Tom Heflin. Shadows Of Life.22x28. 2009.
Hardie Gramatky
Peter Szabo
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Liu Yi at IWS Festival, Izmir, Turkey.
I saw a lot of photos from FB from Watercolor Festival of IWS in Izmir, Turkey. Some of them give the atmosphere of the event. I wish I was there!
Liu Yi at Watercolour Festival in Izmir, Turkey.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Robert Wade`s Brushes
One more painting done with Robert Wade`s brushes. It is quite new thing for me to make the whole painting with synthetic brushes. But theses ones are really good.
These brushed were used...
K. Sterkhov. Mirror. 1/8 imperial size.
These brushed were used...
Robert Wade Round Taklon brushes
Mark Mehaffey. Interview
Nationally recognized artist Mark E. Mehaffey is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, the American Watercolor Society; DF, Transparent Watercolor Society of America; Signature Life member-Master Status, Watercolor West and the Rocky Mountain Watermedia Society, and Louisiana Watercolor Society Signature Life Member.
Fist question is about your relationship with the watercolor medium. How important is it for you?
My first love was watercolor and even though I now work in mixed water media and acrylic I continue to do most work in transparent watercolor. I started painting when I was a child of 10 and have never stopped. I will die with a brush in my hand.
What is your source of inspiration?
One painting precipitates another. The act of painting, the process always leads to another idea and that leads to another. I could live three life times and never get all the painting I have in my head done.
Do you make a sketch before you start painting?
If I am doing representational work then I always arrange shapes, assign value based on a center of interest as a small compositional study done in graphite in my sketchbook. I then paint from my sketch.
Do you have a complete plan of all the stages of your work in advance?
When working in a realist fashion I do have a vision of the completed painting in my head before begin. I follow my plan but do not feel so locked into my plan that I cant go where the painting needs to go.
Do you work with reference photos or more based on life impressions?
Both...if I have time I draw on site or work from a model. If I dont have time, like a lot of Artists I work from reference photos. I take thousands and have become a decent photographer....but a photograph lacks life and it is the Artists job to bring that reference to life so that there is a connection with the viewer.
Your paintings are quite saturated. Do you use some media or you have the whole process in your mind?
Saturated color is played off neutralized color and neutrals. If I need an area to be dark or very intense I am not afraid to use very saturated color.
The details of your painting are quite selective. According to which criteria do you drop details in your painting?
How much can you leave out and still tell the visual story? Lots...and I always think less is more. Give the viewer something to do...dont give them all the information.
Do you use some color theory?
I use a split primary palette, a warm and a cool of each primary...plus a few favorites. With these few colors I can make all the specific hues I might need.
What is more important for you: the contrast in values or the contrast in colors?
When I work in a realist mode then value is of most important...when I am working in a non objective/abstract fashion then I use color contrast more often.
Which attitude is closer to you – reflection or interpretation?
Id like to say reflection...but it really is interpretation. I see, assess, internalize then share....to the best of my ability.
Fist question is about your relationship with the watercolor medium. How important is it for you?
My first love was watercolor and even though I now work in mixed water media and acrylic I continue to do most work in transparent watercolor. I started painting when I was a child of 10 and have never stopped. I will die with a brush in my hand.
Mark Mehaffey. Taos Shadows II, 21x29"
What is your source of inspiration?
One painting precipitates another. The act of painting, the process always leads to another idea and that leads to another. I could live three life times and never get all the painting I have in my head done.
Mark Mehaffey. Contemplation. 21x25"
Do you make a sketch before you start painting?
If I am doing representational work then I always arrange shapes, assign value based on a center of interest as a small compositional study done in graphite in my sketchbook. I then paint from my sketch.
Mark Mehaffey. Museum Morning. 30x22"
Do you have a complete plan of all the stages of your work in advance?
When working in a realist fashion I do have a vision of the completed painting in my head before begin. I follow my plan but do not feel so locked into my plan that I cant go where the painting needs to go.
Mark Mehaffey. Construction on 48th
Do you work with reference photos or more based on life impressions?
Both...if I have time I draw on site or work from a model. If I dont have time, like a lot of Artists I work from reference photos. I take thousands and have become a decent photographer....but a photograph lacks life and it is the Artists job to bring that reference to life so that there is a connection with the viewer.
Mark Mehaffey. Sky Jack. 21x29"
Your paintings are quite saturated. Do you use some media or you have the whole process in your mind?
Saturated color is played off neutralized color and neutrals. If I need an area to be dark or very intense I am not afraid to use very saturated color.
Mark Mehaffey. Waiting. 21x29"
The details of your painting are quite selective. According to which criteria do you drop details in your painting?
How much can you leave out and still tell the visual story? Lots...and I always think less is more. Give the viewer something to do...dont give them all the information.
Mark Mehaffey. Taos Shadows I. 21x21"
Do you use some color theory?
I use a split primary palette, a warm and a cool of each primary...plus a few favorites. With these few colors I can make all the specific hues I might need.
Mark Mehaffey
What is more important for you: the contrast in values or the contrast in colors?
When I work in a realist mode then value is of most important...when I am working in a non objective/abstract fashion then I use color contrast more often.
Mark Mehaffey. Shanghai Allee.
Which attitude is closer to you – reflection or interpretation?
Id like to say reflection...but it really is interpretation. I see, assess, internalize then share....to the best of my ability.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Which Is Better?
I am completing my second instructional book. I need your opinion to make a decision which cover would be more attractive. Please let me know which book would pool your attention on a shelf in a book store?
K. Sterkhov. Book cover versions. What is your choice?
New Try With New Brushes
Yesterday I got yew brushes as a present. They are fully synthetic. Normally I don`t trust to synthetic brushes or use them carefully but these ones surprised me so much! They have all qualities of Kolinski!
I couldn`t help trying to paint something with new tools. This is what came out in 30 minutes)
My new brushes.
I couldn`t help trying to paint something with new tools. This is what came out in 30 minutes)
K. Sterkhov. Young Bikers. (New brushes try)
Monday, June 4, 2012
John Yardley. Interview.
John Yardley does not need an introduction for watercolor lovers. An interview that I got 2 days ago.
Did you come to watercolor or watercolor came to you?
Watercolour came to me - I saw a friend painting and was attracted.
What is your relationship with the watercolor media – love, hate, struggle, romance, co-operation, synergy, ect….?
Did you come to watercolor or watercolor came to you?
Watercolour came to me - I saw a friend painting and was attracted.
John Yardley
What is your relationship with the watercolor media – love, hate, struggle, romance, co-operation, synergy, ect….?
Great affection for the medium - it has its own particular attraction.
Your style is very recognizable of many watercolor artists. How did you come to it?
John Yardley. Moored Boats Waterfront Le Coitart. 14x20"
Your style is very recognizable of many watercolor artists. How did you come to it?
Style gradually developed - no conscious effort to adopt a style.
Who of the masters of the past and present had the most influence on watercolor media?
John Yardley. Paddington Station. 14x20"
Who of the masters of the past and present had the most influence on watercolor media?
Edward Seago & Edward wesson first inspirations.
Do you plan when you paint?
I paint something most days.
How often are you satisfied with your painting?
John Yardley. My New Shoes. 15x11"
Do you plan when you paint?
I paint something most days.
How often are you satisfied with your painting?
Satisfied to a certain extent quite frequently!
Do you look for the inspiring objects or it just happens that you find something to paint?
Best when the subject just appears.
What size of paper is the most comfortable for you?
John Yardley. The Waterfront Manzaelokk. Malta. 14x20"
Do you look for the inspiring objects or it just happens that you find something to paint?
Best when the subject just appears.
What size of paper is the most comfortable for you?
Most comfortable with half imperial (half sheet)
What are your “must” colours those you run out the first?
Must colours I suppose - French ult. Burnt umber, raw sienna.
What brushes variety do you use?
Best quality pure sable brushes.
Do you have your favorite paper?
John Yardley
What are your “must” colours those you run out the first?
Must colours I suppose - French ult. Burnt umber, raw sienna.
What brushes variety do you use?
Best quality pure sable brushes.
John Yardley
Do you have your favorite paper?
Arches 300 gramme rough.
What are the main “don`t” in watercolor?
Don't keep fiddling - leave painting alone when you think it is finished.
What do you think of usage opaque white in watercolor?
John Yardley. Flowers in a Glass Vase. Light & Dark. 14x20"
What are the main “don`t” in watercolor?
Don't keep fiddling - leave painting alone when you think it is finished.
John Yardley
What do you think of usage opaque white in watercolor?
Should watercolor be strictly transparent? I use a little gouache when convenient.
What is of more importance for you – the process or the result?
When painting for a living the result has to be important.
http://www.centurygalleries.co.uk/2012-gallery---new-john-yardley-watercolours.html
John Yardley
What is of more importance for you – the process or the result?
When painting for a living the result has to be important.
http://www.centurygalleries.co.uk/2012-gallery---new-john-yardley-watercolours.html
Tony Bel
I got a letter from an artist who suggested that his painting might be on my blog. OK, I like them. Most of his painting have romantic spirit, some remind Thomas Schaller though.
Tony Bel. Northbridge.
Tony Bel. Raven.
Tony Bel. Somewhere in Sicily.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Liu Yi. Interview.
Dear Mr. Liu, there are a lot of art lovers in Russia who anxious to know more about you and your painting methods. Thanks to internet, some time ago your works became available for a wide audience. There is no much information though or, it is all in Chinese language.
Mr Liu, what is your personal feeling for watercolor media?
Watercolor painting is not only difficult for water color painters but also for most of the artists who know about it. It is an ingenious form of art with a touch of randomness. It demonstrates painters’ overall skills as well as the competence in controlling over colors. Therefore, I have been fascinated by its charm and profoundness for twenty years.
What is the significance of water in your painting?
My unique interpretation and mastery of “the language of watercolor” derive from my great and pure love for watercolor painting.
“Water, the softest thing in the world, conquers everything.”
“The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying without striving.”
“A perfect person, blessed with virtues of water, is close to Tao.”
These expressions about water show my reflection on Chinese philosophy — “the harmony of man with nature”. They are exactly what I want to achieve while painting.
What qualities do make the Artist?
From the perspective of artistic creation, an artist should attach great importance to individualism and possess special skills. It is rewarding to create your own style by finding the best technique to express yourself and by discovering something that meets both your aesthetic and interest. Only when you find subjects in accordance with this style and display them to the full, will you reach a new level.
Which objects do inspire you the most?
I use wet technique to create my works. Jiang Nan Water Village, Jiang Nan Garden, The Rhythm of Water & Wind, Folk Customs, and Ballet Enchantment, all illustrate my understanding about water to express my imagination and concepts.
I depict Jiang Nan villages on rainy days and picturesque ancient gardens. My love for my hometown is hidden behind these bridges and pavilions. The pictures, further, purify my soul.
I portray the grace and elegance of ballerinas, conveying the eternal charm of this performance.
Can you describe your creative process?
The art of watercolor painting is a perceptive one, which I merge one color into the other with my perception. Only when I “talk” with water, can I produce a variety of styles and concepts on the paper, like narrative, lyricism or something. It is painstaking or even exhausting for me to create a satisfactory work. However, if I am totally engaged in it, nothing else interests or bothers me any more. It is a real enjoyment to combine different elements – color, rhythm, water and randomness into my creation. The pleasant air penetrates my studio.
Which qualities of watercolors are the most important in your opinion?
Watercolor painting, with its outer and inner beauty, is more than a lyric poem.
I am seeking morality and harmony in painting. Some elements are designed to blend while others to contrast. Softness and hardness, swiftness and steadiness, lightness and heaviness, calmness and excitement — all of these and more challenge consistency with appropriate charms. I believe they are an expression of Chinese basic assumptions about life itself.
Perfect Blend of Water & the Sky Moisture penetrates the nature so much so that it makes the landscape and the sky blend into each another.
Sunset Thick cloud and thin mist lyrically converge into stormy waters.
Cold Wave The emergence of cold wave brings hundred of birds to a halt — the intangible air is poetically embedded in the picture.
Fluting in the Distance My perspective on internal coherence between nobleness and holy music is woven into the picture.
Is the appreciation of the audience important for you?
My paintings involve natural rhythm and inexhaustible charm as well as the emotional and aesthetic implications. Hopefully, they will suit both refined and popular tastes and be appreciated with delight
Do you finish your works in one session?
I like to finish my works in a hurry. I am very fond of painting on wet paper where softness and thickness are created and balanced in harmony.
Liu Yi. SwanEnchantment. 70x100cm. 2007
Mr Liu, what is your personal feeling for watercolor media?
Watercolor painting is not only difficult for water color painters but also for most of the artists who know about it. It is an ingenious form of art with a touch of randomness. It demonstrates painters’ overall skills as well as the competence in controlling over colors. Therefore, I have been fascinated by its charm and profoundness for twenty years.
Liu Yi
What is the significance of water in your painting?
My unique interpretation and mastery of “the language of watercolor” derive from my great and pure love for watercolor painting.
“Water, the softest thing in the world, conquers everything.”
“The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying without striving.”
“A perfect person, blessed with virtues of water, is close to Tao.”
These expressions about water show my reflection on Chinese philosophy — “the harmony of man with nature”. They are exactly what I want to achieve while painting.
Liu Yi
What qualities do make the Artist?
From the perspective of artistic creation, an artist should attach great importance to individualism and possess special skills. It is rewarding to create your own style by finding the best technique to express yourself and by discovering something that meets both your aesthetic and interest. Only when you find subjects in accordance with this style and display them to the full, will you reach a new level.
Liu Yi
Which objects do inspire you the most?
I use wet technique to create my works. Jiang Nan Water Village, Jiang Nan Garden, The Rhythm of Water & Wind, Folk Customs, and Ballet Enchantment, all illustrate my understanding about water to express my imagination and concepts.
I depict Jiang Nan villages on rainy days and picturesque ancient gardens. My love for my hometown is hidden behind these bridges and pavilions. The pictures, further, purify my soul.
I portray the grace and elegance of ballerinas, conveying the eternal charm of this performance.
Liu Yi
Can you describe your creative process?
The art of watercolor painting is a perceptive one, which I merge one color into the other with my perception. Only when I “talk” with water, can I produce a variety of styles and concepts on the paper, like narrative, lyricism or something. It is painstaking or even exhausting for me to create a satisfactory work. However, if I am totally engaged in it, nothing else interests or bothers me any more. It is a real enjoyment to combine different elements – color, rhythm, water and randomness into my creation. The pleasant air penetrates my studio.
Liu Yi
Which qualities of watercolors are the most important in your opinion?
Watercolor painting, with its outer and inner beauty, is more than a lyric poem.
I am seeking morality and harmony in painting. Some elements are designed to blend while others to contrast. Softness and hardness, swiftness and steadiness, lightness and heaviness, calmness and excitement — all of these and more challenge consistency with appropriate charms. I believe they are an expression of Chinese basic assumptions about life itself.
Liu Yi
Perfect Blend of Water & the Sky Moisture penetrates the nature so much so that it makes the landscape and the sky blend into each another.
Sunset Thick cloud and thin mist lyrically converge into stormy waters.
Cold Wave The emergence of cold wave brings hundred of birds to a halt — the intangible air is poetically embedded in the picture.
Fluting in the Distance My perspective on internal coherence between nobleness and holy music is woven into the picture.
Liu Yi
Is the appreciation of the audience important for you?
My paintings involve natural rhythm and inexhaustible charm as well as the emotional and aesthetic implications. Hopefully, they will suit both refined and popular tastes and be appreciated with delight
Liu Yi
Do you finish your works in one session?
I like to finish my works in a hurry. I am very fond of painting on wet paper where softness and thickness are created and balanced in harmony.
Liu yi. Holy Music. 75x108 cm
What paper do you use?
CANSON – 185/300
gm
SAUNDERS – 190
gm 300 gm
BOOKINGFORD
– 300 gm
Juancar Cardesin
Juancar Cardesin - definitely not fundamentalist in watercolor!
...but he is beyond these categories.
http://facebook.com/cardesin
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