Thursday, June 4, 2015

The "B.L.A.S.T. Rule" on The Artist's Network.

Sorolla, Fisherman in Valencia, (detail), 1904
Today The Artist's Network spotlights the "B.L.A.S.T. Rule" of painting: 
Big brushes. Large to small. Accents last. Soften edges. Take your time.
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Posted by James Gurney at Thursday, June 04, 2015

4 comments:

gyrusdentus said...

Hello James,

an interesting rule. But how does it apply to the posted painting?

Concerning the stages of the painting:
Do you think Sorolla painted the differently ligthed patches on the boy ´s body wet in wet at the beginning in a full-colour underpainting and then glazed a bit on the right arm? Or did he paint semi-transparent layers over one another, which would not be called glazing , i guess.
I mean, it is certain that he did not use a grisaille for that painting.

Often, i am undecided about the stages of a painting. Especially, when different layers are used.

June 5, 2015 at 6:26 AM
James Gurney said...

Gyrusdentus, I picked the Sorolla because I just liked the painting. We'd have to see it in progress to see how he arrived at it, but there are some unfinished Sorolla's that show he followed something like a BLAST sequence.

June 5, 2015 at 8:43 AM
gyrusdentus said...

Hi,

I looked at some of his unfinished paintings. Do you think he glazed the arm behind the body or did he work that wet on wet in one sitting?

June 5, 2015 at 9:24 AM
Kevin Mayes said...

I can see why you chose this painting, James! Interesting article.
I find it fascinating to see the way a painting is arrived at and the thought that goes into each phase. There was a question about the boy's right arm and how it was done...to me, the arm and head are done much the same way and not that differently from the rest of the body. In my opinion, I think that this was all done at the same time. Looking closely at the strokes in each area you can see they are very similar. The skin tones of the head and right arm are very similar since that is the shadow side of the figure. I really don't see or get the feeling that there was any glazing or transparent layering of any kind used. To me this was a work produced on location and probably in one session.

Really enjoy your blog!

June 5, 2015 at 10:32 AM

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