yoga series

Tricia Migdoll · 05-07-2007, 05:41 AM

Thanks again Sharon. Colour is on my very long list of things to learn. Alas, along with composition and more.

Every painting i do, reminds me of what i do not yet know about painting.

David Clemons · 05-07-2007, 09:32 AM

What strikes me the most about the figures here is they seem to be lit by an artificial light. That's not such a problem with the seated figure, but it's a bit jarring for those placed in an outdoor setting, especially for the one in the night landscape. I'd excpect it to be lit by moon or star light. The result seems as if the outdoor scenes are stage back drops, which can be an interesting idea, but it needs to be intentional. Sharon mentioned Manet, and if you look at some of his paintings, they also sometimes appear to be figures on a stage.

Sharon Knettell · 05-07-2007, 03:06 PM

Manet set up stage sets in his studio. "The Bar at the Folies Bergere " was done like that. He had a very specific reason to do so. Influenced by the flatness and simple elegant shapes of Asian art, he wanted to experiment with that effect in his art so he had his figures directly lit by the light thus reducing the form. He was breaking from the traditional realism of the French Salon. It was a brilliant move.

To get the best effect of skin-tones in a setting you have to paint the figure from life. So much subtle color is lost any other way.

Bougereau as well as many other realistic figurative painters of that era has glass houses, like green houses, built outside.

Tricia,

I think this is a wonderful concept. It is so refreshing to see someone painting with actual ideas, avoiding the trite. It is not easy to do and I applaud you for it. Color was the most difficult thing for me also.

It seems to me that the figure in the middle painting could be lit by moonglow.

Tricia Migdoll · 05-07-2007, 05:44 PM

Thanks David & Sharon.

Some of my ideas are a bit too weird for life painting. Could you imagine any model holding any of those poses for any length of time.?

With the seated pose, my model was still in the country, so i could get her back near the end for some life sessions. Then she returned to India. She was however lit by natural light in all poses.

With the outdoor ones, the setting is a separate reference, with a standin model for perspective.

For this series, i made a conscious decision not to ask for guidance during my thought process. I didn't want my vision to be influenced as it often is.

And yes Sharon, as i was painting the earth pose, she indeed seemed bathed in moon glow, so i ran with that.

I do wish to allow myself to move outside the traditional box, even though that might not be acceptable to the purists. Having said that, i think i would be more sucessful if i know and understand the rules before i decide to break them.

Sharon, i am delighted that you appreciate my venture.

Sharon Knettell · 05-07-2007, 06:20 PM

[QUOTE=Tricia Migdoll] For this series, i made a conscious decision not to ask for guidance during my thought process. I didn't want my vision to be influenced as it often is. QUOTE]

Triciia,

I do not buy any of the art magazines for that reason. I find that they distract me, create nervousness, envy and attachment. I find inspiration in meditation, nature, certain artists of the past and especially Asian art.

Trust your judgement. I find that my inspiration often outruns my skill and knowledge.

Tricia Migdoll · 05-08-2007, 03:13 AM

[QUOTE=Sharon Knettell

Triciia,

I do not buy any of the art magazines for that reason. I find that they distract me, create nervousness, envy and attachment. I find inspiration in meditation, nature, certain artists of the past and especially Asian art.

Trust your judgement. I find that my inspiration often outruns my skill and knowledge.[/QUOTE]

Me too - i am always a few years ahead of myself in ideas vs. ability.
But you never know unless you try, right.?

Thank you very much for your interest & especially your comments.
I know little about the Asian art of which you speak. If you care to add some links, i would be interested in taking a look.

Sharon Knettell · 05-08-2007, 07:50 AM

Tricia,

The Sackler and Freer Gallery in Washington DC has a wonderful collection of Asian art. I used many of their pieces in a Power Point demonstration I did in Scottsdale last March. http://www.asia.si.edu/

Click on collections, then click on Japanese and Chinese art. They take my breath away like they did the French in the 19th century.

Your museums in Australia (my husband has been there twice, alas not me) are loaded with Asian Art. Also, I have found second hand bookstores are a treasure trove of those zillion dollar coffee table books on art, at a much friendlier price. I got some beauties on Asian art that way.

Carol,

Oh yippee, they asked me to return. I will be there in February when everything here is grey and cold.

Follow the link above, You can create a web museum of your own on the site.

The only decent book I found on color theory, through the ages up to the present is Arthur Pope's book "The Language of Drawing and Painting". It is an out of print book, but it still can be found online. He was an art professor at Harvard when a lot of the new color theories, like Munsell were being tossed around. That combined with his extensive knowledge of every form of art makes this a worthwhile book to read.

The Sackler also has great books to buy from their collections.