Earlier this year I took a workshop on painting in an impressionistic/ colorist style. The approach is very different than traditional oil painting and I haven't quite figured out how to fully integrate it into my painting process, but occasionally I come across a subject which inspires me to try that approach again. This still life of a glass bottle seemed well suited since it was really all about the light on that transparent bottle.
A main premise is to distinguish early on the major shapes and what's in light( and paint that in a warm color) and what's in shadow( and paint that in a cool color). The initial step looks very harsh since you are using fairly intense colors( straight out of the tube with some white to adjust values). All of this is done with a palette knife to keep the colors as clean as possible.
Then you go thru a series of steps adjusting the intensity( dullness or brightness) and adding subtle color bands seen within in each major shape. Lastly, you refine any shapes or details for finishing touches. Here's the result of that process. I find the paintings done in this manner do have a luminosity that I like. There's a vibration that comes from putting opposite temperatures next to one another during the latter stages that I like. But I do miss using the brushes so I need to experiment a bit and see if it's possible to incorporate brushwork at the finishing stages without over blending or dulling things down too much.
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