Sunday, January 12, 2014

Before you can see the light....

Colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache.

6 comments:

Connie Nobbe said...

Very nice painting! Taking a break from casein?

yvonne said...

Sage advise along with a nice little painting!

Rich said...

...and in between all these varied Greys, the whole range displayed in your painting here.

So fascinating a color: From high priced most valued pearls (pearl grey) to the dullest and cheapest-looking washed-up concrete.
The whole range.

James Gurney said...

Connie, I switch back and forth constantly. But I don't bring my caseins everywhere, just because my carry-all pack is a belt pouch, and that only fits the basics.

Yes, Yvonne, I suppose you could take that quote in a lot of different ways. I first thought of a technical application, that you have to paint around the lights with the darks before you can really see what the light shapes look like. I'm sure there are more profound meanings.

Rich, this sketch was worked over a failed portrait, which is where all the warm colors are leaking in from. I like to rub out bad sketches because they give a nice base for trying again.

Steve said...

Not to overdo metaphors, but "rub out bad sketches because they give a nice base for trying again" can be taken figuratively as well as literally.

Cameron said...

One time my brother got a fortune cookie, and the message said, "You love to eat Chinese food." Not related to painting, but the wisdom was impeccable.