Friday, July 23, 2010

Selective index of seminal posts 2

Here are some posts that I think are particularly useful from the early part of the blog.

Dissecting a Metcalf, brushstroke

Pre stretched canvas

Beginning a painting on location


The artist and charity auctions

Dissecting a Hibbard
3

Dissecting a Hibbard 2

Some observations on Hibbards key


About restraint


Good advice, no charge

Drawing lines on a Bouguereau


There are so many posts (nearly 600) I can't imagine anyone could go back and read them all. Perhaps you will want to, but these are some of those I like the best. I have not selected any from personal history or from my exposition of the history of American landscape painting. I will do this for another couple of nights and then back to some critiques of submitted work. I have em all duct taped to the plumbing in the basement with bags over their heads.

Here is an e-mailed question I received today;

I am writing to you because I believe that you understand what good art is about.Your work is truly masterful.I am a beginning artist and I never really had any formal training.I was just wondering what you would suggest as the best subject to start out drawing.I see many websites advocating cast drawing (sight size) as the best way to start out.Yet I find many others advocate copying the Bargue plates as the best starting point. (Being that your copying from a 2 dimensional paper.) And one other question I had I recently read about an online atelier in which you draw at home and they send you back critiques. Can this in any way compare to a real atelier?(Being that right now I can't really afford a real one).

I think both cast drawing and copying the Barque plates are both excellent ideas. Copy Ingres too. I wrote a post on copying drawings here. I think that Ingres is a great artist to copy, also Raphael. I am not at all sure how you could draw casts without some experienced artist making corrections on your work.
I have never heard of an online atelier, perhaps it is OK, but I have my doubts. The whole idea of an atelier is working with a master and getting individual instruction. However the old Famous Artists School (draw Binky) is reportedly a very good program. Here is their web site.
If I were going to do online instruction I would consider them. Many ateliers are not terribly expensive, but I know they vary in quality. When I was with Ives Gammell his was one of only two nor three in the nation, now they are common across the country. I can't imagine that any online atelier can compare with the real thing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notice in my sidebar that I am doing a demo at the Rockport Art Association in Rockport Massachusetts on July 29th at 7:30 P.M. If you want to see me make either a seascape or a fool of myself you are welcome to come. This is a benefit for the art association, all proceeds go to them, not to me. It would be fun to meet more of you, I always enjoy finding out who is out there reading this.

10 comments:

Judy P. said...

So much good stuff packed into these old posts that they bear reading multiple times over. I don't want the other readers to find me and pelt me with tomatoes, but if you were never to write another word, you would have already done outstandingly great service to the cause of art. Any sentence more is pure gravy.
You asked me about my avatar- yes it is a self-portrait in a Japanese Karate stance; I've been training in this very traditional style for over 25 years, so I do know something about dedicated work to refine an art deeply, in measured bits. Silly me that I first thought the painting art would be any quicker and simpler!

billspaintingmn said...

I'm getting steeped in Stape!
I have friends that say a prayer before they do whatever it is.
It's cool to hear you do before you paint plien air.
Very good support!

mariandioguardi.com said...

Wow, Stapleton,
You've got every body reading;so no time to comment. Congratulations.

Mary Byrom said...

Just starting to read your long line of posts...What do you thin liquin with?

Mary Byrom said...

Marian, You are right - I just went back and read Stapleton's first 2009 post with Mary Bullock as his first fan - wow - how did she find him? Love the intro blogs Stape and the photos. I'm tubing my paints differently than the way you tube yours...and I'll have to get the filling line right - I have a tendency to over fill the thinking I've left plenty of space to crimp.

Stapleton Kearns said...

Judy;
Painting is easy, until you know something about it, then it becomes a very different thing. I forget who said that, it might have been Whistler.
..................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

bill;
Sometimes it helps.
...................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Marian;
I must the stats on the site are way up.
...........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Mary;
I thin it with mineral spirits.
.................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Mary;
Gee that post seems like ancient history now.
...............Stape