Dear All,
Here is the rest of the interview.

http://www.asopa.com/publications/19...ichardlack.htm

I think that all of us agree that it's the interpretation of the reference and the skill, the creative abilities, and the talent of the artist that makes the art great.

Also, that real life is probably the best reference, but that photos, memory, creative ideas, etc, are also useful and maybe even necessary to the artist?

Simple test
 

For any artists that believes in the worth and power of memory in painting it's simple; paint someone you know well from memory -- then paint that person while looking at them -- see which painting you like best.

Surely no one thinks Mr. Lack painted that clock or that man featured in the painting (included in the interview) from memory? It's important that artists understand where the important stuff lies. The painting from memory or the painting of souls is best left to the poets.

There is a big difference between painting from memory and painting from imagination.

I too do as Mr. Lack sugests after a life painting session. When the model leaves I adjust things to make them look right without being biased by the model. I remember what I have been looking at and proceed based on my recollections. This would involve mostly manipulation of values, edges and subtlties to get the spacial aspects more in tune with what I'm trying to present to my viewer. My intention would be to make the painting read better. I consider this memory painting.

However if I were to paint a portrait from my recollection of an old friend I would consider this to be painting from my imagination and not my memory.

I have an exercise I give my students after thev've been working from the model all day (5+ hours). I tell them to do a drawing of the model when they get home from their memory. Invariably, the areas of the painting they had trouble with would be the parts that were unclear or troublesome in the drawing.

One's lack of understanding, which is most essential aspect of drawing I believe, is always the culprit. It's a great exercise.

It was my understanding that the point of the original post was to try a painting from memory as an exercise to better improve one

Dear All,

For getting a likeness, there is probably nothing like real life and reference photos and improving on what we see. At least for most of us.

However, the Mexican artist, Gregorio, painted my grandparents from life and he painted them from memory and both looked exactly like them so I know that the feat can be done successfully. (He painted a lot of stamps for the Mexican government back in the 70's. Mostly airplane stamps. He was an illustrator also for a Mexican book about the Indian history of Mexico).

Would we want a genuine J. S. Sargent portrait that he painted strictly from memory or imagination? Would it be equal to some of his other great paintings? Surely no one would value it less because he painted it from memory or his imagination. His genius would transcend the process, wouldn't it?

I think Mike had a good point. Quote: If someone can produce great portraits from photographs, from life or from memory, that's fine, but they have to be great first, without the knowledge of process.

I think you are right Michael, the ship changed course somewhere along the line. :) But it surely is interesting to see all the different insights. Very delightful.

I read the interview with Richard F. Lack and I like a lot of Mr. Lack

Dear Michael,
I agree with you on that for sure. I find that as we age our memories become fonder of the old days. And I have heard this so many times while teaching from some of the older artists. So, I sort of smiled when I read it.

Hummm
 

Well, the point remains that Sargent NEVER painted from memory, nor imagination (apart from what he could see or set-up) and seldom any photos. Life life life!-working from life for lively paintings.

I don't want my work to look like those artists who have painted from memory. The list of artists who never did is a far better list I think and is comprised mostly of illustrators. I'd prefer to been one the list with Hals, Rembrandt and Sargent.

What!

You better go back and check your knowledge of Sargent

I think it was the paintings of Santa Fe that have tripped me up. I loved the uneducated, unskilled Indian and Hispanic portraits. The portraits that they painted were from the reality of their imaginations, memories, and dreams. They are beautiful to me.