Leanna monochrome

Dear Molly,
I appreciate your posting of info on Mr. Maestas. His technique appears very smilar to Reilly's. I do, however, know that Reilly was not the first to teach the so-called wash-in technique. It was particular to Reilly's instruction, yes, but he didn't pull anything out of thin air. Monochromatic means having a single (or limited) hue(s) involved. Almost all underpainting techniques are, therefore, "monochromatic". The uses of Burnt and/or Raw Umber is because they dry overnight, and, thus, can be painted over the next day without lifting. For that reason, the slower drying Siennas are generally not used at this stage.
Nice as Mr. Maestas work may be, without having met Reilly, he could still have learned Reilly's technique else where. He had hundreds of students!!
By the way, 'forgot to mention it last time, another teacher influenced by Reilly's instruction, a Mr. Thomas Ouellette. He studied under a former protege of Reilly, Michael Aviano. He used (and probably still does) to teach in Back Bay, Boston.
More info on: www.realistpainter.com
Enjoy,
a.

[Molly Sherrick Phifer]

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.

Dear Molly,
Again, thanks for your input. I, briefly, at the commencement of my art education, studied the Reilly Method. With that, the wash-in was strictly an underpainting procedure. Full colors where applied over the top. In so doing, the drawing would continue to evolve. Errors should, thence, be corrected. A very traditional method, really.
What you describe as Maestas's procedure, while sounding very similar in some regards, is not the same. Putting all the colors down at once, is working alla prima, not traditionally. Both means have produced great works, but there are some crucial differences. Do you admire Bouguereau or Monet? Each are examples of those respective means, although, certainly, Monet usually spent more than a single day per peice.
I, personally, couldn't imagine how one could produce a beautiful painting in a single sitting using a rub-out technique. Maybe I just need to see more.