Saturday was Kevin’s Saturday class where we go in and get the assignment for the month. Kevin has a way of instilling excitement into these assignments which is why I think I choose to do them even if I don’t always get the assignment done in the month assigned. This month we are to do a local tone painting and add gradation to it. Local tone is breaking a painting into three value groups, like the black and white and gray under-paintings I did back in September. Local Tone can be very flat in appearance, like Bonnard; or you can add form, where there still is no sense of light and shadow, but there is a subtle shift of value within any shape; and now with gradation we will be adding dimension. Here in Colorado it is very hard to find a local tone day as we get so much sun and being a mile high, it is very intense. But if you have ever visited in Europe, a gray or misty day provides a lovely local tone scene. Therefore I have chosen to do a scene from my last trip to France. Interestingly enough, I was in Kevin’s year long master painting class at the time of the trip and that month we were studying local tone so I took every opportunity to sketch it or photograph my understanding of local tone. I have marked on the sketch how I see the gradation happening in different shapes. the sky will still read as one value, and it is the lightest value, but it will subtley move from a darker light value to a lighter- I think from right to left...
After class, Drew and I went to the DAM to see the Blumenschein show before it leaves Denver today. Drew had not been to it yet and been chastised by Mark Daily for not going. Since Drew and I carpool to Kevin’s class, and I did not mind going back for the third time, we stopped on our way home. Much to my chagrin, it was “Free Saturday.” The art museum was packed! However it was gratifying to see so many people enjoying the museum even if it meant we had to wait for openings in the crowd to get close to see Blumenschein’s mastery up close. You don't have to like his subject matter to appreciate his use of color. although I must admit, I have become a convert over my three visits to this show.
After class, Drew and I went to the DAM to see the Blumenschein show before it leaves Denver today. Drew had not been to it yet and been chastised by Mark Daily for not going. Since Drew and I carpool to Kevin’s class, and I did not mind going back for the third time, we stopped on our way home. Much to my chagrin, it was “Free Saturday.” The art museum was packed! However it was gratifying to see so many people enjoying the museum even if it meant we had to wait for openings in the crowd to get close to see Blumenschein’s mastery up close. You don't have to like his subject matter to appreciate his use of color. although I must admit, I have become a convert over my three visits to this show.
1 comment:
Yeah, I loved that show. I've never been a huge fan of "Southwest Art" but he was simply an amazing painter, no matter the subject. Cristian and I are going back this Friday for a look at the new 60's rock poster show.
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