Colorist

[Julie Deane]

I wish I had more color sensibility, so I'm glad this topic was started so that I could enjoy the delicious examples shown. Thanks to all who posted them!

[Sharon Knettell]

Thank-you John and Julie for all of those who participated as well.

Here is a little tip; before you photograph- draw- plan, whatever, your next effort, make sure all the elements obey some color law. If your subject is wearing a cool pink, try a warm green backround behind her/him. I run around with little snippets, fabric, flowers etc. to work out my harmonies.

In my Scottsdale workshop last year my model was dressed in a pale celadon green. She was placed against a rich pink drape. If you arrange you colors beforehand you cannot miss.

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

Of course Van Gogh, too, is one of the great colourists of all time. He is also one of the great draftspeople of all time too. He successfully brings colours and line together where neither is more dominant than the other. Colour and line are as much a subject as the people or landscapes of his pictures. His use of colour and line stem from a gut response to his particular feeling for the unworded beauty of things. His sense of colour and shape are unforced and unrestrained, although he is far from the mad, irresponsible image that lay art history likes so much to talk about. His work comprises thoughtful and rational compositions - mature workings-out of his innate creative passion. A true colourist has a fetish for colour - a delight in it that is almost taboo.

[Carol Norton]

[QUOTE=Sharon Knettell]Here is a little tip; before you photograph- draw- plan, whatever, your next effort, make sure all the elements obey some color law. If your subject is wearing a cool pink, try a warm green backround behind her/him. I run around with little snippets, fabric, flowers etc. to work out my harmonies.

Thank you, Sharon, for ALL of the information that you have taken the time to put into this discussion. I can't wait to read the next installment. How about putting all this into a book? With the depth of your knowledge, its success is a sure thing.

[Sharon Knettell]

Carol,

Thank-you so much. My next installment is finishing a portrait that is due next week!

Thomasin,

Van Gogh, what liberating COLOR! I was trying a bit to keep the color more or less geared to portraiture; however, Van Gogh's colors explode on the canvas. His color was so unpretentious and unselfconsious. He was not selling anything- to me the mark of a great artist.

Here is one that is so powerful!

[Debra G DeRouen]

Thank you for giving such great information on my question and to all participants I did not think it would develop into a wealth of information.

[Vianna Szabo]

What a terrific thread and so many postings of beautiful paintings. I have seen Paxton' s work at museums before and loved them but have never seen "The Breakfast". What a brilliant painting of white on white. Oh to see that one in person!

Along with identifying color as value, hue,temperature and intensity you have to consider the local color and two other influences, color of the light and influence of other local colors.

Color of the light determines if your light areas are warm or cool and that color of light washes over everything creating harmony The shadow is usually the complement with some of the light bounced into it.

The effect of local colors bouncing into each other really hit me when I was trying to paint sunlit grass. I had the color of the grass mixed, the value was correct added some orange for sunlight and was troubled by how flat it looked. It was a clear day with a bright blue sky I picked up a glob of sky color and swiped it across the grass and then the color was true. It was a lesson learned that I consider whenever and whatever I paint now.

Thank you everyone for the postings on this thread there is so much information and it is such a learning experience to see all the approaches to color.

Sharon that photo of the ballerina is stunning. I can only imagine how the colors glow in real life.

[Steve Craighead]

Here are some contemporary "colorist" portraits by John Ebersberger http://www.johnebersberger.com/.

[Allan Rahbek]

Same culture - two harmony's

These are from two Japanese Masters, one is a female artist ! Which ?

[Julie Deane]

I hope you planning on telling us the answer, Alan. I vote for no. 2.
I will not divulge my reasons unless I am proven right!