Wine and color

Bend in the Road

Work in progress  18x24"

by Susan Roux

No, this is not a drinking post. This is a reflection on where my art journey has sent me lately.

Complex color.

I've been pondering this for quite some time now. My paintbrush furiously seeks it. My eyes are beginning to open to it, hopefully my mind is beginning to understand it. I know I've only brushed the surface, but a year ago I didn't even stop for a minute to think about it. An art journey is like that. We become aware of certain things we never noticed before and our exploration of that element becomes our new focus until we finally get a grasp on it and hopefully make it your own. It's what keeps artists so motivated and powering forward. It's also what makes artists feel like they can't ever paint anything good enough. There's always so much more we seek to capture.

My best description of complex color comes from relating it to wine.

We all know that wines can be very complex. The connoisseur can identify subtleties in the flavor that most of us cannot detect nor specify. Be it certain fruits, flowers, spices, wood and even fungi, the palate must be very developed to distinguish many of these wonderful nuances.

Expensive wines perhaps have more complexity than really inexpensive wines. Yet for every wine out there, a buyer exists that will swear by it. The flavors found in the wine may be complex or not. If the individual drinker has not developed their palate they can drink happily completely unaware of the difference.

That being said, I think there are satisfied buyers for every type.

I believe the same is true of color.

If a painting is constructed of simple straight from the tube colors, will the unknowledgeable viewer know it? Probably not. They may be simply attracted to the image portrayed. We all know a handful of subjects that sell because of their popularity. Need I mention lighthouses? An untrained eye looks at a discernible subject and sees very little difference with one that is masterfully executed. On the other hand, someone that is educated in art or has spent hours upon hours honing their skills, the execution of the work is far more important than the subject matter itself. A deeper appreciation for the subtleties exists.

What is complex color?

Think of the difference between a gray from a tube compared to the unlimited combinations of grays achieved by neutralizing those colors on your palette. The subtleties you can achieve and the varying pull towards certain color pigments are so superior to that of the tube gray, yet the untrained eye will see both as gray on a painting. Multiply that to include every color you use and you'll begin to get a glimpse at the idea of complex color.

Stas Borodin told me some Japanese could discern 100 colors in black. I know Monet found countless shades in gray. Those artists fixated on capturing light won't just use a buttery color to depict it. No. There will exist a whole variety of shades and subtle colors, if it's done masterfully.

Yes there will be those who teach less values is key to a strong painting. I don't agree. It's a good place to start to understand how value works in a painting, but a well executed work with a full value range can bring a viewer to tears. Go look at the master works in your local museum. Sorolla and Sargent didn't limit themselves to 3-5 values. They played in complex colors...

The longer you look at your subject the more colors you'll be able to discern. This is even true of a photograph. Trying to capture every color you see while the number increases the longer you observe, can be daunting. As a representational artist, I think these things hold the secret to continuously improving your art. Now attempt to add creative spontaneity to the mix and you'll begin to get an idea where my mind's been existing lately.

So complex, it's hard to put into words...



Not only is complex color hard to achieve, control and wrap your brain around, it's far too complex for the camera to comprehend... Photographing my work has become impossible. I hope you can get to see it in person sometime.

Champagne Thursday info:

Monarda 

(detail of a work in progress)

by Susan Roux

As many of you already know, I'm getting prepared to leave for a week on an Artists Retreat. It'll be a mad week of marathon painting. We don't take phone calls. Laptops remain turned off in our bedrooms. Basically we leave all typical daily interruptions behind. The order of the day, every day, is to paint. After awhile with such intense focus, one becomes elevated to a form of a trance. It's like reaching that wonderful painting zone and remaining there full-time.

Oh, it's a wonderful feeling and I can't wait to get there.

Champagne Thursday is our only deviation, but oh what a night it is!

The roster of invites continues to grow. We may have gone a bit overboard this year, but who cares, it's just one night. I've been amazed at the confirmed list of guests. We have some wonderful prominent art figures planning to attend. If you're anywhere in the area, please don't hesitate to come join in the excitement!  A bottle of champagne and a nibbler is your only entrance fee. It's an instant party filled with stimulating art conversation among a multitude of fresh-off-the-easel art. Come tour this amazing mansion we spend the week in. You won't be disappointed you came!

CHAMPAGNE THURSDAY

February 23rd at 5:00 p.m. 

Last house on Shore Drive

Freeport, Maine

Entrance fee: Champagne and a nibbler

See you in just over a week!

The above painting is a close-up detail in an unfinished painting titled 

Monarda.

Design

Work in Progress 18x24"

by Susan Roux

Good design. How important is it? Is it important to you?

Artists will tell you of the importance of good design, but often have trouble explaining it. That's because there are many elements that affect design. Elements such as line, proportions, value, patterns, color, texture, etc. In a way we can think of this as complicated or as I prefer to see it, giving us lots of tools to help achieve a good design.

A good design will hold your viewers eye, sending them on an exploration of your entire canvas.

It isn't extremely complicated. As a matter of fact, it can be quite simple. Keep your viewers interest. How do you achieve that? Shake it up a bit with variety to keep the eye stimulated and traveling about. You can focus on any of the design elements, use them in proportions near 2/3 to 1/3 and you're already off to a great start.

Design comes in right from the start. It isn't something that just happens on your canvas. Consistent good design is planned. When you select a photo or arrangement to paint, there's always something about it that struck you, otherwise you wouldn't have chosen it in the first place. Identify that. Know why you've chosen a particular image to paint.

Here is the image I'm working from. It's quite obvious by the way I took this photo that the rose covered fence is what struck me most. If you think in terms of thirds, it's covering about 2/3 of the canvas. Rather than begin with an intense drawing of this complex scene, I chose to place my basic design lines first.

As I painted them in, I adjusted them. Though I was putting lines, my mind was imagining the bulky shapes these lines represented. I had to move several of them. It's a great time to back away and imagine your image within the boundaries you've created. At this point I was concentrating solely on design. Where am I going to place the components in my painting and how will they interact with each other in this placement?

Notice how the lines already travel your eye in a unified direction. As I stepped back to imagine my scene, I thought of the direction things were pointing. Keeping in mind that my floral fence was my center of interest, I could see the movement in my painting was already supporting that. Don't loose sight of your initial idea. If it remains your goal throughout the painting process, the result will be more powerful than if you switched ideas on yourself along the way.

Next I looked at intervals. To keep the viewers eye interested, variety is necessary. Were my intervals varied enough? Not at first. I had to move most of these lines, because as I followed my photo, the lines seemed to be evenly spaced. For the sake of a painting, even if representational, it's better to create interest than to copy an image precisely. (Save that for when you're doing portraits.)

Paying attention to the bare bones of your painting is simple. By doing so, it allows you to concentrate on what you've created that is already working for you. In this case I identified direction. Don't you just love pointers? Make sure their helping you and not pointing the viewer in the wrong direction...

As I continue to develop this painting, I'm keeping in mind this directional movement. I'm supporting it with the colors I'm choosing and the values I'm placing. The bare bones are there to help me, but it's necessary to keep adjusting things as I go along. This will help me build upon the initial structure. Concentrating on good design is a good way to improve your work.

I'll continue to show you the development of this painting, explaining my thought process as I make choices. You'll see how the various elements of design come into play individually. Breaking things down simplifies the process. So rather than have to concentrate on all the elements of design at once, thinking of them one at a time and adjusting them, just as I adjusted my initial lines, becomes easy to understand.

Chicken Coop

What's your studio like?

A place in the basement? A spare room in the house? The kitchen table? A shed out on the lawn? How about a converted chicken coop?

I met Kevin Mizner at my last workshop and that's exactly what he has. A chicken coop studio! I couldn't imagine it. How must it smell in an old chicken coop? Lots of silly phrases followed that I can't really post here, but suffice it to say, we went from giggles to hysterics over our creative comments. One led to another as we built upon the previous absurdity. All I can tell you is when a painting goes south, he simply says he laid an egg. You'll have to imagine the rest...

His town is conveniently located between my house and where Nora Kasten was staying. Yesterday we all met there for a studio visit and painting session. The chicken coop made a great studio! It smelled of fresh cut pine from all the new boards he lined the ceiling and walls with. Kevin showed me pictures of how it looked a year ago when he first bought the property. The low water-stained ceiling nearly grazed the top of his head. When he removed it, a wonderful open cathedral space was revealed. He kept a small section of ceiling, creating a storage loft above and a cozy easy-chair living space beneath. His dog Champ lays quietly on the scattered rugs. I don't have to tell you about studio pets. You already know about their loyal companionship.

Kevin gave us a tour through his beautiful historic farmhouse. His paintings hung in every room. One of my favorites was these boats. I loved the light he captured on this typical coastal scene. Mizner paints scenes of Maine, most of which are familiar nearby subjects.

There was ample room for us all. You can see my latest painting on the easel. Its still a work in progress, but is nearing completion. It was a very productive day.

Nora chose to sit, observe and talk with us. I love having conversations of art with various artists. Everyone has their own ideas and sharing our views is so stimulating. The energy floating around this chicken coop studio was wonderful. Nora don't be mad I posted your picture. You're beautiful, baby! Our time together has been so special. Safe travels as you go on your way...

Kevin thanks so much for letting us crash your chicken coop. ( I must stop or some of those silly phrases will just pop out!)

Brewing

Work in progress 20x16"

by Susan Roux

I don't know why it is, but when things start brewing, I get excited.

I'm not talking about a good cup of tea here or conjuring up a witches brew. I'm talking about ideas. Possibilities. And not bad one's as brewing might imply...

One simple comment left on a blog.

That's how it all started. A stranger's blog. Someone I just recently found and followed. Don't you just love surprises? I do. From this comment came an email. It was a simple inquiry about weather and proper dress for October in Maine. I must say the reply was not as simple as the question. At this time of year, Maine can fluctuate 50 degrees from morning to noon! But don't let that scare you, its beautiful here.

The stranger is Karl Terry. He lives in the UK. Yes, he's coming to Maine. Coming with a large group of artist to paint the coast. I believe the rest of his posse lives in the US. Presently Karl and I are making plans to meet. I hope to travel to their location and set up my easel, to capture the coastline with my new acquaintance.

What is it about meeting foreign artists that excites me so? Maybe its a glimpse into a whole new way of looking at things. It can vary a lot with each culture. Last fall when Mike and I traveled to Ireland, I spent lots of time contacting artists there, long before we left. By the time our trip began, I made connections to meet with four different artists. Two I visited in their home studios and two I painted with. It was amazing.

So perhaps this anticipation brewing at present is kindled by stirred up memories. Nonetheless, I'm certain the encounter will be exciting and stimulating. Plus, who doesn't like an english accent?

Posted is my second attempt at Lisa. She's given me quite a challenge this time around. I hope to get back to her today and complete it. Then I'll post the two versions for you to see together...

Visiting

Work in progress 20x16"

by Susan Roux

I love how blogging can expose us to so many different techniques. It keeps my mind open and my spirit creatively stimulated. I awoke early this morning and quietly came to my computer with coffee. With volume down, I visited many of you, leaving little comments behind, while still allowing my household to sleep.

Its like finding a friend awake to interact with when no one home is...

I wanted to share one site in particular with you today. I visited and found a demonstration video that really excited me. The looseness and treatment of paint amazed me. It truly was watching the creative process in action.

Its a watercolor demonstration. Every stroke is a direct response of emotion towards what is emerging on paper. There is as much removal of paint with the brush as there is adding paint. It sent me off dreaming and for the first time, I would enjoy trying my hand at it. Oils have always been my love and I never desire to change medium, but after seeing this video, it would be fun to play...

The artist is Fabio Cembranelli. You may have already seen it seeing he has 496 followers! If you haven't, I invite you to stop by. Watching him paint is both lyrical and poetic. You'll walk away feeling happy and inspired.

Posted is my next experimental portrait. I began late yesterday and am approaching it a bit differently this time around. As you can see, I'm just in the initial block-in.

Now take a minute and go click Fabio...

Beach House

Beach House

Work in progress 18x24"

by Susan Roux

I received Don Hatfield's new DVD in the mail the other day. Its titled, Fantasy Portraits In the Garden. Mike wanted to watch it with me, so we saved it for that evening. It was already late when we got started, so we planned on only watching about half of it.

That didn't happen.

Though it was early get-up in the morning, we stayed up until nearly midnight finishing it. We just couldn't stop. All night I dreamt of painting. (Don't you just love nights like that?) I thought about Don's method and how it differed from my approach. Completely opposite, actually. He begins with grays and adds color over it. I begin with pure color and gray it out...

Nonetheless, it was fun to experience his process and see how he maneuvers the paint around. I feared I'd be stuck in the mud, if I tried his approach!

I haven't been painting, as you well know. Gardening has consumed my every free moment. My body has been absorbing the gifts of nature and as I predicted, at some point I would want to explode on canvas. The following morning, soon after getting Jesse off to school, I was down in my studio. Between Don's instructional movie and dreaming all night about painting, I couldn't wait to pick up my brush!

It was 8:30. I was so inspired. Paint flowed readily from my palette to my canvas. (Yes, Luka was serenading me through my nano...) It was one of those moments when you get to do exactly what you wish to do. I felt happy and blessed and the paint wanted to sing! I didn't even try to paint like Don. Pure color. Saturated color. Nice, juicy, delicious creamy oils hit the canvas as bright light. Each stroke invigorated me even more.

Its close to heaven, when your muse is fired up and moving through you!

I poured all I had into this canvas. I felt myself exhausted. I stopped for a break. It was now 9:30. How could only one hour have passed? It didn't make sense.

Have you ever poured so much of yourself that exhaustion hits so soon?

I knew I must pace myself. I returned after a short break. I didn't want to stop. I worked for two hours more and the painting sits at this stage. I'm not sure if I'll get back to it today. Commitments fill my moments. Perhaps I will find some time...

I was really loving working wet in wet. I hope it doesn't set too soon... My mind continually analyses where I'm at and where I want to go. These forced breaks in painting time can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. It gives you time to reflect on the work you're done and hopefully allow you to see those passages you want to preserve. Overworking the canvas is a downfall of many of us, myself included. I see so many values, its hard not to put them all in...

If you haven't seen Don's DVD yet, I highly recommend it. It takes place during a workshop. I really enjoyed seeing the artists work around him. It made me feel like I too was there painting. Funny how we find similarities of ourselves in other artists' work. I found myself wondering how I would have approached this subject if I had been present.

Enjoy your painting time. Let yourself be swept away with delicious color!

Rose Cottage

Rose Cottage

Work in progress 18x24"

by Susan Roux

I haven't had much time to paint lately. I seem to be spread out thin, unlike my figure... I didn't intend to paint yesterday, but after coffee and viewing all your lovely artwork, I couldn't resist going to play in front of my easel.

This painting was inspired by several photographs I took of this darling little house. I was so captured by the yard. I remember driving by and then stopping and backing up to photograph it. It was wild and untrimmed. Flowers meandered everywhere. When I began I intended to put more of them in, but the painting lead me in this direction. I let it. I was having so much fun painting it, that I figured another or maybe a series of others could be painted with different flowers portrayed.

Its a very strange thing. The whole time I painted, the colors looks so juicy. It had rich vegetation that lead you to the soft corner of the house. The focal point was clearly the white rose bush. But after I took the painting out of my studio, it seemed to transform totally. How upsetting!

The white rose bush is no longer the focal point. It almost hides! The front darks look dull and the lovely little highlighted dots of color that lead you in are practically invisible. What I thought was a killer painting in my studio turned out to be a real blah.

I know my art photographs terribly. The camera has no clue what to do with all my transparent colors. I think I have the worse art to photograph there is. Not only are colors omitted totally as in everyone else's art, but darks read as lights many times as well, causing strange blotches everywhere! I have works I try to post, but don't. The photos turn the paintings into terrible images that barley resemble the actual art.

But this is not totally the case today. I was so deflated with the transformation my painting took. Was I so wrapped up in the emotion of the work, that I didn't see it properly? Was it the angle I was standing at (slightly to the left) that made the colors look one way? Perhaps my roof windows were casting a completely different light? Do I need to have my eyes checked?

I wish I knew.

Stuck in my head, is the image of what I thought I painted. Believe me, it was very lovely! I was so excited about my day's work. Now I want to try and bring it closer to my imagined vision, but I fear losing the freshness. Isn't painting hard? I really thought it was all falling into place so perfectly. I let the painting direct me. I was so involved with it, in total concentration and responding directly to each stroke I had just applied. Frankly I was in a wonderful happy place at the time. Such a let down to see what I actually did...

An so I label it work in progress, though I'm not certain how to begin to approach it. It was so soft and dreamy, all about the vegetation with a hint of a house in the background.... I may need to do a series just to try and capture what I thought I already had. Has this ever happened to any of you? Its caught me completely by surprise! I don't think I've ever experienced this before...

Its almost like I was seeing things. Honestly, I'm quite baffled by it all.

I hope your day brings about happy painting and the results are what you thought you were looking at. Its quite troubling when its not.

Evolving layers

work in progress

by Susan Roux

Playing with layers. Oh I"m definitely having fun!

I returned to this little girl recently and am glad I photographed her before beginning. I was surprised at the change that took place. You know how I love surprises, so seeing her evolve with such color change popped me with wonder and excitement.

I've been staring at this canvas hanging on my studio wall for better than a month now. She was dry a long time ago and I could have returned to her much sooner. All this time she's been the bright "hot spot" in the studio. So many fiery colors...

She seemed to be sitting in a blazing sea. Lucky for her I put the fire out!

I kind of miss the orange in the studio, but I think the painting is evolving in a good direction. All that dripped color was not for nothing, however.

As you can see, those lovely brilliant shades are still visible. I remember now why I started so hot with this painting. The girls skin was very tan and I knew orange shades would eventually be added when I paint her. This way her surroundings will harmonize with her body.

This experiment with my children at the beach series has been very interesting. All the original dripped color is transparent. All the light colors added later are not. By leaving the underpainting exposed, not only is it creating color spots, its also adding shimmer to the water. Every spot of transparent versus non-transparent creates an unusual form of contrast. This contrast flickers, causing movement with changing light or as you merely walk by.

I think my favorite part though is all the color surprises it leaves behind. I teach that water is just broken color. I decided to push this to the greatest limit I could imagine, trusting it was correct. It is.

My paintings are quickly coming to the point where painting the girls is absolutely necessary. That brings closure to these little sweethearts. Afterwards, they'll be nearly complete. Its funny how you become more attached to a painting that has taken a long time to complete than to one that burst on the canvas quickly. Such patients is needed for the slow ones. It can be very frustrating stopping because colors want to get muddy or waiting for them to dry to be able to return.

I hope your keeping time to experiment. Its in experimenting that we discover and learn. Don't be afraid of color. It never bites. It just sings back to you. Play with it like my children at the beach are all playing. Just for fun!

Magic tricks

I'm finally back into my "Children at the Beach".

This one has very interesting dry patches striping the reflections. Its been a bit challenging to capture while keeping everything as colorful as I'd like. I'm trying so hard to stay away from having solid-colored bands in the dry parts. I spend as much time squinting at it as I do painting it...

I think its advancing nicely since posting it in Dabble color earlier this month. I like the yellows warming up the reflections.

One of the things I'm enjoying about this series is how in all of them, there is a dimension going down, while at the same time, another is coming forward. Keeping the reflections dropping deep and the ground or water coming towards the viewer as a surface is challenging. Down and forward simultaneously. Its an interesting effect.

The more I develop these dripped-color canvases, the more this effect becomes prominent. I'm really enjoying watching it occur. Its like watching a little magic trick...

Oh color! Lovely color! The things we can do with you. The things you can do for us...

It doesn't always work out as we planned, but don't we have fun trying anyway? What are you having fun doing with color these days? Where is it taking you? Don't get caught in a rut. Shake it up with something unpredictable. The experimenting and exploration is such fun. I love surprises arising on my canvas. Do something different and watch what it does. Watch the colors do magic tricks for you too.

Its in experimenting that we find discovery.

I'm still looking for a title for this painting. I was really hoping you'd help me. Still to this day, the only thing that comes to mind is Little Bulldozer. It just doesn't seem to fit a petite girl in a pink ruffled bathing suit! Your suggestions are greatly appreciated, so please send them along.

Then go have fun experimenting with color!

Posted work in progress by Susan Roux