Lamp black not drying

[Richard Budig]

It is difficult to offer good critical review of work via computer. Each computer monitor "sees" things differently. If I commented on your flesh tones, I may be quite wrong because of the way my monitor displays your work. In general, your work looks as though you are headed in the right direction.

How did your guru teach you to soften color? Did he teach your about neutral grays? A lot of artists use neutral grays as a way to tone down brilliant colors. You can also tone down brilliant colors using the complement . . . blue to soften orange, for example. However, this method takes a very long time to learn, and usually causes one to waste a lot of paint looking for the right combination. Neutral gray can be made in several values by using ivory black and white. It is necessary to add a bit of raw umber or burnt umber to the black to kill it tendency to show blue. Once you get used to your grays, you will use them in much of your work.

But, as for black, again, my advice is not use so much that it takes so long to dry. Actually, it will eventually dry, but sometimes, it can take quite a long time . . . many days up to a couple of week.

And, yes, you should draw all the time.

[Meera Bakshi]

Dear Richard,
I greatly appreciate your feed back. To be very frank, I did not have much time with my GURU as I met him around 1991 as I was basically from Mumbai and in order to not to leave my owned apartment in place like Mumbai in vacant condition when we get a visa approval of our Green card, so we got rid of that apartment and moved to a smaller city - Ahmedabad. I was not so very happy to leave Mumbai but GOD might have different plans for me. Staying there for almost 2 and 1/2 years I did not know this GURU exists! And when I came to know about him and found out he was teaching exactly what I was looking for, I started learning from him starting January 1991 and in June 1992 I came to US.
He too do not have Computer access and or e-mail connection. So it is very difficult to communicate with him. Many a times I miss his expertise when I am stuck at certain point of my work.
He may have told me about the gray tones but I do not recollect. What you say is right. I do remember him telling me to use little blue tint in chin area while working on a male portrait, though!
I will try to apply as per your advice. Thanks again for your special time sparing for me. I will keep in touch with my latest work. Thanks again.