Morning at Lake Martin

 

I am glad I have a few days between teaching, so I shifted to my study mode and tried something new. I have noticed so many artists start their drawing with a highly saturated red. My stubborn engineering mind could not figure out why people do this. For many years, I have been strongly promoting that we start a painting black/white to get the drawing and value correct first, then put color on top of the tonal underpainting. I thought the intense red color would strongly affect the accuracy of the color we put on top of the red. This approach is rather irrational. However this time, it is the problem of the left-brain scientist. Rationality is not always the consideration of an artist. This start-with-red method is illogical for sure, but it does make sense. The bleed-through red underpainting makes the top color vibrating creating a dynamic color effects. It also make the average temperature of painting warmer. This way is a pre-compensation to my intrinsic tendency of painting too cool. So I used this new (for me) approach for this painting and loved it.

Albert Handell workshop 2025

 

I am very excited to announce that Master artist Albert Handell will teach a 5-day workshop in Austin on January 21 to 25, 2025. Albert will demonstrate his painting techniques in both oil and pastels. Albert Handell is a very well known artist and teacher internationally. If you are interested in improving your oil and/or pastel painting skills. Please check https://www.qhart.com/albert-handell-2025 for detailed information and sign up. 

Fountain of Life

 

I have just arrived home after a 47 days trip driving through 17 states in the south and east of US. I have had both good and bad days on this journey. I must admit that I am pretty bad in posting on my social media to share what I have learned on the road. Used to being so active on FB and Instagram during my "Daily Painting" days, now I feel so indifferent about what I have done. Sometime I do good paintings, and sometime not too good. I kind of like this one I did at Chanticleer in Wayne PA. I enjoyed seeing the opaque pigments on top of a transparent wash. I do believe there is a Fountain of Life. I may never find it, or I am in it without knowing it.