Painting

Part 2, Watts Oil Painting Fundamentals course

Well, I completed the second section of the Oil Fundamentals course and passed. The comments I received were very helpful and insightful. Bottom line, this time I learned that my depiction of values is decent, but I tend to go a little dark in the mid tones. Nobody has told me that before this, so this is appreciated!

My first skull painting. I don’t have much experience in painting or drawing skulls

I got some positive comments for this painting from the teachers at Watts Atelier, but there were some problems with the drawing. The angle of the jaw, apparently, is out of whack.

I’ll confess, I loved learning anatomy but never really liked the skull, and didn’t focus on it at all. Due to this, I am completely ignorant in skull anatomy. But, Watts is going to force all of us students to learn, whether we want to or not! And this is good!

My one-hour “gesture” painting in a limited palette of Burnt Umber and White.

The assignment was to quickly paint something in an hour, and don’t go any longer than that. Quite daunting! I never thought I could be capable of finishing anything so quickly.

As it turns out, I actually completed this in a tiny bit less than an hour, which surprised me more than anyone! There are problems with the drawing. (I feel like everything “leans” a little to one side.) But we are told in the demo lesson that perfection in accuracy is not expected when we only are limited to an hour to complete the painting.

The instructor who wrote the comments on this painting didn’t mention any drawing flaws; so I guess that means it was within acceptable limits.

The instructor notes said that the midtones were too dark on the neck and the side of the nose. Also, the darkest values are too opaque. (It looks better to paint the darkest values with thinner layers, with light values painted with thicker paint.) This was something I was never taught when I first learned to paint in oils. I am grateful for this new guidance and will work to integrate this into my painting.

Once again, I’m very grateful for Watts Atelier and the instruction they’ve given. On to the next part of the Oil Painting Fundamentals course—the Zorn Palette! I’m super excited to learn about this. (I have done some Zorn palette work before, and am fascinated with it!)

05/18/2023 by Art Training & Education Painting 0

To whomever graded my copper pot painting, bless you

The first assignment in the online Still Life course at Watts Atelier. 8×10 inches, pickout.

Thank you, thank you, nameless instructor at Watts Atelier, thank you for your kindness. I enjoyed painting this (more than I anticipated) and liked how it turned out, but you clued me in (in a kind but professional way) to the different problems with it. You are totally right! I see it now! The reflected light on the left side is too strong. I should have left in the fabric folds in the background to strengthen the composition. The lip of the pot is a little too wimpy and should have been sharpened. And so forth and so on.

But you still passed me and called it “a successful painting.” I like it, even with its flaws, and had a good experience with it. But reading all your comments was so helpful. Sobering, but in a good way. I don’t feel crestfallen or chagrined; I feel optimistic because I’m getting really “meaty” instruction which will help me greatly. I feel sobered because this isn’t going to be super easy; it doesn’t matter that I’m not a beginner, it’s not going to be a course I’ll “coast” through (not that I expected that). I’m going to get my money’s worth, that’s for sure!

Thank you so much again.

04/03/2023 by Art Training & Education Painting 0

First grading at Watts Atelier

Oh my gosh, I’m so geeky. I know I’ll calm down soon and become a slug about updating this blog. But it’s still all new to me, so here I am…posting again so soon.

Apparently, the best of the bunch, with the fewest problems.

I got graded on the first set of paintings from the Oil Fundamentals course. I got a score of 100%, but I think they are taking into account that we’re not experts here. (They say in the assignment notes that they are not expecting “mastery.”)

The portrait was okay (but with a few problems), and the other painting (a guy with the sombrero, which I will not show here) had more problems, but apparently not bad enough to ask me to do it again.

I LOVE IT!!!

You know what was so great about their brief critiques? THEY TOLD ME WHAT WAS WRONG. This can be in short supply in many art classes elsewhere. They just won’t tell you anything.

Yes, there were problems with the paintings! I expected that, and wanted to hear what they had to say. Oh, I’m sure they’re not telling me every flaw, but whatever is appropriate for whatever level I’m at.

I get so sick of art classes where the teachers are too hesitant or timid to tell difficult truths. I’m not talking about teachers being needlessly cruel, but saying nothing and allowing the student to continue as they are, without useful advice to help them improve—that is cruel.

(I understand why some teachers might choose to be close-lipped; often because other students in the past have pitched such a fit that it doesn’t seem worth the bother anymore. What an indictment on the students who complain in such a way.)

Anyway, suffice it to say I’m very happy to get this advice and look forward to more.

03/30/2023 by Art Training & Education Painting 0

“Pickout” Oil Painting Fundamentals, first assignment (portrait)

9×12″ burnt umber “pickout” portrait from the Watts Atelier oil painting course

Oh, I struggled with the drawing on this one. Front view poses are always the worst! I don’t typically do a preliminary drawing when I paint, because with opaque paint I can tweak things as I go along. But this is an exercise with just burnt umber and Gamsol. Basically, transparent. (You can see the pencil lines in some places.) I KNEW I’d get something lopsided (and I did) but drawing in pencil beforehand mitigated the worst of it.

I see all the problems with the painting, but at the same time, a lot was learned from this exercise. And we’re not done yet! We’re going to be doing plenty more burnt umber pickout, and I’m up for it. I integrated some burnt umber pickout in a recent painting (I try to do daily small paintings) and it sold immediately! So Watts Atelier is already starting to pay off!

I’m not a novice at oil painting, but experience has taught me that I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING and boy, has this course confirmed that! So much more to learn! So many more techniques to explore! And let’s not even get into the drawing courses at Watts. So much to unpack there as well.

03/28/2023 by Art Training & Education Painting Portraits 1

Oh, my sweet summer child, your MFA doesn’t prove that you’re a good artist

“I speak with authority, I have an MFA!” says someone with low art skills EVERY DARN DAY. I mean they don’t say that word-for-word, but that’s the gist. They proudly mention their degree as “proof” of something, but that’s not how it works. The artist’s actual body of work proves their expertise better than anything else. Mentioning one’s degree shouldn’t even be necessary; the quality of work should be doing all the talking!

I’m in the not-so-unique position of having attended a fancy ooh-la-la art school, while not having a degree in art. In retrospect, it was an advantage, because I got to choose who I wanted as my teacher and what I wanted to study, and fortunately I didn’t waste my time on “fluff” classes, but stuck to the fundamentals.

“Your portfolio is your degree” said one teacher at the fancy school, when I asked him if it really was okay to just get the schooling without the degree. And he has proven to be right.

No one changes their mind and suddenly wants to buy an artist’s work as soon as they find out they have an MFA. If the quality of the work grabs them, they want it. If it sucks, an MFA isn’t going to suddenly make it less sucky.

That’s why ateliers are on the rise. Because the good ones teach you the skills that many of the ooh-la-la colleges won’t, and for a lot less money.

For further reference, please read Noah Bradley’s “Don’t Go to Art School!”

03/26/2023 by Art Training & Education Drawing Painting Rambling 0
instagram