3/6/11

Composition

What Goes Where

I was playing around a little bit with composition.  I just grabbed a photograph out of my photo reference  (reference photo?) box and simplified and rearranged some of the objects.  We need to remember that photos are only a starting point and no more.  If I'm working from a photo I usually work out the composition and a value sketch, and don't look at the photo for reference as I paint.

The pencil sketches are some things we were working on in class.  I was trying to stress the fact that objects take up space, and the placement they are given on the page, or painting surface, has to reflect the volume of the object.  Drawing objects as transparent helps us to see how much space they really need.

There is no serious painting going on here. As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm just kind of puttering around, reading some art books, going over old lesson plans, and Friday I did make a text block for my next journal.

Now it is time to get serious with spring and summer class promotion.  We have had some sunshine here now and then.  That helps.  The Bay is frozen solid.  That doesn't help.

5 comments:

Marj said...

Don't you realize we can't live without your blog for over 10 days????? :-) Glad you're back! I'm so tired of the cold and snow, I want to paint flowers!!! Just sketched from some pictures I saw in a magazine-don't know if I can WC them without peeking :-) BTW, my daffodils are peeking thru where the snow has melted. Love it, Love it! Your sketches are always so well done and welcome.

Catherine said...

Marj - 10 days? Oooops. Sorry.
Daffodils peeking thru! There is hope isn't there? Wewill want to see your flower painting - have fun with it.

Helen Sturgeon said...

I check faithfully every night to see what or if you've posted! We have daffodils, flowering quince and periwinkle blooming here... do I need to send pics to cheer you??
I miss your painting!!!
We have tons of room, if you need to come South!!!

Catherine said...

Helen - we have fresh snow here this morning! That's okay - I knew that when I signed on to a life in Northern Michigan.

Catherine said...

P.S Helen - thank you for the offer!