Today's suggested table topic: What strategies can be employed to achieve and/or increase drama in a painting?
Celeste: I brought in a book about various ways to achieve good results in painting. One of the ways the book illustrates is to put the entire foreground into a deep shadow. I have learned that it is important to exaggerate something in a painting. It can be color or contrast or both, but something needs to be done in order for the painting to not be complete mid tones.
Loretta: A painting has to emote. I brought in a painting of waterlillies and pond.
Thomas: Drama is not always what you think it might be. I brought in a painting that I did 30 years ago. It was done in watercolor. You can see that it is a quiet painting, however it does have a drama of it’s own. It has large and small shapes and hard edges and soft edges. It is important to design your painting. "Understate or overstate, but don't tell the truth". (Laughter).
Tim: I have been stuck in the studio so I painted this painting.
Bill: I painted this painting that seems to have some sparks of life in it. It has drama even though it is an everyday object. I also painted this portrait of my son-in-law.
Vicki: I thought this painting was a bit dull, so I put a figure in it.. Adding a figure can nearly guarantee interest. People will always look at people in a painting.
Susan: I brought in this backlit painting. ("Contra Jour" is an art term, French for backlit)
Za: A lot of what has been said is what I would say too. Color and contrast is good. In this painting that I brought in you can see the important part of this painting is mostly color.
Erin: I have heard that painting can be likened to golf. There are just so many things to think about. Too many things to think about! One day maybe I will not have to think so much and it will come to me more naturally. I have a piece in the Hillsboro plein air show. The reception is October 7 at 5:30. I recently got a commission. I find commissions are challenging because you have to think about if someone is going to like it or not.
Barbara: I have brought in a painting that has movement in it. I moved the trees that were not in this position in real life. My idea was to imply a wave…even though this is land and not water. The scene was not like this. I changed it to put in the drama. I also brought this portrait. The expression is not what you normally see in a traditional portrait.
Bonnie: This is a painting that I did of Nova Scotia.
Talya: I never have to manufacture drama. I see things in a dramatic way and I paint it that way. I brought in a portrait that I did.
Joanne: I generally like contrast and also big/small types of dominance. When I am painting a person I don't necessarily need to see their face very clearly. I like the ambiguity.
Brenda: I absolutely do like contrast and I work toward making sure I have dark and light in my paintings.
Peggie: I don't particularly think about drama when I am painting. To me, things come out very interesting if I stay true to what I see. I brought in a painting from Rasmussen Farm.
Jerry: I think of drama as being a disturbance of the ordinary, something that catches your eye. I brought in the painting I did of a model. I did it alla prima. I also brought in a painting of a man with a hat. The hat is what makes this painting much more dramatic than if he wasn't wearing a hat like this.
Diane: I am a former graphic designer. It is second nature for me to always look for high contrast and interesting shapes.
Lisa: I have to try to subdue color because my tendency is to put too much color into a painting. I always do look for the big dominant shapes. I brought in a painting that I have done three times.
Marty: The next painting I am going to do is this Sorolla painting copy. He was so masterful in every department. I am hoping that I can learn more about drama from painting one of his paintings.
Eunice: I am working on a sunset painting in my studio. It is too wet right now to bring in. I will bring it in next time.
Announcements:
Beaverton Bam is offering a quick draw on October 4 with prize money:
The Hood River show is worth the drive. It is up until September 28.
Za is now represented by Art on the Boulevard:
(Congratulations, Za!)
Congratulations also to Za and Steve for winning People's choice at the Hillsboro plein air event.
Dick Blick is offering an online challenge about the Zorn palette:
Talya has a workshop October 17,18 and 19 in Woodland Washington. Here is a link:
Thomas Kitts is the judge for the Raymar October online competition:
Thomas will have an announcement soon about his winter workshops:
Steve Kleier is painting at Timberline Thursday and Friday. Contact him for further details (I couldn't find a link)
Peggie will be in Lake Oswego at the Oregon Wine Reserve on Saturday from 3 to 6. There is a $35 charge to come and taste wine and attend this event.
Brenda Boylan has workshops at OSA, Sequoia and Emerald Gallery. She has big news on the horizon that she will share next time.
http://brendaboylan.com/workshops
Brenda Boylan solo show at Art Elements:
http://artelementsgallery.com/index.html
Brenda Boylan solo show at Art Elements:
http://artelementsgallery.com/index.html
R. Blooms will have artists painting on Saturday. Bonnie will be there.
Thanks very much for coming and sharing your ideas and paintings. It was noisy today! Thank you so much for standing and speaking loudly.
Next meeting: September 25, Describe a painting that you have kept in your memory ever since you saw it! (One that is burned in your memory). Please describe the painting and tell us why you still remember this painting so clearly.
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