As promised in my baseball post, a brief summary of the Richard McKinley demo at the Austin Pastel Society meeting. He is very knowledgeable and has a gift of gab. Entertaining. I really like his landscapes and style. It is always so good to go to a workshop or demo. You reinforce the techniques and "rules" of painting that you already know. You get new ideas and are encouraged to keep plugging away. Richard encourages you to take from his workshop what you like and apply to your painting. He doesn't stress to do things his way, but to try it out.
Richard works on Wallis paper mounted on 100% rag museum board. For his demo he worked from a plein air oil he had painted along with his value sketches. He does a value sketch with a regular pencil on the side, not a drawing. Usually he uses about 3 - 5 values. Then he uses very thick watercolor in bright colors to do the under painting. He then paints with the side of the pastel using very light side to side motion. He considers every stroke, steps back and looks. He worked over 2 1/2 hours and did not finish the demo painting, but brought the focal area near finish so we could see some of the final touches. With the under painting so complete, it almost looked finished.
Richard discourages cropping as it changes the eye level and center of your vision. He says you always see and paint from the center.
He stresses value, color intensity, temperature and to soften edges for aerial perspective. Artists should sharpen the edges in the focal area and have the darkest dark and lightest light in that area. He encourages his students to give themselves permission to try new ideas, color, etc. I think this is something we all need to push our paintings to the next level.
We shall see how it goes and see if I remember and use the information. I always have a good plan and know the routine of sketches, value, color, etc., then sometimes wander off on another path. Practice, practice, practice...
Have I been sketching? No. I have been working on my show next Saturday. Wow, too close for comfort. I still have the tags and brochures to do. I hope to write a sentence or two on each painting tag. I've never tried that.
Gene framed three paintings today. What would I do without his help? Thank you, Gene!
Hope to post tomorrow night ....
Oops, I almost forgot. I painted two small 6 x 6 acrylic paintings today on wrapped canvases - no frame necessary. One is pine cones and one is oak leaves, my yard art! I will take photos tomorrow and hope to post them. (I also washed clothes and Gene cleaned some of the mess in the yard from the rain and hail last night. You probably didn't want to know that. Too much information. Hooray for the 3+ inches of rain!)
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