Poetry of Light- Solo Show

Poetry of Light opening...


Gallery Roca

This scene is a few blocks from our apartment where we have done much food shopping.

Value versus Color

This theme has been recycled throughout the history of Western art and provides the artist with an excuse to paint the nude figure justified by moral ends. More importantly it is a perfect example of painting flesh and creating volume. Closer inspection and we find that the values in the drawing are what gives the central figure so much presence and by simply plugging in the temperature the figure comes to life. If we look at the painting in black and white we see a perfect opaque chalk drawing.
Susanna and the Elders, Hendrick Goltzius MFA Boston

The Beauty of Cast Painting- Russell Harris

I've long admired the work of Russell Harris www.russellharrisstudio.com and his unique ability to bring objects to life with uncompromising precision and detail. This work in progress (above) gives us an idea how a piece evolves and we get a peek "under the skin" of a fully resolved painting.
Cast Painting © Russell Harris 2007

Cast Personification

Untitled, © Justin Wiest 2007
I think sculpture can be a very efficient tool in learning drawing and even as subject matter for paintings. In good sculpture subtle nuance can become very clear.

West Broadway

6:15 am downtown

Candace

Tangent

Lighting the model with equal amounts of natural (window) lighting and warm incandescent lighting can produce an interesting phenomenon, pure simultaneous contrast. The optical gray produce by the wrapping of natural light illustrates this clearly (see models neck left side). The line of tangency, if both lights are of the same intensity, should be neutral. However color temperature is influenced by the acuteness of the turn. Of course large fields of color will have complementary effects with the subject also, i.e., blue landscape will help activate model's left.

Anatomy

I'm gathering up some of my anatomy materials and somenoe told me about
http://www.reybustos.com/03ra/Rey_mx.htm
and I thought it was very interesting. It is very different from copying anatomy plates from Richer's Artistic Anatomy book, almost twenty years ago when I started at Schuler's. Although Hans Schuler Sr.'s thoughts on anatomy still apply. "Anatomy, learn it then forget it".

Justin Wiest Paintings

I'm in the process of doing another manikin painting based on the sacrifice of Isaac (son of Abraham and father of Jacob), and hope to post a walnut-ink study soon. The walnut ink I use is simply those green rotting things on the side of the road that stain your sneakers and hands. I get a bunch of them, smash them, add some distilled water, boil them, and then strain through some pantyhose. It is preferable to use someone else's kitchen and pantyhose. You then have an ink concentrate and can water down for lighter values. I also tried adding alcohol (which prevents the ink from smelling funky) and shellac to make it flow differently. The ink has a window of flexibility before it become insoluble, that is on some papers you can make a mark and then lift most of it off. I don't know how permanent or lightfast the ink is but I have some drawings that are 10-15 years old and haven't faded or changed.