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Hey, Is That Cheating, Or What?

by Cooper on 12/31/2009 9:44:33 AM1 Comment

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio in Jefferson, Iowa.

Ok, about that title: "Hey, Is That Cheating Or What?"

Number one, emphasis is always important. Bear that in mind and go with the loose definition of cheating for the duration of this post

. In reality, I think we are headed toward a discussion of artist's "crutches".

I am still reading in the book I mentioned in an earlier post---Conversations In Paint, written by Charles Dunn, and I found an interesting passage that got me started on all this.

If you get a group of artists together and play the devil's advocate by striking up a conversation regarding the painting "tricks" a fellow artist uses, then quite likely you'll end up where I'm going with this. Here, how about an example or two?

1. Artist projects a copy of a photo on the canvas, draws it in. For shame.
2. Watercolor non-purist adds white paint. Heavens, that's not even legal, is it?
3. Artist uses somebody else's photo image for reference material. And doesn't pay anyone for it, Dios mio.
4. Artist copies someone's painting in entirety. Aaargh!
5. Artist brushes varnish over a giclee reproduction to make it look like a real painting. Hey, wait a minute: that one really IS cheating!

So I am not here to weigh in on the moral ramifications of any of the above. (EXCEPT for #5, which really is disgustingly deceitful and tacky) Rather, I'd like to share a new one I found in the aforementioned book.

It comes under the heading of "Lost and Found Edges" Mr. Dunn states that "perhaps no advice is more frequently heard in painting classes than "lose and find the edge" Yup, we hear that all the time, he's right-on with that one. He talks about "found edges" being hard or rough-brushed. He talks about "lost edges" being blended or unseen. Hey, info tidbit: Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci invented the blended edge and called it "sfumato", Italian for smokelike? Mr. Dunn goes on to describe a blended or 'lost' edge as "an edge can be blended so we are not quite sure where it begins or ends."

Then he gives the reader this great little table of characteristics, and ways to use edges. Way down on the bottom of the "blended edges" list comes this gem:

"provide for audience participation and hide drawing errors."

Aaach! You mean, we don't have to perfect those drawing skills any more? Bingo! A new way to cheat! No, no, I mean, a new artist's crutch. No, no, I mean--- oh darn, who am I kidding?---it'll never work. I'd better go send that email to find out what the second semester drawing group schedule is.

Short cuts will always cut you short, right? Have a lovely day, and thanks for stopping by.

Later, Cooper

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About the Neighbor's Dog

by Cooper on 12/28/2009 5:14:37 PMComment on this

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, again, this December 28th-day in Jefferson, Iowa. This morning's post alluded to my neighbor possibly walking the dog. It's a non-definitive siting, because of massive snow banks, big enough to hide a dog. But hey, the leash was leaning ahead of the neighbor in such a way as to indicate there had to be a dog in there somewhere pulling it out taut like that. Anyway. I thought about the idea of walking the dog, and decided I liked it enough to paint it.

Here is where I had to start editing. How can you possibly paint "a dog walking" if you can't see the dog? Fortunately, the same neighbor, and her dog, are regular walkers. And the little HP camera recorded them earlier this fall BSC (before the snow came) Plus, they look much happier in my painting than they did in the snow :) See?

Crisp Fall Morning Dog Walk, acrylic painting on a perfect little 12 x 12 inch canvas, available in my portfolio, of course.

Later, Cooper

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Stylin, Painterly-like

by Cooper on 12/28/2009 11:09:23 AM1 Comment

Good morning,

Welcome to the Cooper studio on a white December 28th in Jefferson, Iowa. My neighbor just walked past with their dog. At least I think so. I could see the top part of my neighbor and the top part of a leash leaning forward. I am assuming the bottom part of said neighbor, and leash/dog combo were also there, albeit hidden by the massive amounts of snow they were walking amidst. Yes, we have snow. Lot's of it. But that's not my subject today. Today we are on the subject of stylin. Let's be more specific: painting style.

Painting style. It's what the famous ones tell us we have to find before we can be famous. It's what we are told we can't learn, but must emerge from us when it's darn good and ready. Probably after we accomplish seven bazillion paintings. That means that supposedly after we are at it long enough, we'll hit our style. SURELY there must be a quicker, easier way?

I am reading a library book, courtesy of my favorite library---Iowa City Public. Title: Conversations In Paint, author: Charles Dunn. I am not very far into it, but already I know I will be finding a copy for the Cooper library. It's full of stuff I need to be reminded of regularly. Anyway, Mister Dunn speaks to the issue of painting style by refuting those who say personal painting style must emerge on it's own---if you paint long enough it will happen. Instead, Dunn points toward two painting "camps". Linear and painterly. Suggests look at many examples of each. Honestly determine which is most appealing. Go study there. You'll get to "your painting style" a lot faster. You might change your mind later, but you always get somewhere faster when you have a destination. Makes sense to me. (will I get sued for plagiarism if I show you a page from the book?---really I'm just doing an advertisment, so that you decide to go buy a copy) Here, look:

In a sidebar, Dunn includes words from Rex Brandt on painting style:

   Any artist's style has three elements:
     -his theory of vision
     -his philosophy or view of the world
     -his use of color

I think when you combine Brandt's words with Dunn's visuals, it's kind of like a good road map. To a place we all want to go. With speed. Happy travels!

Later, Cooper

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Paint On Demand

by Cooper on 12/14/2009 8:54:50 PM1 Comment

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio on an abysmally cold December 14th! Possibly another pot of coffee is in order for the evening. But first, to the subject at hand. We are calling it "paint on demand", suggested, of course, by the demand for a painting. In fact a very specific painting. A created for someone painting. Paint(ing) on demand.

Every artist should be able, right? The client has the ideas, you are the artist, get to work, create. Theoretically, it sounds quite logical. Reality asks, in the throes of the process, why am I stressing over every brush stroke? And better yet, does every artist deal with the same?

Wait. Let's go back to the beginning. My favorite way to sell a painting is to exhibit it, and have someone love it so much that they have to take it home with them. It takes away the guesswork. No what ifs. None of that will they love it? stuff.

But then there is the other side of the coin, creating a painting, so special, just for them. And with it comes the anxiousness, the what ifs. But you know, maybe that's not all bad. I am stretching, growing, learning. The painting is coming to be. I just got smart enough to back off, lean the painting on the kitchen counter under really harsh light, and evaluate. I mean really evaluate. With a notebook and a pencil. This one's got a deadline, December 25th, delivered. No time to make mistakes. Write down my thoughts on where it's at and where it needs to go. I even wrote specifics like "change the perspective on the table", and "re-emphasize the dark shadow wedge at the back of the porch", and "blur out the detail on the window--it's too far from the focal point to matter" Without the what ifs of a client with a deadline, how would I have handled those issues?

Somebody important (but not important enough for me to remember their name!) said "if you're not growing, you're dying". I like to define that growing as knowledge, obtained by study and experience. And the dying defined as losing out and opportunities missed. Paint on demand just might be a good thing.

And no, you can't see the photo of it yet. :)

Later, Cooper

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Blizzard, Lovely

by Cooper on 12/9/2009 9:32:04 AM1 Comment

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio in Jefferson, Iowa. Maybe you have wondered just where the heck Jefferson, Iowa really is. If you happened to watch the Today show today, they had a reporter in Johnston, Iowa, which is just down the road from Jefferson. And why you ask was the Today show reporter in Johnston, Iowa, of all places? Ha! They, and we, have been smacked with a beaut of a blizzard. Record setting blizzard, we have been told. US Highway 30 comes right through our town, but don't try to do it today. The weather guy said if you are crazy enough to try it, you will likely encounter 14 to 16 foot tall drifts of the pretty white stuff.

But. I am one of those lucky people with a home based studio. The "able to go to work in my jammies" kind, if so desired. Although I usuallly don't. (I like jammies to remain paint-free) I have a painting that needs completion in time to ship for Christmas. My studio is warm, and I have a good supply of paint. Time to grab a brush. And if all goes well, I will return here later this afternoon, with a more colorful post for you!

Later, Cooper

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Whirlwind, Survived

by Cooper on 12/7/2009 10:01:20 PMComment on this

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio. I am here, post-blog-vacation, to let you know that I survived the most recent, albeit self-imposed, whirlwind.

The finale of the art show season is almost always the University of Iowa Thieves Art Market. This year was not an exception. I had a painting that needed to be done....... You get the picture.

But! It was so very worth it. A wealth of patrons with lovely complementary words, as well as patrons with Visa cards. Who could ask for a better season end? Thank you Iowa Cityians, one and all.

As for the painting that caused me to be AWOL from writing here, you ask? It's varnish dried just in time for it to make the trip to Iowa City, AND it found a family in Iowa City as well! I love when that happens.

The bad news is the good camera was at college on the only possible afternoon for a photo-shoot. We tried with the handy little HP, but results are minimal. Bear with me, I'll post what little of the painting we captured, so you can at least get an idea of what I was working on so studiously:

Curb Side Parking, an acrylic painting on canvas, measuring an ample 36 x 42 inches. The main part of the image the HP messed up was of course, the value structure. The shadowed area of the porch is really significantly darker with more violet. The sidewalk area in the real painting is much lighter, and kind of salmon colored. So I enlist you to use your imagination in that department. And no worries anyway, it's new owners seem quite pleased :) After all, they have the original!

Later, Cooper

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