Painting radishes is always a bit like painting outside. When you're outside you've got to paint quickly because the light can change drastically from the time you start to when you finish. When you paint radishes the leaves wilt and the shine goes off the ... pink bits (in this case). Because of this I got a bit loose with my paint. Almost abstract, maybe?
I hear often from people that they would like to loosen up with painting. When I first heard this (when I was tighter myself) I thought it was something to do with the wrist ... like you just had to loosen the wrist and suddenly you would paint better. But I have found that even when you paint loose you have to be precise. You just have to be precisely loose. : ) I'm serious.
12 comments:
.......you should start them out at a thousand.....i'm serious.
Someday Carol, they WILL be starting out at a thousand! I myself have introduced you to a ton of people, who now check in daily - at least one has purchased - and they pass your name around, too - it''s only a matter of time till we can't afford you! :)
Very interesting thoughts on abstract - yes, I find that looseness is the opposite of sloppiness, you have to be precisely abstract or it doesn't work! This is a beautiful painting, though - glad you were able to beat the clock and capture the radishness of them!
And here I've been blaming my wrist! No, I know what you mean. In carpentry it's "measure twice, cut once," In painting, it's "look twice, paint once." I think sometimes I'm painting so fast that I don't consider carefully each brushstroke. I can see that each one of yours...counts!
Love that mirrored effect in this painting.
Great post. I remember taking a watercolor workshop with Charles Reid and being amazed how carefully he drew his subjects before painting in a wonderfully loose way.
I thought I should finally leave a comment. I love your dailys. I just started a blog a couple of weeks ago as a means of imposing a level of discipline and structure. I've studied your blogs as well as some others for clues on how to proceed. I'm not trying to sell paintings online at this point, just paint.
As to your comments about painting loose, I think it was Richard Schmid who said that loose describes the way a painting looks, not how it is executed. IN my opinion, he would be the expert on that.
Carol, I've been checking in with you daily for a couple of weeks now - I found you through Kelley MacDonald's blog - and I have to say I became a big fan right off the bat. This radish painting is a deliciously loose execution of a strong composition ... I love it!
I read somewhere years ago that a good painter makes very specific decisions before the loaded brush hits the surface, and by making the decision ahead of time it frees the artist to be loose and spontaneous with the strokes. I like the way Susan puts it: "Look twice, paint once."
Your work is beautiful ... give us more to see!
Those are some profound words...precisely loose..... Your art really reflects that. The brushstrokes in your paintings really show the energy you put into your art.
Carol, Do you think about being loose as you're painting and when you put down a stroke do you leave it be? Being loose seems to be the name of the game. Thanks so much. Barb
Beautiful -
Another beauty. Controlled looseness, is where it's at. Add me to your long list of admirers.
Hi Carol, how I envy your skill! Your paintings are a delight, every one of them. Precisely loose, profound insight. I look at a painting and see a jumble of brushmarks...but it works...and now I know why! Thank you for that. Best wishes.
lovely work! As a fellow artist I am impressed with your speed!
Post a Comment