Brass Urn Value Study, L. Daniel, 10 x 8
Still focusing on values here. One tip? Squint way down on your subject to observe the relative values throughout. And do it often (otherwise, your eyes will adjust to the light source and flatten everything.)
I had one reader ask if I do anything special to my canvas for these studies. No, quite the opposite. These are just cut-up, white canvas sheets; actually from a canvas pad. I tape them on all four sides to a board, so that I can paint over the edge without getting paint all over everything. (And then when removed, the tape leaves a nice clean margin for handling.) Using the sheets - loose, unattached - keeps the work from becoming too precious. Just studies... just learning... this is what I am after.
Hi Laurel,
ReplyDeleteI love these "studies". You could certainly sell them. Sort of like studies by Cezanne.
XOXOXOXOXOXBarbara
Do you sketch any of this in before beginning to paint. I can imagine how my brain would work, right or wrong, and not knowing where to start, I might, say, paint in the darkest parts first, and then go from there. That would allow me to abstract the shapes and concentrate on and SEE the value rather than composition or color. This having been said, it might be handy in this case to have a roughed shape sketched on the canvas as a guide to placement. Anyway, how do you do this and if you do sketch, do you use paint, pencil or charcoal?
ReplyDeleteI am probably way off here...sorry about that.
Love you,
Erin :)