Lost and Found
This work is filled with edges that are lost into adjacent areas and then find themselves again. I’ll show you what I mean about an approach that’s lasted hundreds of years.
A. Her hair and that background are similar values. Parts of her hair naturally disappear. They are found again in front of her hairline. Lost and found.
B. That dark value continues with her hair
down the front of her. In essence her
hair and that background bring us a very dramatic shape. C. There’s a lighter dark against her profile that brings out her features. Purposely, it is not as dark in value as A and B.
D. Catches her elbow and you see the lightness of the leather goes into the background. E. Is a treasure trove of lost and found edges but essentially we know exactly what’s happening there.
F. A horizontal leveling effect works with the vertical of the long hair and angle of the arm.
Look around this work and see the many areas that are lost and then found. This is extremely essential in our approach to art. In other words, we need not detail every edge. Why not? Because nature doesn’t. We interpret what she hands us.
a face. Well, it turns out, we don’t stop there, we keep developing, finding new avenues, alternating approaches, asking questions about life and love and our continued spirit with art. So, our goal is to keep moving forward in the direction of our passion. Do you agree? That painting you are about to do is of one specific moment within billions of moments. The difference with that moment is that you chose it. Actually sometimes, it chooses you. It reaches for you. I learned that we generally observe a painting starting from the left, meaning we mostly read diagonals from left to right. Also, don’t put strong colors into shadows. Lack of light dullens color. And be careful with the tones and values you use. Getting them right makes a massive difference. Often the major difference. Much of what I know about art was passed on to me by other artists. In turn, I enjoy passing on what I felt worked; that may sound like I’m editing my knowledge. And I am.