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Using the Zorn palette for the first time
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Message
Posted
Thanks Alan, I am going to paint that eye out and move it down, I think the eyebrows are ok but once I fix that eye, I may need to take another look at the brows. The other bits I will adjust as I go along. I don't mind so much if it doesn't turn out because I am leaning about how artists lay shadows down to construct the face, that's what I find is starting to click a bit, which didn't before, so for me, it's really good practice and I'm actually enjoying it.
Posted
Well Robert, I found a most beautiful portrait done by Andres Zorn, I mean, all of them are superb but this was a face I found interesting. I think I take more notice of a face that is interesting. I have decided, while I am trying to learn portrait, I will spend the next few months copying from the experts before trying my own again. I don't know how it will turn out, I've started it in oil. It's Ola Maria. I've just sketched a few lines from a picture and I am doing it from eye. Probably started it all wrong as you know I have know instruction from anyone and just muddle through doing my own thing. don't think I'll get it finished today, I was really hoping to. It's not the whole painting as I am only concentrating on faces. Here is what I've done so far. The following picture is my palette, don't laugh, you can if you want, my wooden one got binned and I've not replaced it yet, so I've used a bread board covered in tin foil.Hi Denise, try not to outline the eyes, nose and mouth at this stage. Do what you did on his hair is a better way to start.
Posted
Well done for having a go, Denise. I'm sure you'll finish your painting, unlike me. I'm aware that I haven't really given it a chance, so I'll try using this palette again sometime.
Some musings about Anders Zorn....I've been looking again at his art, which I admire. I've always liked this one 'Caique Oarsman' (He did two slightly different versions...the other has another boat in the background and other differences.)
I'd thought how clever to produce this on such a limited palette...but I was forgetting the vagaries of colour reproduction on the internet. Here are two unaltered pictures of the same picture.
The pic on the right was the one I'd admired. Having tried to use the palette I knew he'd never get those blues. Then I came across the version on the left. Here the 'blues' are greys, so, with his skills it would be entirely possible to use this palette. We never know how reliable internet photos are, far better to see the actual painting. Whichever of these pictures reflects this work more accurately I don't know, but seeing them has convinced me it IS possible to make such a painting with this palette. (For what's it's worth, I prefer the one on the right.)
The pic on the right was the one I'd admired. Having tried to use the palette I knew he'd never get those blues. Then I came across the version on the left. Here the 'blues' are greys, so, with his skills it would be entirely possible to use this palette. We never know how reliable internet photos are, far better to see the actual painting. Whichever of these pictures reflects this work more accurately I don't know, but seeing them has convinced me it IS possible to make such a painting with this palette. (For what's it's worth, I prefer the one on the right.)
Posted
Thanks for your advice Kenneth, I will be spending the day on it today. Thanks Lewis, I have also been looking at his work, not just his portraits. I prefer the picture on the right you have posted.I like using colour and lots of colour and I think when you are working from a limited palette, it pushes you to think a bit more and get creative with the limited palette you have. I think using the Zorn palette is a really good exercise. For me it is anyway. I can't wait to get stuck in again later. I've got to do my food shop first, darn, I'll be speeding around the shop, with fire from my heels in a rush to get back and make a start..
Edited
by Denise Cat
Posted
Denise, there’s nothing wrong with how you’ve approached this, we all work differently and everyone has different advice to offer - it’s fine to outline the eyes in the initial stages if that makes it easier for you to work your tones and colour mixes into these important areas.
Carry on as you are doing… you’re doing well!
Posted
Thanks for your advice Kenneth, I will be spending the day on it today. Thanks Lewis, I have also been looking at his work, not just his portraits. I prefer the picture on the right you have posted.I like using colour and lots of colour and I think when you are working from a limited palette, it pushes you to think a bit more and get creative with the limited palette you have. I think using the Zorn palette is a really good exercise. For me it is anyway. I can't wait to get stuck in again later. I've got to do my food shop first, darn, I'll be speeding around the shop, with fire from my heels in a rush to get back and make a start..If you want, I can show you how I draft my painting which follows traditional European method. For the colour, there is a concept that, what colour you see does not necessary exactly be that colour. We can be tricked by surrounding colour. I believe this is important, especially when we use limited palette.
Posted
Thanks Alan, the light is very poor today, I am hoping it gets a bit brighter, even though I'm only practicing, I still want good light, I'll make a start anyway and hope for a crack in the clouds. Thanks Kenneth, I am always interested to see how other artists work, I have had no training or even an art lesson and have learned much from the members on the site and the community videos and have found people's advice very helpful.
Posted
Thanks Alan, the light is very poor today, I am hoping it gets a bit brighter, even though I'm only practicing, I still want good light, I'll make a start anyway and hope for a crack in the clouds. Thanks Kenneth, I am always interested to see how other artists work, I have had no training or even an art lesson and have learned much from the members on the site and the community videos and have found people's advice very helpful.It is raining all day and windy my side. The picture was a study to copy Rubén’s painting - Clara Serena Rubén. To my memory, I used silver white, yellow ochre, red ochre, raw umber and cobalt blue. Canvas was tinted with mixture of silver white, yellow ochre, raw umber and calcium carbonate(chalk). You can skip calcium carbonate if you don’t have it. By tinting the canvas you will have a mid tone grey and I think it is easier for you to learn how to lay the shadow. Starting from top left, the first two are how I laid the shadow. I used turpentine with raw umber (very thin). Yes, I still have some lines at eyes but I don’t draw the lower eye lines. Instead I pause at corner and ended it with short tail. Similarly, I do the same for mouth and nose. The pauses will give you the anchor points and ends up give a more natural facial expression. The third pic shows how I lay the light and fourth shows the highlight. You can repeat these steps again (previous layer dried) until the gradation meets what you want. If you think you are ready with this practice, you can use white canvas. But then you need to lay mid tone and shadows. This method is very interesting. If you see it by your eyes, you will found that the shadow areas look blue(cool) even you haven’t used any blue colour.
Posted
Well, Kenneth, that certainly is a beautiful portrait and it is something I will have a study at and I think I will try to have a go at it. Mind, it probably won't look nothing like yours but I'm prepared to try as it is all good for learning. I have just finished the Ola Maria. I have been a bit timid with the colours on the face and I'm not really happy with the eyes although, the look much better when I fixed the left one but I feel the eyes are large for the face. It was still a very good exercise for me and I will put it on the gallery. I was loosing light and rushed the end of it but still fairly happy I think even though I know the faults with it. Here it is anyway and I've enjoyed using the Zorn palette and shall use it again but with more confidence next time.
Posted
Well, Kenneth, that certainly is a beautiful portrait and it is something I will have a study at and I think I will try to have a go at it. Mind, it probably won't look nothing like yours but I'm prepared to try as it is all good for learning. I have just finished the Ola Maria. I have been a bit timid with the colours on the face and I'm not really happy with the eyes although, the look much better when I fixed the left one but I feel the eyes are large for the face. It was still a very good exercise for me and I will put it on the gallery. I was loosing light and rushed the end of it but still fairly happy I think even though I know the faults with it. Here it is anyway and I've enjoyed using the Zorn palette and shall use it again but with more confidence next time.You have done a very good job, Denise. I can see you managed the gradation good. Btw you should have your own style and preference. This example just shows you how I (and probably how Rubén) paint his Clara. You don’t like the eyes because you have outlined the eyes. Let me show you another sample. I have attached a close up of Vermeer’s painting, I think most of us know and love it.
It shows how Vermeer painted her eyes. No sharp lines. Just patches of Colours. If you found too difficult, remove the excess paint on your brush using tissue.
For colours, in general, bright area usually in warm colour and shadow area usually in cool colour. But it is often some cool colour at bright ( especially at highlight) and often some warm colour shadow. I believe you can do the same using zorn palette.
Posted
A painting we all admire I think Kenneth, I've been looking at the eyes closely since you put it on and I like how the eyes have been painted here. I've seen it on the gallery a couple of times, I've never thought of trying it myself but looking at the eyes, I think this could possibly be a very good practice for me. Maybe I'll have a go at part of the face next time I do one and also keeping in mind the other advice you have given. Thanks.
Posted
As I’ve said earlier Denise, there are numerous ways to achieve an end result - you’re still in the early stages of your painting adventure, work how you want to and develop your own style, and that might include leaving visible lines and so on.
Most modern portraiture doesn’t display the soft classical blended tones of the old masters, which is often achieved by numerous layers of glazing, I prefer a more ‘Lucian Freud’ approach myself - dynamic, expressive and exciting!