A Touch of Gray


Making myself do a thumbnail sketch and a value under-painting is really worthwhile. Take a look at the process I used to create the painting below...
Click here to own this painting!

 Here is the reference photo. It was a beautiful sunset, but the camera didn't really capture the feeling


I did a quick sketch eliminating some trees that I thought weren't important in the composition.

Next, the charcoal value under-painting sets the stage and reminds me where I want to go.

 

"A Touch of Gray", pastel, 6x6"

My students used this process last week to begin a still life painting. 
Everyone is progressing very nicely!

Linda W. sent this link to see the wonderful Matisse exhibit that is closing today at MOMA. Enjoy!!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I've looked at life...

Image
"Both Sides Now" pastel, 5x7" Day 19 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days! It is really important for me to find times in the day to paint. I am amazed at how good it is for me to be thinking of painting all the time. It is a way of looking at my daily life with thoughts of positive productivity that I hadn't been doing before this challenge.  I am thinking... ok, what shall I paint next? Judy
Read more

Good Company

Image
    "Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter."   Izaak Walton Thanks to all of you who came to the Open House on October 26th to see my work in my second corporate show, "Tea & Co." here in Middlebury, VT. The music, the food and the enthusiastic crowd was wonderful! We are all on a journey of one sort or another. Being new in the area, I was touched by the number of my new friends who came out to support me on a rainy night as I follow my artistic journey. Making art is risky business! We put ourselves out there even knowing that our work will be judged. Liked by some and not by others. It can be very scary, so I find it is important to surround myself with people who are going to "lift me higher." Because not every painting is a gem! The surface I used for All the Tea in China had a painting on it that was a disaster. I washed it off with water and then tried to hide the image of the old painting by using a...
Read more

So You Better Get Ready

Image
"So You Better Get Ready", pastel, 5x7" When you are painting from a memory it can be hard to get the colors and values right. My memory of a wet and muddy dirt road near my old home finally gelled for me just before my class today. What a blessing! This is the same road from the last two paintings in this series, "Put on Your Walking Shoes". I can't get the song out of my head! Who knows where inspiration will come from? We just have to be ready to say "yes" to it! Get those pastels out and PLAY! Judy www.judyalbrightart.com
Read more