Michael Rousseau

horse studies

2012-01-31T12:14:00.000-05:00

This is my current study of horse anatomy. I'm learning animals.

Clarifying an Idea

2011-10-01T23:11:00.002-04:00

This painting never really hit the mark that I was anticipating. It has been around for a while in a state that was too subtle, therefore my concept was not coming through clearly. I have been aware of this, but I wasn't sure how to approach it again. Fortunately, the solution came to me this week and I was able to push this canvas a bit further and clarify.

Here is a before and after. The image on the left was made over a year ago. In a matter of one hour I made the necessary changes to create the image on the right. she needed more divinity and ascension.

this is now a much more accurate description of my orignal idea.

Night Birds

2011-09-20T17:03:00.001-04:00

12x12 oil on panel
The Birding Life
at Ferrin Gallery, Pittsfield
October 8 ~ December 31

they do look better than this. I have so many coats of varnish on them that they don't photograph well. each one has many layers of paint/varnish/paint/varnish/paint/varnish....

sanguine

2011-09-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

day 4 (32x23)

day 3

day 2

day 1

Kites

2011-07-02T12:22:00.001-04:00

I've been painting enormous kites for a party. 4 in total - they are painted on Tyvek - the material used to wrap houses - it is very good to paint on. Just regular house paint and a black sharpie oil paint marker for materials. Tyvek is very strong and durable, takes the paint immediately and doesn't rip either, so it can take some abuse.

You can see the skeleton of one of the frames next to me.

here are a couple shots of them in progress:

the 4 kites are: fish, gorillas, jaguars, and hares.

I'll follow up with more pics as they are finished and mounted to their frames.

Summer Showing

2011-06-07T10:26:00.000-04:00

I will have my painting Balance Rock (above) and Tattooed Jesus on display at the Lichtenstein Center as part of the Pittsfield Art Show Invitational from June 10~July 17. I was happy to be asked to show work as part of this event. The opening reception will be on Friday the 10th from 5-7. come on out and say "Hi" if you are in the area.

Because these two paintings are so very different, I have asked that they not be hung together, but rather on opposite sides of the space. we will see how that goes....

more to come!

Balance Rock

2011-06-03T10:20:00.001-04:00

Plein Air Adventures - Melville's Hills

2011-05-17T16:02:00.001-04:00

Cloudy days present consistent light, but not direct light, so everything is lit equally from all over. Not necessarily ideal, but I want to do it learn what to expect. I set up off of Holmes Road, overlooking a field and the mountains that inspired Herman Melville to pen Moby Dick (seriously) it wasn't supposed to rain this day, so I figured I had 4+ hours to get this done.

This is what I spent most of the time doing. sketching the composition in Cobalt Violet. I do this so I don't have to worry about my "drawing" while I'm painting. I do this first and then add color later so that I'm not suddenly moving mountains out of the way half way through the painting. It also gives everything a nice warm tone (and looks great in shadow areas) I really pushed my content together horizontally to fit my panel (16x20) As you can see from the photos above, there were quite a few things I left out of the painting (trailers and random debris), and a few things I added (notably the foreground)

I snapped this just as it started to rain. Oil paints don't really care if it is raining - oil and water don't mix. but I got wet. and a wooden easel doesn't like to get rained on. note to self * keep rain gear in the car. I was able to work for about two hours on location before the sky opened up. heavy rains.

brought it home and worked on it for a couple hours the next day because it didn't stop raining for 3 days. all in all, I think this one came out pretty good. I'm painting thicker and more confidently. my mixing has gotten better too

Plein Air - Magnolias

2011-05-15T15:19:00.001-04:00

Following the State Forrest adventure, I headed into Williamstown after seeing a picture a friend took of a Magnolia tree by a small brook. It looked so lush. After finding out the secret location, I packed up the car and headed out shortly before 1pm.

Armed with deet (because this was in high grass) I set up underneath a very high in the sky sun and got to work. Note to self *start paying attention to the sun more in relation to where you set up because it moved from behind my easel to shining directly on it. I was blinded by the light within an hour. Everything got washed out and looked light blue. I'm not ready to get an umbrella - no way - not yet. A nice woman from a local paper snapped some pics of me working.

I had to leave after two hours because of blindness. when I got home and propped the picture up, I was not pleased. I hadn't realized how off my colors were in the bright sun. I tried to tweak it that night, but got nowhere. very frustrated with it. hardest thing I've tried to paint in a while. seriously.

Two days later I was back, slightly earlier in the day, and determined to get it right.

I didn't spend enough time working out the drawing/composition initially, so I had to re-do quite a bit of what I had done previously. Plus my color choices were piss-poor. but I stood there and got as much in as I could before snapping a couple pics and bringing it home to the studio for finishing.

Even at home, I spent a lot of time trying to get this to look right (or at least better).

Very strong sun on half of my body for 2+ hours left me a nice shade of red, but eventually turned to tan.

Plein Air Adventures - Looking West

2011-05-10T14:51:00.001-04:00

Equipped with my new table saw to make panels, new colors and rigged easel, I have been trekking around the Berkshires looking for places to paint. (well, looking for interesting elements to put into paintings at least) I'm not trying to copy what I see - instead I'm taking it all in, choosing the parts that I want to include, then arranging it into a composition.

This trip was to the lookout at the Pittsfield State Forrest - looking west into New York state - the little lights in the top left are Chatham (I think) This was a two part painting. The first trip out was extremely windy and all I could get was a quick sketch on the canvas. This picture is only 15x15 so it was like a sail.

With one hand on my sturdy easel, and the other holding a brush, I sketched out my composition using Cobalt Violet (thanks Stape) before eventually being blown over. I snapped a couple pics before I left because the light was gorgeous.

Never-the-less, the light changed so fast and dramatically (as sunsets will do) that I only had about half an hour to get the sketch done. end of day 1.

Two days later I went back. I had written down the time that I was there, so I planned to get there an hour and a half earlier to get set up and cracking. It was cold. A few people came by now and again, and they only lasted about 5-10 minutes before getting back in their cars. It took me a bit to get the canvas covered, but once it was, I was able to really start shaping/describing with color what I was perceiving. I was in the zone. I worked solid until about just before the sun dipped below the horizon. all in all, I was there for just over two hours.

The trick is to pick your "time of day" and stick with it - even as the light changes.

I also snapped this picture in the middle of working to show that shadows are indeed cool (in sunlight)

Table Saw

2011-05-05T22:55:00.000-04:00

I bought a table saw finally! Buying stretcher bars gets expensive, plus I want to start painting on panels when I go outside.

Now I am in production mode creating panels for my Plein Air painting trips.

I bought a $120 Ryobi- it does the job. I bought a 4'x8' sheet of 1/8" masonite and cut twelve 16"x20 panels plus a few odd sizes. I oil primed all of them (3 coats with a roller). I then cut 2 of the panels in half to make a few 10"x 16"

This saved me a bunch of time by preparing them all at once. I can also build my own stretcher frames too!

How to Rig a French Easel for Working Outside

2011-05-01T22:06:00.001-04:00

Last year I bought a French Easel for $50 bucks - the same one with a "brand" name costs three times as much. It does what it needs to do and I have taken it out in the field about a dozen times. The first few outings were disastrous because the legs would collapse in the middle of me working. The last straw was when it collapsed right after I set up and the fall broke my turpentine jar. Needless to say, I was forced to go home early.

The problem is that most of the appendages and bars have a little bolt you hand tighten to keep it in place, but it never stays tight enough and they slip. So I drilled holes in the legs and slid a nail through so they cannot collapse. The holes are a hair larger than the nails, so the fit is easy, and they go in and out smoothly. The nails are 2" so they hang out the other side. I keep a bunch inside the easel, and in my bag when I go out, so I don't worry if I loose one or misplace one.

I did this on each leg - just above the extension of the slide out leg. This way the easel is "locked" in its most open position.

This works perfectly.

It is very stable -

This picture is of my first day out painting this season. Woods Pond in Lenox.

Spring Happens

2011-04-07T16:13:00.003-04:00

My painting "Marla" got juried in and will be on display as part of the O Solo Mama Mia Festival. This will be the first time this painting has been on display. I wish I could get a good frame for it in time. I think it would look x-tra sharp. I'll poke around and see...

I also put the finishing touches on the Caravaggio study I did called "Tattooed Jesus"- and a nice coat of varnish over the top.

I have another opportunity coming up next month as part of a group show. I have to determine what I want to put in. I think a landscape might be in order, so I should get out there and get painting soon.

I did an inventory of what I have for paints/brushes/canvas today. Need to replenish a few colors for my Plein Air adventures. I'll post a pic of how I rigged my easel so it doesn't collapse in the wind, and what I will be taking with me outdoors to paint. This year I'll take some pics out in the field too.

Caravaggio Study

2011-03-29T22:52:00.002-04:00

I have been studying and reading quite a bit about Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, or as he is more simply known: Caravaggio.

I wanted to learn about his painting techniques in particular. I have heard many rumors about this; he never made a preparatory drawing; he worked directly on the canvas; he used mirrors or camera obscura. whatever. no one will know. He has been dead for 411 years. my job is too try and learn how he did it in paint.

I was able to deduce his palette: mostly earth tones (they were the most available) like yellow ochre, raw and burnt sienna, ivory black and lead white (but I use titanium). He also used intense reds too.

Supposedly he toned his canvas with a mid-deep pigment. I chose burnt sienna. one coat. This was painted on linen too (my first time using it- I didn't stretch it as tight as I could have...) a very smooth surface.*

The secret: tie for first: excellent drawing skills and superb composition. Then: hit your whites first and build your glazes off this. let the canvas color (burnt sienna in my case) fill in your midtones for you and then layer in the shadows slowly and let the canvas color come through. When you have areas settled (you are sure of the placements) hit the darks and lights again and define your volumes.

After I was working this up for a bit, I was thinking about the narrative I was creating, and it seemed like the 'wise men' in my canvas were oblivious to the dominant Jesus above them. He also looks a bit distraught in my version. I started to think what it would be like if he were incarcerated in a modern prison, and given a tattoo. I decided on a solid black cross. only fitting. It made him look more human and less like a super man. also more a bit more bad ass and a little like a thug. I REALLY like this idea of adding tattoos and will explore it further. I am thinking about giving him a few more- need to do some research on symbols...

I will go back into this and glaze it more. I want to give it a more "jeweled" tone that can only be achieved through glazing.

(R)evolve

2011-03-13T23:38:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone who read the step x step posts. I got some great feedback. I'll try to do it again some time soon. "Autumn" is finished and you can see it here.

I thought it would be fun to show an evolution. This one is 4 years in the making. The above image was "finished" today - it measures 12x24" but it is a re-paint of a much older painting.

If you click on the image you can get a better view of it. But the real reason you should look at it is because of the texture on it.

Texture? The texture on there is made up of about 5 layers of thick latex paint from 2007 when I was "spinning" canvases. I built a steel rig out of the "free wheel" gear off a 10 speed bike and would bolt a 4' canvas to it and spin it like mad while dripping paint on it from above. It was fun. they would look like this:

After doing this kind of thing for a few months I decided to become a more "serious" painter and start using oils- and stop spinning canvas.

When I moved into my new studio, fresh canvas was hard to find, and I had all of these spinners stretched and doing nothing.

* So I scavenged them *

I kept 4 of the better ones, but took the others off the stretchers and used them for my first forays into oil painting. I cut up the lame ones and stuck them over new stretcher bars, gessoed them up, and started painting.

I took an orbital sander to them to try to knock down the texture, but it was serious stuff... and I didn't want to go through the canvas. besides. it was practice.

Needless to say I found one of them the other day. And I painted over it AGAIN!

Fortunately (or unfortunately) I had a picture of what it used to look like. I put all 3 images next to each other so you can see what I mean. It is all on the same canvas...

The middle face was painted very early in 2008 just as I was getting into painting. I was happy with this at the time. I remember I spent some time trying to get it to come out...

Long story short. I was cleaning out the studio the other day, found it, popped it on the easel and re-did it. I had to rummage around a bit to find the source photo I had used.
I gave it a little Caravaggio treatment and pushed the black. I suppressed my colors and kept it basic to focus on form.

Ivory White, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna and Ivory Black
- what a difference a few years make...

New Skins

2011-02-15T23:14:00.001-05:00

No. this isn't a new abstract painting....

I was about to varnish the entire image today, but I knew deep down I wasn't ready yet. There are parts of this piece that I am not happy with and I want to resolve them. It would be like quitting before you took your last turn, because once you varnish, it seals the surface. Sure you can paint over the varnish, but that defeats the purpose.

Varnish is used for two reasons. One is to protect the surface of the painting by creating a protective layer and the other is to unify the surface (it re-saturates all of the colors and gives everything an even *shine* - it eliminates the "dead" spots that can occur when oil paint dries. Not all artists varnish- it can be an aesthetic choice.

The above photo is a detail of a varnish test I did on the top left corner of the painting. You should be able to see a clear line of where I varnished and where I didn't. The deeper "dark" color has been varnished. It makes this color very rich. trust me.

So instead of getting out my varnish brush, I took out my usual brushes and got out some new paint and I repainted the face again today - for the final time. 4th time is a charm. It is a major focal point of the piece, so if it isn't good enough, the rest of the piece will suffer (and I like the rest of the piece). This is the final paint job. I am happy with it. I was not hitting the right marks in it before. I wasn't following the form nor keying the right values. When I say repainted it, I mean the whole thing. not just the ear or the cheek. Now I am happy with it. It is very cohesive.

My new flesh tones that I mixed up were much more accurate than the previous batch - plus I didn't over brush or "noodle" it to death. Lay it down and move on - I should make a giant sign to hang in my studio. If you overbrush and overwork, you kill it. You loose all sense of energy and life in the brushwork, and worst of all you muddy up the color. I will apply a simple glaze to accentuate a few parts though.

I used my new batch of skin colors to add some much needed form to the fingers as well. They seemed a little flat and simple before. A little extra modeling here and there...

so here we are today. I'd say I'm about 96% there. All I want to do is tweak a few of the objects and throw a little glaze on the figure and we are ready to varnish.

I'll talk about the varnish in the next post.

(you can click on this one to get a bigger version too)

Glazing and edges

2011-02-13T13:16:00.000-05:00

I intended this painting to have glazes applied, so here is a picture of what glazing can do. A glaze is essentially a small amount of pigment in a larger amount of medium (like oil) so that it becomes more transparent. In my case I am using Liquin because it dries quickly and creates a very durable paint layer. A transparent glaze allows the paint layers beneath it to show through, thus creating subtle tonal shifts.. In my case I am using Alizarin Crimson (a transparent color on its own) and Viridian (a cool green) to create a warm but dark brownish color (they are complements). The crimson adds a nice depth.

I applied the glaze on the edges where the back of the figure meets the dark shadow behind it. I also used it to bring out the shoulder blade from the rib cage and show the fleshy mid section between the ribs and the "hip" bone. The idea is to blur the edges to create a more rounded appearance as it approaches and gets lost in the shadow. aka "lost edge" - Some edges should be "hard", some should be soft, and some should be lost.

You can click on this one to make it a little bigger.

more to come, and this one is getting close to getting varnished.

Days 5-6

2011-02-06T18:19:00.001-05:00

I'm not counting the passing days, but rather my full working days- at least 3 productive hours = one day. A few days have gone by where I've made minor tweaks or simply walked away after an hour or two. Sometimes you got it and sometimes you don't. I've learned that when I "don't", to do something else.... because I start painting over things....

The above photo is where I left things today. This one in particular looks the most accurate in terms of color (at the moment). From here on in, the majority of changes are most likely going to appear subtle in the photos. The dark area in the top right is wet paint from me beginning to lay in more opaque paint (Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson) to make a dense dark. I want to create visual push and pull. This is how the much of the darks in the top region of the image will look. Some areas need to be pushed way back and some areas need to be pulled out.

I have repainted the face and neck twice in three days. I don't like to do that because it creates a lot of paint layered on top of each other. It is best to scrape it off if you don't like it, that way you get the underpainting (the Raw Sienna wash in this case) popping through all over and creating visual harmony. If there is too much paint down, you can loose this effect. - It is a conscious decision to allow it to come through. This is the golden color you can see in the arm and lower abdomen- I used very translucent cool colors that were carefully placed next to it. You can see a bit more in the pic below.

Game plan: A friend of mine gave me a nice complement and a good idea. I think I was already leaning this way, but now I'm going to be a bit more deliberate. He said he really likes the juxtaposition of the highly finished passages and the untouched or loosely painted areas. So I'm going to be leaving parts unfinished, and I'm going to keep my drips - I like the effect anyway.

What I'm doing now is working with Titanium white and Raw Sienna (plus a touch of Manganese) and giving some volume to the unfinished areas, pulling out a few bits here and there and hitting a few highlights. I really like working with this kind of limited palette and focusing on form. A true underpainting would have all of the volumes rendered. Below is a pic from where I left off on Day 5....

Day 4 - Show Me Some Skin

2011-02-02T23:14:00.001-05:00

We have had a few snow storms this week, so it has been a great time to hide out in the studio and work. I know- the face is blurry - I blurred it out because I like the arm/hand passage at this stage, so I took a picture. The face needs some work, and will get it at a later date.

I thought I would explain what I'm using for my paint, so I took a picture of my palette. I work on a piece of glass with a white piece of paper underneath it. The glass measures 14" x 22".

I am breaking my own rules by showing you this disaster. I really do try to keep my paints in order and on the perimeter of the glass, but ironically not while I'm doing this "step by step" - so don't do this. I usually keep my earth tones (siennas, naples yellow) and red on the left, with my white in the corner. I labeled it "warm" because I use two piles of white. the other is on the right hand side but didn't make it into the picture. I use one for all warm tones, and one for all cool tones so I don't contaminate them... Along the top of the palette I usually keep my greens and blues, and put my Ivory Black in the right corner. Below that I put my Alizarin Crimson, and then my cool Titanium below that. Alizarin is a cool red, so I keep it with my cool colors.

So here we are today. I have started to paint more of the objects in the top of the image and have begun to finish off the legs. I am spending most of my time in the top of the painting right now to make sure I am getting things right. This is where most of the "stuff" is, so I want to make sure they look like they exist in the same space.

I am finding that the most important part of this piece is going to be the reflected light. I think this is why i like the arm right now. It shows good reflected light. The rear end will do this, as will the feet and a portion of the legs, plus I'll bounce it around throughout the image to unify.

The reflected light is Cadmium Red with a touch of Naples Yellow. it glows. It will glow more because I'll put cool colors next to it.

...til next time

Flesh on the Bones

2011-02-01T16:55:00.000-05:00

I have started to paint some of the flesh and a few other elements in the picture. I am painting rather loosely at this stage, trying to get as much paint on the canvas as I can, focusing on building form and keeping my tones near the middle range. I am not working on fine details yet, just blocking in - (although I can't resist sometimes...) For the figure, I am focused on getting the thing to look solid - that there is meat and flesh there. I will go back in later to finness and model it a bit more.

Colors being used for flesh:

Naples yellow
Cadmium Red light
Manganese Blue (hue) - not 100% sold on this one... but using it for the cools
Titanium white
Burnt Sienna
Raw Sienna
Ivory Black - also being used to cool - see this post

My pictures are not the best. There should not be such a major difference in the tones from pic to pic. I try to lay it down and move on. I'm working with three brushes, small, medium, large (ish). the larger brush has my warm tones - the medium has my cool tone - and my small brush bounces back and forth as needed. This way I keep my colors "clean".

As I get more paint on the surface, I will be able to evaluate my tones and start to push things around. There is still a lot of surface to cover. In general, I am painting a bit bright because I know I'm going to glaze it all down later.

Lay Ins - Day 1

2011-01-29T14:25:00.000-05:00

Now that my drawing has been transferred, I am going to start blocking it in. I've been developing my ideas lately with strong chiaroscuro, so I would like to establish my darks at the beginning. I want to have the subject emerging from the shadows -nestled if you will.

I am using Ivory Black, with some turpentine to keep it loose and flowing, to lay down a base. I will go over this as I progress through the painting, and "deepen" it in places by adding more opaque paint. I also added a touch of the Raw Sienna in a few places near the figure to keep the shadow a little warmer. Ivory Black is a very cool color that leans heavily toward blue, but with my Raw Sienna wash underneath, it should give it some warmth. I will glaze in some warmer tones near the end if it is still too cold. I want to create a womb-like image, so warm rich shadows (where appropriate) are what I'm looking for.

this is the full image (48"x32") My concept is a mix between burial funeral, womb, birth and death.

What I have found thus far is that the oil based primer coat is very absorbent. I wasn't expecting this. Usually I can get my paint to run when it is loose, but not with this stuff. I think I understand what it is doing. It is binding with the paint film by absorbing the oils and solvents. I think it is going to make a great surface as I get more and more paint on the board. I'm interested in seeing what happens as I build it up more and more.

Transfer the Drawing

2011-01-27T21:40:00.000-05:00

This is a terrible picture, but then again, it isn't meant to be more than guide lines. This is a cropped version of the "drawing" that has been transferred to the board. It is very subtle, and in order to make it show up, I had to fool around in photoshop. The background is still only the raw sienna wash. I used a graphite transfer paper (which is colored blue) to transfer onto the board.

I should stop and explain the working method I'll be using for this piece. I have worked out the image on paper prior to going to the canvas because I want this painting to be fairly tight. I edit and move things around and get the drawing/image/composition as close to complete as I can. This is a time tested way of creating paintings - do your drawing first - then transfer it to the canvas. By working on paper instead of the canvas, I am more at ease and can explore and make mistakes, edit, cut out, add and scribble without feeling that I'm ruining the canvas. I think it saves me a lot of time too.

I then transfer the drawing so that I don't have uneccesary lines on the finished canvas. Because I have already done my work on a different paper(s), I am now merely transferring the lines that I want onto the canvas. This is a bit labor intensive, but I like this method because it allows me to focus more on the painting, plus it keeps the canvas cleaner. There will still be plenty of time to improvise with the painting as I progress, but this gives me a good base to start with.

The blue graphite line is so subtle that it does not really interfere with the paint. What some artists have done is to apply a varnish or fixative to seal the drawing, but I'd rather just get to it.

now to start painting!

Step x Step Day 1

2011-01-26T20:26:00.003-05:00

I really like reading blogs where an artist explains what they are doing using a step by step approach with pictures and text.

This will be my attempt.

I already have the image in mind and have planned out the majority of the composition, so this will be purely about materials and execution. If you don't care about that stuff, I hope the pictures are educating.

What you see propped up on my easel in the above image is a 48"x32" piece of 1/4" masonite board that was cut out of a 4'x8' piece I got at the hardware store. You can get this stuff almost anywhere. One side is smooth, and the other is lightly textured. I will be using the smooth side.

To prepare the surface for oil painting, I applied three coats of oil based primer. I have used acrylic in the past, but I've been doing some reading, and oil based is apparently better suited for oil painting. It binds better chemically. The brand I am using is Zinseer Oil Based Primer. I used a little 5" roller with the "hot dog" shaped rollers because it says on the package it creates the smoothest coat. and so it has. I would not recommend this stuff for indoor use, because the VOC and fumes are a bit much. Because we have over 3' of snow, I did it in the studio. It dries in less than an hour, but I applied one coat and left it for the day to dry (and air out) After the third coat was dry, I took 150 sand paper to it and the surface was really nice. I probably should have sanded in between coats 2 and 3.

After sanding I used Raw Sienna and turpentine to create a nice toned surface- that is what you see in the picture - it glows. The paint has a Walnut Oil binder which makes the paint very creamy and smooth. Very high quality. DaVinci used walnut oil as a binder in his pigments (as did many other artists at that time) I used the brand M.Graham

detail of my board...

up next.... transferring the drawing to the board!

Out of Darkness

2011-01-08T17:09:00.002-05:00

I've been looking at a lot of Cravaggio's work lately. That crazy Italian who worked in the late Rennaisance and brought chirascuro to the forefront of painting.

Needless to say, I've been reading and exploring his work and techniques and you can too by following the link above. Caravaggio left no drawings behind - only finished canvases (and one partially complete) before he died at the age of 38. It is believed that Caravaggio used a camera obscura in his work. Through my research, I found that he might have used Mercury to "fix" the images, thus leading to his "crazy" behavior. He killed a man in a duel and had a price put out on his own head. He was disfigured in another duel shortly before his death.

I have been experimenting with getting a strong, single direction light source in my own work to illuminate the figure. I did a bunch of tests before getting something workable. I try to do a self portrait every year, so this year I decided to use myself as the model. The painting above is not varnished yet so the colors are a bit spotty. The varnish will unify the surface and accentuate the darks. I should repost it after it is varnished. you will have to wait and see.

I think the self portrait thing is left over from having all of those school pictures made every year as a kid. I think I still have them all from when I was like 7. It is record keeping.

Combining Creation

2010-12-02T20:14:00.000-05:00

I had intended to paint a picture of a diving helmet. I painted a rough version of it, but got bored of it. I wasn't learning anything. It was a little too complex for a study, and not very fulfilling as a painting. I borrowed it from a friend who is a diver. It was fun to play with though. I put it on. it weighed a ton

At the end of a full day of painting, I looked at what I had done, and felt nothing toward it, so I scraped the entire canvas down, but there was so much black and yellow on the canvas, that it stained it green. So I let it dry and used this as a base coat for a new painting.

I am very interested in the way certain painters handle their paint and application. I've been reading about the limited palette Sargent was known to use (yellow ochre, black, vermillion (cad. red in my case). Ivory Black is very blue, and when it is placed near warm colors, the blue is even more apparent.

I opted for the Sargent portrait of Lady Agnew and Michelangelo's God from the Sistine Chapel - combined into one image. I liked the beauty of the Sargent face and the technical virtuosity of his strokes. A beautiful face and I have painted it before. I can see how much more competent I have gotten since painting it the first time over a year ago. I wanted a profile to accompany the young girl, and opted for another favorite of mine. Michelangelo. I originally was planning on the Delphic Sibyl - to have two pretty faces 300 years apart, but the strong profile of the old face seemed even more fitting.

This was purely an exercise in using a limited palette. It forced me to work on my drawing too.

Painting Skulls

2010-10-18T20:26:00.001-04:00

I've been reading a great book called Alla Prima by Richard Schmid which is having a tremendous effect on my work and working methods. In essence, "alla prima" (which translates to "in the first") is a way of working directly with a subject in one setting. I have been using this technique while doing my landscapes too. It forces you to make decisions about everything from color to shape to drawing to edges. It is not about just working quickly, but rather working smarter and more directly - to start with your first stroke being "perfect" and working out from there. To put down a stroke that is the right color, value and shape and leave it alone. It is a great book for any realist painter.

So I have been painting smaller canvases to improve my eye and to work with thicker paint. Schmid says that most problems in painting are not color related, but drawing related. I agree. Sargent said a painter should feel as comfortable drawing with the brush as they do with a pencil. Something to strive for.

The Commission

2010-10-03T20:21:00.000-04:00

Above is my first commissioned portrait. This guy is great and I had a really wonderful time getting to know him. We did this in my studio, so he got a chance to see some of my other work too. The majority of the portrait was done from life in a 5 hour period over the course of 3 evenings. It was very fun and very stressful at the same time. I am also in the process of experimenting with a "new" technique of painting with a loaded brush so there is much more paint on the surface. As Sargent said "The thicker you paint, the more color flows." he also advocated using plenty of paint. So I'm actively trying to do this.

"Stressful" because I had someone sitting in front of me that I was painting - in my studio - where it is usually just me. I definitely need to work on my set up/studio if I am going to do this again. My light was not as good as it should have been... I also was not as "free" as I usually am - meaning I was a bit self conscience at times. I was completely discouraged after day 3, and actually stopped the session short because I was no longer making good decisions. I thought the colors were off, the drawing/structure was off (a really bad sign) and I was making "mud".

I went back to the studio the next day determined to get it right, or at least move it in a better direction. It was good to see it the next day with fresh eyes, because I realized that it actually had some good bones, and that the color was pretty good in the daylight. I also had a chance to look and think about my decisions and what I needed to do to push it, without having the sitter present. Bouncing the colors around the canvas, using the shadow colors in the skin in the background and vice-versa. warm/cool. general paint mixing/handling etc...

I'm learning more and more with every piece. I'm getting better handling now too. I finally saw, mixed and laid down the green that I kept avoiding by adding too much blue. it's the little things.

Productive

2010-09-23T22:13:00.001-04:00

In an effort to keep things fresh and possibly interesting to whomever is reading this blog, I give you this entry:

Today I got up extra early (6am) and hit the road for the 3 hour ride to Boston. The reason for this journey? To file my paper work with the Italian Consulate in Boston for dual citizenship. Italian and American. Two Passports. A citizen of the European Union. Thanks Nicole.
Things went really easily for me. The hard part was getting my Mother's documentation in order to prove the lineage. So now I wait a month for my birth to be recorded in Belcastro.

Tonight I also accepted my first proper portrait commission. This is something I am extremely proud of and really looking forward to. It is a direct result of the live portrait drawings I did at the Clark back in February. A met a very nice man who sat for me and his wife. He wanted to give his wife a special present to commemorate her 25th year of being in the States, and decided on a portrait painted by yours truly. I am really looking forward to the one on one interaction. What a story this guy has already told me after our first meeting tonight!

So after showing him around my studio, talking over the logistics of the portrait, and getting to know a bit about each other, we will be off and running on Tuesday of next week. I logged 336 miles in the car, and about 3,200 mental miles in tonight's conversation. All in all a productive day. And I even got some fresh paint on the Kripalu painting.

En Plein Air

2010-09-22T01:11:00.001-04:00

For my birthday this year I treated myself to a French Easel so I could start painting outdoors. There is nothing quite like finding a great spot and working on location. I have been reading a great blog lately by Stapleton Kearns who got me inspired to get outside. His blog is incredibly useful and full of everything you need to know regarding outdoor painting. Plus he seems like a fun guy and is a hell of a painter.

For my first venture, I went out to Mt. Greylock, and camped out at the base in a meadow looking south. I worked for about 4 hours in the field before bringing it back to the studio to finish it off. Not bad for someone who hasn't done something like this in a while...

For my nest venture, I traveled south to Kripalu in Lenox. Another beautiful place to paint. Looking out over Stockbridge Bowl surrounded by peace and quiet, I set up my easel on the grounds of Kripalu and set to work.. This is where I am after about 6 hours. I think I'll take it back to the studio to finish it off, or I might head back out on location. We will see when I get a chance to get back out.

The leaves are changing and Fall is such a wonderful time to be outside. I've got a list of places that I want to paint. I'll try to post them as I make them. I'm shooting for one a week.

On a side note, I had a catastrophic easel failure today (second time it has happened) where the a leg suddenly collapses. this time it smashed my turpentine jar and so I had to go home early. Totally lame. I've got an idea about how to rig the easel so this NEVER happens again. Imagine... the whole rig just suddenly falls to one side. I've got 5 paint brushes in 2 hands, and a paint soaked cloth. The easel has my full palette, extra brushes, turpentine jar, rags, and canvas attached. what do you drop and what do you grab. I'm with you. I grabbed the wet canvas. It only smudged a little. everything else lay scattered on the ground.

All in all, it was a very fun time and I can't wait to get back out there.

Back in the Fire

2010-09-01T21:07:00.001-04:00

I have started packing up many paintings in the past few days to get them out of the studio to make room for new work. I'm a bit tired of looking at some of them honestly, and I also don't want them to influence anything from this point further. So they are getting wrapped in bubble wrap and into the archives for a loooong time. It will be fun to upack them some day - maybe I'll even be surprised.

But a couple pieces have been giving me the "eye" for quite some time, so I needed to address them. The "eye" means that I never quite gave them what they needed at the time, and they are now ready (and so am I). I've got to start taking better photographs though....

First up - Figure Study from 2010 -
I had submitted this to a show WAY before I should have. (see this post) I didn't give it a chance to evolve. I had always thought of the figure as "emerging" or being birthed, but didn't show it. The additional figures sit as partially resolved; unable to gain the flesh and longing for a chance.

Next up - After Michelangelo from 2008 -
This one has been a long time coming. I just moved right past it after it was "done", but it's time has come too. I often rework the drawing and the tone/color of paintings. This one got a bit of both.

I was never happy with the flesh tone or the form of the top figure. It had no punch and was painted rather weakly. A reworking of Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna and a touch of Cad. Red light got this figure back in shape. It also added a much needed degree of "finish" to push the composition.

So two pieces back in the fire. They will get a new coat of varnish and then bubble wrapped and put away. New work awaits.

white on white

2010-08-01T21:47:00.000-04:00

I created 3 pieces for a show called "White on White" as part of a city-wide art exhibit in collaboration with Barrington Stage Company's play "Art".

They are each 18" square and 2.5" deep.

Materials: wood, masonite, epoxy resin, plastic bags, joint compound, spray paint, acrylic.

Pittsfield Contemporary

2010-07-19T20:15:00.001-04:00

I will be showing new work at the Pittsfield Contemporary show this weekend at the Lichtenstein Center in Pittsfield.

If you can make it to the opening (Friday at 5:30) please come by. I'll try to post some photos.
should be a fun time.

"Tools of the Trade" - 2010

summer showing #1

2010-06-10T19:57:00.001-04:00

I got word this morning that I got juried in to the 9th Annual Berkshire Arts Festival over the July 4th weekend at Ski Butternut in Great Barrington. I am hanging 4-5 paintings in a group show - in a white walled gallery on the grounds - not as a table/booth.

It is called the "Insiders Art Fair Gallery Show" and is only local Bekshire Artists. should be interesting.
Around 8,000 people are expected to attend the Festival over the 3 days, so I should have lots of new eyes on my pieces.

The director emailed me to say "I am sure that you won't be showing the work that is not for the innocent general public. Although I like it..." (I submitted Marla, Jazu, Justice, Bash Bish, and self-portrait 35)

problems of the flesh.... would it really be so scandalous? hmmnn... now I've got to find out.

Fast Food/Still Life

2010-06-01T15:48:00.004-04:00

This painting, "Fast Food/Still Life," has been an idea I have had for quite some time. It has been lingering in my mind for a little over a year. I decided to act and follow through the idea and realize the picture. I wanted to treat the subject like a classical still life painting, and focus on the objects. I chose fast food because it is so ubiquitous and not something that would normally be treated to a still life, plus I loved all of the hidden extras that fast food comes with (globalization, marketing, obesity, overfarming, immigrants, science, genetics, capitalism, etc...)

Here is what actually happened:
The concept was to visit McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts and Burger King and buy the items that are targeted at children. So a Happy Meal, a Kid's Meal (plus the toys), a 6 pack of Munchins, and one burger from each place (found on their "Dollar Menu"), were set upon a table and I painted them. All food was unwrapped and put down on the table exactly as it comes out of the packaging. In total, I spent $12. All the food purchased is visible in the still life (minus about 8 ketchup packs).

Following a page from "Super Size Me," I accepted every extra they threw my way (like sauces, and ketchup, and salt and pepper) and I got a ton.

Even though my intention was (and still is) to show the horror of the food, and to display it exactly as it is served - no glamour or fancy product photography - I became absolutely fascinated by the color and textures in this "food", and quickly became more interested in painting exactly what I saw. It became an American Landscape. The color of McDonald's french fries are golden and Burger King's are more translucent, chicken mcnuggets are golden green. burger buns are orange - but the cheese is even MORE orange - the wax paper is a visual treat of reflected blues, oranges, greens, purples and reds. The entire picture was an exercise in texture and color relationships. The food/packaging is remarkably reflective and the colors were found everywhere. the munchkins were very light - mostly air, and sparkled.

For those who care how it ended, ALL the food became hard after being out for one hour. All smells dissipated after half an hour (no match for turpentine and oil paint) and by the next day, of course, it looked exactly the same, and did so for the rest of the week, and then I had to throw it out in disgust. None of the food was ingested. it was all given to the garbage. Although I did drink the Apple Juice afterword, but don't tell anyone.

In an age of Fast/Immediate/Now, I wanted to slow down and look at what we as a society are doing, what we target at children, and what passes for food.

show submissions....

2010-05-27T15:33:00.009-04:00

I'm submitting these pieces for an upcoming International show called "Nude" through Manifest
I'll keep you posted. I just "finished" the piece on the left today and the submission deadline is tomorrow (Friday the 28th of May)

On the left- "Figure Study" 24x48" oil on canvas - on the right - "Becoming" 24x36 oil on canvas (this is an older shot of the canvas- I repainted it)

New Work

2010-05-22T16:43:00.003-04:00

coming soon - I've been busy-

Idle hands are the Devil's tools, but boy does he make cool stuff sometimes...

Falling Water

2010-04-16T23:51:00.002-04:00

I finished my first painting in almost 2 months. "Bash Bish Falls" 48" x 32" oil on canvas. I had no desire to finish this one when I initially started it (March) because I couldn't find a reason for it. My mind wasn't into it. I stayed away from the studio for this entire time and occupied myself with new media and materials - like welding - (pictures might follow of these explorations). I wanted to do more than a "landscape".

It seemed like I had given up on it, or at least I had lost interest in following through on this idea - I was starting to consider what I might paint over it. All I had was a loose drawing on the canvas from when I visited and a slight indication of some rocks. I wasn't sure I could pull off the composition I wanted.

I was out for a walk last weekend and went to see a gallery show, I was overcome with a bit of a "creative rage" and knew I had to make something of this image- or at the very least make a horrific mess - and break through this creative block. There really was no choice. It was my duty. I left and went directly to the studio. I completed 90% in a two day furry. I think it is the legend of these waters that propelled me through. I see her legs.

Bash Bish Falls is a waterfall in the SouthWestern corner of Massachusetts. The story states that a native woman (a Mohican Indian named Bash Bish) who lived here was sent to her death over the falls for adultery.

I find the surging water powerful - especially in the Spring when their is so much volume. The last time I was here was in 1999 and I did a small sketch in roughly the same place. I think I've come a long way since then. I know I understand quite a bit more now.

Burn baby, burn

2010-03-27T23:21:00.002-04:00

Today I set fire to a number of older pieces that I have been carrying around for a few years. Most of the pieces date from 1993-1999.

There might be more, but today's fire consumed around 15 pieces. I recently moved, and so I am going through 5 portfolios worth of work that I've been carrying around for 17+ years now. This picture is from 1994, during the RIT years, a project where we had to paint 3 images in monochromatic color schemes. I chose 3 violent images. Two were war images (Vietnam- one is a woman having shrapnel removed from her hand) and the one pictured above is of R. Budd Dwyer.

crazy days.

New Pics

2010-02-19T20:10:00.001-05:00

Finished a few new paintings and posted them to the site.

Live Portriat Drawing at the Clark

2010-01-03T18:38:00.000-05:00

I have been invited by The Clark Art Institute to be an onsite artist for their winter party: Picture Yourself at the Clark.

This event celebrates the opening of Giovanni Boldini in Impressionist Paris, the artist's first exhibition outside of Europe in over 20 years.

I am delighted to have been asked to set up my easel and draw portraits of guests "a la Paris streets circa 1880"

The event is on February 13, from 6-8pm, at the Clark. If you are attending, please stop by for a sketch.
If not, I'll be sure to post some pics.

Tweaking in the New Year

2010-01-03T15:54:00.000-05:00

I added some subtle touches to "Justice" and think it is much better now. I gave it an all over tweak. I made the hand "hold" the skull better by eliminating the heavy outline where they meet. I added some extra highlights to the iris and lids to "sparkle" a bit more. I also solidified and rendered the pages a bit more and added some warm tones from the reflection of the hand. I also repainted the hand - for the 4th time, and I'll leave it at that.

I also tweaked "Trinity" and am really happy with the way it looks now.
A new painting is already in the bag for 2010. I am focusing on the application of the paint and building structure/form through my brush strokes. I'm taking a page from Shawn Barber's notes.
After I finish 3-4 I'll start uploading them.

some changes...

2009-12-20T19:56:00.002-05:00

I have tentatively finished this portrait,

"Justice." 24" x 36"
I'm not thrilled with the hand holding the books. It is popping out too much. Too many warm tones in the shadows. I think the pages directly below the hand need to be brighter too, maybe that will offset some of the tones.....

I'll let it breathe for a little while.

Lately I have been re-working some of my existing pieces. I re-painted the faces on a few pictures ("Caity", and both faces on "Becoming"), and have tweaked colors. I guess I wasn't satisfied with them.

some old gems...

2009-12-10T10:53:00.009-05:00

Found these images while doing some cleaning of the ol' hardrive.

these were all done in 1999, with the exception of "Lake Champlain" which was done in 2004. All are Caran-D'ache oil crayons on black board.

from the top " Wahconah Falls" - Stockbridge Bowl" - "Lenox in Fall" -"Lake Champlain" - "Mt. Greylock" - "Bash Bish Falls"

painting the seduction

2009-11-11T17:56:00.005-05:00

Below is a painting in progress "Seduction"
the image on the left is how it "started" and the image on the right is where it is now... it is very much a work in progress, and I still have a few ideas left for it. I will probably still be working on this picture when I'm 80.

Murder

2009-11-05T12:44:00.003-05:00

The crows are beginning to gather again.
I am about to start another Murder.

12 at least.

There is something so sinister about it.
Such amazing creatures...

These will be posted.
I am getting them ready for an upcoming show at the Ferrin Gallery

UPDATE ** here they are:

palettes and tone

2009-10-22T15:54:00.004-04:00

Basic:

Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Cadmium Red (light)
Alizarin Crimson
Sap Green
Manganese Blue
Ivory Black
Titanium White

French Ultramarine is an excellent addition, as is Naples Yellow and Raw Umber.

I often put down washes of Raw Sienna to tone the canvas.
On top of a white ground, the Sienna creates a very warm glow.
With a few dabs of the color on the canvas, drizzle turpentine and brush the color all over the canvas - very loosely. The thinner the paint, the quicker it will dry.

After covering the canvas, take a cloth and drag it across the canvas, all in the same direction.
When complete, drag the cloth in the other direction. This will remove excess paint and create a uniform surface. All brush strokes should be eliminated.

****

p.s. The large canvas is still in the works. I had to stop and really consider supporting the structure before I stretch it.

So instead I stretched a 32"x48" - this one might be "Marla". I have a session with her tonight.

The Large Canvas - 48" x 72"

2009-09-30T20:45:00.002-04:00

Today I am stretching my biggest canvas to date.

48"x72"
122cm x 183cm

Absolutely no ideas yet for subject matter that are concrete, and not worried about it. I stretched the canvas because I want to do it. I need to do something larger than me. It's about time too. I looked at my pieces on the wall at a recent opening and was kind of let down by how well they held the space. They needed to be bigger. A bigger canvas was in order.

Besides, it is really exciting to think about this big piece. It is already imposing and it is only the plain stretcher bars....

The canvas was a bit dirty from being tucked away for a while, so I am planning on putting the canvas outside for the day to air out. Clean canvas = good ground. It is the foundation after all, so start out strong. I need to build two cross beams to support the middle of this thing too, and maybe some slats for the corners.....

I've been looking a lot at different artists lately while trying to get better at painting. And the secret is to keep painting, and to improve with every picture- or to at least keep moving into a direction and learning how to work through something.

Odd Nerdrum is who I'm looking at tonight. A beauty of a book. Norwgian painter. My Art teacher Tony Janello at RISD introduced him to me back in '97. I just started to read about him again.

Anyway, the reason I am doing this tonight is this:

I just looked at one of the images, Man With Woman's Head, and it says it is 57" x 72.8 (145cm x 185cm) in size.

so I grabbed the biggest strips I have in the studio and stapled them together.

and here we are.