Thursday, November 10, 2011

24. Value Study of Young Souix Brave

Dignity   8x10 oil/panel

This is painted from a photo reference that is part of the Smithsonian, and in the public domain.

Larry Seiler, the guy who gave me the inspiration to start this 120 paintings project, talked alot about values in the last session of the webinar.  Truth be told, values are the structure that holds a painting together - they are the framework on which you hang color.  If the values are good, the painting can work.  
Well, anyway, so I thought this was a good time to do a value study, but not just any kind of value study.

This painting was done by the "wipe away" method.  I used one transparent color ( a mix of transparent oxide red and ultramarine blue, for you inquiring minds out there) and laid a thin wash down.  Then, by both adding more color for darks, and wiping away the color for the lights, the painting comes to life.  No white paint, or opaque color. This must be done in one sitting, with the paint still wet, pushing paint around, adding and subtracting.   You gotta have a non -absorbent surface (I used one of my homemade panels) and it helps to have  a brush with a nice sharp edge.  I used two flats, size 4 and 6.



Native American Wisdom:
"If you talk to the animals
they will talk with you
and you will know each other.

If you do not talk to them
you will not know them
and what you do not know, 
you will fear.

What one fears, one destroys."
- Chief Dan George

1 comment:

Pat Burns said...

Excellent! I love to do this add/wipe-away, too. You chose a great subject for it.