Refuge

Morning, Day 143

Return

Learning to paint, one unbearable attempt at a time.

The Matter of the Masses

I've been painting for a few years now, but I feel like I'm only beginning to grasp the importance of this concept. I'll quote Robert Henri (1865-1929) from his book, The Art Spirit, which is packed full of such profound wisdom.

Robert Henri stresses this point:

"Insist on the beauty of form and color to be obtained from the composition of the largest masses, the four or five large masses which cover your canvas. Let these above all things have fine shapes, have fine colors. Let them be as meaningful of your subject as they possibly can be. It is wonderful how much real finish can be obtained through them, how much of gesture and modeling can be obtained through their contours, what satisfactions can be obtained from the fine measures in area, color and value. Most students and most painters in fact rush over this; they are in a hurry to get on to other matters, minor matters."



"The beauty of the larger mass is primary to and essential to the lesser mass."

"Permit no hurrying on to the lesser masses before all has been done that is possible with the larger masses"

This is such a simple concept, and yet so difficult to fully adhere to. Especially when drawing from imagination, it is tempting to skip on to the lesser details of an image. Sometimes I have to backtrack from a more detailed rendering, and re-establish the underlying form. It is so crucial to the strength of the painting.

Rapid Study

..rapidly painted

A Passing Glance

Limbs

Gnarly Tree

Landscape Sketch

Askew

Costume Concepts

Jowl

Calibration

Our captain is very particular about his mechanics. Due to a rather 'special' condition, he is frequently in need of repairs and limb calibration.  He's tough on new crew members. Few can withstand his scrutiny for long, and in this time of war it has become very difficult to find qualified engineers.  However, the new hire seems to be a good fit so far.  The captain has given her a hard time, as expected, but she is confident in her abilities and holding her ground.  I think the captain is really quite pleased with her performance, especially after his squeaky arm socket was fixed.  He's just bit reluctant to express gratification too openly.

Tree Sketch

WiP Example

This is a work in progress. A typical example of how I build a composition around an established focal point. I may expand the canvas further as I go from here.

The Basilisk Ball

Centuries ago, warriors donned the hides of their basilisk foes as a totem of strength and bravery.  When the Serpent Lord was finally defeated, the first Basilisk Ball was held to celebrate Man's victory.  Now, generations later, the tradition is still a favorite among high nobility.

Witness

New Masters Academy

Heya folks!

If you would like some awesome and affordable online art education, I highly recommend the recently started New Master Academy. I've been trying it out for a few months now, and while the quality varies a bit from lesson to lesson, overall it is an amazing value. I've spent hundreds on art DVD's in past. Generally, you can expect a 2 hour demonstration video from a professional artist to cost $30-$100. Compare that to the $19 monthly subscription for an ever growing list of video demonstrations and lectures. You really can't beat that.


Link: http://www.newmastersacademy.org/


The videos from Steve Huston alone make this a good value IMO.
Hopefully these guys are successful, so that we see more content like this in the future.

Patrol

Sketches

Quick sketches, trying to improve all around.

Wood's Edge

Reprieve

The gentle bounce of the aircraft and droning of its well-tuned engines had me in a tranquil lull. After a long hour's flight, our target was appearing over the horizon.  I wished so dearly to just keep dreaming, to stay in my trance among the clouds.

Reality was approaching, and like the haunting raid sirens below, it soon melted all illusions of comfort.

After years of terrible war, our foe was already beaten, blooded, and disarmed. He knelt before us. Our planes, the sword held steady above his pitiful head. With payload armed, we would soon answer his cries for mercy.

In those final moments I tried so hard to justify my cruel mission. My conscience yearned to break away, to defect from the subsequent guilt.  Like a wolf bound to his pack, I, whether it be by duty or fear was tethered to formation.

As fate drew nearer, my heart pounded, and soon began thrashing as if desiring to tear free and turn back.

On command the formation shifted. The sword arm raised high.

In that final instant a blinding  flash of light saturated all perception.  My plane's propellers stopped like the hands of frozen clock. My heart paused. A moment of calm...

 Then, with a thunderous boom! My plane shook, windows shattered, and the stick flew from my hands.  A streak of white blazed before me as the horizon began to spin.  It struck us like a bolt of lightning. Seeming to appear from thin air it unleashed a chain of power that jumped from one plane to another, ripping apart the entire squadron with one fell swoop.

Be it by human construct or divine power, we were utterly decimated.

But then my conscience eased, my soul reprieved.  Falling through the sky, my mind retreated back into that tranquil dream, my trance among the clouds.

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I got a good kick out of this quick cover mock-up, sent to me by my friend Mark Foster http://markfosterart.blogspot.com/
It seems rather fitting!

Curious Trail

These lands are strange to me. I've been traveling westward for numerous seasons now, far beyond the borders of even the most thorough maps. I intend to find the furthest shore, where this magnificent land finally bows before the sea. The last human settlement is now many months behind me, and while I have become well acquainted with my lonesome journey, the horizon is growing ever more foreign to me. Monolithic spires protrude from the otherwise gently rolling plains. Springing from the stones, winding streams emerge from and caress the sprawling landscape.  While it all seems remarkably hospitable, I'm getting an odd feeling now as I wander deeper into this exotic paradise.

I've just crossed upon a trail that looks oddly deliberate, quite unlike the naturally eroded paths I've been clinging to. Could these loosely scattered stones have been laid by ancient hands, or is my isolated soul just starving for any semblance of human company?

For now, though my legs ache from the steep climb, I dare not pause for rest or study.  It seems the trail has become just as curious of me.

Complacent

Don't get too comfortable.

Undulation

First Encounter

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Process shots:

Haus Fly

This began as a simple insect study, but then some crazy fly appeared and demanded to to be fully appreciated. (As is often the case)

Process shots:

The 'Ol Hat Trick

Dog Gone It!

The Oracle

I keep starting new paintings before I finish the previous one, but here is a quick one that managed to get by.

Figure 002

Another imagined figure. Trying to stay loose.

Spring Flower

A quick still life study.

Figure 001

Imaginary models have a tendency to vanish when you lose focus, but overall they're easy to work with and have good rates.

Natalia

I've been super busy lately with my new job as art director at Goldfire Studios.  There's a lot of work in progress which I hope to show soon.

Fate of Falling Stars

I recently illustrated some characters for Paizo's web fiction series. >Link<

The Fate of Falling Stars

written by Andrew Penn Romine

Quite a lot of fun.

Sketches with RGB color picker

I have always set my color picker to HSB in Photoshop. It seems very intuitive when thinking of color in terms of traditional painting.

Here I am playing around with the picker set to RGB. I am surprised with how significantly it effects my color choices.

It seems to lend itself to a broader spectrum of color, whereas with HSB I tend to adopt a much more limited palette. I think HSB requires more intentional color selection, where the RGB slider naturally introduces a greater range of hues. I probably just lack restraint though, and need to practice with it more.

I remember reading Lin Ran's great tutorial on RGB color picker a few years ago: Link 

At the time I didn't understand the complexity of the RGB slider. It was just too overwhelming to bother with. Now it feels very natural to use. I think I'll keep playing with it.

Kindred

In a dystopian future, a lone wanderer finds someone not too different from himself.

Portrait Sketches

studies

The Toll

The toll of temptation.
....
This was created for the ArtOrder "Nymph" challenge.