come to your blog you're on to something different and more exciting. Your viewers come here just to stay in touch with all of your discoveries.

As an after thought, I'll always love your grisaille's.
like the one above.
Sorry, guess that was more than a tidbit.
pb

Linda Schweitzer said...

That is interesting about Sanford Gifford. I remember seeing the show of his works at the National Gallery and being stunned at seeing them up close, because they looked like Bob Ross works! (and of course, I regard Bob Ross as tacky, and Sanford Gifford as sublime). But the technique is painting wet over wet.
Bob Ross uses something he calls liquid white, and liquid transparent, which I wonder if maybe helps the paint to blend.

loriann signori said...

Good evening PB!
Experimenting/exploring is the crux of the creative process and hopefully the way towards art. I believe learning about the ways of the masters allows us to later break free and make our own path, be it watercolor, oil or pastel. There is always something more to be tried.
Thanks about the grisaille. For some reason I am feeling pinned down with its precision. I am working with the top grisaille and feeling like I want to change it mid stream. That's not an easy thing to do at this point. My method is so fluid. The vision is there, but not the way to get there. That's why when I have a tight grisaille it feels like tight pants..... set me free!!!!
Keep searching with your watercolor. If you do search, instead of being satisfied, you will find.-b

loriann signori said...

Hi Linda,
Really, Bob Ross paintings? I don't know about his technique of liquid white..what does that mean? Tell me more, ok?
Gifford also did a cool thing with skies and water. Since the colors were very similar he would stipple the sky (giving it a hazy effect)and wet in wet, horizontal strokes to smooth the water.
Thanks for dropping by my blog.
-loriann

Double "D" said...

Sorry b, I just went back and read your post again.
My comment missed the whole point of your reflections on other techniques of glazing.
I apologize. I think my arm is effecting my brain.

your painting buddy

loriann signori said...

PB, I don't think you missed the point, you never do. I just went and elaborated more. I think rather than answering I was clarifying my thoughts that are jumbled inside my head. I also think the clarification was more for me than you you. Boy that was kooky! You can tell I am really trying to work something out. Thanks for your patience.:-) b

Alexander Bujak said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
loriann signori said...

Hi Alexander and thank you for stopping by my blog. The only thing I can tell you is to give yourself permission to make some really bad stuff. Let me explain, if you only do what you know time after time you won't go anywhere. But if you give yourself permission you can explore to your heart's content. Notice on my blog there are plenty of dogs... no one can excel everyday.I always write down random thoughts and ideas and explore those when stuck. My motto is, "habit makes passion makes habit makes passion and on and on."
Now let me check out your blog.