Well, you know I had to try the Shirley Trevena style painting. I did a drawing/sketch before painting and, when painting, did not drawing but just figured out where everything went (from the sketch guidelines). Um...not quite (ha ha). But I assume this takes a lot of practice to just paint and fit things in and around as she does.
I looked through my art library and discovered I have three of her books, so am slowing looking and reading through them.
This first attempt was from bits and pieces she put together (not in this way but various photos) and I drew them together and around and made up a still life from the various photos in the book.
She was using the tulips with lilies (I didn't draw out any lilies) and the pears in a tilted bowl (I did not tilt my bowl). Then she works through the flowers and the pears and how she paints them. I just went in, full blast, and did the painting in 3 hours steady work, no stops. So I was very into the painting - but, as you can see, it's not very successful and everything looks flat. I put the blue and dark purple colors behind things after I had the painting elements finished. I like the purple wine bottle in the right the best - and the use of the white candle wax as a resist. I wonder what it would look like if I cut it in half and just had the pears, the purple bottle and some of the vase and flowers?
When Shirley paints, she spends a lot of time on one section, then walks away and lets it dry completely before returning to see what else is needed (and where it should be). She says it takes her a week or more to complete a painting, working this way - so a lot of the time, she's not painting but thinking about painting (and composition = it's all about the bold colors and the shapes for her).
So...I'm going to try a step-by-step next time like she would do, getting out the watercolor pencils, the sandpaper, the water soluble graphite and sticks - and try to do it the way she'd do it. I think there is something freeing about this and you just have to take each section as if it was a complete painting in itself.
Stay tuned for the next attempt.
4 comments:
Looking great !!!! and so very interesting :)
Wow! This is a great first attempt, Rhonda!! I think you paid attention during the video!
I've tried some her her techniques before from her books & videos - had lots of fun (especially w-the sandpaper / watercolor pencils).
And if you're not happy with the entire painting, I think cropping it is a fabulous idea.
Rhonda - like what you did here. The colors you chose are wonderful. Why does watching someone else paint look easy but when we go to do it - very hard!! Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. Hugs!
Thanks so much, Meera, Chris and Debbie, for the comments. I think you're right, Debbie - it looks so easy and understandable when you watch the DVDs or look through the books; then you try it and somewhere along the way YOU take over and it looks nothing like the other artist's work (which is good, since you don't just want to copy but if you're trying to do that to learn that technique, it's frustrating). I know I was completely LOST in this painting for 3 solid hours (a rarity for me) so it did take all my attention for a while - and left me with a bit of a sore back afterwards! ha ha. I do love texture and S. Trevena is about texture and shapes as well as color (I'm not as bold to put a bright deep color on right away but maybe I can break my own barriers a bit as I try her style). I don't want to copy her (and not sure anyone could) but just take what she offers - like that handy sandpapering of the watercolor pencils onto wet paper - and run with it :). Thanks for commenting!
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