Lessons from the Great Masters Day 16 – 23.7.15
Final chapter: Contemporary watercolour
My journey through Lessons from the Great Masters began on June 24th, Day 175. In a few short weeks I feel I have learned so much and once again would like to thank Debi Riley for introducing me to the book through her wonderful blog.
Life long learning is what it’s all about.
The Yellow Field
A painting from a few years ago (acrylic on canvas, 78″ x 64″) while we visit our beautiful new granddaughter for a couple of days.
Lessons from the Great Masters Day 15 – 21.7.15 – in progress
Lessons from the Great Masters Day 14 – 20.7.15
Chapter title – Painting onto coloured paper: watercolour heightened with gouache.
Lessons from the Great Masters Day 13 – 19.7.15
John Ruskin; on learning to see.
For Day 200 of Studio 365 here is a look back at some of the paintings from the last 100 days.
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all.
Joni Mitchell 1967
I took this photo with my iPhone a few weeks ago looking up at the Wall Centre here in Vancouver. The words of Joni Mitchell’s song, Both Sides Now from her album Clouds, instantly came to my mind and a moment of warm reverie came over me as I looked up at the clouds and remembered hearing her voice for the first time in 1969. I was driving my old yellow Triumph TR2 down the Old Kent Road in London, and as she started singing on the car radio I had to pull over to listen to the rest of the song, a magical moment frozen in time and one which has remained with me ever since.
Ben’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Half and Half has given me the perfect opportunity to share the photo and to listen to the unforgettable voice of Joni Mitchell singing one of her greatest songs once again. Thanks Ben
Cypress Alleyway Half and Half
Half photograph, half painting of Cypress Alleyway, Castello di Reschia in Umbria, Italy.
The original photo and painting
You can see how the painting was developed from a charcoal sketch to the finished work here in a previous Weekly Photo Challenge:Layers, which I also titled Birth of a Painting, in November 2013.
Lessons from the Great Masters Day 11 – 17.7.15
Today’s chapter: John Constable: ‘natural’ sky paintings
How often have I marvelled at his great painting The Hay Wain on many trips to the National Gallery in London as a young boy. The scene was painted near Flatford Mill in Suffolk, which was owned by his father. I recently visited this hallowed spot which has changed little over the last two hundred years. All that were missing were the magnificent clouds of his painting.
Lessons from the Great Masters Day 10, – 16.7.15
Today’s chapter is entitled, Thomas Girtin: the power of white.
Thomas Girtin was a contemporary of Turner who said of him, “If Tom Girtin had lived, I should have starved.”
thechangingpalette 