Still Life = Inanimate Objects

Well, it is (at least) my fav blue pot. The assignment was to use three colors. Does this qualify as blue, yellow ochre, and white? Ha.

The gouache underpainting is below. It is done on recycled (washed off!) Pastelmat paper. Big slimey mess, too much gouache impasto made the surface a bit slick. Gouache = more watery next time!

Landscape Tutorial Video: Secor on PanPastels

Excellent and detailed and informative video entitled Landscape Painting with Deborah Secor. A big thank you to Deb and to PanPastels for giving us this wonderful gift.

Landscape Painting with Deborah Secor from PanPastel on Vimeo.

Mortlake It2

Iteration 2 on the Challenge. Learned:
. starting with a gouache underpainting is fun as heck
. trees still green, eh?
. relationship between light and dark areas the same, eh?
. lose the detail in the treetops -- ought to be masses of value only

Examined: Pastemat paper

revised14Sept10
Before I jumped onto the Pastelmat bandwagon, I decided to do some research and a few experiments to learn more about it. I am sharing the results. Maybe others can learn and benefit. More knowledge will help you and me use this paper in the best, most appropriate ways.

.Where does it come from?

.What is it made of?

.What is the support? What is the surface?

.How does it "take" a mark?

.How does it react to washes?

.Is it lightfast?

.What colors does it come in and how much does it cost?

.My Conclusion

.Links to other reviews of Pastelmat paper.

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*Sensitvity*Serendipity*Solutions*

"Put your frock on before you put your bibbles and baubles on."

I very much enjoyed the 2-hour demo I attended this morning, by Richard McKinley. Excellent! It was sponsored by the Maryland Pastel Society, in conjunction with their (our?) biennial show, for which Richard was a judge. (It was held in the Music Room in the Strathmore Mansion, which is quite lovely. The show hangs in the mansion. Go see it! Note to self: see about concerts in that room.)

McKinley was very good, very knowledgeable, and a damn good teacher. The enthusiasm and the energy were all there, despite (it's my guess) he's done this same gig about eighty bazillion times before. (The more I see of this, the more I treasure and venerate real authentic teachers. Gadzooks.)

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Mortlake It1

It1 for the Challenge. This is about 8-1/2" x 8-1/2" and done all with PanPastels.
What I learned:
 . don't take too much time; 99 more to go
 . PastelMat is great
 . use greater gaps between values
 . sheet otta be 8" on a side, so it fits the scanner

Hundred Iteration Challenge

I have (tentatively) decided to accept a challenge to do 100 quick variations on the same scene, along the trail blazed by Marla Baggetta's spectacular '100 Variations'. Shown in her blog, here. And organized and cheer-led by Deborah Secor, here.

The image I chose to desecrate is from JMW Turner's Mortlake Terrace, which hangs in the NGA and which I love so much it's my MacBook's 'desktop'. 

Below is my crop and the "cartoon" taken from it, that will guide the pics.

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Extra Special BONUS Video: 4-year-old Josh Sacco channeling Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks in 'Miracle'. Compare with the "real thing" here. Outstanding! (If you go to Wyshynski's page you can play the two clips simultaneously. High-larry-us!)