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| Zinnia and Daisies #4 oil 4 x 4 |
In this case
the beast is composition. Creating well
balanced, interesting, unified compositions has always been a challenge for
me. There is so much literature about
the various types of compositions, but it’s difficult to prepare a scene to one
of these standard formats, for instance, the S curve, the steelyard, or the
tunnel. And does one want a formulaic
composition? Yet I’m always in doubt
when I look at one of my compositions and wonder if I’ve arranged the spaces
and shapes well. There is so much
thought and work to it, and that is another rub. Work, ugh!
I want to paint in that free “zone”, not plan, plan, plan, and think so
deeply about these hard topics!
But a
painting without good composition fails, even if well painted.
Here is where
beauty helps. I’ve found that if I setup
a vase of wildly arranged flowers—a cheap, big old grocery store bouquet, and
set out a collection of 4 x 4 gessobord panels, I can paint what are essentially
a series of “thumbnail” paintings of flowers.
I can practice small compositions, balancing how the shapes come
together in these small spaces. It’s
free and fast and so much fun working around the beauty and fragrance of the
flowers. I don’t think about the formula
compositions. I just look at the positive and negative spaces and how the sizes
and shapes are harmonizing, flowing and creating balance and movement in and
around the flowers and within the small square I’m working in. I’m finding it
good practice and I believe it will translate to better compositions on larger
panels.
What beast
can you tame by surrounding yourself with beauty?
I’d like to hear from YOU! Please leave comments and questions.
My paintings re available at Cary Gallery of Artists 200 S. Academy St. in downtown Cary Ashworth Village. 919-462-2035 Mon-Sat 11 am-5:30 pm.
. . . And by contacting me at the following links:
My paintings re available at Cary Gallery of Artists 200 S. Academy St. in downtown Cary Ashworth Village. 919-462-2035 Mon-Sat 11 am-5:30 pm.
. . . And by contacting me at the following links:
You took the words right out of my mouth! My struggle always.
ReplyDeleteIt's very supportive to know you have had the same struggle. I learned so much from you when I took a your workshop at Nicole's a few years back--often think about I learned. I really must draw more often! The struggle/learning never stops!
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