your process really astounds me frank. there is such a freeness to your brushstrokes. you make it look so easy!! about how long do you think it took you to get this far?
Hi Christine, I try to keep it free and easy looking. Some days I am a little freer than others. How long? you mean on this painting, right? I have about 6 or 7 hours on this. I would hope to wrap it up in another half hour to an hour session.
a completed painting in about 8 hours, that's amazing. you have a talent for making every brushstroke count, and the photos make it look like you know exactly where every brushstroke goes before you lay them down. quite impressive. thanks for sharing your steps!
I thought that I was dragging along on this one Christine. Stopping and taking photos and all. I DO think about most of the strokes before I lay them down. It's those thoughtless ones that get me in trouble.
Frank--I now remember your showing this progression at one of your workshops and it certainly helps to have this reminder. The brushwork is extraordinary and the result is (or will be) another wonderful piece. Hope you post the finished product!
Thanks Jennifer. I'm glad to know that some people are enjoying these step by step posts. That balance of planned looseness is something that I really work at. That looseness is real easy to lose if you pick at it too much and you can't get it back after that. Don't you think?
Hello Jack. I'll post the finished goods when I wrap it up. Probably not until next week. I'm glad that you find these helpful. I'll try and do some more. It helps me get in the mood for the upcoming workshop.
Loosing that freshness is hard. You can make it worse trying to get it back. Like a cat chasing his tail.
March 1, 2008 at 10:07 PM
I am about done with this 11" x 14" studio painting. It still needs a few adjustments. The main thing is that I want to put a little foliage back onto the main tree in the middle. I'll let it sit for a day or two before I mess with it. Here are a few step by step photos from along the way. They are pretty self explanatory, so I am just going to post them without rambling commentary. I'll post the finished painting once I've had a chance to wrap it up. Some people have ask about my painting supports. This one is on a Raymar, single oil primed linen, panel. I use these, or Sourcetek panels a lot. Sometimes I use gessoed masonite boards that I prepare myself. For anything bigger than 24" x 30", I use stretched canvas.
"Untitled Work In Progress-Step by Step"
14 Comments -
Really interesting how all this comes together.
You make me want to try painting again - which I did a long time ago.
May I add you to my blogroll?
February 21, 2008 at 6:09 AM
your process really astounds me frank. there is such a freeness to your brushstrokes. you make it look so easy!! about how long do you think it took you to get this far?
February 21, 2008 at 8:51 AM
Elizabeth, you can ad me any time you want. You must mean for your N.Y. blog. I am on the Marrakesh
one.
February 21, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Hi Christine, I try to keep it free and easy looking. Some days I am a little freer than others.
How long? you mean on this painting, right?
I have about 6 or 7 hours on this. I would hope to wrap it up in another half hour to an hour session.
February 21, 2008 at 11:54 AM
A treat to see your process, Frank! I love the way you do trees, really amazing how a few strokes represent something so well.
February 21, 2008 at 12:58 PM
a completed painting in about 8 hours, that's amazing. you have a talent for making every brushstroke count, and the photos make it look like you know exactly where every brushstroke goes before you lay them down. quite impressive. thanks for sharing your steps!
February 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Thanks Ambera.
February 22, 2008 at 8:06 AM
I thought that I was dragging along on this one Christine. Stopping and taking photos and all.
I DO think about most of the strokes before I lay them down. It's those thoughtless ones that get me in trouble.
February 22, 2008 at 8:08 AM
Frank-- I love seeing your process. Wonderful that you can think about each stroke- and yet your work appears so nice and loose.
February 22, 2008 at 8:36 AM
Frank--I now remember your showing this progression at one of your workshops and it certainly helps to have this reminder. The brushwork is extraordinary and the result is (or will be) another wonderful piece. Hope you post the finished product!
February 22, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Thanks Jennifer. I'm glad to know that some people are enjoying these step by step posts.
That balance of planned looseness is something that I really work at. That looseness is real easy to lose if you pick at it too much and you can't get it back after that. Don't you think?
February 22, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Hello Jack. I'll post the finished goods when I wrap it up. Probably not until next week.
I'm glad that you find these helpful.
I'll try and do some more. It helps me get in the mood for the upcoming workshop.
February 22, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Loved watching that come together. I like it.
Yes, there is a point where you loose the freshness if you fiddle too much with it.
March 1, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Loosing that freshness is hard. You can make it worse trying to get it back. Like a cat chasing his tail.
March 1, 2008 at 10:07 PM