Dear Subscribers,

Greetings!

Extra beefy newsletter this week.

My work is featured in issue 108 of Practique des Arts, a French magazine!



Speak French? I hope to show you the full version soon. In the meantime, here are some little teaser images:







This past week was good. Three new still-life paintings in six days. Shazam.

The setup.
In reality, the light in my setup is brightest closer to the source. But the light is just a tool. You're not a slave to your setup. You are in control. Interpret instead of being literal. Otherwise, why paint at all?
I want to concentrate the light around my center of interest, the glass of milk.


First stage. Shape of shadow in umber:


Next stage: Switching to knife. Establishing brightest bright, darkest dark, purest color.


Next stage:


Next stage:


Next stage. I went over that milk again and again and again. Subtle value changes and color.


And the finished painting, "A Glass of Milk and Some Onions" (8x10):



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I didn't get any progress photos of this next still life because of some camera troubles. It's too bad because I feel particularly good about this one. Alas! Anyway, I used milk again. This is kind of a reversed order of light as compared to the previous painting. Light on objects that trail back instead of forward. You'll notice the light source is in the same position for both paintings.

"Night Convoy" (9x12):



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Switching to more light...
The setup. I plan to put the apple (center of interest) SMACK DAB in the center of the panel while creating a feeling of balanced assymetry with the other elements:


First stage. Dealing with a previously used panel here, with some chunky textures. This isn't a big deal because I know I'll be using a knife with thick paint.


Next stage. Usually I advocate painting the center of interest first. However, the value of the panel and the value of my chosen background are different enough that I'd like to get a better sense of what's going on first. Ideally I would have started with a panel that was better suited to this composition.


Next stage:


Next stage:


Next stage:


Next stage:


Next stage:


I've been experimenting lately with using abstract elements as tools to manipulate and improve a composition. It's freeing. The possibilites are endless.

And the finished painting, "Fulcrum" (8x10):



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JUST SOLD!:

"Two Tangerines"

Until next week,
David A. N. Cheifetz
www.davidcheifetz.com

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