This weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.
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One of the keepers of the flame, Daniel Greene (1934-2020), has died after surgery complications. Here is his pastel portrait of Robert Beverly Hale, another legendary teacher at the Art Students League.
I am fortunate to have heard him speak last fall—I had not heard of him before that—showing again how most art education of my era has got me playing catch-up...but that’s okay, better now than never. Thank you for the post.
I took up pastel at age 15. I am now 69. Daniel Greene has always been my pastel art idol. Whenever I needed help with 'what to do next' - his book was my go-to, my bible since the early 80's. I had hope back then, that I could magically attend one of his workshops. It never happened...so his "Pastel" book was my stand-in. The pastel world won't be the same.
I was so fortunate to have studied twice with Dan Greene, once in Albuquerque, NM, and later at his great old barn north of NYC. He was warm, but firm, which I liked. He put great emphasis on drawing, and especially on judging angles and using straight lines. Also, he was fond of saying to us as we painted, "Never pass up an opportunity to simplify." A question that often came up was whether to use some background color on the model. Greene used to say, "I've never seen a background that didn't affect the model, and I've never seen a model who could affect the background."
One of my art school professors was kind enough to invite me and a buddy to go with him to see a Daniel Greene demo at an Orlando-area hotel in the 1980's. I remember my professor being gently dismissive of Greene's art, while acknowledging that the man had a well-honed eye for color. Still, how many art school profs in the 80's even knew who Daniel Greene was, much less went to one of his demos? I also recall how carefully Greene posed his model, asking her to turn her head in tiny increments back and forth as he studied the light before starting his drawing. RIP.
7 comments:
I am fortunate to have heard him speak last fall—I had not heard of him before that—showing again how most art education of my era has got me playing catch-up...but that’s okay, better now than never. Thank you for the post.
I took up pastel at age 15. I am now 69. Daniel Greene has always been my pastel art idol. Whenever I needed help with 'what to do next' - his book was my go-to, my bible since the early 80's. I had hope back then, that I could magically attend one of his workshops. It never happened...so his "Pastel" book was my stand-in. The pastel world won't be the same.
I was so fortunate to have studied twice with Dan Greene, once in Albuquerque, NM, and later at his great old barn north of NYC. He was warm, but firm, which I liked. He put great emphasis on drawing, and especially on judging angles and using straight lines. Also, he was fond of saying to us as we painted, "Never pass up an opportunity to simplify." A question that often came up was whether to use some background color on the model. Greene used to say, "I've never seen a background that didn't affect the model, and I've never seen a model who could affect the background."
My past comment was too long and too much "bla bla", apologies. So I just want to express my deep respect for such art and love for details.
One of my art school professors was kind enough to invite me and a buddy to go with him to see a Daniel Greene demo at an Orlando-area hotel in the 1980's. I remember my professor being gently dismissive of Greene's art, while acknowledging that the man had a well-honed eye for color. Still, how many art school profs in the 80's even knew who Daniel Greene was, much less went to one of his demos? I also recall how carefully Greene posed his model, asking her to turn her head in tiny increments back and forth as he studied the light before starting his drawing. RIP.
Greatly saddened by the loss of Dan Greene. I was fortunate to have gone to his workshops in NY a few years in a row.
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