I'm posting all 4 stages of this painting which still needs a bit of work but this is the process. Since I took a workshop with the talented and dedicated Carol Marine I've been trying to use her lessons in my own work. Here, I block in with Burnt Umber to get my values and shapes and then begin to add color. Carol's beautiful compositions and color harmonies speak to me and I have many favorite props to incorporate into my own still lifes. I spoke with Carol about my self consciousness in emulating her work and she more or less said, 'Get over it.' One way to improve your own paintings is to copy work that you love, be it the dead painters or contemporary ones. I say, if you're going to emulate someone's work, emulate the best. Don't sell it though.
6 comments:
Hi how are you?
I was looking through your blog, and I found it interesting, and inspiring to me, so I thought why not leave you a comment.
I too have a blog that I use out of Southern California here in San Diego.
Mostly it is a collection of artistic expression, and I have many friends with the same interests, maybe you can become my friend, and follow, and I can also follow you, if that is okay.
Well I hope to hear from you soon, and or read about you….LOL
Sincerely,
Jess
It's very interesting to see your process. It matters not the you are emulating work you admire. You'll take what you learn from it and something from it that's your own.
When I did abstract experimental work, I emulated Virgina Cobb. After I had worked abstraction to exhaustion, I went back to representational painting. All the things I learned about form in abstraction carried over to the representational work.
This is beautiful!
Mary, As a relative beginner, I have been lead to believe that there was a danger in copying someone style so I flitted around. Now I believe I need to follow one style that I admire until I master the techniques and as I recently heard and I do hope it is true, my own style will emerge as I go along. Thanks for the reinforcement.
Oh my goodness, Mary, I'm sure that you have heard of "master studies". This is when an art student copies work form a famous master, as a training exercise. The person does not have to be an "art student" to do this either. I was told during many art classes that this was a fantastic was to improve and learn. It has even been done by many well know artists, an "homage to", so and so artist.
Keep doing what you are doing!
Great process shots! Thanks for sharing them!
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