Phil Starke Studio Newsletter - June 2018
Phil Starke is a professional fine artist with prestigious gallery representation in the western United States and teaches workshops and online fine art courses.
PHIL STARKE STUDIO NEWSLETTER
June 2018
I can't believe the year is half over! This century is flying by. The California Gold Medal Show is coming up June 10 to July 1 at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. If you're in the area please check it out. Below, I’ve posted the piece I have in the show, "Borrego Springs Morning", oil, 27" x 36".
This month I’m working on several paintings from the Tetons and the Yellowstone area. I have 2 smaller sketches that I will do larger. The first is an early morning view of the Tetons. The second is an evening view of the Tetons along a tributary leading to the Snake River. The colors in the evening can really stretch your ability for thinking outside the box for color and harmony.
(Images may be enlarged when clicked.)
In my Online Mentoring Classes this month, we are focusing on the balance we need in value and color. I talk about, and demonstrate how to create a good balance of dark and light masses, as well as warm and cool color, so that the painting is balanced and works compositionally.
ARTIST AT A GLANCE
Eugen Bracht, 1842 to 1921
Bracht was born near Lake Geneva, Switzerland to German parents in 1842. He later moved to Germany and studied painting, but became dissatisfied with his work, so he moved to Berlin and became a merchant (we can all relate to that). About 10 years later he renewed his interest in painting and eventually taught painting at the Dresden Academy of Fine Art. He retired from teaching in 1919 and passed away in Berlin in 1921.
I couldn’t find much on his life but I like his strong composition and sense of light. He painted in the late part of the Romantic period and later became interested in Impressionism, then his palette lightened and his brushwork became more expressive. There is a lot to learn from studying his composition and his use of dramatic lighting. To see some of his work, click on the tabs below. (All images can be enlarged when clicked.)
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ARTIST TIP
Glazing
I don’t use glazing in the traditional sense of building up thin, transparent layers of paint, but as a way to enhance the value or color in a finished painting. There is nothing magical about it, it won’t help your painting if your values are off or your composition is static or if your color looks muddy (usually the result of wrong temperature).
Glazing does help to darken a painting, or you can slightly change the temperature of a painting. It’s a subtle change, not real dramatic, but it can make a difference in your painting. A glaze is a thin, transparent layer of color. I generally use Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson to darken or cool a painting and Indian yellow to warm a painting or area.
The medium I use is either Liquin by Winsor Newton or Galkyd by Gamblin. It doesn’t take a lot of color to create a glaze to slightly darken an area in your painting. I use a soft brush or sometimes I will use some soft cotton fabric to wipe it on. The goal is to just slightly stain the painting. You should still see all the subtle changes in value and color, but it will be slightly darker, cooler or warmer. You can also wipe it off lightly if you want to reduce the effect. Ralph Meyers Handbook to Artists Materials and Techniques has a good chapter on glazing.
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
PHIL STARKE ONLINE MENTORING - Weekly video lessons sent out and video critiques of work from lessons. Each student has instructor access.
PAINT WITH CONFIDENCE FAMILY OF ONLINE COURSES - Includes:
Online Mentoring
The Bootcamp Workshop
The Plein Air Painting Course
Conquering Summer Greens Mini-Workshop.
A LA CARTE LESSON VIDEO DOWNLOADS - Individual Video Demos Available for Download
MY FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY FOR ARTISTS - Increase Your Knowledge, Strengthen Your Skills, Love Your Art! Free access to Art Guides, Video Tutorials, e-Books, Checklists, Tools, Supplies & More.
