Studies and Revisions

One of the best ways to learn is to study the masters - artists so good, even other good artists look up to them.

I based this study off a painting by the incomparable Alberto Mielgo.



The next best way to learn, to get better, is to go back and fix your mistakes.

I fixed this old painting up some using Photoshop.



By fixing it, I make it better, which makes me better.

See you January 7th!

Happy Holidays!

No class tomorrow or next week, the 31st. I'll see you January 7th!

Orientalism

I usually stick to posting my own work here, but I had to share the wonder that is Orientalism painting.

A few leading artists from that era when Europeans were colonizing the world:

Jean-Léon Gérôme



David Roberts



John Frederick Lewis



Fernand Cormon



Georges-Antoine Rochegrosse

Sarah 2

Oil and Photoshop

Sarah 1

Original 9" X 12" sketch can be purchased here for $100USD.

Miss January 1954

Original 9" X 12" sketch can be purchased here for $100USD.

Compare and Contrast

Sometimes I use Photoshop to alter my final artwork so I can see different possible versions of the same image.

By seeing different outcomes, I am able to learn more about what makes a pleasing final image to me and incorporate those lessons into the next image I create.

My original:


A super-high-contrasty version:


A darker version with slightly more contrast:


While I feel I learned what I needed to learn about creating volumes and space using simple gradients, it is only after playing with the image in Photoshop that I feel I know what it takes to create a more pleasing composition. Here's a look at the final Photoshop Enhanced Image: