It's Better Than You Think!

[Elizabeth Schott]

Sorry I spelled "intensity" wrong in that jpg.

I tired to retouch the painting above to just give an example of what I think is meant by color/values in nature and how deception as Marvin teaches it is an important rule in sucessful compostion.

[Peter Jochems]

The two major tenets of my approach to painting are that nature cannot be copied and that realistic painting is the art of deception. So whatever truth you seek has little appeal for me.

now this discussion is hitting on something fundamental... although it's off-topic in this (indeed tiresome) thread.

Truthfulness in art... That's what it is ALL about... nothing else.

Peter

[Elizabeth Schott]

Tim, your truth in nature and Marvin's deception... from a just learning student I think they both make sense. But only when the compostition is done correctly and can pull it off which I think your saddle still life does.

As to

Puccini's "Floating Arm"

I heard the Diva was a huge failure and the box office closed by the end of the week. The said soprano ended up some where in Russia playing to half houses in the back alleys of Moscow - all because she never learned any values. Can you imagine?

[Marvin Mattelson]

If you are painting on a flat two-dimensional surface any attempt at creating the illusion of form, life, air, depth and space are clearly acts of deception. If you don't understand this basic premise you have NO CHANCE of mastering the art of painting.

A master painter is one who utilizes their understanding of visual perception to enhance the illusionistic qualities of the scene depicted on the canvas.

The only real truth in painting is in attempting to reveal that the painted surface is flat, flat, flat.

Eternal truth, now that's a horse of another color.

Speaking of horses, I tell my students: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink, you can lead a man to knowledge but you can't make him think.

[Peter Jochems]

Speaking of horses, I tell my students: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink, you can lead a man to knowledge but you can't make him think.

http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...&threadid=1629


Thanks Marvin.

Peter

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Well! We all agree again! "If it looks good it is good!"

Painting is deception. I just think the more respectful we are to the subject in all its parts the better the deception works.

We've all seen painters that paint from their imagination. It shows everytime. It lacks form and depth and correct color and good light, every time. The other end of that is to paint precisely what you see form nature. Now, we all fudge for artistic reasons and those reasons increase through the years as we learn more.

When we best fool people the work seem as if you can see miles into the canvas.

Thaulon Frits; "On the River"

[Michele Rushworth]

I think the ultimate in absolute truth in painting is Konstantin Malevich's 1918 creation, "White on White". Yeah, it's pretty much a square of white canvas, with another square inside it. No fudging there, no illusion whatsoever. It is what it is.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Painting is deception. I just think the more respectful we are to the subject in all its parts the better the deception works

Either you deceive or you are faithful. The only gray area is at the top of my palette (neutral grays).

Some things must be exaggerated and others played down for the sake of the overall effect.

Beyond that, I categorically refuse to agree with everyone. If I'm in agreement with what everyone thinks then I know there must be a better answer out there. I am faithful only to my painting (and my wife). Show me a better way and everything I know and do is history.

Grasshopper- you're learning!

Also Ingres was ten times the painter that David was.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Ingres was a great painter with many wacked out ideas. But a great painter, none the less!

[Elizabeth Schott]

I guess some jokes should be missed Tim.
I deleted my golfer.