PSA 2008 text "Developing your critical eye"

[Chris Saper]

Following is the text outline of my presentation at the 2008 PSA meeting,
"Developing your Critical Eye"

Start at the Beginning
Look at your subject
Talk to your subject
Ask about preferences

Think about composition
Consider color harmony
Compose through the lens
What do you want to show?

Designing the Painting
Thumbnail sketches in three values
Posterize
Evaluate shapes, placement, negative spaces

Find your Drawing Errors
Mirror
Back & forth
Upside down
Computer image reverse

Common Drawing Issues
Photocopy syndrome
Failure to edit
Failure to interpret
Failure to understand value compression / photo distortion
Symmetry
Going Egyptian

[Laurel Alanna McBrine]

I am so glad to see this handout, since I managed to lose mine, which also had my notes on it. There were a couple of moments that are burned into my brain.

Most amusing visual: A slide of Chris with her eyes pasted far apart to illustrate how we all tend to paint ourselves - very funny!

Most memorable line of the conference (regarding paintings that cannot be revived): "When your horse is dead, get off the horse!"

Thank you, Chris, for your well prepared, entertaining and informative presentation.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Thank you, Chris! They are good reminders for artists, no matter what their level of experience. I thought the panel was very informative in general. I enjoyed hearing what each person had to say. Although there was some overlap, as was to be expected, the four artists brought up some very different points.