I normally work on traditional gessoed (the rabbit skin glue, marble dust stuff, not the acrylic stuff sold as 'gesso') boards from RealGesso or oil primed Ampersand Hardbord or Ampersand Claybord sealed with thin imprimatura of ochre and M. Graham Walnut Alkyd Medium. However, when I work larger or wish for a change in surface,…
Blog
Advice to painters – an excerpt from Robert Henri
"Was it worth it?" Is perhaps a proper question to ask when one wonders about the relevance of one's work. If there ever was a manifesto on the artist's life, Robert Henri's seminal collection of writings, "The Art Spirit" come immediately to mind. It has been the bible for many a generation of hopeful creators.…
Charles and the Wondrous Journey
If you like the poem, check out this YouTube video recital. "A Lullaby" by Alfred Lord Tennyson Sweet and low, sweet and low, Wind of the western sea, Low, low, breathe and blow, Wind of the western sea! Over the rolling waters go, Come from the dropping moon, and blow, Blow him again to me;…
La Primavera
"Spring Quiet" by Christina Rossetti (1847) Gone were but the Winter, Come were but the Spring, I would go to a covert Where the birds sing. Where in the whitethom Singeth a thrush, And a robin sings In the holly-bush. Full of fresh scents Are the budding boughs Arching high over A cool green house:…
Oil painting brushes
My most important tools are obviously brushes. Here are my favorites at the moment: Escoda bristle filberts Isabey mongoose rounds Silver Brush ruby satin synthetics rounds and filberts I typically use around two dozen brushes in a painting session. I don't like rinsing them while painting and prefer to have new clean brushes per color.…
Successful Paintings – what makes a painting have “it”
Recently I've been exchanging emails with a friend and collector about having that "eye" for spotting good paintings. How do you know if it's good? Is it a gut reaction? The answer is yes, of course. As a painter you know when you need a red color here or when the composition is lacking or…
Wing Clipping – revisiting a theme
New painting now at Meyer East Gallery in Santa Fe. This young winged man is the second time I've painted "Wing Clipping." The first was in 2007.
My palette
I prefer a classical palette composed of earth colors. David Rourke in his weblog All The Strange Hours wrote an informative post on the classical palette, if you're a little more curious. My wood palette itself is one designed by artist William Whitaker and manufactured by Real Gesso (who also make great traditional gesso panels).…
La Dolce Vita – oil painting demonstration
I work in a manner I've developed over the years which may be best described as somewhat similar to a Venetian manner of painting. That is I glaze a LOT. I also use impasto and scumble. I am a solvent free painter and use just walnut oil and M. Graham walnut alkyd medium. I often…
Small portraits
Two new paintings (available at Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM) of children. I love how the technique used in each of these is particular to the imagined personalities of these portraits. "Boy with Scarlet Bird" is an exercise in greys and a rather delicate handling resulting in a doll-like smoothness with the bright shot…
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