Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 59

iPainting The Bronco Rider

Art Unboxed Conveying Detail

Recently I painted a watercolor of a car driving in a hazy snowy scene through the woods. I was struck by the minimal colors in the scene, and could see how a painting could spark from it. Using three colors I painted a watercolor, and was happy how it turned out.

First let me say I do very much enjoy detailed paintings, and I consider myself very much in the realist camp. However I also appreciate those paintings which convey detail with minimal effort from the artist. As a writer and an amateur magician I can appreciate conveying a message without filling in all the lines. It’s why I love old radio shows, the presentation is as large as a person’s imagination.

For some paintings I enjoy being more detailed, but I also love the technique of implied detail. Joseph Zbukvic is brilliant at balancing the two, but he’s not the only one. I recently looked at one of Norman Rockwell’s paintings, The Love Song. It shows two older musicians playing music, and a young girl daydreaming of her prince. While he is considered very detailed in both the musician’s coat, and the picture calendar on the wall, you can see implied detail.

Different artistic styles, yet both used implied detail. I think it’s why I enjoy some impressionist paintings more than others. Some are far too abstract for me, while I others I like better because of implied detail. I can appreciate this I think because of the struggle I had as a newer painter.

I’ve mentioned before the debate about big shapes, and how initially I misunderstood what they were saying. Something similar happened when I would hear artist tell students there was too much detail, or too much rendering. At the same time I heard that becoming a better draftsman, or better at drawing, was vital.

These seemed contrary to me, as I’ve seen some beautiful, and extremely detailed pencil drawings. What I didn’t understand is the problem was not painting a detailed painting. It was actually because of more than one reason that they advised this.

A simple truth is that you can become so fixated on illustrating a small detail so much it will hurt your overall painting. Another issue is that you can use limited detail to direct the attention of the viewer much like slight of hand with a magician. This method involves more detailed rendering of the focus of the painting, and less detail on the supporting areas. In other words it’s an actor’s spotlight, or a smart phone’s portrait mode.

Another truth about being overly detailed at the beginning is it can distract you from becoming well rounded in the general skills of painting. It goes back to not seeing the forest for the trees. Once you have a well rounded grasp of the basics down, you can explore. Some artists will be very detailed, almost photorealistic, others will be far less so. Neither is wrong, as long as you learn what is necessary to paint well.

Drawing is important, knowing when and what to put in, and what and when to leave out. Great artist, whether in paint or in pencil, know both how to draw great detail, and how to draw just enough detail to convey an idea. Minimalist and photorealistic are not better than the other, they are just different tools, but the basics are vital regardless of which you pursue.

The truth is one painter may paint a very detailed version of one painting, and very little detail with the next. Just as the same songwriter may write one extremely fast piece, then a ballad, after they have learned the basics well. In music and art, the basics are the building block for whatever you want to build, but the foundation has to be strong.

A singer or musician can be versatile if they know how to do several different types of music well. There are also those musical artists who focus on a particular genre and are said to have mastered it. Neither is less, and there are experts in both camps, just as with painting.

Whether you paint a detailed landscape, or focus on just the highlights, I would encourage you to do three things. First keep actively learning as much as you can, second practice as much as you can, and third enjoy painting no matter what style you find yourself gravitating to. However you are conveying detail, do your best to have fun.

A Speck Of Dust A Children’s Story

A speck of dust looked around the top of the bookshelf in a New York City bookstore. He longed to be more. He and his friend dreamed of a life of beyond only dust. Of course all of the other specks of dust laughed at them.

“The only way you’ll get off this bookshelf is to be swept into a dust pan and thrown away. Face it, you’re just a speck of dust, and that’s all you’ll ever be. Learn to live with it like we all have.”

Instead the speck of dust kept dreaming, and encouraging his friend to dream. One day the bookstore owner left a window open, and a small soft breeze changed everything. The wind picked up just Dustin and his friend S. D. and carried them out the window.

It lifted them high above the city, circling all around the city. The two specks of dust were getting to see sights that many others had never seen. Finally the wind placed them on the back of a hawk flying out of the city.

They saw fields, animals, and people. It was a far cry from the top of a dusty corner. Soon another wind picked them up. This time they were placed on the back of a monarch butterfly.

It came to rest in the top rafter of a huge barn. The speck of dusts knew they were so high up that no one could ever sweep them away into a trash can. They had lived their dream, one that all the other specks had told them wasn’t possible, but it wasn’t over.

When they got there, they were not alone. On every inch of the rafter were all kinds of specks of dust. One recognized Dustin and S. D. and spoke to them. It was a speck that had once been on the same shelf. “I know you two! I told you about the wind, and the city before I left.”

Dustin remembered now but, “How did you know?” Another speck spoke up, “I told him before I left, you see this has happened before. A lot of the specks of dust don’t listen, but those that do look beyond their corner and wait for the wind.”

They were so happy now, not only had they seen sights they could never imagine, they met others who believed in them. A few who had shared hope with them. Ones who had not only shared a dream but lived it.

These two happy little specks of dust learned what would be good for us all to know. Listen to those who’ve felt the wind lift them higher. Those who shared hope with us all. After all, before God whispered there was more, we were all just specks of dust He opened up a world too!

Watercolor Penguin Figure

Sketch Gilligan The Skipper Too

It felt like a Gilligan’s Island Day

Sketch Frank Sinatra Jr.

Happy Birthday Frank Sinatra Jr.

Sketch George Foreman

Happy Birthday George Foreman

Sketch Roy E. Disney

Happy Birthday Roy E. Disney

Sketch Ray Bolger

Happy Birthday To Ray Bolger, from The Scarecrow of Oz to Barnaby in Babes And Toyland, he was a wonderful actor.

Sketch Richard Nixon

Happy Birthday President Nixon