(147) STUDY: Primary Triad
I have enjoyed my "break"-- got caught up in a flurry of stuff: spring cleaning, planting flowers; registered my son for college, hosted a tea party for dear friends, all fun stuff-- thanks to all who checked in to say hello and inquire why I was absent from the blog. I enjoyed every minute of the shift in focus, but now look forward to a painting routine again. Because this week marks my 6th month anniversary of initiating this blog,(oh yes it does!) I thought I would move in a different direction and explore new things.
During my break, I re-read Kevin Macpherson's books, and made a list of the many challenges and painting exercises he suggests. I took the list, cut it into strips and placed them in a basket where I plan to blindly choose one or more to explore. (Why didn't I just pick one from the list?--because its more fun to be surprised with each assignment-and admittedly, I feared I would get lost looking for the "perfect challenge" and waste time searching.) I plan to take a workshop with Kevin later this summer, so I hope to work through many/most of his suggestions in the coming weeks. Today's exercise consists of tiny studies using a primary palette. Just for fun, I chose colors that I normally would not pair together and noted the secondary colors and neutrals mixed from those color relationships. I tried other combinations for comparison that I will share in the days to come. One of my other favorite books is Edgar Payne's "Composition of Outdoor Painting" so some of my landscape configurations are an exploration of his suggestions for compositions. Too much information?(sorry)
"All the tube colors in the world will be useless to you if you do not properly relate them. A palette of three primary colors gives you all the relationships you need and is simpler to work with"...Kevin Macpherson
4 comments:
It is good to see you back Faye. Great idea to throw all the exercises in a bag and grab one. Such fun in the surprise of the challenge.
I know the feeling of looking for the perfect challenge and wasting you time in the process and in the end just doing something you would normally do anyway.
Great lead up to the macpherson workshop.
Faye, I agree with Frank,I could (and do) spend too much time deciding what the 'perfect' challenge might be so just choosing randomly is easier and faster.
I have both of Kevin's books and think highly of his work.
Your paintings are beautiful!
Thanks for stopping in Frank and Mary-
I once heard that all the things we do in the studio besides painting are usually just procrastination, the "fear of art"-- so I questioned the validity of taking the time to organize the exercises and place them in the basket. But I finally rationalized that I would be spending less time in the long run...it is comforting to hear that both of YOU understand the angst of wasting time searching for the "perfect challenge."
Happy painting,
Faye
and how. I think fear of success and fear of failure are intertwined in the artists life.
I love this comprehensive study of Kevin's book and I'm coming back later to read it all. Until then, if I don't get off this computer I'm going to turn into a pumpkin or part of the chair!
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