Hello
Today we are going to Muse about the making of a painting. If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.
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When I was in my 30’s, my then wife decided she wanted to change careers and become an architectural interior designer. Part of her course of study involved architectural illustration. We lived in Phoenix and she attended Arizona State University in Tempe.
In the College of Architecture there was a watercolor course taught by Robert Oliver offered every two years . The objective of the course was to teach architecture students how to make painterly illustrations , to loosen them up.
The class was not listed in the course catalog. It was promoted by word of mouth only. My wife was keen to take it and she asked me to take it with her. She checked with Oliver and he had no objection.
That gave me pause.
My degree was in painting. I had been a high school art teacher and worked had towards a Masters of Fine Arts, but real world economics had guided my direction and for a number of years, by that time, I had been in the insurance business. I did very little with art because of time constraints. And . . . I knew nothing about “watercolor” except “it is hard”.
Sometimes fortune smiles and you make the right choice. That was one such time. Oliver was engrossing, challenging and fun. His course probably helped me more than any other study I have undertaken,. the best painting instruction I had.
Oliver would demonstrate a technique live to the class using an overhead mirror allowing us to see his actions from anywhere in the class. We would then spend most of the remaining period doing whatever he had demonstrated. At the end of the time all our work would be displayed and he would give us a critique.
He was a great teacher and instilled in me a love of medium.
Jupiter Lighthouse
Recently I was commissioned to paint the Jupiter Light House for a medical Office. I’ll show you how it developed .
The first step was to look at it . I’ve lived down here thirty four years and had never seen the lighthouse except off in the distance from a speeding car.
There is a park on the south side of the waterway opposite the the lighthouse I discovered. Off I went with my chair, coffee, camera, paper and pencil. Several people came by to chat. It was a very nice morning and I came home with a working sketch.
The Painting
So let me take you through the steps.
When I started the painting I applied a light bluish gray wash to the entire surface and let it dry. This being humid Florida drying is a consideration. When I studied in Arizona that was not an issue.
Sketch
Blocking in land mass
blocking in Sky and Water
lighthouse body and color strengthening
Color enhancement
Boat is gone, lighthouse complex, foreground developed, color enhanced
Nearly there The building beneath the light house bothers me
Finis
And, . . . that’s all folks!
On A Different Note
A friend sent me the following. I found it mindlessly amusing. You might too.
One Last thing:
I am thrilled to announce an exclusive art giveaway for my mailing list! You could be the lucky winner of a 13″ x 13″ Tote Bag of “croquet girls”.
How to Enter:
Fill out the entry form: http://www.ttribby.com/may-2024-giveaway
It’s quick and easy!
The winner will be announced on 5/21.
Good luck and thank you for your support!
P.S. I have something special planned for all participants after the giveaway ends.
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