Friday, March 12, 2010

griailles and what I have learned

8x10 oil grisaille
Practice has taught me that a grisaille needs to have VERY soft edges. It is much better to make the decisions of sharpness as the painting evolves. When they are pre-decided it's almost impossible to change.
I have also learned that, for me, warm is better. I have experimented with mixtures of burnt sienna, transparent earth red, alizarin crimson permanent, and transparent brown oxide. Who knows what will be next? Each painting demands a slightly different mixture....it's like cooking. Do you ever put the same spices in each dish? Nope. 
Ideas come first, but yet the grisaille must be allowed to speak. Make a "mistake"...who knows that could be the most wonderful change. Follow your heart and your brain.  They lead differently and they will take turns if you value both;-D

6 comments:

SamArtDog said...

Yum... Nothing like a spicy warm grisaille. A good base for more of the same or a complement. If you cook the way you paint, dinner must be divine!

Celeste Bergin said...

what a good post! As I read it I thought about my go at a grisaille and how disappointing it was--It was because of the edges! (I didn't really realize that until reading your words here).

A scroll through your blog is a feast for the eyes.

loriann signori said...

Thanks Sam! Dinner would be tasty, if only I would stop panting and make it:-D

Hi Celeste and thank you! In my limited knowledge edges are the trick. Hope your next grisaille is more to your liking. I will have to stop by and see what you are up to. thanks about my blog!

Anonymous said...

Richard's approach to pastel with an underpainting in watercolor or oil forces me to gradually bring the subject into focus. Everything is slippery and impressionistic. And that is what I love about his approach. When we focus on a specific area of the composition we immediately go to hard edges. Bringing the subject up to focus through manipulation of values, colors and edges is truly worth exploring.

Jala Pfaff said...

I really like what you said about heart and brain. It's true, they make different decisions.

loriann signori said...

Hi Marianne! Richard's approach is a great way to slowly focus and of course he makes magic with it. I am continually exploring ways of understanding ways to make the vision I want... sometimes it's closer to stumbling.

Hi Jala, Does your brain and heart sometimes duke it out? Mine do. I always route for the heart;-)