Old Iron - Colour Study
Things have moved on a little with the iron painting so it's time for an update. Today I've got a colour study to post, and a few photos of the set up for the final piece, which has just been started. Already I've run into problems and will have to start it again - par for the course in painting land it seems, at least for me. But more on that in a bit. First, here's the colour study:
Look, I found my paints! Gasp! Colour!
Budding fauves might be less than impressed with the strength of the colour of course, but I'm not a fauve and I don't like Bonnard.
What I'm looking for at the moment is natural colour, a convincing translation of this iron and the cloth onto my panel. That's not to say I'm against the expressive use of colour. I like a lot of work that uses colour much more freely. I like Monet's work a lot, for instance, at least the stuff he did when he could still see and had some respect for value. I was recently utterly floored by some large Veronese paintings at the National in London, and whilst you could hardly call Veronese's painting garish, he certainly appeared to use colour in a very decorative way (in the highest possible sense of the word.)
My current thinking on this is that I'd like to master realistic colour first, to understand how light affects the colour of objects in the real world before moving on, perhaps, to allowing the colour more freedom. If I ever feel the need.
If you've seen my previous posts on Munsell tone studies, you'll have read a bit about how I've been using the Munsell neutral scale as a tool to investigate values. Now I've got the big Munsell book and I'm using it in a similar way to investigate how colour is affected by light and shadow. I hope to post in more depth on this at some point. The Munsell colour model is becoming a popular tool lately for understanding colour in some circles, most notably at the Rational Painting forum. To find out more about it, sign up at the forum and look around. I've put up a post there which describes some of what I'm doing, which you can see here, but you need to be registered on the forum and logged in to see it. Anyone who's experienced ugly fights on forums will perhaps understand why Rational Painting is a private one. There's a strong neo-classical agenda at the forum that won't suit everyone, but the membership is fairly diverse and other points of view are sometimes aired.
Back to the colour study. I don't want to go on too much about this, because I have a lot to get through tonight if I'm going to get this post finished.
This piece is at various stages of finish. Most finished is the handle, I think that's done, next most finished is the body of the iron, and the cloth is just roughed in. This being a study, I didn't feel the need to finish everything. I got what I wanted from it and I suppose I want to save something for the final one.
There were a few things I wanted to sort out with this study. Firstly, I just wanted to know if I could get it as convincing in paint as in chalk. Mission accomplished, I think. Secondly, I wanted to get to know the iron better. My new hobby horse is observation. I've been banging on about value forever it seems, now I'm going to start banging on about observation too.
When I returned to painting, the first thing I had to do was decide where to start. I glibly thought that I'd do a few studies aiming to draw or paint exactly what I saw to make sure I could do it, and then move on from there. Three years on and counting, those few studies have turned into hundreds of studies. It was a lot more complicated than I thought. Quite apart from it being impossible (and probably undesirable) to copy exactly what we see, the big problem with that plan is that I believe that seeing itself is a cumulative skill which must be learned and practiced. I've spent about two months with this iron now, and still every day I notice something new about it. Perhaps part of the act of painting is selecting from all that information what goes into the painting and what doesn't. If so, I'll be in a better position to make those choices if I've seen it more fully.
Maybe it's partly because we're so deluged with images these days. Maybe it's always been this way. But there's no doubt in my mind that the most necessary and perhaps hardest part of learning to paint well is in the observation. That's largely why I'm working so slowly now. Working sight size is a great teacher of observation skills, since immediate comparisons can be made between the subject and the work. It's also very humbling to realise, particularly when you're striving for accuracy, that 90% of the marks you make are wrong. I know from experience that it gets easier with practice, and I think a lot of that is due to stretching of the skill of observation.
This colour study also gave me a chance to see if the values from the chalk study were going to translate directly into a colour version. They have, pretty much, which would bear out the idea that value is the most important aspect of colour. Doing the iron for a second time, I've also noticed things about the balance of values which could be done better, so that will be going into the final painting.
The last thing I wanted from this study was a bit of practice with a method of painting I haven't tried before. these days, I tend to eschew mediums as much as possible. Not because I think there's anything wrong with them, but because I think they should be used when the properties they impart to the paint are required, and only then. Too often, I think we do things for all manner of reasons except the right ones. For all my criticisms of 'magic bullet' syndrome, I still sometimes fall for it myself. So for some time now I've been swearing off mediums, with the idea that I'd only use one if I couldn't get what I wanted with paint alone, and if the medium in question would give me whatever that thing might be.
In this case, one of those things was to be able to paint over multiple sessions smoothly. I've done so much alla prima that I'm most comfortable working wet into wet. I've never been able to blend in a new layer over dry layer and have it look alright just with paint. For this one, I wanted to work in stages, gradually refining it as I would a chalk drawing. The first layer was just underpainting, blocking in the colours. I could get all academic on you and call it an ebauche, but 'underpainting' seems descriptive enough to me. Actually, 'undercoat' would probably be even better, because that's what it was, just like a decorator would use. The study is on a lead primed linen panel, which has then been painted a Munsell neutral value 8. Light grey, in more simple terms. But not the blue-grey you get from titanium white and ivory black, a true Munsell neutral. Because the panel is light, the dark areas won't cover in a single layer without thick paint, which I don't want for this. The darkest areas, the shadows, I especially want to be thin and semi-translucent. So for the first stage, after the drawing out was done, I just filled in the blocks of colour with minimum modelling, in paint thinned with a small amount of turps. Nothing remarkable about that.
It was the subsequent layers where I tried something new for me. I mixed up a medium of stand oil and turps, and before working on a section, I rubbed a little onto the surface of the painting with my finger, taking care to get as thin a film as I possibly could. The general idea was that it would be like painting wet into wet, and I'd be able to blend out the edges smoothly, even over a dry layer. It worked like a charm. Nothing special about it, no magic bullet that's for sure. But it did help the painting to go more smoothly, and I think this is the first time I've managed to do a painting over several sessions without screwing up the finish. For the final one I plan to gradually increase the proportion of stand oil and lessen the turps, so the medium gets fatter as I work up the painting and the 'fat over lean' rule is observed. We'll see how it goes.
I was going to post the photos of the set up for the final painting. I'm not going to get to it today. As usual I've driveled on about all sorts of things I had no intention of writing about and it's already past my bed-time, so I'll do it later in the week. Coming soon: the lazy man's approach to sight size. All will be revealed...
26 comments:
Brian McGurgan said:
It's a pleasure to read your posts again, Paul, and I'm thoroughly impressed by the progress you've made. This is a remarkable study - both for its sensitivity to value and subtlety of color. Your insights are also very helpful. I've come to the conclusion, too, (or perhaps reaffirmed for myself) that careful observation is key, followed by well-informed decisions on making correct marks (and hopefully getting more than 10% right in the process!). Now I need to work harder towards applying that understanding... Looking forward to your post on sight size. Thanks in advance!
Posted: 2008-08-11 13:38:33
Marsha said:
Excellent, Paul!
Brian's post above,expresses my thoughts as well. I look forward to the photos and progress shots of the final painting. Your honesty and generosity in sharing your thoughts in process is remarkable and gratefully appreciated!
Posted: 2008-08-11 15:04:55
elie said:
Hi Paul,
I am glad to run after your latest works, it's always a "decouverte" (in french)...
Paul, I want ask you a question, but I dont know if it is possible to answer.
If you were trying to explain what have changed from your first studies in your vision and in your observation, could you tranlate this into words ? In other term are you able now to formalize the changes in few points ?
Another question about the studie in greys you've done before: Are you working only with the neutral greys for all the picture ? Or are you mixing neutral greys and black and white?
The impression of the whole picture is so quite and complete, that it give the impression that all is done with the same family of tones.
I have also tried several times the technic to rubbed the medium with the finger before painting, it is amazing the smoothness it gives to the work, the control of the brush is more accurate and it seems to me that you can obtain some effects of transparancy and colorness that are not possible when mixing directly..but I am working like this in the final steps and with a medium rather fat.
Go on, we are with you, Paul.
Best wishes.
Elie
Posted: 2008-08-11 17:28:20
Sadie Valeri said:
Wow, gorgeous! Funny, I am working very monochromatically now too, but when I first saw your painting my first thought was "wow, great color!" To me, it's very colorful :)
That wooden handle especially - you've so captured the worn down wood so well I can imagine how it would feel to touch it.
Congratulations, it's beautiful. Loved reading about your process, too.
I've been doing time-lapse movies of my process, take a look if you are interested:
sadievaleri.blogspot.com
Posted: 2008-08-11 18:01:39
Sadie Valeri said:
Oh, and one more thing -
I had a teacher once show me how to paint a wet layer over a dry layer - yes, put on some medium first, but sometimes you'll notice it beads up if the underlayer is very dry. She used a tiny piece of the stiff cheesecloth to gently rub the dry area and make a slightly textured surface the new wet oil will stick to. It's the kind of cheesecloth treated with oil or something to make it slightly stiff and yellow, not the the filmy white stuff, you can get it in the grocery store)
Posted: 2008-08-11 18:11:55
Darrell Baschak said:
Paul, I am glad you are back online, I was worried that something had happened to you. What a wonderful piece, I so enjoy the simple objects you paint.
Posted: 2008-08-12 01:48:22
Julian Merrow-Smith said:
Hi Paul, I know I've done do some pretty colorful things myself but this seems to me to be colorful—I guess it's the hamony of colors and their limited range which make it so successful. Are you using hog or sable (type) brushes?
Reminds me of William Nicholson's still life paintings, Very beautiful looking forward to seeing the final(?) version.
Posted: 2008-08-12 11:26:52
Sean Molloy said:
Paul,
Excellent work.
I admire your stamina and patience, these are the primary ingredients in seeing these studies through to their conclusion.
You are an inspiration.
Thank you for sharing.
Sean
Posted: 2008-08-12 12:30:18
Paul said:
Hi Brian. I think 10% is probably optimistic for me :) But perhaps if I'd said that 90% of the marks I make need correcting, at least when I'm laying out a drawing sight size, it would have made more sense. I certainly hope I get more than 10% right by the time I've finished something!
Hi Marsha, You're going to love it. You'll get to see just how pokey this room I work in is. Michelle won't even come in the room now because I have kittens every time she goes near the easel in case she knocks something.
>>If you were trying to explain what have changed from your first studies in your vision and in your observation, could you translate this into words ?
Elie, that's a very good question, I'm going to have to give it some thought. In fact, it's such a good question that it's been preoccupying me most of the day so I think I'll make a post out of it, after the sight size one probably.
Regarding the greys, are you talking about the painted value studies or the chalk iron study? If you mean the painted ones, I used a 9 value Munsell neutral scale, plus ivory black and titanium white, both of which are a little more blue and not quite neutral.
Hi Sadie. That time lapse thing is very cool! It looks like you're painting on speed :) I should try one. Lovely work as well. When I get a bit of time I'll have a good proper look at your blog. Can I borrow that little metal pitcher off you? I want to paint it :) Thanks also for the tip on the cheesecloth.
Thanks Julian. Praise from you is praise indeed. Mostly I use hog which I get from Cornelissens, they last pretty well I've found and the bristles are a nice length, not stingy. And a small sable round for thin lines and little specks here and there. I also use natural mongoose ones sometimes, also from Cornelissens. They're gorgeous. I've got a favourite one of those, a little filbert which has seen much use and is all worn down and incredibly soft - great for edges and blending. I may weep when it finally bites the dust.
>>Reminds me of William Nicholson's still life paintings
Oh you really hit the spot with that one Julian, I'm a BIG fan of William Nicholson's work, both the tight ones and the later, rougher ones. Funnily enough you're not the first person to say that, which is how I came across him in the first place.
If anyone reading this hasn't seen Julian's work, do yourself a favour and visit http://www.shiftinglight.com for his daily paintings, and http://stillives.com for his larger pieces. This man can PAINT. I was lucky enough to snap up two of the small daily paintings when you could still get them for £50 or something, they are very much treasured.
Sean, thanks. It's true, this kind of thing does take a fair amount of patience. An obsessive streak doesn't hurt either...
Posted: 2008-08-12 21:50:17
Paul said:
Darrel, sorry. I missed your comment there. There is something nice about lavishing care on some bit of old tat that isn't worth anything like this iron. I can't help but wonder about it's history, how much use it took to wear the handle down so smooth, what hard work it must have been to iron sheets with it. And look what's happened to it now. Picked up and immortalised by some cack-handed bloke who thinks he can paint.
Posted: 2008-08-12 21:56:33
Gill Jones said:
Paul, reading your blog has reminded me that painting takes a sustained and considered focus. It takes time. After having not painted regularly for roughly 10 years, the last year has seen me frustratedly and somewhat impatiently attempting to find that focus again. Trying to start from where I left my painting in 1998, yet failing to realise that many of the abilities I accepted as given have faded. Thank you for charting your journey - reading of your process has reminded me to slow down.
Posted: 2008-08-14 08:57:10
Paul said:
Hi Gill. We both stopped painting at around the same time, and have come back to it at around the same time too.
Looking back over the last 2 or 3 years, I\'d say that my own impatience has been one of my main stumbling blocks. I was desperate to get back to painting full time and rushed a lot of things. It would have been far better for me to concentrate only on the work and disregard how long it took completey. That\'s what I\'m doing now. Easy to say that now of course. You\'ve realised that much quicker than I did, I think.
It\'s tough to accept that you can no longer do things as well as you used to. And also, in my case, that I was never as good as I thought I was. But I think it\'s a necessary first step. Work slow and steady, consolidate each step and it will come back to you. Good luck.
Posted: 2008-08-14 09:48:54
David Thompson said:
Hi Paul,
Very pleased to see you back, had just about given up hope!
This piece is a beautiful piece of colour, its all about creating a background for a spot of colour to really sing out against I think and this is superb, the brown of the handle and the green of the iron play wonderfully with each other.
Looking forward to seeing and reading more, best wishes.
Posted: 2008-08-14 14:53:01
Aaron Reid said:
This study is fantastic! The contrasting edges in the iron really give it a great sense of depth. I really love that wooden handle though, your not allowed to change that! I need to find myself some interesting old bits of 'tat' for my own still life setups. That old iron has a lot of character, and I think you've captured it very well.
Posted: 2008-08-14 19:32:46
Paul said:
Hi David, nice to hear from you, and thanks. Colour has eluded me for so long it seems, it's encouraging to receive so many positive comments about the colour in this one. I was really just trying to translate what I saw as well as I could. But you make an interesting point about the background. I really believe that if the values are convincing, then the colour has a much better chance of working.
Hi Aaron, I promise I'll try not to change the handle in the final one :)
Old tat makes for the best subjects, my favourites anyway. I recommend combing junk shops and the cheap end of antique markets. I think we should start a new movement, the Worthless Old Tat school.
Posted: 2008-08-15 12:05:04
Helen said:
Hey Paul, The color study of the iron is your best yet. What size is it? The cloth beside the handle pulls focus away from the handle a bit.Otherwise, beautiful.
Posted: 2008-08-16 00:06:19
Betsy said:
Beautiful work Paul! I love reading your comments about how you got there, very inspiring. Your patience is paying huge rewards.
Posted: 2008-08-16 05:18:07
Paul said:
Thanks Helen! I always forget to post the size don't I? the study is, erm, about 10 X 8 inches I think, so smaller than the finished painting will be. Hopefully the cloth will work alright in the whole composition. We'll have to wait and see.
Betsy, thanks. I hope it is. The devil on my left shoulder keeps telling me to hurry up and get some work finished though!
Posted: 2008-08-17 21:44:05
Teodora said:
It is amazing to see your progress! You;re such an inspiration!
Posted: 2008-09-04 14:47:06
Paul said:
Thanks Teodora. How are things with you? Did you get to do some Munsell studies?
Posted: 2008-09-05 10:44:12
jeff freedner said:
Hello Paul,
This looks great, very good control.
I love the handling of the drapery, very subtle.
Posted: 2008-09-07 01:27:41
Paul said:
Thanks Jeff. The drapery is actually very loose in this study, just sketched in really. But sometimes I think it's better handled that way.
I'm half way through the cloth on the final vesion and I must admit it's a challenge to get it more finished without making the paint too heavy and lifeless, if you know what I mean. Hopefully it'll be finihsed in a week or so and I'll get it posted.
Posted: 2008-09-07 13:05:49
Jim D said:
Beautiful!
Posted: 2008-09-08 07:09:50
Paul said:
Thanks Jim :)
Posted: 2008-09-09 14:40:04
hind said:
The excellent work well done
http://hindart.blogspot.com/
Posted: 2008-09-13 20:33:12
D.V. said:
Inspirational stuff. Keep it coming! ;)
Posted: 2008-10-18 01:16:09
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