The Art of Nature and the Nature of Art
  • Musings on Life and Work in Progress
  • Find my gallery
  • Contact Me Directly

Sorta Alla Prima

22/3/2015

 
Picture"Rhapsody in Blue #2" oil alla prima 12 x 16
Less than a week ago, we were snowshoeing, albeit in heavy and granulated snow.  To my delight, I spotted the scene I had photographed and painted years ago  (see the linked website zannekeele.com by using the tab above -  "Find my Website" - and look at the banner.  I recognized it only because the time of year was the same and the water was that particular green-gold characteristic of the river in late winter.  Although I had flipped the right-left orientation so that the two paintings that were inspired that day would work as a pair, those leaning trees framed by that water were unmistakeable.  I read somewhere yesterday that one theory about the human love of film and television is that they remind us of moving water.  The writer didn't question the underlying assumption;  I would ask, why are bodies of water so hypnotic? I think that it is the shimmering colour produced by sunlight penetrating to the river bottom and being reflected back;  The sunnier the day and the lighter the substrate, the more brilliant the colours. In this sense all transparent media, whether water, glass, watercolour or glaze oil, behave the same.

This month I have been experimenting with alla prima painting.  Certainly, it is less labour-intensive than Renaissance-style glazing, which takes many days and at least six layers.    The pay-off at the end is the addition of final transparent glazes over lighter sections, which almost immediately light up and glow. On the other hand, alla prima painters like Richard Schmid, Elizabeth Robbins and David Lefel produce luscious results.    They paint mainly opaquely and more thickly in a gestural way, using excellent drawing and a mastery of colour to pull it off.  Most importantly, of course, they finish a painting in one go.      

So.... how to combine the virtues of both?

I'm experimenting this weekend with a swan whom I photographed in early winter at the lake.  I painted her yesterday over a longish day (which almost necessitated a nap in the middle), but opted to undershoot some of the areas so that I could glaze them later. Today the painting was mainly dry so I was able to glaze the blue shadows on her chest and flank into deeper values and I detailed the reflection a bit too.  

Sorta alla prima?






Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Archive

    March 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    ALLA PRIMA PAINTING
    ANIMALS
    ART SHOWS
    BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
    CHRISTMAS
    COLOUR THEORY
    COMPOSITION
    GARDENING
    GLAZE OIL PAINTING
    HOW SHAPE MATTERS
    INSPIRATION
    OUTDOOR LIFE
    PALETTE
    PHOTOGRAPIC REFS
    PORTRAITS OF CHILDREN
    PORTRAITURE
    SEASONS
    STILL LIFE
    SUBJECT MATTER
    THE FUNCTION OF TITLES
    THE HUMAN COMEDY
    THE ISSUE OF SIZE
    THIS OLD HOUSE
    TREES
    UNDERPAINTING
    YouTubes

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.