Throw in the Towel? Never!

Before Modification . . .

"Bad Dawg"

Final Version
watercolor 21 x 21 inches

Years ago, as I was learning to paint and making a few hundred attempts per year, I found only a few of those to be “good” paintings.

Now, as I believe that I know a little more about the structure of a painting, I am very reluctant to accept that a painting is finished too early. Now, I seek a greater complexity than before. But it is waaaaaay more than just complexity. It has to do with balancing all the relationships.

Recently, I heard it said that a symphony is marshalling all the relationships of sounds so that the magnificence of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Wow! Is that ever true for the painter, too!

The act of creating balance and unity among the relationships is the crux of painting fine work. There is intense mental strife in that effort for me. In other words, it is a continuous battle to adjust and modify until everything fits. And so many, many times in the progress of a piece I mutter “just give it up!”

I am finding, as I grow artistically, that it isn’t always one’s ability to paint as it is the willingness to risk failure over and over until a painting is finished. Every alternative must be tested, sometimes tried, to determine if the painter has gone too far or not far enough. At some point, making new marks threatens to spoil weeks of work. And it sometimes does.

When it does, should I quit and begin again? That is one possibility. Or, should I attempt removal of the mark, or modification of the rest of the painting?

I say never quit! Take the piece all the way to near ruin before giving in. Lifting paint out of a watercolor is not easy, but it is possible. Overwork? Of course! There is a patina which develops which can sometimes be most attractive and displays a bit of history of what the artist did to complete a piece if it is overworked.

This piece, “Bad Dawg,” is one such piece that suffered through several different endings before I finally stated, ‘that is enough.’ Overworked? Perhaps. Muddy? Some would say “yes.” Sophisticated? Maybe. In the end, taste prevails. Your taste? What does it say?

In the process of becoming more accomplished, learning to accept failure as a companion is absolutely necessary. The biggest part of that, I believe, is NEVER giving up.

Why Bother to Doodle??

A doodle to settle down . .

Several years ago, a painter friend was telling me about studying with George Post. Yes, the famous California Regionalist painter. I asked, "what does he teach?" The answer was short, quick and unforgettable. She replied, "Paint Relationships."

I nodded with that "of course" look on my face while I wondered "what in the hell does he mean by thaaaat?"

That question haunted me for years. It wasn't until four or five years ago that I awoke one day with the answer. I had been reading books about design . . .(not just looking at the pictures!) . . . . . . .and, while asleep, something gelled in my mind. I understood what he meant! Man!! That took some time to digest that one!!

There are seven ways to cause things to relate. Yep! Seven. The very same as the elements of design: Line, Size, Shape, Direction, Color, Value and Texture. Take any two dissimilar shapes in a painting and one can relate them via manipulation of any of the seven elements. Color and Texture, for example . . . .give both shapes similar color and texture and they will relate.

A painting is a great combining of all of the elements. . . .those elements are the marks made on the canvas or paper. Relating all the parts of the painting is the art. Of course, there are different kinds of relationships, like absolute ooposition or harmony. The goal, usually, is unity . . . . .to make all the parts seem as though there is a feeling of belonging in the painting. I can assure you, it has nothing to do with things or objects.

So, then . . .should I set out to do a masterpiece every time I paint? Heck NO!! There are times when it is necessary to do warm up exercises . . .or when it is necessary to simply try something that might be niggling away at our consciousness . . . .or to just paint to feel the brush slithering out paint onto a surface. Doodling has a place in painting. To put it simply, to just try stuff without fear of ruining a 'masterpiece.'

It is my contention that all we artists do is try. (there is a big difference between 'try' and 'do.') We move paint around and often hope for the best. So, why not doodle for the sake of finding out new solutions?

The piece above was a 'sanity doodle.' That is to say, to paint just to keep my sanity. I was in Kanuga working hard to bring tough subject matter to reality for a group of driven workshop participants. Preparation for such anxious people can steal all one's painting consciousness, much less painting time. So, an hour before class, I doodled. Yep. Pointless, silly, exercises I made up just to see if I could find different ways to cause different areas of the painting to relate.

The painting will never, ever see a mat, much less a frame. But it does call to me to remind me that the doodling not only helped me settle down and be ready for class, but it taught me a few more little nuances about relationships that I needed to fully understand . . .and I will put that to work in a serious painting one day, maybe . . . . .or maybe not. But I feel more comfy in the knowledge that when needed, I can establish relationships in any painting. Doodling has shown me that.

The Power of Association

A few bad boys

Nicholas Simmons, Ted Nuttal and myself

A few days ago I had a meeting with a young man trying to make his way in business. He has a head start because he knows the power of associating with those who are where he wants to be.

That is, he understands that we don't go through this world alone. There is great power in associating with others who are doing what one wants to do. In some circumstances, that power can be very negative, obviously, but if directed in positive directions it can also have extraordinarily positive results.

As you know, dear readers, I work quite hard at learning my craft . . .painting. Early on, I made it my intent to get to know other painters in order to learn from them. And there is much we can learn about anything from our acquaintances and friends. Often, it is nothing more than manners or how to behave in some situations. Other times, there might be technical information shared. And in still other circumstances one might get a glimpse of flashes of genius. Those flashes might appear in the form of an attitude or how one copes with the frustrations of their craft and their place in life. One might assimilate knowledge that they are not alone with their inner feelings of inadequacy and that all who are around them endure the very same challenges. Knowledge such as this can strengthen one's resolve to succeed and open the gateway to others' experience in unknown territory. In other words, road maps to get to new levels appear.

Yes, this is a philosophical musing. But an important one. If you are a painter and visiting here, there is much to be learned from all the links. But there is one more thing: you might make distant friendships with someone who might, at some place in the future, mentor you in some way. That is why I blog. It has been a form of association that has paid enormous dividends. It is also why I share the information I have learned about painting; to pass the baton . . .to give for the sheer pleasure of watching others make more of what is given them.

Last week, partly because of my attitudes about association and freely passing along a little wisdom here and there, I was an instructor at Kanuga Watercolor Workshops in Hendersonville, North Carolina. I must say I felt as though I was in the midst of a love fest! 250 people of like mind and heart all gathering in a retreat location for two reasons only: to learn about painting and to associate with painters from around the country. In short, a paradise for those who understand the power of association with other artists.

One would wonder 'why would four days at "painting camp" be so important?' One only needs to experience this once to fully understand the underlying importance of being there. Last week, painters such as Mary Alice Braukman, Nicholas Simmons, Gerry Brommer, James Toogood and the infamous Ted Nuttal gathered to spread the good news to their students and associates alike. Joan Fullerton from Taos, New Mexico, Don Getz from Ohio, Linda Baker and others who hail from the heights of AWS and other art organizations were also there. And they didn't come to hang out just with each other. It was all about sharing and giving. (If only the whole world was like this, eh?) We all had great fun together and we enjoyed associating with the participants who came to learn. But most of all, we learned from them.

Check these people out. They all have much to give . . .and they do so. Personally, I grew from the experience with each of them. Moreover, if you can arrange it for next year, set aside the time and the money to attend Kanuga Watercolor Workshops, you won't regret it!

I returned home exhausted from spending so much energy, but completely elated from the associations and friendships established. In short, it was a WOW experience!

On Value Transitions

"Crumpled Considerations"

Watercolor 30 x 22 inches

Last week a gentleman inquired about my method in making these non objective paintings.

First a sketch. A simple sketch which shows two or three simple value shapes. Those different values must, in my mind, exist in a ratio of Large, medium and tiny. Which specific value group is one size or the other doesn't matter. I happen to like a large lighter compositional shape which reaches for and touches at least three sides of the piece. The dark and medium values would surround the large shape.

Mind you, when I refer to "light," it may mean several different light values . . . . . .that is lighter than everything else in the painting.

The big trick in putting this to paint is to first isolate the large light shape by blocking it in with various glazes of paint layers. The use of glazes assures variation and, if I am careful with different techniques, texture, too. Over several days, I will gradually begin to encroach on the big light shape along the edges, gradually changing value and color. By edges and the amount of encroachment, this could mean as much as covering the majority of the shape or as little as a mere centimeter into the shape.

The work ensues until there are a series of value steps from dark to medium to medium-light to light to lightest. Those transitions and graduations of value (and color) prevent the eye from being stopped by too much, or too sudden, contrast. Only at one location will there be a strident step from dark to lightest. And that location will be in a very strategic spot.

Gradually textures are created and, toward the end, there are a few stampings and spatters in unique places to help soften or assist a sudden value transition. In short, this process requires a lot of attention to edges and contrasts.

As the piece nears completion, there are always errors and problems with balance and misplaced contrasts. Sponging out areas using various masks (or not) helps to resolve many of these issues.

Overall, the goal is to make a painting which is completely unified from corner to corner, where there are relationships throughout the piece. That is where shapes are related in their character, value, color and or texture. There must be passages and movement through the piece and it must have excitement. That last word is the opposite of boredom. Every single square inch (or centimeter) must have something happening that is related to other parts of the painting, but in that relating must also be different. Texture stampings, for example, must be similar but different. VARIATION is a a key operative.

So!! There you have it. How long do paintings like this take? Weeks and, frequently, months!
Failure is my companion every step of the way. It is part of the process. The trick is to work the painting until it is finished: Never give up. Think think think think!!!!

NEWS . . NEWS . . .NEWS !!

NEWS . . . NEWS . . . NEWS . . . .NEWS . . .NEWS . .

After too long a period, my website has been thoroughly updated. Nearly 50 new paintings and a new workshop schedule. Go Look!!

Suggestion: you might also, after seeing all the paintings there, want to go to "Artistic Musings" on the site and read a few of the articles there.

Check it out!!

Thanks to Marion Podolski (marion@podolski.com) who designed this website and is the person responsible for the update. Thanks, Marion! (any artists out there who need a great webmaster? Drop her a note. She'd love to hear from you!)