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Loosening up
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Message
Posted
John, I must thank you and other commentators on this thread for making me aware of Louise Balaam. I had never heard of her but in view of this discussion looked her up and really like her work. Robert you say that it would be surprising if one hadn't heard of Bob Ross - well I might surprise you as I had never heard of him until he cropped up in another discussion, sometime last year I think. I won't try to track down any of his videos. We might not have had them here.
Posted
It’s a fair bet to say that not many on this forum will have heard this name before
On reflection, I wish now, that I’d not used the Bob Ross because it illicits so much more than the point of my post. There are many other “…Now take your no. 3 twiglet and paint the…” type painters I might have used I suppose. I just don’t understand what people get from this sort of stuff at all; is it just a variation of painting by numbers?
In addition to the reasons given already, I am intrigued by different people’s use of the term looseness and what they mean by it. Also I’ve had a number of conversations of varying length in which people talk of how much they wish they could loosen up but find it very hard to do. One more such to add to that list just yesterday at the life drawing group I attend.
Yes, the use of materials etc. can contribute something; I have my own ‘techniques’ for when I feel what I’m working on is in danger of becoming stiff and awkward. These may involve making bold gestural marks, sometimes with my eyes closed in order to get away from what it is and to produce a ’new’ surface.
Each to their own of course but I think that the How to paint a… type videos do more harm than good in terms of helping people find their own particular place, unless, of course, their place is how to paint a…
Edited
by John Humber
Posted
Daftest thing I had to do...though I didn’t do it for long , was to stand in room in a circle with other paying idiots . Paper taped on floor . Candle only light, pencil attached to piece of bamboo.at arms length . Still life in centre . Instructions ,draw still life half blinded and with pencil a metre from hand .
Nooooooooooooooo . I’m not into daffy methods, another one. Spend twenty mins drawing a set still life get up,change places with person next to you continue their drawing
adinfinitum all around the room nooooooooooooo. I’m not into gimmicks. Might be fun for a silly party a bit like sticking the tail on a donkey whilst blindfolded. Great at five years old.
Presumably to help loosen up.
Rapidity and dodgy eye sight works for me.
Edited
by Sylvia Evans
Posted
I agree that term looseness has a different meaning for people. To me in my paintings it’s not being to rigid, and not having to many straight lines. It’s also about not painting or drawing ever detail in front of me. I find it difficult to paint as loose as some artists do, but do admire some of the works on offer, whilst passing over others others quickly.
Posted
Sylvia. I enjoy playing about as you describe. I’ve had students doing the charcoal on a stick thing in the past and I practice what I preach. I made it a condition for myself at the life drawing a few weeks ago, that all my drawings that morning would be done with charcoal on a stick. Two of them were rubbish but two were very interesting.
I found the big learning for the students was usually in the looking at the drawings afterwards; developing their visual awareness to, for example, a particularly sensuous line. And again I still like to do things like that for myself once in a while because I think it helps to keep me open and learning, but I might be deceiving myself.
Posted
This has been a great post to read through.
It's interesting, I spent ages trying to "loosen up" and created some terrible messes trying to replicate the the masters and those of the current trend.
Anyway I came to the conclusion, that I'm a realistic painter, this is where my strength lies and what I'm comfortable with.
I admire work that allows my mind to wonder through it, also work that allows your emotions and mind to drift into it and it's quite often the looser style painters that will do this for me, but alas I struggle to create it.
So instead when I think loosen up, I think to take my time wondering around my chosen location, I'll grasp detail and let my eyes feast on every element as I walk Down a pathway, or climb an old wreckage, ruin or forest, I'll allow my senses to be flooded and carry that feeling to my canvas (I'm still trying to perfect this).
I'll do sketches and take reference photos of particular details I want to remember. Then back at the studio I'll work from these for about 40% of what ends up on my canvas, then my original memories, emotion and imagination fill in the gaps. For me this is how I term loosening up, as appose to working 100% plein air or from a photograph.
I hope this makes sense. It's not apparent in all my artwork but it's what I'm aiming for. My enjoyment I guess and allowing others to see what my mind captures.
Alicia
