Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
On the Piazza
Friday, February 24, 2012
Lessons in Classical Drawing- Juliette Aristedes
Petite Urn #1 6 x 8 Oil Painting by Pat Fiorello A couple of years ago I had started doing a small series of urns to familiarize myself with their shapes and how light wraps around them for inclusion in future, larger paintings. I absolutely love urns and have lots of real examples I use for still life set -ups as well as my own reference photo's of a wide variety of shapes. This was the first one I did in the series and I can now see some of the perspective is off in the stand ( or maybe the photo is tilted? :) Urns typically have symmetrical and often complex shapes, so they pose a real drawing challenge compared to more natural elements like flowers or trees, where you can be off a bit and not have it be so noticeable or distracting. I decided one of my goals for this year is to build my drawing skills further, so that tackling these types subjects would become easier. Honestly I love to paint but don't have the same passion for drawing. I have always had the attitude that drawing was a "necessary evil" in order to paint. I just want to get going with the brush and paint, not slow down and draw. But if I am honest with myself, probably the one area that would elevate my art the most would be building my drawing skills and confidence, so I'm biting the bullet and hoping I will learn to love it as much as painting. I am currently reading "Lessons in Classical Drawing" by Juliette Aristedes. I just stumbled upon in on Amazon a few weeks back. I think it is a relatively new book, but I am really enjoying it and finding it very instructive. I've committed to myself to read one chapter and do the corresponding exercise each week. I'm about halfway thru the book, but wanted to share it now as I would highly recommend it just on what' I've seen so far. It also comes with a DVD tucked in the back of the book jacket. Is very well done, upbeat and inspiring and shows Juliette demonstrating her suggested approach- which really helps a lot. It's one thing to read about drawing but another to actually see someone do it. There are some tried and true drawing books out there like "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards and several others, but I have a feeling this book will quickly become a classic in it's own right. Even though I've been drawing and painting for nearly 2 decades, there are things I picked up that are helping me already. Great job Juliette! Thanks for sharing and inspiring your fellow artists and students! |
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Valentine's Day Commission
Here was the original reference photo I had to work with. |
Monday, February 20, 2012
Rose Trio
Rose Trio 12 x 16 Oil Painting by Pat Fiorello Here's a painting I did a few weeks ago. The red and yellow roses seemed to come easily and naturally, but I had the hardest time with the pink one which was at an unusual angle. I scraped it down several times till I got something that worked. Sometimes you get stuck on one part of a painting. It's tempting to leave it as is, but I've learned if it bugs you today, it will bother you every time you look at it, so might as well address it now ( or maybe tomorrow when you can come back with "fresh eyes"). One of my favorite painting instructors, Robert Johnson always says a painting will be brought down to the level of it's weakest element. Every so often I hear his voice in my head and then I know it's time to scrape it down and give it another shot. |
Friday, February 17, 2012
Lake Garda View
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Dreama & Leslie's Workshop
Tuscan Garden 9 x 12 Oil Painting by Pat Fiorello I'm taking a workshop here in Atlanta this week with Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry of AHA fame ( for those of you not familiar with this dynamic duo of artists- they are the hosts of the "Artist Helping Artists" radio show each week on blogtalk radio). They are both in love with luscious color as much as I am, so it's been fun having totally free reign with lots of bold color. Below is a photo of Dreama with her beautiful and vibrant oil painting demonstration from Monday. I tried to apply the approach I learned on a similar subject I had from one of my trips to Tuscany above. in the painting Tuscan Garden. This was inspired by a photo I took in Volpaia which is in the Chianti Region. Had to simplify a lot out, but wanted to capture the joy and pride the people in that small town have in their plants and flowers in abundant container gardens right out on the sidewalk in front of their homes. |