Image
1630631
Dear Subscribers,
Greetings!
I was recently interviewed by The Blue Review (published on Medium). I
think it was a pretty good one. You can read it here:
Image 2879101
Image 2879096
_____
New still life painting.
Here is the setup. A concrete block and some gym chalk. Sometimes the
motivation behind a painting is strictly technical challenge. The setup
is a little atypical for me in terms of value. Usually my setup is
mostly light to support a dark focus, or mostly dark to support a light
focus. This painting is nearly 50/50. My goal was to--within this 50/50
arrangement--achieve focus on the pair of fruits on the right side. I'm
using the concrete block as a tool of value towards this end (the focal
fruits shine in the dark side, while the mirrored pair is more subtle
against the light side). I'm using the chalk as tool to show show
depth: without this element in this table-at-eye-level setup, the
placement of objects would be slightly ambiguous. With the chalk, the
we can judge the spacial relationship to the foreground (cast shadow on
cloth) as well as its proximity to the block (cast shadow on block),
and then it follows that we know the position of both pairs of fruit.
Every decision is made intentionally.
Image
2879082
First stage: shape of shadow in umber.
Image
2879092
Next stage. Straight to knife, focus first:
Image
2879091
Next stage:
Image
2879089
Next stage:
Image
2879088
More refinement of focal area:
Image
2879090
Some refinement of chalk:
Image
2879087
More refinement of focal area (focus must always remain elevated in
finish and detail). More refinement of cloth and mirrored fruits.
Desaturating and darkening left apple to force focus towards right
apple. Greens are reserved for right pear to draw focus:
Image
2879086
Left side background value needs to be lighter and the edges need to be
more subtle in order to give more power to the focal right, so I begin
to obscure/lighten background and further desaturate the left apple:
Image
2879084
More refinement of chalk:
Image
2879083
Adding detail to the concrete block, but it begins to look too
spotted/leopardy.
Image
2879085
Next, I refine everything in the painting. I push the background on the
left side to a higher value, and ghostify the left apple to allow for a
soft, subtle edge. The darkest darks are now isolated to the focal
right, which allows the focal apple/pear to glow. I add color to the
bright edges of the focal apple/pear for extra punch and focus.
And the finished painting "Chalk, Block, and Mirror" (9x12):
Image 2878477
View high-res image HERE
.
By the way, I tested a NEW knife for this painting. I've been
recommending Holbeins for years but I have a new possibility. Small
company called Oakblade . Here are some recent
screenshots from my Instagram. I'm using the blade with the sharp point
(it has extra flexibility). Very pleasantly surprised that there's
actually another knifemaker out there as good as Holbein (or better?
too early to say). I'm looking forward to trying out more models and
different levels of flexibility. So far, I'm really impressed. You can
check out the Oakblade website here or the
Oakblade instagram . The owner
Ray makes all sorts of shapes and flexibility levels, but if you
contact Ray with questions about the model I'm using, he'll know what
you're talking about.
Image 2879180
Image 2879183
_____
PACKING/SHIPPING TUTORIALS
For my fellow painters: I forgot to mention this in the previous
newsletter. I created two tutorials on how to pack an oil painting for
safe shipping in my Instagram stories. I've saved both tutorials in my
"highlights" so you can take a look anytime. Visit my account HERE
.
The tutorial called "How to ship" is my normal/simple method that I use
all the time. The other one called "Ship it" is for a larger painting
that was shipped internationally and needed a custom size box. Enjoy!
Screenshot from my simple method.
Screenshot from my simple method.
Screenshot from the custom/international method.
Screenshot from the custom/international method.
_____
WORKSHOP
I've been on a hiatus from teaching for over a year. I'm really looking
forward to gradually getting back in action, and excited to visit
NOH/WAVE for the first time. My workshops will continue to be rare (and
only West coast due to childcare logistics) for couple of years yet.
Los Angeles Workshop!
Image
2825942
Still Life Composition & Painting
January 19-21, 2019 (3-day)
at NOH / WAVE
420 E 3rd St. Suite #130
Los Angeles, CA 90013
$590
15 students max
REGISTER
Description & Supplies List
The venue:
Image
2825950
Image
2825951
_____
ONLINE MENTORING
My online mentoring program is currently full, but a spot should open
up mid-month, and then a couple more in early November.
Image 2853198
Mentorship Program
_____
JUST SOLD!:
Eye
Eye
Perception
Perception
_____
Thank you for reading! See you in a month-ish. -David
Forwarded here by a friend? Like what you see?
Subscribe to this newsletter.
Image 2617325
Image 1888790
davidcheifetz.com
Image 2617335
Image 2253128
Sent from:
{{FASO_DOMAIN}}
{{AM_COMPANY_NAME}}
{{AM_COMPANY_ADDRESS}}
{{AM_CSZ}}
{{AM_COUNTRY}} Artful Mail by FASO
Learn More about ArtfulMail
unsubscribe from this newsletter