Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Cheese and Crackers
12 x 16 Oil on Panel

"I want my paintings to be looser" or "I want my work to look brushier" or "I need to jazz up my paintings a bit." These are some of the responses I get when I ask my students what they want to see happen in their painting. To me, however, "loose" painting is not a look or a style, it is the result of natural enthusiasm. The artist must have total control of every aspect of his painting to do it effectively, otherwise he is simply throwing paint around. Your drawing must be confident, your understanding of light and shade and color has to be sound and your mind, palette and painting in harmony. It can't be a guessing game. It's not a game at all. If it's not who you are, not how you see things, it's not honest. If you see the world around you, however, as living and breathing, dancing and laughing, make your paintings fit that vision. If you are able to glide up and down your palette, play the scales of color, easily find the half steps, the sharps and flats, able to put your stroke down with absolute certainty, then let your brush sing, piano here, fortissimo there, a bit of vibrato, allegro, con brio, vivace, gustoso, furioso...let it fly.....

1 comment:

Tony Perrotta said...

Thomas, You hit the nail right on the head. I too am trying to be looser and am thinking the more classical training I have had in the past is keeping me from it? I don't know that's for sure. I do see with all your training you managed to do it. Love all your work.

Tony P. NJ