tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post5824184341532529929..comments2023-12-02T03:36:14.917-05:00Comments on Tracy Helgeson Art: More on UnderpaintingsTracy Helgesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-13189651825900336502008-10-24T11:46:00.000-04:002008-10-24T11:46:00.000-04:00I've been trying to glaze. I took a few of those ...I've been trying to glaze. I took a few of those abstract things I was doing and started playing with them. Stephanie came by and criticized me for, first, using out of the tube colors, and second for not having a "conversation" in each individual painting. (As odd as the word sounds, I know exactly what she means when she says it; at one point I had leaned three paintings against one another such that you could see a few inches of each over the other, and Stephanie -- in that way she has of sounding as if she's had a sudden insight -- said, "Stop! See that? See how those paintings are having a conversation? You should have that in <I>one</I> painting." I'm not saying I agree with her entirely, but I see what she's getting at.)<BR/><BR/>Anyway. I decided, since I was unsure of some of the abstract work anyway, I could use this as a chance to play with glazing. But I'm having problems. The glazes I make are often too opaque, and when I go to wipe them back down I end up taking off the glaze and some of the "dry" paint under it. That said, some of the effect is interesting and I may find a use for it one day.<BR/><BR/>I've come to realize that what I value in my own work is its spontaneity. I like it when the first brushstroke is the best. When I go back in and fiddle with things, I feel I've lost something.<BR/><BR/>Stephanie said that's fine, but she pointed out -- and here I think she's correct -- if I want to work like that I need to have everything exactly right before I start. I can't have an imperfect surface or mix my paints half-assed or get the colors wrong. Everything has to be in balance before I put paint down, so I can get it right the first time.<BR/><BR/>Which I'm working on.Chris Rywalthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15766746064219235983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-90504211800840555922008-10-23T19:43:00.000-04:002008-10-23T19:43:00.000-04:00Chris, scumbling comes in handy when the dark area...Chris, scumbling comes in handy when the dark areas have gotten TOO dark, which can happen pretty easily. I don't like it because I want my underpainting to be visible but a lot of painters scumble and it's good to know how to do it if one works in glazes. <BR/><BR/>I don't really follow the glazing rules of the old masters though, preferring to do a modified version of all that work. But no matter what any kind of glazing requires drying, and that is why I work on several pieces at a time so I can paint a little bit on them each day. <BR/><BR/>And I am HORRIBLE at alla prima painting. Always have been.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-4699861256838585682008-10-23T16:32:00.000-04:002008-10-23T16:32:00.000-04:00Well, you know, the trick of the Old Masters is to...Well, you know, the trick of the Old Masters is to only use glazes to make shadow areas <I>darker</I>, never lighter. Shadow areas should be translucent and highlights opaque if you're following that style.<BR/><BR/>I never ever do this, but than I don't usually underpaint. I'm an alla prima kind of guy. An alla prima donna! Ha! Heh. Okay, maybe not.<BR/><BR/>Anyway. Alla prima, yes, that's more my style. Because I'm way too lazy to wait for layers to dry. In fact what I've been doing on the panels you sent me, Tracy, is to lay the paint down and then wipe it off, basically staining the Gessobord. It gives a nice texture.Chris Rywalthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15766746064219235983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-41386447088112459942008-10-22T09:22:00.000-04:002008-10-22T09:22:00.000-04:00Balhatain, thanks for visiting and thanks for the ...Balhatain, thanks for visiting and thanks for the comment about the painting. I know what you mean about missing oils-I didn't paint for a long time a few years ago and even though I did other things, I always wanted to get back to oil painting.<BR/><BR/>Thanks Deborah, I am trying to not overthink it, but of course that IS one of my problems. About painting and life in general:)<BR/><BR/>Deborah, I have tried those tricks, scumbling, and once in a rare while it works. The main problem is though, that then I lose the quality of the underpainting and the interaction of that and the glaze, and then that area just sticks out like a sore thumb.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-3294332117446162352008-10-21T22:28:00.000-04:002008-10-21T22:28:00.000-04:00As an old hand at glazing ,you have probably tried...As an old hand at glazing ,you have probably tried this, but sometimes if I get an area of the underpainting too dark, I can lighten it with a glaze of indian yellow or transparent yellow oxide (if I am going warm) or terre verte (if I am going cooler) but as you say, its tricky and you have to hold your mouth just right while you're doing it...:)Deborah Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242296435365350267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-55546867955103022812008-10-21T19:09:00.000-04:002008-10-21T19:09:00.000-04:00Before I read your post I had decided to tell you ...Before I read your post I had decided to tell you how much I like the dress and the way you handled it. And Tracy, trust your instincts....just paint without overthinking it. You have a great start here.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09893263258805543184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-47064046077517931512008-10-21T18:57:00.000-04:002008-10-21T18:57:00.000-04:00I followed over from Self Taught Artist's blog. I ...I followed over from Self Taught Artist's blog. I really like the direction of this painting. <BR/><BR/>Oils! I miss using oils. :)Balhatainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08812426376810899256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1467868470314198432008-10-20T20:08:00.000-04:002008-10-20T20:08:00.000-04:00Deborah, that's exactly what I do, bask in the enj...Deborah, that's exactly what I do, bask in the enjoyment of doing the underpaintings. It's one of the reasons that I usually do them on Fridays-then I have the weekend to feel like he best painter ever:)<BR/><BR/>Katherine, thanks! Actually that is exactly what the next step is, a thin glaze of color, and maybe a few more if need be. The problem is though, that if there is a dark area in the underpainting, it is difficult to make it lighter with the color. It can be done but then has a quality I don't like, because in order to lighten it I have to use an opaque color and that usually looks pasty over a darker color. Sometimes it can work though, if the underpainting isn't too dark and if the color I choose is just right and is of the correct translucency, but the stars in the sky have to be lined up in a very specific way for all of that to happen:)Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-66707379431905338622008-10-20T19:55:00.000-04:002008-10-20T19:55:00.000-04:00I really like the polka dots!Not being an oil pain...I really like the polka dots!<BR/><BR/>Not being an oil painter I don't know the answer to this question.....<BR/>What would it look like if you glazed in very thin transparent oil over the underpainting - maybe in more than one colour?Making A Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-10655582504345960772008-10-20T15:59:00.000-04:002008-10-20T15:59:00.000-04:00Love that polka dot dress! I can relate- doing und...Love that polka dot dress! I can relate- doing under paintings is also my favorite part- sort of like a high wire act. And then if I like what I did, I tend to want to sit around and bask in that for a few days. I just started a 48 x 60 last week and wrote a post about procrastinating!Deborah Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242296435365350267noreply@blogger.com