Chromatic law from Impressionism
 

Allthough this "colour complementarity" is visible in all Monet 'works, there are few portraits showing this technique. What do you think about this painting? Can you obtain complementarity even from a photo?

Hi Adriano,
This is one of yours, right?
You draws so well, but I think that your touch is closer to Renoir than Monet, what do you think ?
I see blue and pink strokes in the complexion and think that it works well. Your edges are really something.

Keep on posting, Allan

Hi Allan
I wish it were mine! I would be a millionaire!!!!
It 's one of Gustav Klimt's portraits.
The complexion is what I wanted you to notice.
I'll send another one.You should know it.
Ciao

Adriano,

When you talk about getting complementary color in portraits from photos, do you mean 'working' from photo reference as opposed to working from life or are you asking if we can see the complementary color in the Monet example?

Hi Sharon
I meant working from photos.Obviously you cannot see the complementarity on a photo,but you always do a complementary choice when working, first when you take a blue-grey or agreen-grey paper (it's complementary to the complexion) , second when you put on paper colours that mixed toghether let you get the complexion from a distance. Tomorrow I'll post a visible procedure so you 'll understend.Of course you must have been learnt it after painting from life before applying it to a photo.
By the way , the two portraits above are from Gustav klimt ,the great master that in spite of been realistic used the complementarity law from impressionism.
Your paintings are delicious to me . I admire who does things that I would't even think about. Strong and equilibrated colors and a beauty of a fimale face that seems childish , sensual and regal at the some time.
Ciao
Adriano

Hi Sharon I'll hope you 'll like it
I begin whith a drawing by a brown color pastel pencil!

Secondarily
I put the pink complexion to cover the blue -light color paper !
It's iust an eye, but the procedure will suit in general for a nude or a figure.(putting light color first ,controlling the balance allover the painting)

I put half tones looking at how cold or hot are the different parts of the face.I've never used my fingers. I know my colors so I should tell you
the exact name ,next time , if you want to, I'll tell you the palette.

Now I continue to mix colors that I know ,for example orange and green or violet and yellow, being carefull to tone toward cold or hot color. I haven 't use my finger yet.

I did a mistake before putting the some painting, anyway I''ll continue.
Now I go on applying strong colours and, using the little finger at the end, getting shadows (under the right eye or on the eye-brow).I can use couples of complementary colors because I know them very well.
When I buy the pastel colors I don't need to watch the pastel -number ,I can say it's all right just looking at it.
If I don't have a white-blue I dirty my finger on a blue spot I made before (you can see it on the right) and I cover the white ,
so the light should be cold.
Ciao

Adriano,

Thank-you for that informative demonstration. I can see why your method results in such lively skin-tones in pastel.

There are two painters, both American that work with complementary colors in the skin-tones. Frieseke and Stuart, the artist who did the famous portraits of our first president, George Washington. They have quite a few of his in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Even though he painted in the 18th century his skin-tones are as impressionistic as Klimt. I was quite amazed when I saw them in person.

I don't have time now to post a Frieseke now, but his skin-tones and paintings are a riot of color.

What are your colors, how many pastels do you have and what brands?

I've got a little box (45 pastels) and i use few colours for the portrait.
About ten for the complexion ! I usually buy Rembrandt ,just becouse
I don't know other brands.
Do you think that this procedure will suite to the oil painting ?
I saw that your oil painting looks like a pastel.
Adriano

Adriano,

You do so much with so few pastels, I have, I am embarrased to say, about 3,000 at least.

I have found some example of Frederick Carl Frieseke, an American artist who lived in Paris around the time of Monet, in fact they were freinds and lived within walking distance of each other.

His work vibrates with color. I had never heard of him until I came across a magnificent painting of his in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This man knew the laws and meaning of color.

Hi Sharon
THanks for these beautifull pastels !!!
I suppose they are quite big ,aren't they? I knew Frieseke, but sometime
I thought his pastels were oils. Anyway Idin't know them . As soon as possible I' ll work for a similar pastel trying to get the some effect.
Thanks again
Adriano

Actually Adriano, they are beautiful oils.Here is a link to his work on the Art
Renewal site: http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=2056

Hi sharon
Thanks anyway becouse now I have somebody to be inspire by for my oil painting!
Ciao

Adriano,

Here's more from another of my favorite painters.

You should see these close up. We have quite a few of his at local museums as he was a New England native. He actually taught at my school, the Boston Museum School, unfortunately way before my time.
The school, though still well known has really gone down hill. They taught me how to mix sand with my paint when I was there.

"Sic transit gloria!" Sigh!

I am not familiar with any Italian artists that are impressionists, past or present. Are there any?

Hi Sharon
You 're so nice!!!
I know him very well.Once I made a copy of his painting and I 'll send it to you in the future.I got many books about American Impressionism. One of my favorite landscape painters is Willard Metcalf, but I like Robinson, Twatchman ,Hassm,Chase too.
They all don't paint "alla prima" and some of them (Robinson and Benson)helped themselves by using photographs.. In Italy there was a movement called "divisionismo", that means that the painter used little complementary strokes to make a texture obtained by scratching the surface after painting . Some of the painters were Segantini,Pellizza da Volpedo,Previati , Morbelli. Now the best impressionist master I now leaves in Milano . I 've got two books of his and tomorrow I'll send the photos to you.
Ciao
Adriano

Adriano,

I would love to see them!

Actually, from what I read about Impressionism, it would be very difficult to do Alla Prima. Monet's work were all built up layer by layer, they are quite crusty.

It is too bad you cannot see the Benson's up close. They have a surprisingly rough surface and the color is built up of myriads of little specks of color. They really are quite beautiful.

The seascape painting is at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum., quite near where I live. Eleanor is at the Boston museum, not to far as well. I love to study them.

I know he used photography, but his color sense was so refined and intuitve, he coould make a dull twig sing.

[QUOTE=Sharon Knettell]Adriano,

Hi Sharon
You may be don't know an extraordinary site that enhables you to get the blowing up of a painting.
Go to http://www.terraamericanart.org/coll...urrentrecord=1
You'll be able to see every level of his painting.
Ciao
Adriano

Adriano,

I just got a chance to read through this post and love your demo. I would like to see the finished piece. Your technique is so different from what I do and I am in awe how you or any pastel artist, who works in this manner, doesn't end up with total mud on the paper.

Please post the end result of this demo as well. I am interested to see how this has further developed.

Hi Enzie
I'm afraid I cannot post the end of it ,unless I post a pastel taken from a photo. That ' s why I invented it . Anyway I can post a pastel of mine made from a photo reference. It's not the same ,but you can see the some procedure ,even if from a photo I don't need to be so detailed. I'll promise I'll do next time if you like it.
Ciao
Adriano

Sharo,
I'm sending you some paintings of my favorite italian painter. I'd like to ask you something else. Does "alla prima " mean that you have to complete the painting in one pose ?

The second one!

Adrianio,

Alla Prima, I do believe means in one sitting.

My computer crashed,so I am seeing these lovely pieces on a borrowed laptop, which does not do them justice. My computer will not be fixed 'til next week, so I will look at them again. Thank you for posting these.

[QUOTE=Sharon Knettell]Adriano,
Hi Sharon
I'm sending you a painting of mine ,that's a copy from Benson. I did it
many years ago. Did you like the Italian paintings ?
Adriano

Here it is !!

Adriano,

Sorry, I am still using a borrowed laptop.

The paintings are really beautiful, the paint handling and color exquisite.
I like your Benson copy as well. He is an amazing colorist.

Thank-you for sending them.