Richard D. Burton: Partial drawing~Grinding Gears of Time
Here is a partial drawing, Grinding Gears of Time, by artist, Richard D. Burton. The drawing is 18″X24″. The main figure (Father Time) is just a sketch taped onto the substrate which has many of the floating gears in the background finished in the drawing.
Mr. Burton does many sketches as preparations for his drawings. He tapes pieces and portions of the sketches onto the substrate as he draws to make sure everything is working to his satisfaction. The drawing has been completed on the extreme left hand side, top, and top right. He now has to begin drawing the main figure into the drawing and tapes the sketch to make sure everything is fitting into the outline of the background. He has designed three clock faces in the drawing for directional control of his drawing – the clock behind the head, the watch in the hand, and the clock as a foot rest. The circular shapes of clock faces assimilate with the circular shapes of the gears which control the viewer’s eyes to the main figure.
The artist’s intent is to make an acrylic monochromatic painting of the drawing when he is finished. The painting will be of yellow ochre, with mixture of white and black. He hopes to make it a collage with pieces of a calender monthly headings seeming to wander in and out of the gears. He has never tried this before and imagines it with great anticipation. It is an experiment and we wish him the best.
There are thousands of arts and crafts shows in the United States each year. Usually, if you visit these you will find local artists exhibiting and selling their works. However, many artist are not educated in marketing their work, and they do not feel comfortable in the selling process. Rather than letting the artwork sell itself, the artists somehow feel they must participate in a “sales pitch”; or whats even worse, they say nothing, hoping the prospective buyer will just buy on their own. If they do nothing, they may miss out on a sale. Remember, sales is an entirely different expertise and profession than drawing or painting. This is why there are so many galleries.
Tip~When a person is looking at your artwork with interest, you have a prospective buyer.
Have you ever walked into a retail store and was aggressively approached by a sales person? We’ve all had this happen to us. What do we do? In many cases, we soon walk out of the store; especially, if the sales person is dogging us and not giving us our space.
Lynn Burton: Chief and Skull (oil on Canvas)
Tip~ Relax when a prospective buyer is looking at your art. Give them their space, but don’t be afraid to approach them.
When you do approach your prospective customer, open with a conversation – talk naturally. Talk about the weather, if they are present, talk about their children, about anything. In many cases, your prospect will eventually ask about your work when you are having a non-threatening conversation. This will open the door for you to discuss your art. Practice this and you will realize a comfortable conversation will uncover your prospective buyer’s interests.
Lynn Burton: Untitled
Tip~Never pressure anyone to buy something.
Sales pressure is a big turn off. No one appreciates it. It is better to keep them interested in the artwork you are trying to sell. Ask questions that will peak a prospect’s interest. Let them talk themselves into the purchase.
Many art schools today rarely hire teacher’s without at least a masters’ degree in fine arts. However, many of our great and renowned artists did not have degrees in art. Henri Matisse and Wassily Kandinsky, for example, had their formal education in the law. Kandinsky was thirty years old when he turned down a post of professor of law at the University of Tartu in Estornia and decided to turn his attention to art.
Henri Matisse: Blue Nudes
What distinguishes art from almost every other occupation is that the credentials of the artist are not important to the creation of art. Artist are people that define themselves as such. If a person believes themselves to be an artist, then they are artist, and the value of their work is in the balance decided by viewers. The greatest strength of art is that it follows no laws or doctrines. As a matter of fact, most art movements in the past century have defied “rules” and “traditions”.
Remember, those that believe in their artwork have the right to call themselves artist every bit as much as the most admired artists whose works are featured in galleries and museums across the world. It is faith in oneself and the creative spirit that keeps art alive.
In his painting, Woman in the Field, artist Richard D. Burton used masking as well as layering in his wet-on-dry watercolor style painting. He explains his technique here for the viewers of Art Center Information.
To prepare the painting and create the background midday sky, I used a weak wash of yellow ochre over the entire 20″X28″ Arches 300 (cold press) paper. After letting it set for 48 hours I turned it upside down and super imposed a similarly weak wash of rose madder and waited another 48 hours. Then I turned it back up and laid a weak wash of cobalt blue.
My compositional drawing was then done by copying over a sketch made of the figure of the female. Although I had done a complete drawing showing the high grass, weeds and growth, I did not use this on the prepared watercolor paper, choosing to allow my painting a sense of freedom in contrast and suggesting action to the more staid female figure.
Segment of “Woman in the Field”
After sketching the composition on the paper’s surface, I laid up a wash of yellow ochre creating the base for the ground area. After this dried, I took a brush filled with Windsor & Newton Water Colour Art Masking Fluid and flicked and stroked throughout the ground creating a loose high grass effect. I did this to create areas of lighter grass that will later contrast with the darker ground and green grasses.
I then covered the ground with superimposed washes of darker ground color mixtures. Over this I painted in various hues of green. Then I scraped away the dried masking fluids, giving a lighter variation of grasses.
Segment of “Woman in the Field”
Probably, one of my greatest challenges was to paint the dress on the figure. In my minds eye, I could see an old pinkish dress (to contrast with the greens in the grass) that was well worn, dirty, and more than likely her favorite clothes while working in the garden. Whether I accomplished this effect or not, I don’t know – the jury is still out. However, I satisfied myself enough to say enough is enough.
To accomplish my challenge, I had to do several layers of color over each other. I always give a watercolor-style painting 48 hours before washing over it with another color. The colors used was a rose madder and a mixture of rose madder and green which created a neutral gray. I also did some scraping on the overly washes which gave the dress the well used and aged effect.
Although I did not use the masking fluid directly on the white paper, I often do when the white of the paper’s surface serves as the lightest value in my paintings. Masking is especially helpful for preserving small, complex parts of a composition that would be near impossible to paint around.
It is a happy moment when we artists can create the effect we wish to accomplish when we are able to paint a watercolor picture using only one layer of paint; however, most pictures will require some areas of multiple layers. The most practiced layering sequences in transparent watercolor method of painting is to wash dark hues over light ones. I particularly like it when I can layer transparent washes of similar values one over the other. The end result of the newly created hue is usually stunning, and it is much better than trying to mix the colors to create the same effect.
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One of the most important steps in completing a good drawing is how well you get each portion of your future picture placed on the substrate. Here artist Richard D. Burton is tracing the figure of “father time” in the center of the paper. He began by drawing the inner working gears of a clock which seem to be floating aimlessly behind the seated character. All that is completed at this time is the left hand side of the substrate. Now he is working to the top and center.
He is tracing over with line (only) the outline of the figure. On the back of the tracing paper is a graphite line which can be seen in the photographs depicted on this page.
Photo of Main Subject Drawn on Tracing Paper
To begin, the artist lifted a paper covering that was over the center of the substrate and taped the tracing paper with an outline drawing of the main subject. Mr. Burton is extremely careful to protect the substrate from any graphite smearing. On a drawing this large (18″X24″), he draws in block technique from the left to the right and top to bottom, always aware of oil in the hands and fingers and the damaging effect of graphite smearing.
The photograph to the left is line only. The artist desires the freedom of being able to “re-create” his drawing as he goes along. He uses the lines only to keep him in place. For example, he already knows this will not follow exactly his practice drawing showing the face of “father time” to be more European than East Asian. It was not his choice, it was his wife that made that decision. He insisted that “father time” was not from any of these places but from somewhere out there.
Original Practice drawing of “Father Time”
His wife won the argument so the face will eventually wind up more European. The original drawing is on the right.
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Our posts this week started on Tuesday. There was no post on Monday, 10/01/2012.
Arlen Burton: “Signal Peak” (Oil on Canvas)
Tuesday, October the 2nd: Tip For Painting Landscapes~ We wrote that the secondary color scheme using green, orange, and violet are especially good at creating harmony, especially, when painting landscapes. Proper use of this scheme can give a viewer that inviting feeling of…(to read the article, please click on the picture at the right).
R. D. Burton: Winter Kindling
Wednesday, October the 3rd: In the article: “Think Out” Shadows in advance of painting~ We said that a good painting will have an area painted without a shadow and then the shadow painted over it. Shadows are a great tool for describing shapes they fall upon. However,tThe shape of the surface will alter the…(to read the article, please click on the picture at the right).
Lynn Burton: “Adam and Eve”
Thursday, October the 4th: Inspiration for the Wannabe Artist: Personally, I was always interested in art and was drawing, sketching, studying artists and their works. However, for years I seldom painted. I came from an artist family and knew I would eventually… (to read the article, please click on the picture at the right).
Artist, Richard D. Burton
Friday, October the 5th: Draw with Graphite Pencil as if Painting With a Brush ~ I’ve found that occasionally selecting to draw solidly and roundly, modeling my forms as though I was working in clay, painting with the graphite pencil, tone for tone, edge against edge and texture for texture, that I have my most successful moments. I am constantly reminded of…(to read the article, please click on the picture at the right).
Richard D.Burton: Small segment of drawing for future painting
Saturday, October the 6th: Draw With an Objective ~ An artist that truly enjoys drawing should never avoid something which looks difficult or seek to solve a drawing problem by lowering their standards by doing it with acceptable and conventional methods. (to read the article, please click on the picture at the right.
Richard D. Burton: Drawing Study for Future Painting
Drawing, as an objective, for many of the old masters was to take from their models the maximum of information for future use. They were not trying to create a work of art. For them, they were simply recording facts or experimenting in an informal way with a problem. They were aware of the facts that they would need for a future painting. Observation for them was given a reason and an impetus: the drawing gained clarity and purpose. As artists, we can think of a similar compulsion for ourselves – even if it is only the desire that tomorrow, or someday in the future the drawing will continue to demonstrate that it means something and has purpose.
Richard D.Burton: Small segment of drawing for future painting
An artist that truly enjoys drawing should never avoid something which looks difficult or seek to solve a drawing problem by lowering their standards by doing it with acceptable and conventional methods. We are embarked upon a course of self discipline. When we fall back upon convention to solve our problems, we defeat the end by tempting ourselves to stoop to any self indulgence we can.
A good idea would be to take the time it takes to study drawings by some of the old masters – Durer, Michelangelo, Rubens and others. Also, study some of the drawing of some of the artists of the present. Select whoever you will, there are several on the internet that are phenomenal.
I’ve found that occasionally selecting to draw solidly and roundly, modeling my forms as though I was working in clay, painting with the graphite pencil, tone for tone, edge against edge and texture for texture, that I have my most successful moments. I am constantly reminded of the extremes of thinking embraced in the simple word “drawing”.
For whatever reason, I can not do anything simple, but I have the greatest respect for those artists that can. Over time, however, I found it best to be who I am and not get too far past my own universe.
Study for Graphite Drawing
Before I attempt to actually do a graphite drawing that I will consider a completed and acceptable piece of art, I like to do several studies that may or may not wind up being in the finished work. In other words, I am a student of my own art and seldom satisfied.
The drawing to the right is a segment of the drawing that I am working on in the larger picture being drawn at the upper left.
I work slowly when attempting to be realistic, completing about nine square inches over a three hour period (in this case) – which is about all I do in a day. This means I will be on it for a while since the size of the drawing is 432 square inches.
This graphite drawing will be fanciful since it represents a fantasy character, however, the details surrounding it are realistic with a somewhat abstract feeling.
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There are some of us that drew or painted when we were young but got caught up in business and responsibilities, children and such. We left our passion by putting it off until retirement; but the good news is that it is never too late to get started. Think of Grandma Moses. What a story that was. SHE PAINTED INTO HER FIRST COMPLETED CENTURY ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EARTH!
Lynn Burton: “Adam and Eve”
Personally, I was always interested in art and was drawing, sketching, studying artists and their works. However, for years I seldom painted. I came from an artist family and knew I would eventually jump back in with a passion, which I have since retiring from business.
Vincent Van Gogh: Daubigny’s Gard
One thing that inspired me to get serious about art was reading a letter that Vincent Van Gogh HAD written to his brother. He wrote: “…what I want to express, in both figure and landscape, isn’t anything sentimental or melancholy, but deep anguish. In short, I want to get to the point where people say of my work–‘that man feels deeply, that man feels keenly.’” I could not help but realize the true passion of a great artist when reading his words. It inspired me. He went on to say: “What I want and aim at is so confoundedly difficult, and yet I do not think I aim too high. I want to do drawings which touch some people…” This letter was written in 1882 and still capture the passion of many artists today. This man never sold a piece of artwork in his lifetime; however, is there any doubt, with such passion within him, that he would go on to become one of the most respected artists in the world? Passion! That is all I wish to pass on to the wannabe artist.
Be sure to sign up for the Art Center Information newsletter and enter the drawing to win a free coffee table art book>>>Upper right hand corner of page.
If you paint several parallel but separated one-half inch lines of different colors on a white sheet of paper and place a vertical object nearby and then shine a bright light at an angle so the object casts a shadow across the painted lines, you can see how different the shadow appears as it crosses each color. This is a good exercise and practice when painting a picture that requires shadows, because the color of the surface over which the shadow falls has a lot to do with how the shadow looks.
R. D. Burton: Winter Kindling
A good painting will have an area painted without a shadow and then the shadow painted over it. Shadows are a great tool for describing shapes they fall upon.
The shape of the surface will alter the shape of the shadow. Please note how the shadows follow the contour of the surfaces in the picture to the right.
Since the shadows follow the contours of the surfaces, artists can use this to help describe their paintings, such as the spilling of shadows, showing the ups and downs of snow, rocks, trees, grass, foliage, roads, fences, and on and on infinitus.
Since shadows can be so defining, it is up to an artist to “think out” shadows in advance of the painting.
Copyright For Artists: Quick And Easy Copyright Protection
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