Testimonials
Hi Pam
You must be a great teacher because when I first laid eyes on the still
life we were supposed to paint, my first reaction was "How can I
possibly paint THIS?"
As I began to understand the subject and respond to your endless
enthusiasm and exactitude........"In MY opinion, I think you need to
............." I began to love the process and the product.
Here are the lessons I learned:
1) Good work starts with proper preparation: organization, materials,
cleanliness, etc.
2) Drawing is the foundation of art. Get the drawing right BEFORE you
begin to paint.
3) Everything has a color. Your job is to find the right color. You do
this by trial and error. You have to be methodical and neat. No mixing
on the canvas. Clean your palette knives. Test your color on the
canvas. If it's not right, wipe it off and try again. Do not give up.
Close isn't good enough. You will be happy when you finally "nail it".
4) Highlights and shadow will bring your painting to life. Attention to
detail will be well rewarded. Don't try to make it up. Open your eyes
and LOOK at your subject. Use the mirror upside down as a check on
reality.
5) And finally........SFUMATO !!! By softening the edges, particularly
of the diffuse, distant shadows, we play with the light and give the
objects the appearance of depth.
I am looking forward to the next class.
Abrazos
Jim
