"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?
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?
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