This six-part, boxed-set comes with many thanks to those of our supporters who are keeping faith with our on-line tutorials and have requested Masterclass Series 1 - now released via #artworkshopwithpaul on #Vimeo - Masterclass with Paul Taggart [Series 1] – Session 1 TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES FORM THE CORNERSTONE OF MY WORK AS A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST – which mean that my Masterworks oil paintings take many weeks, if not months and in some cases years, to complete. Followers of my tutorials are fascinated to get to grips with these traditional techniques and so it is we film a selected number of Masterclasses, focussing on one particular painting at a time. However, to film each and every stroke as I paint would involve a monumental amount of filming and viewing time – which is why we focus on one particular section (perhaps one other), so that you can watch that develop from start to finish. Subject : Reflecting on Longhope Sound from Paul Taggarts Awash with the RNLI Collection Medium : Oil Painting on Gesso Panel Size : 18½ x 10 (470mm x 254mm) IN SESSION 1 you follow Paul as he starts work on his blank surface. At every stage where Paul is filmed working at his easel, you will see this in real-time. You will see every brush-stroke, every colour mix, every technique and pick up a multitude of hint, tips and methods; for Paul holds nothing back in his running commentary. You will learn much about Paul’s traditional oil painting technique of working from dark to light, using lean to fat paint mixes, featuring techniques such as tonking, glazing, tinting and more. If you are new to Paul’s tutorials you will soon come to understand that he holds nothing back, you are not excluded from the painting process, no secrets are hidden – this is your chance to properly share in a wealth of techniques, offered by someone who has been a professional artist, author and presenter for over forty years. STEP 1 – Drawing Out Paul’s final choice of thumbnail is transferred to his prepared surface in the form of a simple skeleton on which large masses can be balanced against one another. Shapes are kept bold, complex curves avoided. Linework is executed in a turpsy fluid colour, using a large brush, to prevent over-enthusiastic detail. STEP 2 – Blocking In with Complementary Underpainting Now Paul blocks in the entire composition using bright complementary colours, which will serve as a counterfoil for subsequent paint layers. Thus, where the sky will be blue, a bright orange is applied and so on. Paint consistency is still fluid with enough thinner in mixes to spread colour swiftly, so as not to overwet the surface; which would make subsequent layers difficult to apply and build. The bright complementary result allows the composition to be viewed as balanced areas of colour, before detail is introduced, which would otherwise blind the eye to the abstract nature of the composition. STEP 3 – Redrawing Redrawing with slightly stiffer paint mix (although with a little thinner added) is carried out at this stage – now introducing some basic detail and curves. Basic forms are used to identify particular objects – boat, houses etc. Foreground weed and rocks are gradually described by picking out their rhythmic forms and movement. Focal points throughout are carefully placed to keep the eye focussed within the painting. Again, a large bristle brush is used to avoid introducing fine detailing at this early stage. STEP 4 - First Layer Impasto While the underpainting is still wet, it is overpainted with tube consistency colour mixes. First colours in this layer are dark, dull versions of the colours that will come to be in the final painting – the accent colours. For instance in the sky – the first, stiff layer is a mid-value blue. The underpainting of STEP 3 now shows through because it is not completely covered - which allows me to apply subsequent colours over and/or next to each other, making for a more interesting play of colour against colour. For this stage a larger bristle brush is used to effect the bold strokes required. Foreground colour contrasts vary depending on whether the weed is submerged, or appears above water surface. Objects above water level have strong contrasts between dark and light (dark accents, light highlights). Below water, contrasts are muted (mid-value accents and mid-value highlights). STEP 5 - Second Layer Impasto (First Stage) Layers of stiff, tube consistency colour mixes are built first from dark, then through the mid-values to, finally, the lights. In this layer I concentrate throughout on texture. This is achieved visually by using dark colours as a thin layer, building to deeper layers for the lighter colours. Colours applied in this layer slowly begin to resemble the colours that will ultimately exist in the finished work. Directional brushstrokes help develop the structure of the painting, on which all of the paint layers to follow will depend. While objects slowly become more identifiable, I still avoid becoming too detailed. Focal points such as the houses, boat house, boat, rocks etc. begin to develop.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 21:40:24 +0000
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