tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post1489812317161375086..comments2024-03-28T06:18:17.942-04:00Comments on Gurney Journey: Harold Speed Chapter 5: Tone ValuesJames Gurneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-8852696592970897432015-12-19T18:02:42.493-05:002015-12-19T18:02:42.493-05:00I like the idea, that Speed is trying to explain, ...I like the idea, that Speed is trying to explain, of building blocks of a picture. Starting with form (having deal with it in the previous book too), then tones, and lastly color. I have started the next chapter's exercise on cast already, and I do feel I am learning something from it. Well, I guess I will have more to say (and ask, technically!) on it next weekFabiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17178447427477151830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-60666327705325625082015-12-19T15:52:18.371-05:002015-12-19T15:52:18.371-05:00Thanks, Steven. I've added that image to the p...Thanks, Steven. I've added that image to the post.James Gurneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-34451765517834328022015-12-19T15:40:00.288-05:002015-12-19T15:40:00.288-05:00James ... The painting Speed thought was by Rembra...James ... The painting Speed thought was by Rembrandt, can be found in the National Gallery, London; go to www.NationalGallery.org.uk, find Rembrandt, and once there scroll down towards the bottom of the page where you will find it listed as: <br /><br />A Man seated reading at a Table in a Lofty Room<br />about 1628-30, Follower of Rembrandt<br /><br />I remember being drawn to that lighted trapezoid amidst the darkness during my early years in London, when I believe it was still thought to be a Rembrandt. I still enjoy seeing it, when I'm in town, even though it is by a follower. Speeds comments on the handling of the edges, in this painting, will be readily seen. Not Quite a Painting a Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15811055845021714071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-27162287831341442942015-12-19T14:49:28.027-05:002015-12-19T14:49:28.027-05:00Enjoyed this chapter more than previous ones. I&#...Enjoyed this chapter more than previous ones. I'm liking that he's starting to zero in with specifics and used a lot of examples. I can say I felt I got most every point without a lot of speculation or interpretation about what he really meant!<br />He spends some effort discussing the differences between Vermeer's and Terburg's handling of tone. Concluding that Terburg's work "...is marred by his having carried his work to a higher degree of realisation;" It's impossible to see in the black and white reproduction in the book and even looking at the online photos of the two examples I can't see his point. I've always considered Vermeer's paintings full of detail, very realistic. But perhaps Mr. Speed's advantage of seeing the two works in person and almost side-by-side made it more obvious. Anyway, he had made his point earlier on by example of the Pre-Raphaelites "excessive detail" at the expense of "tone value."Louhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10440653272870285260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-65082775925601193982015-12-19T11:22:13.273-05:002015-12-19T11:22:13.273-05:00On the rental question: Your Gumroad price is so ...On the rental question: Your Gumroad price is so reasonable, and Gumroad seems to allow the "download" or "watch now" options indefinitely. (Others may correct me on the latter, but I just tried to "watch now" How I Paint Dinosaurs" again, and it worked.) Considering that, and with Seadit's point about well-produced previews - which yours are - I wouldn't think that the rental option would be necessary. Another factor would be whether Gumroad even offers that as an option, or if you could find another vendor who does.Tom Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04770238579550226268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-70033642869207492802015-12-19T11:14:10.970-05:002015-12-19T11:14:10.970-05:00Relating to the question about streaming vs. downl...Relating to the question about streaming vs. download: The advantage of download to streaming is both a connection issue (a slow or bad connection can mean a jumpy playback or one filled with lots of annoying pauses and freezes), and a psychological one (if you download something you feel like it's yours - possession is nine tenths the law kind of thing). Also, once you've downloaded it you can watch it anywhere, any time regardless of connection, which comes in handy in places like in-flight where WiFi isn't available or expensive if date-based. <br /><br />James - as far as a rental goes, I think a rental can be a good thing if you're either not sure you want to buy something (I wish I hadn't bought some of the movies I thought I was going to like, even when they weren't expensive - they just take up space and you feel somehow cheated), or can't afford it. Tutorials can be tricky since you don't always know if you're going to really learn something new or it's worth the price. A well-edited 'preview' can allay fears about that, but a rental - to Tom's point - can also mean you don't have to download it (which I suppose means streaming only), but a great option if you don't feel like you need to own or have possession of something. Also, being able to apply the rental charge towards purchase would be an attractive benefit to renting for those on the fence. The only thing I can say about price is that a less-expensive rental is easier to swallow than a higher purchase price. Netflix and Redbox kind of turned the movie-rental industry on its head, but they've been successful because it's made rentals easy and affordable to everyone. And if you really like what you rented, then buying it's a no-brainer.<br /><br />As to Chapter V and Speed, I'm afraid I'm a chapter behind, but one thing relating to tone that jumped out at me in Ch. IV: '...in painting, form is expressed by masses, not lines. The student who tries to paint by filling in the spaces between outlines will never develop any freedom of execution or much quality of painting.' As a small child I loved coloring books, but I swear my intense desire to stay within those lines when I was young - and I was really good at it! - has made my ability to paint something with energy and a beautiful flow incredibly challenging as an adult. Coincidentally, my painting classes have really helped my drawing sessions.<br /><br />As always, thanks for the insights. Interested to read Chapter V with those in mind :)<br /><br />seadithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052851423700566814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-66938147599597021782015-12-19T11:07:17.026-05:002015-12-19T11:07:17.026-05:00Tagging on to my last comment: the "download&...Tagging on to my last comment: the "download" or "watch now" options both seem to remain available indefinitely, after purchase. At least that's what I have found with the "How I Paint Dinosaurs" purchase.Tom Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04770238579550226268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-87777977710114359512015-12-19T11:03:04.776-05:002015-12-19T11:03:04.776-05:00Hi James - Not to tell you what you may already kn...Hi James - Not to tell you what you may already know, but when you purchase from Gumroad you essentially purchase a download, but you are given the option to either "watch now" (which I equate to streaming - correctly or incorrectly - as you would from Netflix, for example). You are also given the option to "download" which (if I'm explaining this correctly) downloads a file to your computer, and therefore takes up some of your available computer memory - 1G, in this case, according to Gumroad. I'm not knowledgable enough to say if that's much "space" or not these days. Again, the only advantage to downloading the file, versus "watch now" - that I can see - is that you could then watch it anywhere, without an internet connection and therefore a data usage issue. <br /><br />I'm sure others can elaborate - or correct me as needed.Tom Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04770238579550226268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-85503211800378426762015-12-19T10:21:35.956-05:002015-12-19T10:21:35.956-05:00Tom, not sidetracking at all. I'd be intereste...Tom, not sidetracking at all. I'd be interested in peoples' answers, too. I may have only set it up for downloading, I'm not sure. (I'm still kind of a DVD guy). To be honest, I'm not even sure if streaming and renting are the same thing. What form is best for everyone, and should I offer a rental, too, and if so, for what price? James Gurneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-52194873706453553302015-12-19T10:15:35.687-05:002015-12-19T10:15:35.687-05:00Sorry to sidetrack the discussion. I just bought F...Sorry to sidetrack the discussion. I just bought Fantasy in the Wild (download). Can anyone help me understand the advantage of watching it as a download versus streaming it from the Gumroad site "on demand", once purchased? I can't see an advantage in downloading (taking up the 1G) except for the issue of data usage if you're not connected to wifi. (Maybe I just answered my own question.) Will it be available to stream from Gumroad "indefinitely". <br /><br />In any case, I'm really looking forward to watching it this weekend.Tom Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04770238579550226268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-54589705669291731522015-12-19T07:05:00.531-05:002015-12-19T07:05:00.531-05:00Simplicity makes for (seeming) complexity. Simplicity makes for (seeming) complexity. A Colonel of Truthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00968917380253732621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-46520879452794644552015-12-19T06:41:59.486-05:002015-12-19T06:41:59.486-05:00This is a lesson today's fantasy illustrators ...This is a lesson today's fantasy illustrators and concept designers could use, whose works are often messes of competing tones, details, light sources,and colors. The best in these fields that ever were, artists like Frazetta and Syd Mead, frequently organized tone in the manner Speed describes.Chris Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931414857801867456noreply@blogger.com