The Continuity of Light and the Criteria to Capture It: A Review of the Workshop with Charles Weed

/0 Comments/in , , /by

From Wednesday, May 3rd to Saturday, May 6th, 2017, PADASOR was very proud to host an international group from Finland, France and Rome for an intensive oil-painting workshop with the American painter, Charles Weed, that focused on the still-life (skulls and shells) and the portrait.  With plenty of enthusiasm and good humor to go around, it was a great pleasure (and luxury) to work diligently from 10:30 to 18:00 for four days straight.  Never a surprise, though no less disappointing, when such quality time quickly comes to an end.

I’m sure the take-away for each was unique to her temperament, but allow me to share what I thought to be the principle lessons:

  • Start with a palette that puts color temperature immediately in play.
  • Make strong statements: don’t let ambiguity compromise your ability to evaluate the precision of your drawing.
  • Look for the big shapes/planes of light; don’t let halftones compromise their integrity.
  • Carefully consider how the surroundings are affected by that same light source; be aware how the management of those surroundings and their edges with the planes of light affect the continuity of light in the painting.
  • Find shadows by building the surrounding lights (as opposed to making the shadows darker–like furrowed brows, darks under eyes, lines under cheeks, etc.).
  • Keep the key high; you can easily darken over time.

My thanks to all participants: Paivi, Lisa, Antonella, Joëlle, Mary Ellen and Ludovica.  Photos below of the group and the incredible development of each of the paintings.

Special thanks to our model, Estefanie!

Finally, speaking as a figurative painter and educator, Charles Weed is one of the finest I know on both accounts.  The empirical reasoning and straight-forward specificity of his teachings brings to mind a quote I am rather fond of by the writer David Mitchell: the tighter the straight jacket, the more spectacular the escape, which is essentially a succinct and clever argument for the necessity of rules in art.  I am convinced that without rules, there is no craft; without craft, there is no art.  Or, as Charles might say, there is no thingyness.  (Trust me: it’s more profound than it sounds.)

In essence, Charles is very, very good in helping others to see those rules.

Thank you, Charles, for your precious time, infectious passion, and generous friendship.  Until the next time, a toast to the shifty Mississippi and old leather suitcases.

Timothy Allen
Founder and Director
The Painting and Drawing Art Studio of Rome

Antonella

Joëlle

Lisa

Ludovica

Mary Ellen

Joëlle

Lisa

Paivi

Antonella

New Courses Start February 4th, 2016

/0 Comments/in /by

Figure drawing starts Thursday, February 4th; portrait painting alla prima and advanced painting start Saturday, February 6th.  Reserve your place today.  In addition: you are invited to join me for a free lecture on Saturday, February 6th at 15:00.  For all details, please visit our Courses page.

Join Us for the PADASOR Student Show on Sunday, December 13th, 2015

/0 Comments/in /by

The first student show since 2010 will be held this Sunday, December 13th from 18:00 to 21:00 at Studio Soderini, Via Fulcieri Paulucci de Calboli, 20 E in Prati.

Read more

How to Calibrate Your Drawing from Life with a Camera, Computer and Image Editing Software

/0 Comments/in /by

Max Doerner said “it is no more possible to learn to paint from books than to learn to swim on a sofa.”  A variation on that could easily be “it is no more possible to learn to draw from photographs than to learn to swim on a sofa.”

That said, I’ve realized in recent years that it can be very helpful to compare a life drawing to a photograph, especially given the ease with which it can be done.  Here’s what you need to do it:

  • A camera (an iPhone will do);
  • A computer (I use a Macbook Air);
  • An image editor (I use Adobe Fireworks from CS5, now discontinued; else Photoshop will work)

Step 1.  Take a picture of your drawing, then take a picture of your model, taking care not to get too close in order to avoid an overly distorted image.

Step 2.  Import both pictures into the image editor, placing one on top of the other.  If they are different sizes, don’t worry.

Here I have imported the photo of the model, Flavia.

Here I have imported the photo of the model, Flavia.

Step 3.  Scale the photo of the model to the drawing (Don’t worry if the model image gets pixelated.)  To do this, put the model image on top of the drawing image, set the model image to 50% transparency and increase (or decrease) the size of the image until it more or less coincides with one or more of the principle features; I usually target the eyes and nose.

With the image of Flavia at 50% transparency, I've matched the size of her image to the drawing below.

With the image of Flavia at 50% transparency, I’ve matched the size of her image to the drawing below.

Step 4.  Bring the model image back to 100% transparency and trace paths over the principle lines of the features: the contours of the head, the ears, the shadow around the eyes, the nose, mouth, chin, etc.

Here you can see the I've traced her features using a mouse and the pen tool in Fireworks.

Here you can see the I’ve traced her features using a mouse and the pen tool in Fireworks.

Step 5.  Turn off the model image and—voilà—you’ll immediately see right away what is right and what isn’t.

I centered the drawing on the nose, so that works. But the eyes are little too high (making the face seem longer) and her jaw on the right needs to be wider. It's amazing how these small errors can make a big difference!

I centered the drawing on the nose, so that works. But the eyes are little too high (making the face seem longer) and her jaw on the right needs to be wider. It’s amazing how these small errors can make a big difference!

One of my students, Stefano, also did a similar analysis, I believe with photoshop:

The eyes are very close, but note how dramatic the change is with the corrected line of the shoulders and the addition to the left side of the head.

The eyes are very close, but note how dramatic the change is with the corrected line of the shoulders and the addition to the left side of the head.

Bravo, Stefano!

Conclusion: avoid trying to improve you drawing by working from photographs, but take advantage of technology to help you calibrate your hand/eye coordination.  You’ll strengthen your sense of proportional relationships and start to realize things like a short jaw doesn’t mean make it longer, rather the mouth and nose are too low.  You’ll also become aware of where you have a tendency to err: I knew before starting the drawing that I tended to make noses too long—and during the drawing I moved it up twice!—but that still wasn’t enough.  Now it should be relatively easy to make some fixes… then I’m ready to transfer the drawing and start painting.

Painting En Plein Air Along the Tiber

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

This past Monday I had the pleasure to do a private lesson with Shiri and Dan from Jerusalem along the Tiber.  It was Shiri’s first time painting with oils, so I was most impressed with her result.  Thank you, Dan, for sending the pictures and thank you, Shiri, for writing a quick note:

Dear Tim,  Thank you so much for a fascinating lesson; I learned a lot and enjoyed it very much.  It was a great experience to draw with you on site at the Castel Sant’Angelo bridge.  It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope to meet you again someday.  With gratitude,  Shiri

If you too are interested in a private plein air lesson in painting in Rome, please contact me.

Reminder: Drawing and Painting Courses Start This Week!

/0 Comments/in /by

Program Update:

  • Figure drawing will start on September 24th with the model Mariangela.  Note that the start time is now 5:15 to give people coming from work a little extra time to get to us!
    Spaces available: 4
    Register for this course
  • The first class of portrait painting on September 26th from 11:00 to 14:00 will run without the model, but, will be a very important first step in the process: we will carefully examine the colors, mixing a series of tints and shades that we’ll use to create a color chart.  We’ll also prepare the paper and canvas for the other nine lessons.  If you were considering this course, please make every effort to be there on the 26th.
    Spaces available: 4
    Register for this course
  •  We will again run the gauntlet this Fall with a large figure painting.  Last Spring was a sitting Salomè, this time we will have a standing… surprise.  Join us from 15:00 to 18:00.
    Spaces available: 3
    Register for this course

Finally, remember that even if you can’t join us in the Fall, but were able to be with us in the Spring or Summer, you are invited to participate in our end-of-the-year show on December 13th.  More details to follow.

Cheers,

Tim

New Courses Start September 24th, 2015 + Student Show

/in /by

Registration is now open.  For all details, please visit our website.