Of course, I'm a sucker for the Fauves

A little Hue and Saturation never hurt anyone.

Blue and Orange

I like blue and orange. I think I should have varied the two more, it would have given it a little more zing. Of course this is not exactly a real zing picture either.

Freehand Self Portrait

I have been telling many of you to "lighten up" and try painting with some broader or larger strokes. Here is an example of what I am talking about. Matise borrowed some things from Cezanne and broke his face up into planes of color. He almost looks as though he is sculpted from clay. This give the image a 3 dimensional feel. Also note the use of colors like green in the face. No, Matise did not have a green face and I don't think he was green with envy. Even though the color is obviously not the color of his skin, it is hardly noticed at first.

Vincent had the skill and facility to render a very tight image but chose to make broad strokes. They charge the painting with energy, tension and intensity that otherwise would not have been seen or felt.

This may come as a surprise, but Rembrandt did not use cloning brushes at all. Notice how the light in the background is lighter on the right while on the face it is the other way around. Unlike some artists, not to mention any names Mr. Rubens, Rembrandt does not try to impress you with how important he is or how good looking he is. He chooses to show you, very simply, what he looks like on that day. He stares you down with an intense gaze as though he is examining you rather than the other way around.

On the Self Portrait

The toughest job I ever had:

When I taught at West Texas A&M, I had an older student in a handful of classes, both Printmaking and Computer Art. Her 15 year old son had cancer. They were selected by the "Make a Wish" foundation and over time her son Josh declined and eventually died. Shortly before he died, she came to me to ask me for a favor. "Could you please design a headstone for my son Josh"? I immediately knew that her respect for me as an artist was WAY to high. I made some pretty neat stuff, but I considered it all to be fluff. I couldn't imagine creating something that would be the enduring symbol for someone for the rest of time. or another 4 or 500 years if you have seen any old cemeteries lately. I said yes, and of course immediately started to panic. I met with Josh a couple of times before he died. Talk about a surreal experience. Trying to figure out what image to put on a 15 year olds gravestone and talking to him about it as casually as what are we going to have for dinner. Well he may have sounded casual but I thought I was going to throw up or start crying at any moment. 

For any self portrait or portrait you embark on, think of that, and try and figure how would you want the world to see me when I am gone. What can I tell them across the ages in a picture.

On my resume, I list all the museum collections and exhibitions that I am in or have been a part of, but I think maybe the most significant work I have ever done stands in a field in Canyon Texas. Maybe I'll add it to the list.

Paint on

Still Life

Here is an example of a Still Life by Bailey, it's complicated but simple. How does your composition compare?