| Author | Message | ||
  jdaneman |
I hope you will someday get that chance again. | ||
Robert |
I had an opportunity to go to Myanmar last year for a two month stay with the some buddhist monks. However, fate interveined and I needed spinal surgery. The opportunity has passed. Regrets. | ||
jdaneman |
Hi Robert: I always pay attention to the light--have since I was a kiddie. In New Mexico (where family lives)--the light is famous. The lack of moisture means less red in the light. While I lived in Europe, there was much more red due to the filtering effect of contant clouds (and rain--Germany was like Seattle only without the sun!) Meanwhile, good ol' Van Gogh and others commented on the light in Arles and Provence--that golden southern light, yet---Rome is on the same latitude as Boston. And yes, New England light is far different than Missouri light. I live in the Chesapeake Bay area, and our light is gorgeous--especially in Spring, Autumn and in the winter mornings. I didn't like the scenery here at first,but when I discovered what time of day was the most beautiful, I noticed a lot of wonderful things. Many people say that the Chesapeake area has to grow on you, and I agree. I did a painting of a place in Burma (walked there from Thailand, boy some of the adventures I've had...but I digress) anyway, I got some of the best photos of my life in Myanmar. It's incredible. I was only there for a few hours but it was truly the Land of Regrets--you want to go back the minute you leave, problems and all. | ||
Robert |
Re. what lies behind some culture's use of bright colors, I think I would point out that children prefer bright colors. Much of our aesthetic has been sophisticated (as a verb?) by 600 years of academic painting--many cultures do not have fine art as part of their culture and it may be they gravitate to bright colors the way my granddaughter does. I hope you don't think I have some sort of superior or paternalistic view toward nonwestern cultures--I'm not placing a value judgement on the above. I'm merely suggesting that their relationship to color might be decorative and simple whereas ours may be honed by all of the great art and naturalistic painting of our culture. A theory. | ||
Robert |
I saw one of the Pike books you mentioned, Eric, while browsing at a second hand store yesterday. Think I'll go back and get it. Thanks. | ||
Robert |
Jdaneman-- That's very true--from Zaire to Burma bright colors are often the rule in equitorial cultures. It may be the light. Very interesting point. I live in Texas and the bleaching out at midday in fulkl sun is extreme. I spent a week in NYC a couple of weeks ago and the light -- clear unclouded--was softer and everything looked paradoxically brighter. Back in Tx. it all seemed blindingly washed out at midday. In the original comments about color, I was talking about something other than appreciation of bright colors or rendering normally brightly colored subjects. I was speaking of the trend of interpreting virtually everything is seemingly straight from the tube bright colors. It's pretty and decorative at times, but there is that other issue that goes ignored as a result--the nuances nature presents to us. Not always, but often today's painters substitute a color fest for careful observation. That's certainly okay, but not the only way to go. I think one thing is that it is thrilling to watch these colors go on the paper. However, I might speak up for the equal thrill and immense challenge of suggesting the quieter hues and subtleties one finds in nature as well. | ||
Eric |
I love looking at John Pike's paintings. His paintings look like they were done in a natural and effortless way. I own and treasure two of his books, "Pike Paints Watercolors", and "Watercolor". From the books you get a sense that he was a very interesting and humorous man. I believe the former book is still available. | ||
jdaneman |
Having traveled extensively in the Third World--I find this an interesting discussion! The colors in India in particular, and in Thailand are indeed garish to the extreme. On my way down to Agra from Delhi, I recorded in my sketch book the wild colors of the people's clothing. But...here's a thought: the light was notably rotten for photography and painting for a lot of the day because, near the equator, the sun is straight down and intense. So the shadows were dark as hell and the brights washed out everything. I ended up sketching in a tiny book and when I got back home to the light of above the 45th parallel, I did a lot of paintings of what I had seen, away from the bleached light. The scenery in both Thailand and India was striking but washed out from the light of mid-day, so I wonder if the bright colors are a way of reacting to that bleached, overexposed effect on your eyes! The scenery was desert rock--ochre red or bluish-green washed out tropic trees, very like Florida at mid-day.Everyone wore hot pinks, cobalt blues, purples, deep greens, bright yellows and oranges. | ||
Eugene |
Another of the old watercolorists that I really like is John Pike. His book, "John Pike Pants Watercolors" is wonderful because it takes you through each painting, step by step. It may still be in print.- great color reproductions. | ||
John Preston |
So true, Robert. A lot of the world's poorer cultures have a preference for garish color. I've often wondered if it's because their world is so brown: the air, the water, the food, the people, etc. We on the other hand are confronted by so much garish color on billboards, on TV and in store aisles. No wonder those restful neutrals look good to us sometimes. | ||
Robert |
I live within driving distance of Mexico. One can visit the border bazaars and find all sorts of boldly colored hand made but mass produced furniture painted in stripes of red, black, yellow, and green. Very bold use of color. One can go to an antique store near here and find esquisitely carved tables and chairs all in earth tones. These are stunningly beautiful, the former merely garish. | ||
John Preston |
Robert raises a good point about color. We're conditioned to think "bold" use of color (ie. high chroma)is a sign artistic skill and merit. Isn't it "bolder" to use colors people don't usually care for and still come up with an engaging picture? | ||
Eric |
Yes, Ed Whitney was a student of O'Hara, but possibly his biggest influence was Maitland Graves and his 1951 book, "The Art of Color and Design". This book explains in detail the principles of design that Whitney emphasized in his teachings. Graves and Whitney were instructors at Pratt Institute in NY. By the way, I also appreciate a lot of those old watercolor instruction books, including the Schmalz book and one of O'Hara's that I read. Ted Kautzky is another good instructor from the past. Lots of good, solid advice. | ||
Robert |
It feels good to have someone share my enthusiam for O'Hara. I actually like his "natural" looking approach (not photorealism) better than the brightly colored stuff that is currently dominating shows. It's almost as if many artists are taking their color sense cues not from nature but from the Daniel Smith paint swatch sheet. But that's just me. | ||
Eugene |
Robert-- I hope you don't think that I don't like O'Hara. I just meant that I don't think that he is known or appreciated by many of today's artists. What a shame! | ||
Robert |
This is the book I learned watercolor from so it is a sort of sacred scripture for me. You will notice that the instruction is on a much higher level than is the case with today's books. The instruction actually cares about teaching you how to represent the natural world with all of its nuances. O'Hara's ala prima style might seem dated , but he is a very good artist who can capture much with a single stroke. I amazed at how much Edgar Whitney gets credit from all of this when it is actually O'Hara's doing. O'Hara is cut from the same cloth as his descendents--people like Skip Lawrence and Mel Stabin. I am so happy you like the book. | ||
Eugene |
Robert- I finally received the Carl Schmalz book on O'Hara and it is all I expected-- even better than the books written by O'Hara , himself. However, it's very interseting to see how much watercolor styles have changed in 30 years. (it was written in 1974). Good as his paintings were I think he would have a tough time getting into today's national w/c shows. But the book certainly has a lot to offer in basic w/c technique and design. | ||
Robert |
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/082305666X/qid=1098714967/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-5462674-9882344?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Absolutely the definitive O'Hara book-- compiled by his leading student. | ||
Sid |
Also, try www.abebooks.com, another good used book source. | ||
Sid |
I just checked Alibris with my iBook, OS 10.2.8 and got in with no trouble (browser Safari). What browser are you using?? Sid | ||
Anonymous |
John Preston. When I try to get alibris, lately, all I get is a blank tan screen, nothing else. I have ordered from them successfully before with no problem. Same computer - MAC OS 9.2 same carrier - aol. I'm not a computer whiz and can't figure it out. But I did find O'Hara books on Amazon at good prices. Thanks. | ||
Anonymous |
Anon he was also the teacher of edgar whitney. | ||
Robert |
Yes--Watercolor Lessons from Eliot O'Hara by ChARLES sCHMALTZis a wonderful book. It laid my foundations more than any other. You can FIND IT ON AMAZON USED. | ||
John Preston |
Anonymous, A search at alibris.com returned 5 titles, all at pretty reasonable prices. | ||
Anonymous |
Does anyone know where I can find a book on Elliot (Eliot) Ohara (O'Hara) --not sure of the spelling or examples of his work? For you youngsters, he was well known and active in the 1940's and did much to change the way of painting watercolors and made the medium popular and more accepable in the art world. Would appreciate any info. |
