Not a Cassatt.

Debra Jones · 08-18-2009, 08:59 PM

I started this painting for a local league competition "In the Manner Of.." and was sure I could do a Cassatt! I know where I went wrong, as most of my friends are thrilled to tell me it is a PERFECT ROCKWELL!

Sigh. The family is happy, and although not a real commission, it may do a bit of traveling and sampling for other work.

Amanda Grosjean · 08-19-2009, 09:31 AM

Oh, if we could only choose to paint like whatever artist we admire.

I have tried to emulate techniques of other artists before and I always default to my same old way. It's just how my brain is able to make sense of things and make it work.

That being said I do see hints of Cassatt in the mark-making. It's a beautiful piece just being a Debra Jones.

Debra Jones · 08-19-2009, 01:44 PM

Thank you for your comment.

I was very enlightened in that first try. I spent a few hours (online, which is a pain) looking at her work and I think, for the show, I will work up a Rockwell style! I got more comments to that effect! However, I have my sticks out and am thinking what is right and what is wrong.

I did another, trying to key it much higher and work on the longer strokes. This is on watercolor paper, a favorite technique of my own, but not very Cassatt. I also am doing myself a disservice by using only my personal favorite NuPastels instead of the boxes of rich soft pastels the project needs. The more I work, the more I see the technique.

SO again, this is not a Cassatt but I think someone might mistake it for a bad Degas?

Amanda Grosjean · 08-19-2009, 02:23 PM

Debra,

The top image seems a little too orderly to be a Cassatt. There are nice hatch marks throughout. But she had a way of accenting recess shadows or contours with sharp beautiful lines that sometimes would fly apart, especially at the hands. Sometimes it ends up being a squiggle. I think that is what the top one is missing. It needs to feel a little more free. Also what throws me off is the use of purple in the shadow tones whereas Cassatt often used a variety of blues/grey-greens. The accent lines were often browns or something close to a paynes grey. I might suggest looking at "Mother combing her Child Hair" or "Child in Orange Dress.".

The bottom one I feel could use a little more contrast. The texture from the paper is a little disruptive to the hatch marks as well. But you do get more of a Degas feel. Cute composition.

-Amanda

Debra Jones · 08-19-2009, 04:35 PM

Excellent points. Only I was impressed by the hot oranges in her shadows...Sleeping Baby for instance.

I was thinking of throwing all my browns out and using only brilliant darks for shadows on the next round. BUT really soft pastels will make a huge difference. These small images, last one was 9x14" and the first was 10 x16", are fighting my sticks. I was sort of killing time while waiting for a new refrigerator! Now that the house is done being upside down, I will finish my decorating and see what I can do next. The experiment has charged my pastel energies!
dj*