In short - a failure.
In our third lesson, we had to create a painting using three only colors (blue, yellow and green). We was told to choose them by ourselves, crop and frame the subject and paint it sketching first with the brush. Same way as in lesson 2.
Normally I wouldn't show this image to the public;), but I decided to show each artwork from the course, so here it is.
Still I can't focus like a painter, I have choosen a nice view but cropped it as a photo. No way I could paint it as I wanted through only 3 hours.It was too big and complicated.
Another bad choice was the paint set. I took pretty good colors, but with a wrong value, which means, if I'd convert these 3 colors to a greyscale - the difference would be very small.
Such choice caused problems with shading, I had to put an additional effort to make some areas darker.
Wrong move no. 3 - I am still forgetting there is no UNDO in the real world. Sure, a gouache paint may cover what's below, but it is similar to the aquarell watercolor and it's better to paint from lighter values to darker ones. Remember - we had only 3 colors allowed and NO WHITE PAINT. The fourth color - white - we should reserve on paper.
All those wrong decisions made that lesson pretty hard. At home I would tear this painting apart and burn it. In park I wouldn't finish it on time, that's why you see this poor image.
What I've learned is:
- there is no Undo feature most of the time
- plan, observe, decide before, then draw or paint
- verify all decisions made, like framing or putting a paint in the right order (watercolors)
I need to remember all of these before it becomes a habit. Again, this exercise will help in my digital creations and that's why I took this course.
Thanks for reading Drawing lessons - 3 - painting with 3 colors!
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In our third lesson, we had to create a painting using three only colors (blue, yellow and green). We was told to choose them by ourselves, crop and frame the subject and paint it sketching first with the brush. Same way as in lesson 2.
Normally I wouldn't show this image to the public;), but I decided to show each artwork from the course, so here it is.
Still I can't focus like a painter, I have choosen a nice view but cropped it as a photo. No way I could paint it as I wanted through only 3 hours.It was too big and complicated.
Another bad choice was the paint set. I took pretty good colors, but with a wrong value, which means, if I'd convert these 3 colors to a greyscale - the difference would be very small.
Such choice caused problems with shading, I had to put an additional effort to make some areas darker.
Wrong move no. 3 - I am still forgetting there is no UNDO in the real world. Sure, a gouache paint may cover what's below, but it is similar to the aquarell watercolor and it's better to paint from lighter values to darker ones. Remember - we had only 3 colors allowed and NO WHITE PAINT. The fourth color - white - we should reserve on paper.
All those wrong decisions made that lesson pretty hard. At home I would tear this painting apart and burn it. In park I wouldn't finish it on time, that's why you see this poor image.
This time I hope you don't like it just as I do;). The only thing I like in that yellowish painting are those tiny figures of my collegues, painters. Well... it doesn't change the fact it is a failure, although I may use it as a part of some digital collage in the future.
To not leave you with this picture in mind, I added a drawing from the day after. I decided to create it with a marker, to avoid using an eraser and to disable the "UNDO thinking".
I'll write more about it and post also a finished, watercolor version in the next article.
What I've learned is:
- there is no Undo feature most of the time
- plan, observe, decide before, then draw or paint
- verify all decisions made, like framing or putting a paint in the right order (watercolors)
I need to remember all of these before it becomes a habit. Again, this exercise will help in my digital creations and that's why I took this course.
Thanks for reading Drawing lessons - 3 - painting with 3 colors!
Drawing lessons - 2 - painting
Neoclassical architecture in watercolor
Drawing lessons - 1
I'm glad you shared this. I find that I learn far more from the mistakes than I do from the easily finished works. I mean if something goes perfectly what did I learn? That sometimes I'm lucky? Not much of a lesson. However the stuff that frustrates me and that I struggle with I always learn something valuable from and they are the ones I'm more proud of too. Keep this one, frame it, hang it on your wall to remind you next time you struggle, that you've learned that lesson and survived so you're going to survive the next one too ;)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your next class work :)
:) yes, lesson learned, but I won't hang it on the wall, yuck. I tried to remember everything and use that knowledge in lesson 5 - we was painting a landscape with a lake. Will post it soon.
DeleteAnd sure you're right about learning from mistakes, it's a part of the process but it's not easy for me to show that bad drawings;) I just hope that this few articless will help someone else to try and to understand that a practice makes a master.
We all know that, but knowing is not enough...
Well, painting with just 3 colours and without using white is a great challenge ! I think you've done good here ! The choice of colours seems to match with the scene but maybe the use of green on the roof makes it blend with the background ? Not sure, but maybe Yellow + a bit of blue would have given a greyish tinge for the roof ?
ReplyDeleteI like the 2nd smaller pic with lighter shade, but as you say that gouache is more about thicker shades of colours, choosing the value seems important.
I like the tiny figures there.... it gives more life to it ! Also the shades of colours used, looks like cross-process effect ;)
And, that's a nice easel you have there. Looks very sturdy ! Is that your's ??
Thanks for explaining your experience. I'm sure it will be helpful to many who read it :)
PS :
Don't you think that trials & errors are a part of learning curve ? If you would have know everything in the first place, you wouldn't have gone for a class !!
Keep painting !
I could't get any grey from those 3 colors I got. Because we had to make all decisions in a stress and pretty short time, observation had to be quick and definite.
DeleteIf I would try something and then would start another piece, surely I wouldn't finish it, and that's one of my targets - to finish each artwork. As for the 5th lesson I have always failed.
That's why colors are badly choosen, and luminance is not right on the roof and in many other places.
Observation is the key, but It needs to be trained.
I love to add people on paintings and If I see someone while making the base sketch I add it's figure immediately. It makes a huge difference and sets the right scale.
Easels are provided by the Museum and yes, these are really rock solid. At home we have a small table easel http://iartsupplies.co.uk/images/D/91055263.JPG
Sure I know about the learning curve, that's why I decided to go, conclusions and reflections are just tied up with it. Thanks for your comment :)