Hi Albert,
I didn't mean to imply that Maestas didn't pick up Reilly's method. I can't really say. I did not speak to him personally, but was told by his agent that Maestas had learned this method through careful direct study of old masters techniques. I was just thinking that since he calls his technique "rub out" and does not use it as an underpainting (these are finished paintings), that it bore quite a similarity to what April appears to have been instructed in.
I personally love the look of paintings done this way. I am very tempted to do a series of these finished "rub out" paintings. I wish I had the opportunity to see someone in action who is using multiple colors in a rub out. I'm not sure how that would work!
April, did your instructor ever show the technique with multiple colors? I think the reason that Maestas doesn't necessarily stick with just the umbers, is that he's not worried about painting on it the next day. He finishes in one day. Amazing. I wish there were more examples of the multi color rub outs on the website I posted, they are really beautiful to look at.
April, I hope you do more of these! I just love the look. I have a couple that I have done in Marvin's class, but I haven't come anywhere NEAR close to having one I could call a finished painting as I make so many drawing errors that I need to paint over.
